He put one hand on each of her shoulders, looked her in the eyes.
“Yeah. That was so weird.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I’m going to get some snacks for everyone. You want anything in particular?”
She shook her head. He kissed Freya’s cheek, then the tip of Angeni’s nose, and jogged past her toward the house.
The rest of the group was hanging out by the firepit, sitting in a semicircle around it, facing away from her. Erik, Matt, and Jer had recently completed an item on Angeni’s wish list by turning fallen tree trunks into ten stool seats to surround the firepit.
As she approached, she heard them talking, her own name mentioned. She stopped, stood behind the trunk of a pine. It was wrong to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Something is clearly going on with her,” Aurora said.
Angeni still couldn’t get it out of her head that Aurora was the one who’d called in on the podcast. Who else knew about Angeni’s history? Angeni had made that stupid casual-sex comment to Sitka in a foolish attempt to bond with the girl, but it couldn’t have been Sitka who’d called in. Sitka had been with Freya outside.
“It’s probably the stress of the book,” Matt said.
“I’m picking up on some tension with Erik too,” Aurora said.
How many times had Angeni talked about not gossiping within their community? Why was Aurora doing this? It was not that she waswrong to pick up on some marital tension, but it wasn’t her place to talk about it like this. Maybe Aurora did have some ill will toward Angeni. But why? Was she still upset about Sitka’s arrival, her growing presence in Angeni’s life?
“Erik will be back in a few,” Jer said. “I don’t want him to know we’re talking about this.”
“Yeah, I’m not trying to be gossipy,” Aurora said. “Just a little worried.”
“On another note, Ror, I saw that painting you’re working on at your house. It’s freaking amazing,” Matt said.
“You think? I’m in an abstract phase.”
“It’s a good phase,” Matt said.
“How are things going with Annika?” Aurora asked him.
“Good. I’m helping her at the farmers market this weekend. Selling her candles.”
“The soy ones. Right. That one you brought me has lasted so long.”
Now that they had moved past talking about her, Angeni emerged from behind the tree.
“Hey, guys!” she called, putting on a pleasant smile.
“You’re up!” Aurora said.
They all stood, as if welcoming a queen. The joy on their faces seemed genuine. She tried to shake off her doubts and fears. These were her people ... weren’t they?
“How are you feeling?” Aurora asked.
Angeni sat on one of the wood seats, set Freya on the ground.
“I’m fine, really,” Angeni said. “More embarrassed than anything.”
“Oh, don’t be embarrassed,” Aurora said.
Angeni studied her. Aurora seemed like her usual self, loving and attentive and kind. She wasn’t capable of betrayal, was she?
“It was hot in there with all the electronics running,” Jer said.
It was kind of them to make excuses for her.
