“I wasn’t expecting anyone this morning.”
“But aren’t you glad we showed up when we did?” Cordelia gives me a quick side hug as I walk towards the door.
More than you guys could ever know. I swing the door open. “Creed!”
“It is a man.” Mindy doesn’t bother to whisper.
Breakfast. I forgot to make him breakfast. Only it isn’t that time yet. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. I just saw all the cars and the police in front of your house. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
Sweet. Sweet. Boy. “Everything is fine. Would you like to come in and meet my friends?”
“Sure.” Creed bounces in. “Wow, this is so cool. It’s completely different than before.”
“That’s because—”
“Oh, it isn’t a man. It’s a soon-to-be hot biker. Hey, is he related to the grumpy, hot, tattooed biker next door?” Cordelia, my always polite friend, blurts out.
“Hot, tattooed biker? Why has no one told me about a hot, tattooed biker?” Winnie walks over, turns off the water, and hands Ottilie a paper towel to dry her hands.
“Like you want to fall in love with a hot biker?” Cordelia places one of the cakes from her box on the stand I set out, expecting her to bring them regardless of the fact that it isn’t even nine in the morning.
“Who said anything about love? I’d happily fall in lust with a tattooed hunk for a little while.”
“There is a child in the room.” I remind the women, even though they can clearly see Creed standing next to me.
“Like that boy hasn’t heard the word lust before. He’s a teenager, not an eight-year-old.” Winnie walks over and starts opening cabinets. “Where are your champagne flutes?”
These women are nuts. “Third cabinet from your left.”
“No, ma’am. I mean, yes, ma’am.” Creed swallows hard, and his Adam’s apple bobs.
“You’re cute. But if you call me ma’am again, I’m going to get irritated. My name is Winnie to my friends. So is your father single?”
“Yes, ma—” He snaps his mouth shut. “Very single.”
“See? And if he’s half as cute as you are, he’d be perfect to fall in lust with.”
“Did you miss when I said he was grumpy?” Cordelia lifts out another masterpiece of chocolatey delight. “He was really not nice to Greer.”
The room goes silent.
Great. Why don’t my friends have a filter?
Because in the rest of our lives we need to think about every word we say, but when we’re together, we can be safe and free. The facades society pushes upon us fade away.
“My dad isn’t normally like that. It’s just…well, the woman who gave birth to me did a number on him, and he’s…” Creed shrugs.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to explain.” The poor boy doesn’t need to end up in the middle of this.
He turns to me. “I just don’t want you to think he’s a bad person. Because my dad is the best. He…just…when she almost killed me…”
Gasps fill the room.
“What’s her name?”
“Winnie!” I warn.
