AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nope. Never that easy.” Gia turned the ignition. “Thanks for digging into this. I gotta get to climbing practice. But let me know what your friend says, okay?”
“You bet. I think we’re going to find her, G.”
“I hope so.”
Rumor has it
Gia nibbled a donut and lurked at the snack table as she waited for Roxi to return from the restroom.It had been at least a month since she’d enjoyed a post-meeting sweet treat. On top of abstaining from all the things shechoseto abstain from, taking away her little indulgences for the sake of building an ideal body was becoming less palatable. Plus, it was her thirty-third birthday, and since no one knew, she wasn’t likely to get a cake or candles to blow out. The donut was a weak consolation prize, but it was better than nothing.
“I thought you gave up sugar!” Roxi snuck up from behind.
“We were on a break—but now I’m wondering, why? We’re so good together.”
“Good for you,chica. I was starting to wonder about you and the obsession with counting carbs and all that crap. You look good—why take away things you don’t have to?”
“My thought exactly.” Gia leaned against the cool drywall and rubbed cinnamon sugar off her fingers.
“You wanna get out of here?”
“Always. But I need to get up crazy early tomorrow to drive to L.A. with the team. So—no drag show or coffee.”
“Gotcha. I was thinking—will you come over and rehearse with me? I need an audience and Savannah just doesn’t have the ear for it anymore. She’s not that helpful.”
Gia bit her tongue.
“So, what do you say? I have some leftover enchiladas to share—since you stopped worrying about carbs. It’ll be fun. Just us—I have the house tonight. And I’ll get you home early.Lo prometo.” Roxi held her hand out. An invitation. “Come on. You know you want to.”
Want toandshouldare very different things, but in twenty minutes, they were in Roxi’s kitchen microwaving enchiladas.
“Mm. Smells good.” Gia opened a cabinet and closed it. Then another. “Where do you keep the plates?”
“Next one over.” Roxi opened the microwave to check the dish with a finger pressed against melted cheese. Not quite ready. “Can you watch this? I’ll be right back.”
Without a gaggle of friends or a drunk—whatever Savannah was—Roxi’s house was quiet. Relaxing. The lighting was dim, but adequate. A bamboo fountain trickled and bubbled on top of the eat-in bar. Was that there before?
“Here.” Roxi shoved an envelope into Gia’s stomach.
“What’s this?”
“What does it look like? It’s a card. Happy birthday!” Roxi began singing, “Feliz cumpleaños a ti, Feliz cumpleaños a ti—”
What the hell? How did she know?
And how red were Gia’s cheeks?
“Wow, thank you. How’d you know it was—?”
“I saw it on your license when you got carded to go into The Palmerian last time.”
“And you remembered?” Seriously. She remembered?
“I did,” Roxi beamed. “Read the card later. I’m not a great writer and don’t want to be embarrassed.”
“Okay, I definitely will.” Gia was certain her cheeks were redder than Mrs. Edelman’s fingernails, and willed them to return to normal as she pulled enchiladas from the microwave. “Here, I think they’re ready.”
Beside Roxi at the bar, the fountain bubbling its own melody, Gia’s birthday wish came true. Someone acknowledged her birthday. Her importance in the world. Though she hadn’t heard from her mother, Roxi had come through—without even knowing it.
???
