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“As strange as this might sound coming from me, I’m ready to ride the light and the dark with Tiero. Because let’s face it, there’s always going to be both with him. I trust that he’s going to keep his promise to keep me safe, and that everything will turn out alright.
“Isn’t that what you sensed on the ship, Claude? That all will work out perfectly in the end?”
My eyes connect with hers, and she nods. “Yes, darling. It will.”
“Well, then I go with your conviction,” I declare.
We clink our herbal tea cups together, and the girls gush over my ring some more.
“It’s really gorgeous,” Claudette swoons. “And it matches your eye color perfectly. It’s a sign, you know.”
I roll my eyes at her, making Rhia laugh. “So glad to see it directed at someone else.” Then she lets out a long sigh. “I can’t believe you’re engaged. I honestly didn’t see that coming.”
“Didn’t you?” Claudette challenges.
“No!”
“Well, I did.” Claudette grins at her.
“You’re a psychic. You ought to get these things right.” Mischief lights up Rhia’s face. “What do you see in Lex’s and my future?”
Claudette’s face turns just as impish. “Lots and lots and loootttts of fun.” She wiggles her eyebrows at Rhia and we all laugh.
“That’s nothing new. I could have predicted that,” I say, elbowing Claudette.
“There will be wedding bells,” she eventually says. “That’s what you were asking about, wasn’t it?”
Rhia nods eagerly. “Who proposes? Can you see that?”
“I have an inkling, but what would be the fun in sharing that? Wouldn’t you rather want to be surprised?”
“I suppose,” Rhi admits.
“Plus, Claude is only right eighty percent of the time,” I throw in. “So you better hedge your bets.”
“I regret having told you that. You bring that up every chance you get.”
I bat my eyelashes at her, smiling innocently.
“What about Ade?” Rhia asks, and my good mood evaporates.
My heart hurts thinking of not having him in my life on a day-to-day basis anymore. I choke up, tears welling up.
“Damn hormones,” I mutter, wiping at my eyes.
Rhia rubs my stomach affectionately. “Don’t listen to your mommy. She’s going to blame you every time she’s crying from now on.” Rhi’s teasing lightens the sullen mood.
“Well, I have to make the best of it,” I sniffle. “I won’t have this excuse for long.”
High-fiving me, she says, “Milk it for all you can. I sure intend to when my time comes.”
And that brings back the tears. All the plans Rhia and I made over the years look like pipedreams now. We dreamed of being pregnant together and raising our children living close to each other so they can be friends too. That’s not going to happen now.
Will we drift apart, now that we’ll be living in different countries? And what will happen once Tiero gets out of the Mafia?
Of course, my bestie can read my mind. She knows me long enough to guess where my thoughts have drifted to.
She sits down on the bed beside me and hugs me tightly. “We’ll work it out, won’t we?” she asks.
