Page 109 of Robbin’ the Rich

I just nodded as I grabbed another biscuit from the tray.

“So, do you want to tell us why you’ve been dodging our calls and missing practice?” Mel said, sitting down in the chair next to the couch.

“Oh shit. I didn’t realize I missed a practice… I kind of lost track of time.”

“We don’t care about that. Are you okay?” Belle asked.

“Well, we do care about that,” Mel corrected. “But we care more about how you’re doing.”

There was a part of me that wanted to say I was fine and go on like I wasn’t heartbroken in a shame spiral, but they would never buy it. And if I could be myself with anyone, it was these women.

“Shit kind of went sideway on Thanksgiving.”

“Explain,” Mel said.

“So… I went out to dinner with my parents, and they introduced me to the family that runs Ascension Fellowship.”

Mel shook her head. “I can’t believe they set you up like that!”

“And then they introduced me to their son… Micah!”

The three of them all sat there gaping.

“Micah who?” Eleanor finally asked.

“My Micah! Well, not anymore. Not after that. But the whole thing was kind of a head trip.”

“Holy shit,” Mel said, sitting back in the chair. “I did not see that one coming.”

I gave a rough laugh. “Yeah, me either.”

“So, what happened after you found out?” Eleanor asked.

“Well, there may have been a scene in the parking lot. Some screaming and crying. He came over and tried to explain. Saying he wasn’t like them, he tried to tell me, he’s sorry.”

“Do you believe him?”

I nodded, and damn it, the tears came back.

“Oh Robin,” Belle said, moving closer to me pulling me into a hug.

“I think that's the worst part. I do believe him. I believe he’s not like them and he was too scared to tell me… but he still lied you know?”

I pulled a tissue from the box and wiped at my tears.

“That’s fucked up,” Mel said. Then she pulled another box of tissue out and set them on the table, followed by a box of wine, a container of gummies, and a couple pints of ice cream. “I didn’t know what the vibe would be, but we are here for the night. Take your pick?”

A little while later I had a glass of generic rosé in my hand and the Walking Dead on my TV.

“Is this really your comfort show? Can’t you have picked something like Dirty Dancing?” Belle groaned.

I glared at her before she smiled and sat back.

“And you know what I think is bothering me most about this?” I asked.

They all turned and waited.

“I just feel so dumb. I thought I was falling for him. He seemed like such a great guy. How could I have been so wrong?”