Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Judah, a dad of twin boys on the autism spectrum, is a perfect match for Soledad. They both love their kids fiercely. After all the shit her ex-husband, Edward, put her through, it’s amazing to see one of my best friends happy and finally being loved the way she deserves.
“Judah’s such a great dad,” Yasmen says, reaching for a small plastic cup of water.
“You both lucked out in the dad department,” I tell them, standing to pour eucalyptus oil over the sauna rocks. “Not Edward, though, Sol. He wont shit.”
Soledad snort-laughs and spits out a little of her water. “Agreed.”
“Amen,” Yasmen joins the joke.
“You guys still thinking about fostering, Yas?” Soledad asks, wiping the water from her face.
“I don’t think so.” Yasmen rests her chin on the knees pulled up to her chest. “We just got things on track for the kids. Hell, with each other. We’re gonna hold here for a little bit and let the dust settle on our little family.”
She looks between the two of us, a sad smile on her pretty face. “My therapist and I have concluded that longing for another baby may have stemmed from something I wanted to fix or make right for Henry.”
Yasmen and her husband, Josiah, have been through a lot the last few years—losing his aunt who raised him, losing their baby Henry very late in Yasmen’s pregnancy, financial struggles with their restaurant Grits, divorce, and then reconciling and remarrying. Yeah, letting the dust settle is probably a good choice.
The one other woman in the sauna stands, naked as the day she was born, and walks out without a word. Perfect timing because I wanted to broach the subject of what happened in Miami, but not with another set of ears present.
“Now that we’re alone,” I say, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. “There’s something I wanted to get your perspective on.”
“Wait.” Soledad stands, strategically covering the girly parts with her hands, and reaches for a towel. “I accepted your damn dare, but I cannot have a serious conversation with my nipples and snatch out.”
“Pass me a towel, too.” Yasmen casts me a sheepish look. “I was determined to outlast Sol. I love y’all, but sitting around naked with you for the last ten minutes is a new level of bonding.”
“Well, I’m not gonna be the only bare bitch up in here.” I laugh, grabbing my towel from the corner to wrap and tuck it around me. “But let the record show I was the last woman standing.”
“Kudos to you.” Soledad rolls her eyes teasingly. “You win.”
“So what’d you want our perspective on?” Yasmen asks, lying back on the bench with a towel now tucked around her torso.
“When I was in Miami—”
“Oooh, I been waiting for this.” Soledad’s face is wreathed in avid curiosity. “You got any tea on Zere and Mav?”
“Um, kinda?” I shrug. “I mean, not much more than what everybody already knows.”
“I heard he cheated on her.” Yasmen turns her head to catch my eye through the steam. “Did he?”
“No.” I shake my head and frown. “At least not as far as I know. She didn’t say that. She said…”
I glance around the hot box furtively as if I’m making sure we’re the only three in here.
“This stays in the vault,” I tell them, smoothing all humor from my expression. “For real.”
“You know we got you,” Soledad assures me, leaning forward. “Now tell it.”
“I’m dying over here,” Yasmen says. “I know I look calm, but the questions are eating my stomach from the inside out.”
We all laugh, and I allow myself a smile.
“It’s not that serious,” I say. “But Zere’s really hurting, and I want to be sensitive to that in how I handle this thing.”
“What’s the thing?” Soledad asks.
“Okay, so like I said, as far as I know, he didn’t cheat,” I tell them. “But the split may not have been as mutual as their statement made it out to be.”
“I knew it!” Soledad covers her mouth with both hands. “She dumped him. She cheated?”
“Nobody cheated,” I start, but swallow my next words when two more women enter the sauna.
“I think we’ve been in long enough,” Yasmen says, sliding off the bench and heading for the door. “Let’s finish this outside.”
We go to the locker room, which is packed. I give them a meaningful look that says Hold that thought. By the time we’ve showered, gotten clothes on, and are seated in the dining area with our sushi, my friends are practically vibrating with anticipation.
“Oh, my gosh, spill,” Soledad says, eyes stretched wide. “What happened?”
Carefully glancing around to make sure no one is near enough to hear, I drop my voice, and lean in.
“She wanted kids and he didn’t.” I sit back and lift my brows to the How ya like them apples? level.