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But it may not have been about me. I want to make sure she didn’t take her insecurities out on Emma… again.

“I have no idea.” She sounds exhausted. “She left me this weird message after she was already drunk, but I don’t know what happened. Everything’s been so great lately. We were talking more. I haven’t seen her drink in a while, not even a glass of wine after work. She hasn’t gone out, well…until last night.

“I just knew something was wrong today. I just knew it.” She presses her palms over her eyes. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“You have to talk to her tomorrow. Find out what’s going on. She can’t keep doing this to you.” There’s no guy, living or dead, that should make this woman treat her daughter this way. It’s revolting. If only Emma could see it for herself, she could escape it. As much as I tried to, and still want to, I can’t do it for her.

I sit on the court steps, soaking in the sun. It’s too nice to be inside all day, especially in a building with so many windowless rooms on the sub-levels and inner corridors. I’m not important enough for one of the offices around the perimeter, with huge arching windows and stained-glass entries. Not yet, anyway.

As if answering a wish, my screen lights up with a message from my boss.

Jodie: Last client can’t make it. Take the rest of the day off. Enjoy the sunshine.

I smile. Then immediately frown. I don’t know what to do with myself.

“That’s no way to look when your best friend comes to surprise you,” Collin announces, his arms spread wide like he is the greatest gift.

“How did you know I’d be free?” I ask him, suddenly suspicious.

“I requested the day off for you. Jodie is a hard-ass negotiator. She agreed on the afternoon only.”

I pounce down the steps and jump into Collin’s arms. “Thank you.” I kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

Kendrick’s holding a bouquet of peonies, my favorite. “Hi, sweetness.”

“Kendrick!” I shove Collin away and throw my arms around his boyfriend. He has several inches on Collin and is even more muscular, so my hands barely reach his back. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“I think she’s more excited to see you than me.” Collin sulks.

“It’s the flowers, babe. Told you. Being thoughtful gets you far.”

“Wait.” I pull away and squint at both men. “Why are you here?”

“Don’t make me say it,” Collin says with a roll of his eyes.

“This isn’t a day to celebrate, you know,” I say, hands on my hips. A year ago today, Jonathan left me. Us. And he’s yet to come back. “Are you here to make sure I don’t hunt him down like I did last June, only to have my heart crushed to smithereens?”

“Smithereens?” Kendrick looks to Collin.

“Go with it,” he tells him. “Melodrama’s her thing, and we love her for it.” Collin redirects his attention back to me. “There is a reason to celebrate, Miss the-whole-world-revolves-around-me.” He looks back to Kendrick. “And she’s not even a Leo.”

“Maybe I have a Leo Moon,” I huff back, then realize that may feed into his selfishness comment. Danika’s been trying to teach us astrology. It’s not taking. “And the world is not mine. I’m trying to save it, if you must know.”

“Of course you are,” Collin says, taking hold of my hand. “And you’re doing a fantastic job. Now back to what I was saying. Even though this is the day he left, it’s also the day he was born. And whether he’s here or not, that’s worth celebrating.”

My eyes glisten with tears. Doesn’t take much anymore. “His existence day.”

Collin and Kendrick nod.

“Happy motherfuggin, existence day, selfish-as-hell Aries, shiphead, dumb-butt!” Danika appears with a huge bouquet of big, round balloons—black and red. There’s a devil drawn on one and a smiley face with its tongue sticking out on another. “Don’t worry, Sadie. They’re reusable. You can add them to your Halloween inventory.”

She’s also dressed in black, with a red top hat and black net veil. When she notices me scanning her, from the balloons to her five-inch platform lace-up boots, she says, “We may be celebrating his existence, but it doesn’t mean I forgive him.”

“And what’s with the censored profanity?” Kendrick asks her, giving her outfit an approving raise of his brows.

“Sadie works with children. I didn’t want to offend any little ears.”

“Most of the kids I work with could put your mouth to shame,” I note sadly. “But thank you for the creative self-edits. Are Jaz and Darcy coming too?” I scan the people walking by.