He had to see her bags on the bed, but he didn’t ask her if she was packing, if she was leaving. His eyes were glued to her face.
“Angeni is down by Manzanita Bay with Freya. She needs a ride. Can you pick them up? I’m in the middle of this thing with Matt and Jer.”
That was it—a ride?
“Oh, yeah, okay,” she said.
“Thank you.”
He lingered after this expression of gratitude, and Sasha knew he was also thanking her for her willingness to forget what had happened between them. It was regrettable. It meant nothing. That was what his eyes were telling her.
“No problem,” she said.
Sasha wondered why Angeni needed a ride. She’d seen her and Freya leave in Aurora’s car. Wouldn’t they come back in Aurora’s car?
As she drove on Manzanita Road, a car that looked like Aurora’s approached from the other direction. As it came closer, Sasha saw that it was Aurora’s car, with Aurora driving. Aurora’s eyes met Sasha’s as they passed each other, and Sasha was sure Aurora had been crying. But there wasn’t just sadness on her face, but anger too.
Angeni was waiting at the corner of Manzanita Road and Dock Street, Freya strapped to her chest. Sasha pulled up next to them, taking her time so she could study Angeni’s face. Had Aurora told her about the kiss, the texts with Jay? Angeni smiled, though. When she opened the passenger door, she said, “Thank you so much for getting us!”
Sasha didn’t know whether to ask if something had happened with Aurora. Maybe it was better to take Erik’s approach and avoid any potential land mines.
“Did you guys have a nice time at the bay?” Sasha asked.
Upon hearing Sasha’s voice, Freya turned her head in Sasha’s direction and started squealing and kicking her legs.
“Aw, hi, baby girl,” Sasha said.
She really did love this child more than she’d ever expected she would.
Angeni pulled the seat belt around both her and Freya, who was still in the carrier against Angeni’s chest, and clicked it into place. Freya’s happy babbling turned into frustrated grunts as she realized her mother was not going to unsnap her and let her see Sasha.
“I’ll play with you when we get home,” Sasha said to Freya.
“She’s really quite enamored with you,” Angeni said.
The words were kind, but they were said with mild irritation.
“Well, it’s mutual.”
They drove a few minutes in silence, and Sasha gripped the steering wheel, bracing herself for Angeni’s wrath. What did she know? What had Aurora told her?
“I thought you went to the bay with Aurora,” Sasha said, nonchalant.
“We did,” Angeni said. She audibly exhaled a long breath. “Aurora and I had a heated discussion.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sasha said. She gripped the steering wheel harder.
“She said some ... difficult things,” Angeni said. “About you, actually.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Sasha could feel Angeni looking at her. Sasha kept her eyes on the road when she said, “Oh really?”
“I think it makes her uneasy that you came into our lives and have become so close to us in a short amount of time,” Angeni said.
“Right, I can see that,” Sasha said, trying to sound as diplomatic and unperturbed as possible.
“Aurora and I ... we have a complicated history. I’m confident we will resolve this current situation.”
“I hope so. You two seem very close,” Sasha said.
