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Laura tilts her head, waiting. For some reason, this ishardto get out. “I mean… Lewis is planning to propose. On Valentine’s Day.”
I can see the moment Laura realizes what I’m saying.
For a few moments, we just sit there.
“Wow,” she says eventually, her eyes darting down to the table. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.”
“Oh,” I say. “I… Sorry. I should have asked if he wanted to?—”
“Benji is going to be so annoyed with me,” she grumbles. “I swore he wouldn’t spring it on us?—”
“You talked to Benji about this?” I don’t remember that.
She nods, though. “Yes, the day of the big video game hoopla. He was upset about it?—”
“Why didn’t you tell me this?” I didn’t know Benji was having anxiety about that. I should have—I should have known, should have guessed?—
“I didn’t think it mattered,” Laura says, shrugging.
“I told you to not have a relationship with them?—”
“Because I might be their aunt,” she interrupts, voice raising. “Jessi called me and asked me to come. It was within the territory of Lewis’ sister.”
“It was in my house.” I don’t even know why I’m arguing. She opens her mouth, but I push forward. “Regardless, Lewis wants us to go with them. Us and the kids. To some cabin, that apparently reminds him of?—”
“Grandma’s,” she interrupts, nodding. “Romantic.”
We sit silently.
“The plan was to break upbeforethe engagement,” she reminds me.
I feel a little sick. I move my spoon around the oatmeal. “I know.”
“So, we break up before… or…?”
“After?” I suggest. The plan—which I have been considering carefully, meticulously, horrendously—falls out from my mouth in a tumble. “I thought, with the engagement being so soon, breaking up right before would perhaps ruin the…” I trail off, uncertainly.
“Vibe?” she offers.
I shrug. She nods.
“So. After…”
“Maybe by the end of the month. With the transfer coming in, they won’t be too surprised?—”
“Transfer?” she interrupts.
“Right, I haven’t told you.” I buy myself a second by drinking coffee slowly. Her eyes grow narrower and narrower the longer I wait. “I’m being transferred to the French office.”
There’s a long pause where Laura just looks at me. And then, “Say more.”
“I… don’t know what else there is to say. Donovan and Sons has a French office?—”
“I do work there, you know.”
“Well,” I say, trying to swallow back my annoyance. “You know that I am the sole senior partner at the moment, and the French office—as a new location for us—requires my presence. It’s a great opportunity for Lewis, as well?—”
“Lewis? My brother is transferring to France, too?”
