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He releases me to take his phone from his pocket. I frown when he connects a call and hands me the phone. He wants me to speak to my family now? Not that I’m complaining. Only, it’s not Ryan or my mom who answers. It’s Colin.
“Hello?” Colin says when I fail to respond.
I study my husband for a clue of his motives and clear my throat. “Um, hi. It’s Sabella.”
Silence stretches.
“Can you hear me?” I ask.
“Yeah. Yeah. Sure. I’m just…surprised.”
Angelo’s earlier internal retreat vanishes. He’s back in the moment, watching me with unwavering attention.
“It’s been a while,” I say awkwardly, still battling to understand my husband’s intention. He’s never been a fan of Colin. “How are you doing?”
“I’m good,” he says in a too bright tone. “You?”
There was a time when we were best friends. Are we really going to make small talk? “Ryan told me you and May got back together. Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”
Silence.
“Colin?”
“Listen, Bella.” Another pause. “I haven’t heard from you in months.”
“I’m sorry. It’s not that I wasn’t worried about you—”
“I know.” His tone is curt. “Ryan told me.”
“Okay.” This is so uncomfortable. “Then you understand.”
I dare a glance at my husband, who’s still studying me with dark, piercing eyes.
“I told May,” Colin says. “About that day.”
He means about what happened in the church when Angelo came barging in with guns and threatened to shoot my best friend for agreeing to marry me.
“Oh,” I say.
“She’s pregnant.”
“May?” I exclaim. “Oh my God. That’s wonderful news. Congratulations.”
“With the baby on the way, we’re getting married this winter.”
“That’s great. I’m so happy for both of you.” I add with a smile, “Well, for the three of you.”
“The thing is, May isn’t so casual about the whole affair.”
“About what?” I ask, my mouth going dry as a suspicion forms in my mind.
“We don’t want trouble, Bella. With the baby and everything…”
I’m looking into Angelo’s eyes instead of into Colin’s as my childhood friend deals the blow. Sympathy sparks in my husband’s gaze as Colin tells me he no longer wants to hear from me. And who can blame him after everything I put him through?
The most surprising aspect is that the rejection doesn’t hit me as hard as I expected it to. My life is different now. Too many things happened. We both moved on. I’m no longer a part of my friends’ lives. We outgrew each other. Even speaking to Colin now feels as if there’s years between us instead of miles.
“I understand,” I say. “Take care of May and the baby.”
