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Her expression is withdrawn. I suspect that she is tired. I also suspect that her tiredness will soon be revealed to be baby-related. But since she hasn't told me anything, I don't ask.
She might be worried about announcing her pregnancy too early and then miscarrying. I know it's a fear of mine, anyway.
Instead, I pivot to Lucy. "I'm so excited to see you both!"
"I know. It's been a while since it was just us hens in the henhouse." Lucy looks around and sees that there are no other customers. "Do you think we can visit for a minute?"
I grin and point to two barstools at the counter. "Grab a seat. Are you eating?"
"Nah," says Sav. She sits down. "We're just coming from that little farmer's market that sets up at the end of the main strip."
"You didn't find anything? Not a single asparagus stalk or a solitary tangerine?"
Sav laughs and shakes her head. "Nope. I think we were both just getting a little stir crazy and wanted to enjoy the weather."
"It is beautiful outside," I agree. "What'll you guys have to drink? I just made sweet tea. Or you could try some hot ginger tea. I finally talked Gem into carrying it."
"How about a coffee? With a little creamer and a pound of sugar, please?" Lucy asks.
"You got it. Sav?"
Sav wrinkles her nose. "I'll have a cup of ginger tea."
"No problem." Their drinks take less than a minute to gather together. I set the coffee and tea down, then I push a large glass sugar shaker across the counter to Lucy.
She proceeds to pour a ton in her coffee, snaking a spoon from the basket of clean silverware.
"So, what's been going on with y'all?" I ask. I start rolling silver as I talk, but I look at them attentively.
Lucy slurps her coffee. Sav smiles and rolls her eyes.
"Not too much over here. Charlie learned that rocket ships exist. So our whole house is full of model rockets now. It's..." She pressed her lips together. "A lot."
"And you?" I ask Lucy. "How's Agnes Glen?"
"Did you have Dr. Blatt for English Comp?"
I squint. "I don't think so. I remember Dr. Hensu running that department with an iron fist."
She sighs. "Dr. Hensu retired, I think. Dr. Blatt just assigned me so much reading that I'm about to be buried in textbooks."
"I remember that feeling," Sav sighs. "This too shall pass."
"We came here to talk to you about the wedding planning," Lucy says. "Not for you guys to tell me that my reading crisis isn't a big deal."
"Sorry, Luce.” Sav's lips twitch with humor. "Pearl, tell us about your wedding! I’ve done so much planning for my own that I think I’m planned out.”
I point a roll of silverware at them both. "Y'all are cute, thinking that I have anything planned yet. I didn't even know that River was going to propose."
Sav looks at me with a concerned expression. "Are you two okay? I mean, if Cole had proposed to me without us talking through our plans for the future first, I would be livid."
Lucy snorts. "Yeah, that would be a bonehead move. But it’s something River would pull though."
I swallow, trying to control my expression. I'm immediately transported to the conversation I had with River about lying to his mom.
What did he call it? Embroidering the truth?
I do not want to do that. So I am very careful about what I say to my friends.
