SHE LOOKED SUSPICIOUS WHAT DO I DO
WHY ARMPIT YOU ANSWERING
*ARENT
ARE YOU THERE WITH HER
RO IF SHE TURNS ME DOWN I’M THROWING MILF INTO A HOLE
*MYSELF
DON’T TELL HER THAT THOUGH, TELL HER I’M WELL ACCOSTED
*ACCOSTED
FUCKING SHIT MAN ADJUSTED I am well adjusted
We giggle madly.
“What are you peopledoingover there?” Allison calls from across the room, propped up on her elbows. Then I laugh at Teyonna, who’s snapping a picture of my phone to save a copy of Trevor’s texts.
“Please don’t judge me for wanting documentation of this.”
“It’s adorable.”
“He’sadorable.” She sighs. “Juststupidgorgeous, I swear. Makes my brain cells trickle out of my ears when I talk to him. And there’s more to him than everybody sees. I know he comes off as this goofball, which he is, but there’s depth to that goofball. I notice more of his layers as we get older.”
“Plus, he’s so well-adjusted,” I point out with a grand sweep of my arm.
She laughs. “Okay, I need to lie back and let this facial do its work. Gotta be hot later.”
I lie back, too.
“Romina?”
It’s Kristin, speaking softly.
“Feeling pampered?” I ask.
“Like a baby.” She frowns. “That’s a lie. I can’t enjoy any of this because I’m stressing over the arrangements I’ll need to make if it’s still raining on Sunday.”
“I’m sorry. Anything I can help with?”
“Oh, honey, you’re sweet.” She pats my arm. “But I wanted to ask, how are you? How’s it going?”
I try not to squirm. “I’m doing good.”
“You’ve been talking to Alex again. Has it been... Is this the first you’ve talked since...?”
I’m torn between a compulsion to confide in her and holding every Alex-related detail private. I settle for an island in-between, responding honestly before changing the subject. “Yeah, it’s been a long time. What does your dress look like?”
“Simple, you know me.” She gestures down her front, features expressive. Kristin talks with her whole body. Alex used to wave his hands wildly all around, eyebrows dancing in an exaggerated imitation while she regaled us about her day over dinner, which she’d then pretend to be insulted by. “Still don’t know how I let that consultant talk me out of sleeves, but I guess it’s too late now. I hope nobody criticizes me for wearing strapless.”
“Why would anyone criticize you?”
“I’m an older bride, I’ve been married before. I asked my pastor if it’s dishonest for me to wear white, and he didn’t think it was a problem at all, but I still worry. Do you think I should’ve picked a different color? There was a champagne dress I saw, maybe it was at Georgina’s Bridal up in Toledo—you ever been to Toledo? They have great seafood.”
“Kristin.” She has not changed a bit. “No one’s going to judge you for wearing white. Almost every bride in the country wears white, regardless of how many times they’ve been married.”
