Page 155 of UNAwere

‘Remember when we thought they were myths?’

I nod, grinning. ‘Who would’ve thought, huh?’

‘How does it feel?’ Her eyes flash. ‘You have to tell me everything. Is the sex good?’

‘Jeepers! Maeve!’ I whack her shoulder as she laughs. ‘What happened to you these past few weeks?’

‘Nothing, I just knew I couldn’t be freaky around you because you were so awkward and weird.’

‘Hey, that’s mean. I have sex. I’ve always had sex. I mean, like, not always. I was never comfortable with men to begin with because I didn’t realise I was Demi for ages—’

She grins, wrapping her arm around my middle. ‘See what I mean?’

‘Kids, don’t run! You’ll knock your grandmother over!’ Keith’s voice booms behind us.

I turn around and grin, seeing him chasing the kids inside. Bernie’s on the porch and sees us, smiling.

‘That’s Bernie. Jude’s mother,’ I tell Maeve. ‘She’s great. You’ll love her.’

‘Good to know your mother-in-law isn’t a bitch,’ she murmurs.

I roll my eyes. ‘Jude and I aren’t…’ I stop. ‘How does it work? Do we still get married?’

Maeve shakes her head at me. ‘Come on. Let’s get inside before you hurt yourself.’

We have dinner around the big table inside, catching up and eating the casserole Bernie made. And when Keith goes upstairs to get the kids washed and in bed, Bernie breaks out the bottle of wine and pours us all a glass.

‘So, what’s the news with Jude and Hannah?’ Bernie asks Maeve. ‘When are they getting over here?’

‘As soon as he can, he said,’ she says, shrugging. ‘Nolan got me on a plane, and I was kind of whisked here pretty quickly.’ She looks at me. ‘But he was a lot different to how he was when he came and got you back at our place.’

I grin. ‘Yeah. You could say that.’

She frowns at me. ‘So… he knew? Right away? That you two were mates?’

‘Yup.’

‘Is that why he was so angry?’

‘I’m sure he would’ve been a little caught off guard,’ Bernie says, grinning. ‘He wouldn’t have meant any ill will.’

I smile around the rim of my wine glass.

‘Maeve, tell me, what it’s like growing up in Luminaire?’ Bernie asks her.

‘It’s fine!’ Maeve says. ‘Only, apparently, we know nothing about who we are.’

‘Mm.’ Bernie raises her brows. ‘You’ll have to tell Nolan to change that.’

‘I let him know,’ I say. When they both look at me, I clear my throat and wave my hand. ‘I mean, I told him… that I was disappointed.’

‘I think this alliance will help,’ Maeve says, and she meets my gaze across the table. I smile at her. ‘Having Sybbie and Jude.’

‘Speaking of… How many more grandkids am I getting?’ Bernie asks me.

My cheeks flame. ‘Oh, um… We haven’t, um…’ I spin my pointers around each other. ‘We haven’t even. I mean, we did once, but we didn’t finish. Well, I finished. A few times, actually… Jude didn’t. Um, I mean, there’s… We haven’t… We haven’t spoken about that yet.’

Maeve shakes her head, laughing. ‘My beautiful, eloquent sister.’