“I was told not to.”
Erica didn’t reply right away.Finally she said, “As long as you were safe.”
“I was very safe.I did think about writing to you.I did write to you, but I wasn’t able to mail them to you.”
“You have terrible handwriting anyway,” Erica mumbled.“I wouldn’t have been able to read any of them.”
“That’s not true,” Janice said, sounding offended.
Erica laughed, the sound breaking through the tension in the room.
“I missed you,” Janice said quietly, her voice trembling.“I missed you so much, Erica.You were one of the few people who ever really believed in me.I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
“Well, it’s obvious I wasn’t the only person.”Erica finally looked at me.“Are you going to introduce us eventually?”
“Oh, right.This is Cadence.She helped me be safe.”
“Good.You need to surround yourself with people who actually look like they are decent human beings.”
I blinked in surprise, the bluntness catching me off guard, but her words felt oddly warm in their own way.It felt like the best kind of compliment she gave people, and I glanced away, hiding my embarrassment.
“And she’s a shy one.”Her lips quirked up slightly.“I like her.Come sit closer to us instead of hovering in the background.”
“I wasn’t—” I stopped trying to protest when Erica raised a brow, her expression leaving no room for an argument.Obediently, feeling like a little girl who was nearly in trouble, I scooted my chair closer until my elbow was practically bumping against Janice’s.Janice gave me a smirk, enjoying that it was me who was suffering and not her this time.
Erica turned back to Janice and they caught up.Now that things were settling, Janice was able to share the full story.
I stayed quiet, letting the two of them talk it out without interruption.The bond between them was palpable.They shared pain together, or maybe it was similar pain.They had history and unspoken trust.It was clear how much Erica meant to Janice and how much Janice’s absence had hurt Erica, even if Erica never outright talked about it.
“So do I get to meet this little boy before I die?”Erica asked.
“You aren’t dying anytime soon.You don’t know how.”
Erica waved off the words.“When do I get to meet him?”
Janice glanced at me briefly and I saw the pain flickering there.She was scared of losing Erica.I rested my hand on her forearm to let her know I was there.
“I’m working through some stuff and then I think I was going to have him and Ezi come here.I can’t be away from Rowan much longer.”
“Good.I need to make sure that fiancé of yours is a good person too.To really see that you’re safe.”
Janice chuckled.“I really am.I promise.”
“I believe you.But I still won’t be able to rest easy until I see it for myself.”
Janice fought to keep from losing her smile.I squeezed her forearm again to remind her she wasn’t alone.She swallowed hard and while she worked through the emotions, Erica turned to me.
“Don’t think you’re getting away without talking to me.What about you?”
“What about me?”I asked.
“If you’re a friend of Janice’s, someone smart enough to help make her safe, then your situation wasn’t all roses either.”
My eyes widened in shock and I glanced at Janice.She was fighting a smile and looked away.
I didn’t know how to respond.Or if I even wanted to.I liked Erica, but I didn’t really know her either.My skin prickled at the idea of talking to her about it.I glanced at the door, ready to make a run for it.
“You don’t need to tell me anything.You can just tell this old lady to shut her trap,” she said, easily picking up on my skittishness.
