Chapter Seven
Sapphire came over on Sunday to have lunch with them. She was wearing tight jeans and heels and a crop top. So far she wasn’t showing. She was the kind of girl who probably wouldn’t look pregnant until her eighth month and then she’d have her figure back the day after she gave birth.
Clover grimaced at the thought of Sapphire being a parent. She had really, really hoped that being pregnant would make her act more mature, but obviously that wasn’t happening. Sapphire was still refusing to say where she was living or where she was working, which did not bode well.
“I’m crashing with friends. You never like my friends, so it’s not like you’re going to come visit,” she said to Clover.
“There’s generally a reason why I don’t like your friends.” Clover couldn’t keep the exasperation out of her voice.
“You’re always so judgemental. And you wonder why I don’t want you to come visit?” Sapphire said petulantly. “You’d just be rude to everyone and look down on them.”
Just then Autumn walked into the living room. When she saw Sapphire she made a face and turned around, heading back out of the room.
“For God’s sake!” Sapphire said, exasperated, and ran after her. Clover could hear Autumn heading up the stairs, with Sapphire hurrying up behind her. Then she heard low, angry voices, but she couldn’t make out what they were arguing about.
She came back down a few minutes later, shaking her head.
“What is she mad about?” Clover asked.
“Teenage adolescent angst. Also she found out that I’m pregnant and I guess she’s being all judgey about it. Whatever. What’s for lunch?”
“Pot roast and potatoes. How did she find out? Never mind - it is impossible to keep anything a secret from these kids.”
“Speaking of my fatherless child, any news on Jeffrey?”
Clover sighed. Might as well break the bad news.
“Apparently he’s in Europe. I’m going to see if there’s a way I can find his number there.”
“Europe!” Sapphire wailed. Her eyes glittered with tears and she blinked hard. “So he hates me so much that he left the country to get away from me. Great.”
“No, that isn’t it!” Clover protested. “His jerkoff brother made him leave town.”
“The jerkoff you’re working for?” Sapphire said bitterly. “Are you sleeping with the enemy? I know how Jeffrey’s big brother bowls over all the ladies.”
“I beg your pardon,” Clover said stiffly. The memory of her and Sam kissing by the picnic basket flashed through her mind and she flushed self-consciously and looked away, unable to meet Sapphire’s gaze.
“I knew it,” Sapphire said, scorn dripping from her voice. “And you all looked down on me for getting knocked up by that rich asshole and thinking that I even had a chance with him. Well, you’re no smarter than I was. I guess you think you’re so much better than me that Sam will actually want you for more than a quick lay.”
“Excuse the hell out of me,” Clover said hotly. “I am not having sex with Sam McCoy. And if you think Jeffrey’s an asshole, why do you want to marry him? Last thing I knew you were madly in love with him.”
“I don’t want lunch anymore. I just lost my appetite,” Sapphire said coldly, and she turned and slammed out of the room. Clover heard the front door slam, and then she heard the screech of tires as Sapphire peeled out of the parking lot.
Great. Clover would love to blame Sapphire’s mood swings on her pregnancy, but the truth was, she’d always run hot and cold. One minute she was your best friend, the next minute she was making cutting, bitchy remarks and accusing everyone of being against her. The problem was that when she was in her nice phase, she was so damn charming that she sucked you back in.
She spotted a green matchbook on the floor by the doorway. It hadn’t been there when Sapphire came in; it must have fallen out of her purse. She bent down to pick it up. The matchbook cover said “The Snakepit”, and had a picture of a coiled-up snake on it.
She went to her computer and searched for “The Snakepit, North Florida” on Google, and found out it was a biker bar in Anhinga County, which was the county bordering Blue Moon County. Awesome place for a pregnant girl to work.
She forced herself to put it out of her mind for now. There was nothing she could do about it at the moment. Sapphire was a grownup; she could work where she wanted. She spent the rest of the weekend wondering if Sam was going to try to drop by and sweet talk her again. She was so, so ready to shoot him down. Unfortunately he never showed up and gave her the chance.
* * *
The porch swing creaked as Autumn swung back and forth, staring up at the silver crescent of the waning moon. The black velvet dome of the sky was a deep purplish black, and millions of stars winked down at her. She felt tiny and alone.
The back door swung open and Clover stuck her head out.
“Autumn, mom and dad are on the phone. They want to talk to you.”
