AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I patted her on the head tentatively, letting her touch me but not knowing what the proper response was on my part.
As I've said, I'm bad with children. Luckily, I didn't know many people with kids, so it wasn't often a problem.
Eugene smiled at me fondly and threw a friendly arm around my shoulders, an embrace that never seemed to get less awkward, at least for me.
"So how are you guys?" I asked him. Gina had gone into the kitchen to ready dinner.
"Wonderful," he replied with no hesitation. "Just wonderful. We're blessed. So blessed." He sent me a warm, fond smile.
This was his usual response, and I actually believed it. They had a wonderful life and they felt it was all a blessing. Even pessimistic me couldn't fault them for it.
"No one deserves it more," I returned sincerely, though the words came out stiffly. "You're the best parents I know." It wasn't saying much, most of my friends were single and childless, but it was still the truth.
He stammered out a thank you at that, eyes misting over.
Oh Jesus. I had to look away. He was such an emotional, open book that I didn't have a clue how to deal with him. Mostly I just tried to pretend nothing was happening when we had 'a moment.'
Dinner was delicious, as always, and the conversation was pleasant. It was so positive, in fact, that I didn't know how to contribute to it. Sarcasm felt wrong in their presence. Snark felt inappropriate, so I tried my best to be politely neutral without being fake.
It was a difficult line to balance. Particularly so for me.
I wondered, not for the first time, why these perfect people wanted so earnestly to be friends with me, to have mean, negative, flawed me in their lives on a regular basis.
Of course, I didn't voice the thought aloud. I knew more than anyone did that, when it came to these two that would be the equivalent of fishing for compliments.
I escaped them right after dinner, as soon as it was politely possible.
I had to pry Mercy, and then Gina, off me after hugging them. They were an extremely affectionate family.
"She has your smile," I told Gina as we said goodbye, and it was true.
Gina beamed at me, and it was a grownup version of the one Mercy had just bestowed on me. "You think so?"
"I do."
"Oh, thank you. What a sweet thing for you to say. Her smile is so beautiful."
"Just like yours."
She flushed in pleasure.
Normally I took their perfection with something approaching good grace, but lately I had been thin-skinned and emotional, and being around the three of them made me dwell on every bittersweet thing I'd ever lost.
I'd just fastened my seatbelt when my phone started ringing.
I checked the screen. It was Dante. Typical.
I ignored it, foul mood gone fouler.
It stopped and started again almost immediately, and for some reason, I answered that time.
"Does he know he doesn't have a chance?" his silky voice bled over the phone. "That he never did?"
Hello, temper.
That opening salvo had hit its target perfectly and even I could admit that he'd won the round.
But the bastard wasn't finished.
