Parker laughed. “I’m not trying to trigger, just reminding you of something you may have forgotten.”
Rylee sucked her teeth. “Now how would Iforgetsomething likethat, Parker?!”
Parker motioned to Rylee. “Howcould you be here complaining about an amazing man?”
Rylee sighed once more and sat back in her seat.
She couldn’t help but feel no one understood the position she was in… not even her close girlfriends.
Because yes, Xander was great. Amazing. But he challenged her norm.
A norm she worked really hard to get to.
The normal that had her best friend and father to her children’s memory locked in place, and his spot never to be filled.
But here was Xander, not only filling the spot but making her and her kids happy.
And it was becoming a new normal, one she feared she’d forget Lennox in.
Or worse, possibly leave him behind to truly be in.
The mimosa buzz was warm in her chest, but the ache underneath refused to lift.
She poked at her food, her appetite long gone.
“Sometimes…” Rylee shared low, pausing to twist her lips to one side, taking a breath. She mindlessly pushed around her leftover chicken and waffles with her fork. “Sometimes I can’t help but to think about what Lennox would say.”
Those wrinkled brows belonging to her friends suddenly relaxed.
“I just… I know he’s watching. He used to always tell me that tired ass line of when the clouds part and the sun’s rays rain down on me...”
She stopped to smile to herself, her chest aching just a little more with that memory.
“I wonder if he’d be okay with it. If he’d like Xander.”
The table was quiet, her friends listening.
It was the quietest they’d been since they arrived several hours ago.
“Like I know he’d like him.” She smiled to herself, lifting her attention and only realizing she was crying when a tear escaped her watering eyes.
“Xander would probably have been the first guy Lennoxeverapproved of.”
The ladies laughed softly.
“But I just…” She swiped a finger beneath her eyes, shrugged, and sat back in her seat. “Wonder. And that’s literally all I can do. You know?”
Nadia scooted her chair closer to Rylee and took her hand. “Lennox is probably up there silently thanking Xander for not letting you crumble… if we’re keeping it real, Rylee.”
Parker nodded, picking up the napkin to dab at Rylee’s eyes.
Rylee sniffed back her tears, gently taking the napkin from Parker to continue drying her eyes herself.
“And for real, Rylee,” Nadia continued. “You’re still honoring him. You’re raising your children to know who he is. Reminding them of how amazing their dad was. But babe, youhaveto understand that you are allowed to keep living.”
“Yes.” Parker nodded. “And you’re allowed to not feel guilty about that. Because that is thelastthing Lennox would want. I don’t know too much, but Iknowthat much.”
Rylee nodded too, really wanting to believe that.
