Page 61 of Apparently, I’m A B!tch

Her mother wasn’t deterred in the slightest. “And you’re still selling the baklava?”

She motioned behind her to Nikki’s father, who was taking big bites of a shaabiyat and eating with his mouth wide open.

“I’m still selling the shaabiyat, yes. I’ll keep them in this shop as long as Nikki enjoys them.”

Nikki huffed and rolled her eyes as her mother leaned closer with her hands on her hips. “You know, the Greeks made these first, but we made them with goat cheese.”

It forced a smile and a laugh out of me. I shouldn’t have been surprised. “I’m sorry, Emi, but this is a Lebanese dessert. It originated from there.”

“We made the baklava and you Lebanese stuffed it with cheese. I don’t think that counts.”

I laughed again and shook my head. “If you say so, Emi.”

“It suits you to own this shop.” Nikki looked up and stared as her mother spoke. “Your mother would have been proud of you.”

This woman, with her hazel eyes and thin lips, was the kind of mother who reduced Nikki to a teenage version of herself. In that way, she reminded me of my own mother… all-knowing, domineering and full of love.

I looked away from her, drummed the tabletop with my fingertips and was about to excuse myself when she grabbed hold of my hand, leaned toward me and said, “She would be proud of what a good man you are.”

Her words were a clean cut to my chest and I took in a breath, trying to stem the rush of emotion that pushed against my eyes and strained my throat. I nodded and mumbled, “Excuse me.”

They let me go back to my counter where I rubbed at my face. When I lowered my hands, Lilly looked up at me with stiff irritation.

Her voice was quiet as she held up my phone and said, “Rochelle left you a voicemail.”