“Last night. You thanked me. You said something about working through your fears. What was that?”
I close my eyes. “Can we not make a big deal about that, either?”
“I’m not. I just wanna understand.”
I blow out a breath and bring my eyes back to his. “Something Dr. Williams said kinda stuck with me. About patterns and our nervous system and what feels safe…” I trail off as his eyebrows raise. “Don’t freak out. It’s not…I’m just…I'm reclaiming my autonomy. Google says it’s normal. I know that’s your favorite word.”
He looks weirded out, and I lowkey regret telling him that. But then he nods.
“Whatever you need, babe. I’m glad I can help you with it.”
“Good. See how we vibe? See how we give each other what we need? That’s a marriage, babe.”
He squeezes my foot. “That’s agoodmarriage.”
“Period.”
“That’s some Freudian shit, but I dig it.”
“Williamsian.”
We both laugh at my corny joke.
“By the way, before I go break bread with this woman, does she know about the sex tape?”
“Nah. And I was gonna mention that to you at some point. We need to fix that.”
“I know. We will.”
I meet the head orca at Altitude. Bougie ass coffee joint. I don’t even fucking drink coffee, but whatever.
“Raya, it’s good to see you,” she says as I take my seat at the table.
I don’t bother repeating it back, because it’s not true, and even if it was, her ass doesn’t deserve it.
“How are you?” she asks.
“I’m okay. We got back a couple of days ago. The service was nice.”
She nods. “Well, this place has the absolute best southern limerick.”
“I don’t know what that is. Does it have alcohol?”
“Of course.”
“Oh, I’m not drinking.”
Her eyes narrow, then drop to my belly. I’m not showing enough for her to notice, but I guess this alcoholic hag doesn’t understand that some people truly don’t drink.
I hate that she’s right this time.
But she’s polite, at least. She doesn’t let it slip. She waits for me to say it, which I wait to do until after we’ve ordered.
“So, the good news I have…I’m pregnant.”
I’ve never seen her eyes so bright. She even smiles, but then it feels like somebody shut off the light, and she’s subdued again.
“That’s wonderful, Raya. Congratulations. You must be so happy.”
