“It’s called friendship,” I respond. I stare at her and don’t say the rest, but she gets my meaning. She cut off all her friends over the years for the sake of a man.
“Well, some of us with a husband and family have—”
Her words get drowned out by the familiar roar of a motorcycle. Everyone who is congregating on the front lawn of the stone building stops and stares.
Selene makes a slight gasping sound, and I hope and pray she doesn’t blab about our interaction with the man on the bike. I know it’s him before I even turn around, and when I do, he’s stopped across the street. His helmet remains on, but I can feel his eyes on me despite the physical barrier.
I know he’s undressing me with his eyes.
“Someone should go over there and teach him a lesson.” I turn at the sound of my brother-in-law’s voice.
“You totally should, Levar,” I say, and Cori lets out a half-laugh, half-cough. Levar is barely five feet ten inches, while this dude on the bike is almost seven feet tall. He’d knock out my brother-in-law with just one punch, and I would love to see it.
“Not this close to the church, honey,” Sylvie says. She tries to straighten his tie, but he knocks her hand away and takes a step back.
“Yeah, not in front of the church.” Selene rolls her eyes. “That’s the reason,” she whispers.
He revs the engine one more time before speeding away.
“I’ve been praying that this criminal enterprise with a hold over the town will leave.” Sylvie crosses herself even though we aren’t Catholic.
“I’m sure that will start working any day now.”
She narrows her eyes at me. Thankfully, my dad brings the car around, and I get in with my niece. Mom joins us, and Dad takes us home.
My parents are throwing a reception at the house for the christening, and after they go inside with Eva, I run to my apartment to change. I come to a stop when I see the rose in front of my door.
Today’s is pink. I pick it up, smell it, and when I get inside, I put it in the vase with the others. Resigned, I remove my dress and put on a pair of pants and a babydoll top.
“I’d totally hit that,” Selene whispers a few hours later after I tell them about the pink rose. She takes a sip of her wine and sighs.
“That big dude would rip her in half,” Cori says. “But he’s fine. You should—”
“I’m not getting involved with a criminal,” I interject.
“He’s never been convicted of anything. He’s never even been arrested,” Cori says.
“That’s just a technicality. It doesn’t make him less of a criminal, does it?” I ask.
“When has dating a good guy ever been good for any of us?” Selene says. “Think about it. Your ex probably did you dirty. I know you’re holding something back from me.”
I shrug.
“Tell me,” she whines.
I sigh, but tell her that Gavin not only totaled my car but also stole the rent money I gave him and drained my bank account. Her mouth is hanging open by the time I tell her about the high-interest loan I had to take out. When I finish, she puts her hand to her chest and leans back.
“Damn,” she whispers, but she pulls me into a hug. “It will be okay. At least you don’t have a million kids like your sister.”
Pulling away, I let out a hearty laugh that makes Cori snort, and her reaction sparks Selene to giggle.
“I wish I had it to lend you,” Selene says.
“Lend? Bitch, I already have a loan. I wish you had it to give me because I’m not trying to pay anyone else back.”
We remain silent as we watch the party going on in my parents’ backyard. Mom’s hobby is gardening, and the backyard reflects that. When we were younger, and Selene and Cori would come over, we’d help her in the yard. As a reward, she would let us sit on the upstairs deck connected to the main bedroom of the house, just as we’re doing now.
Levar stands in the middle of the yard speaking with Selene’s father, Reverend Wilde. My nephew, Timothy, tries to get his attention, but he swats him away. Tim tries again, but Levar looks down and speaks to him. It appears as if he’s being stern, and the toddler starts to cry. Levar ignores him, but my mom runs across the yard, picks him up, and plants kisses on his cheek. He rests his head on her shoulder, and Mom walks away with him in her arms.
