I was so mad that my eyes filled with tears of rage so I had to try the code again.
A woman’s voice called out, “Katya, are you okay?”
Looking back, it was Daisy. Lacy and Kristie were right behind her.
Kristie held up a beer. “I grabbed this, but told Sugar to bring you whatever you had when she gets a minute.”
My shoulders relaxed as I looked at them, all in theirairbrushed shirts that matched mine. “I thought you would be upset with me.”
They all rushed closer. “What? Jeannie was acting like an ass. She’s never been this way,” Daisy said.
“Never,” Lacy agreed. “But to be fair, we’ve only been around a few months. What she did was so rude. I’m sorry, Katya.”
I grabbed her hand. “You did nothing. Come on inside.”
They all looked at each other with their brows at their hairline.
“Oh for God sake,” I swiped away the stray tear that fell down my cheek. “It’s my house now, too, and I am inviting you in. Now come.” I waved them in.
I finally got the code to work and we all filed inside.
“Have a seat. There’s not much food, but we do have some liquor in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.”
I went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, kicking myself for not letting out my frustration on Jeannie. I’d deal with Hawk later, but she purposely pushed my buttons. Just like she purposely sought him out, knowing I’d see them speaking. I was married to him, so I still had to have it out with him, but I wouldn’t give in easily. But her,I owed her nothing.
After blotting my face with the hand towel hanging up, I went to join the ladies in the living room and took a seat in the chair.
There was a strange knock on the door, so Klara said, “Igot it.”
She opened it and Mama Hen came in with a platter of food. Sugar was behind her with a small cooler and a tall glass with clear liquid and a lemon peel.
Sugar put the cooler down and handed me the drink. “It’s your drink, just more of it since you’re here. I gotta get back.”
I sipped it. “Delicious. Thank you, Sugar.”
Mama Hen grabbed a beer from the cooler after she set the tray on the coffee table. “You good?”
I nodded. “Thank you for supporting me.”
“You’re my daughter-in-law. Of course I took your side. And youwillbe the First Lady.”
The women all paused. She just said the thing out loud. Sighing, I took a long sip of my drink and said, “Just not today, apparently.”
Daisy took a long draw from her beer as the silence settled at that statement. But after a few beats, she leaned up and asked, “Why didn’t you just kick her ass?”
Sighing, I took a sip then answered honestly, “I could kill her with my bare hands. But I was taught to disarm and defend. You only go for the kill if your life is in danger and there is no other way. I wanted to confront her, and maybe I should have done more once she was down, but it’s hard to break years of training. Plus, you all were there, and I thought you’d be mad.” I took another long sip of my drink, then said, “I kind of wish I had, though.”
Kristie said, “You did the honorable thing.”
Daisy scoffed. “So I wasn’t honorable when I got into it with Sugar?”
Mama Hen rolled her eyes. “Nobody is saying Sugar didn’t deserve what she got, cool it.”
Daisy shrugged. “Well, I don’t think I could kill her with my bare hands, anyway. Just fuck up her face a bit.”
“I need to hear this story,” I laughed. “Sugar has been so pleasant to me. I need to know what happened. I want us all to get along. Is that naive?”
Mama Hen shook her head. “That’s not naive. It’s what has to be for this all to work. And sometimes, having it out gets you over that hump.” She turned her bottle up, then set it on the table. “Girls, I think it’s time you told her your stories. Let’s put her mind at ease. And in a bit, I’ll tell you all mine.”
