“You didn’t have the right juice boxes,” Kitty said, waving a hand toward the little pantry where April kept the juice and snacks for the kids. “I had to make do.”
“With apple juice,” Simone said dryly, pointing to her drink. “This is apple juice with a salt rim.”
“Why?” April looked at her glass, utterly confused. “Why would you make this?”
“Kitty didn’t believe me when I explained they don’t make lime juice boxes for children, and even if they did, you wouldn’t likely stock them for yours.” Yelena stood. “Also, she forgot to get tequila. I’ll fix some tea.”
“Tea sounds good,” April said. Better than Kitty’s salted apple juice.
She dropped to the chair next to Simone, flopping against the back. “I’m exhausted.”
“I bet you are,” Simone said, not adding anything else.
Actually, no one said anything else.
April would not break the seal because, if she did, then by the rules of their friendship, she’d have to tell them things. Was she ready to tell them things? Ack. This was hard. So she refused to open her mouth and let words flow.
They said nothing, either.
Nope. All three of her friends stared at her with wide eyes, blinking in solidarity.
Even Yelena while she waited for the water to boil.
Finally, April shook her head. “You guys are impossible. You know I can’t share the intimate details—that wouldn’t be fair to Jack.”
“Of course not.” Kitty patted April’s hand. “You get to have some secrets. The respect for him is a nice touch. We don’t need all the details or anything thathedid; let’s start with which yoga movesyouwent with.”
April choked. She absolutely couldn’t tell them about that. With Jack, she got brave. Now? Now she was pretty sure her cheeks were crimson.
“Oh, it’s a good one,” Simone said, her tone knowing.
Yelena nodded sagely as she pulled mugs from April’s cupboards. Clean mugs that didn’t even need washing before use.
“Tell me you didn’t jump right into downward dog.” Kitty tapped her fingertip on the table to punctuate each word. “You listened to me about that, right? I hope so. I know a thing or three about this type of activity—in fact, I’m practically a professional.” She paused. “Not like that. No one pays me or anything.”
“I did not go right into downward dog.” April could tell them that much. That had come later in the afternoon.
“I hope you began with Savasana.” Kitty licked at the salt along the rim of her glass. “That’s a good one to start with. Sets a very low standard.”
“I did not start with Savasana.” Give her some credit, she could do better than just lying there on her back.
“You’re gonna have to spill it,” Yelena said, leaning forward. “Or these two will never let you live it down.”
“These two and you,” April said. Yelena played good cop, but she also brought a vegetable platter to butter April up. So. Yeah.
These women were the team who had held April’s hand through all the muck of the last year. She’d hung all of her dirty laundry out for them to see, and they’d never once judged her. They’d just helped her through it. And if the roles were reversed, she would’ve been clamoring for details, too. Except from Kitty. She wouldn’t have had to clamor for details on that front.
“Backward bend,” she mumbled, running her hand over her shoulder to her neck. “I also know how to use the bolster now. Thanks for the tip.”
Jack hadn’t managed his own backbend, but he’d known just what to do with the bolster when she mentioned she wasn’t sure how it could be used during intimate activity. He’d propped it under her hips, which lifted them to just the right angle so when he entered her—oh, dear wow, she’d never be able to look at a bolster the same way again.
All three of the women in her kitchen hadn’t moved after her announcement. Even Yelena stood completely motionless when the kettle whistled.
“What?” April asked, lifting her shoulders. “You wanted to know. If that’s TMI, that’s your fault.”
“A backbend?” Kitty shrieked.
Simone began a slow clap.
