Nora wanted lunch.
“Oh God,” Daisy whispered. “Is she okay?”
Of course.
The problem was, Daisy was a good person. Nora had never claimed to be nice. She tried to be kind, she supposed, but there were limits.
“I don’t know. She’s probably sad. Because it’s a hospital. Seeing Alexandra was really upsetting.”
“We should see if she’s okay.”
Just like that, Nora could feel the third invitation to lunch hovering in Daisy’s spirit. She was that kind of person.
Daisy’s kindness was how they had ended up hanging out with Soraya occasionally in high school. On field trips and in certain classes when her youth group friends weren’t around. Most of Soraya’s friends had been part of the homeschool clique in town, and so sometimes at school events she hadn’t had anyone, and Daisy had always been the one who wanted to collect people like they were wounded birds.
Nora was okay with being the worst person right now, actually. But it seemed like Daisy was intent on being the bigger and better one, taking off toward Soraya without giving Nora another glance. Nora looked down at her purse and decided she really didn’t want to be alone this afternoon. She followed Daisy to the corner where Soraya was standing, inconsolable.
“Hey,” Daisy said. “Are you okay?”
Soraya looked up at them, glassy eyed. “I ... No.”
She seemed surprised by the answer that came out of her mouth. Shocked that she was in fact not okay.
That was what had always irritated Nora about Soraya. Well, it was one of the things. But the relentless toxic positivity was a lot. One of the times Nora’s mom had come back into town and pretended, yet again, they might have a shot at reunification, only to leave Nora devastated by her (predictable) defection instead, Soraya had said God would show Nora something good through this betrayal, that it would be a lesson.
Nora had told Soraya exactly where she thought God could shove his lesson.
Soraya had taken exception to the mention of God’s holy asshole.
It really wasn’t a mystery why they weren’t friends.
Unfortunately, Nora was no longer sixteen. So as much as she would like to give Soraya a half-hearted wave and leave with a snarkyPraying for you, she wouldn’t do that.
“I saw that you brought Alexandra flowers,” Daisy said, like she was talking to a frightened animal, all soft and soothing. “I didn’t realize you and she were so close.”
“We work at the food pantry together.” Soraya looked helpless and lost and very sad. “It’s ... it’s awful, isn’t it? She’s one of those people who seemed like she had a blessed life, and then he—her husband—left her, and now she’s in the hospital and ... and ...” She hiccuped. She managed to do it prettily.
Daisy gave Nora a long look. Nora let the left corner of her mouth twitch upward slightly, the most enthusiastic consent Daisy would get from her.
Daisy turned back to Soraya. “We were going to go have lunch. Do you want to come?”
Soraya glanced between the two of them. “Really?”
“Yes. I’m hungry.” Nora tried to smile. “And you seem like you need something. A drink?”
“I don’t drink.”
“Of course you don’t. How about a lemonade?”
Soraya’s expression was so hopeful, Nora had a hard time being spiteful. “Iwouldlike a lemonade.”
“Great,” said Nora.
Soraya turned away from the angels and pressed her palms against her cheeks, aggressively pushing her tears away. “Great, let’s go.”
Soraya was even lovely after a crying jag.
They started to walk out of the gift shop when Daisy stopped mid-step. “Nooo.” She grabbed both Nora’s and Soraya’s arms and jerked them back behind a tower of pastel teddy bears and Mylar balloons. “Look! But don’tlooklook. It’s Christopher andher.”
