She accompanies the look by saying, "You aren't going to make me do this alone, are you?"
I cock an eyebrow. "What was it you used to say to Autumn in high school? Something about never succumbing to peer pressure?"
Faith makes a sound, something like apsh,and brushes her hand back and forth in front of her, as if sweeping away my words. She raises her eyebrows and says, "Are you telling me you're going to deny the wishes of a person facing imminent death?"
I groan playfully, hiding the painful pinch of her words. "Don't tell me you're going to use the dying card."
Faith laughs and pushes the joint into my hand. "Gotta play dirty while I have the chance."
It feels like college again, minus the presence of Ace and cheap beer. Luckily the hospital doesn’t drug test, so I’ll have this one memory with Faith and never speak of it again. Pulling the joint to my lips, I inhale the way I showed Faith, and she nods like she's impressed. Imagine that, my girlfriend's mother is dazzled by my weed smoking prowess.
A small cough racks my body just as I see Faith’s eyes go wide. She’s looking at something behind me.
"What the hell is going on here?"
My head swivels to the sound of Autumn's voice. She's standing halfway across the yard, hands fisted and propped on her hips, mouth agape.
"It's Owen's fault," Faith says, and I shoot her a dirty look.
She laughs, not a normal laugh, a stoned laugh, and I can’t help but feel my lips curl into a smile.
"It's not really Owen's fault," she explains as Autumn walks closer, her eyes screwed up as she absorbs what she’s just walked in on. "He wrote me a prescription for medical marijuana.”
Autumn sends a shocked look my way. “You what?”
Is marijuana gluten free? Seems like it should be.
"I'm in pain, Autumn," Faith adds, knowing this will help Autumn understand, and my heart aches when I see my girlfriend’s face fall.
"Mom," Autumn whispers, her eyes filling with tears automatically.
"Marzipan," Faith declares.
Did I hear that right?Marzipan?Is this weed laced with something?
Autumn nods, wiping away the moisture stuck in her lower lashes. "Marzipan," she repeats.
I still don't get it, but I don't think I need to. Either I’m stoned as hell or they have a code word.
"Why are you home so soon?" Faith asks Autumn. "Aren't you supposed to be eating dinner with Livvie?"
Autumn settles into a chair across from the couch where Faith and I sit, tucking her feet underneath herself. "She ended up canceling. A situation with her husband."
"Uh oh," Faith says, making a bare-teeth face.
"Actually, I think it was good. She sounded happy when I talked to her."
"That's nice." Faith holds out the joint. "Want some?"
Autumns head jolts back slightly. "Mom? For real?"
Faith shrugs. "Why the hell not? Owen reminded me that I taught you not to give in to peer pressure, but I also taught you to share, so this is me sharing…" She pushes her arm a little further out in Autumn's direction.
Autumn laughs, but it's honestly more like a disbelieving giggle, and it's about the cutest damn thing I've ever heard.
“Why not?” She takes it from Faith and inhales the way I did.
Faith's eyebrows shoot up. "You do that a little too well."
