“You say that as if you've experienced it first hand.”
“Firsthand took away my ability to have children,” Helen said.“I've had therapy, traveled the world, and have thirty-two thousand means to give my man a honeymoon in Italy where he can feast on funky cheeses, drink wine, and fart from the lactose and fermentation processes.”
“And this wedding of yours,” he said.“Kurtzwilde is invited to your wedding?”
“Hell, I'm inviting Jesús and his cousin the Fer de Lance, that badass of a son of his The Bushmaster, his assassin bodyguard Alita, all the Directions, the Fruits and their kids,” she said.“The hotel we’ve contracted has a spa, shopping, pool, bars, and more.It is going to be a fun time.The room block is for two days before and two days after, so Stephen and Jeffrey can meet the other teens and hang out to understand what it is their parents do.Those girls of Lemon’s have their go-bags ready and can lock and load a weapon.”
“What?How the hell do you know the Fer de Lance’s son?”
“Well,” she said, getting up to grab a bottle of the wine from the newly looted booty, “I don't know where to start outside of the seraphim that is now Lemon's husband, who showed up in the middle of a storm and killed her pets.She needed more product, called Merge, and placed an order that showed up with the delivery man.”
“Shut up,” Apple said, getting up as well to grab a bottle of the Hennesy.“This is going to be good.”
“I can only tell my portion of these stories as it relates to my training,” Helen said.“The time inside the privacy of each of your homes stays with me and goes no further; is that understood?”
“Whatever; the Fer de Lance and his son, is that why he showed up?”Apple asked.
“Well, let me tell you,” Helen began.
Chapter 18- End
The conversation lastedhalfway through a bottle of Malbec and at least four fingers of Hennessy.It felt good to have a regular conversation with someone who wasn’t grading her responses and reactions on a sliding scale or an able-bodied adult who wanted to be babied.Quite honestly, it felt good to be away from Abi, although she missed Naomi terribly.
“So, have you picked the dress?”
“No, not yet,” she said, checking the phone and the dates.“It is April, and the wedding is in June.The invites have to go out next week, and Ruth is going to need a Xanax before it’s all said and done.”
“Ruth?”
“She’s Jay's mom,”
“She must be pleased knowing you can make these wonderful meals for her son,” Apple said, cocking his head.“Did you learn how to cook from your Mom?”
Helen knew the line; he was trying to make an inquiry.She didn't feel like beating around the bush with small talk and coy references.He wanted to know about her childhood, her relationship with her mother, what happened, why she couldn't have kids, and if she and Cherry were sisters maternally or paternally.She didn't plan to answer any of it.
“No, Ruth taught me how to cook and bake,” she offered.“I hung around, watched, helped, and learned.”
