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“There will be other boys and greater loves. And someday, you will look back on this and wonder why you ever felt so sad. Just let it happen, Leia. Be on guard, protect your spirit, but let life happen."
Her eyes locked onto mine, a soft curve appearing on her lips as she greeted me with a gentle smile. "Thanks," she said. "You always know just what to say."
I grinned. "Now, how's life treating you otherwise? You dealing with the crimson tide okay?"
She exhaled. "That sucks too. I kind of feel like my chest is getting bigger, and I don't know what to do about any of it. Ugh."
I checked my watch for the time. I still had an hour to kill. "Come on." I got up. "Let's go somewhere."
The two of us took a rideshare to a lingerie store. Leia's eyes widened as she looked at the racks of lace and silk on display. She giggled at some of the more outrageous displays.
My heart ached for the girl—how had she carried on up until now?
Who had told her about these parts of growing up? I promised myself that I'd be the one. Reed couldn't do all of this. It wasn't possible. But I could. And I would.
Finally, I picked up a set of pink cotton underwear. "This is perfect. Go try it on!"
She looked at it skeptically, her gaze a bit furtive. "I don't know ..."
I wagged it at her. "I'm gonna wear this over my clothes if you don't go try it on!"
She laughed at that and disappeared into the changing room. I knew she'd undergone a small revolution in there because I heard a squeal, and then she emerged a minute later with a radiant grin. "I feel ..."
"Amazing?" I finished for her.
Her head moved up and down in a series of small nods.
As we walked out of the store, Leia holding the day's spoils in her hand, she chuckled. "I turn thirteen tonight, you know?"
In fact, I did know. Reed had messaged me like a helpless pup this morning, asking me to set up something. Hopefully, I'd pulled out all the stops.
I called Heather to ask if she was okay closing up for me today. I suddenly wanted to go home.
She was fine with it, so I took Leia back home first. Her mind was still buzzing with everything we'd done today.
When I dropped her home, she hopped down, still smiling from ear to ear. "Today somehow just changed from being all crap to awesome. I'm going over to Ashley's right now, and I'm totally gonna tell her what we did today. Thanks for taking me shopping, Junie."
"Does Ashley live far from here? How will you go there?"
"Naw, she's just two houses away from mine," she replied, pointing at a pretty house with a pastel blue exterior. "I'll be back before bedtime."
I nodded, acknowledging her independent streak. I got down after her and planted a small kiss on her forehead. "It was my pleasure."
I saw Miguel and Asher out in the front yard, going at each other like they were in some kind of martial arts-inspired boxing match. And that gave me an idea.
They looked insanely hot too, with their shirts open to reveal their chiseled bodies. Miguel saw me walking past and raised his hand at me. "All good, Junie?"
I nodded.
And I looked at them in code.
You know. Code forcome over.
He understood because he made a subtle signal to Asher, and the two of them stopped beating each other up and watched me walk over the steps and into my home.
I only had to wait a second before I heard a knock on my front door.
Asher smiled at me. "Next door plumbers at your service, ma'am."
