Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Oh yeah, I forgot,” I respond with a snort. “Not only are you puking and hungry all the time, you’re also losing your mind ninety percent of time. Seriously.” I drop my voice to a whisper. “Only a man would do this to a woman.”
“I am not losing my mind,” June refutes, pointing a stern index finger in my face. I playfully swat it away.
“June, I love you, but at Christmas, you were all excited, not only to tell us you were pregnant, but that you’re also having a—” I start to say, but my words are cut off when June slaps her palm over my face.
It’s my turn to roll my eyes. And also, promptly remove her hand from my mouth.
“Just curious, but why are we acting like we don’t know what you’re having even though we do know what you’re having?”
Apparently, while Henry and I were stuck on the island, June decided that she wants to pretend they don’t know what they’re having—even though they clearly do know. It’s all very confusing, and honestly, I think she’s the only one who truly understands it.
“Because that’s what I did with Addy. And everything with Addy’s pregnancy and delivery was perfect and I don’t know… I just… I want everything to go smoothly. I don’t want anything bad to…” She pauses as tears start to well in her eyes.
“June,” I say, my voice the kind of tender she needs right now. I reach out to take her hand into mine. “Everything is going to go smooth, okay? You and that perfect little baby inside your belly are healthy and happy, and nothing is going to change that.”
She nods, sniffles, and I hand her a tissue from my desk to wipe her tears away.
I’m not therapist, but there’s a large part of me that wonders if her new fixation on pretending she doesn’t know she’s having a boy and planning an actual gender reveal party has everything to do with how out of control she felt when Henry and I were missing for two weeks.
And as I sit there and watch my best friend struggle to pull herself together, I make a conscious decision to give her whatever she needs. Even if that means pretending.
“So, anyway,” I say, making a point to raise my voice so anyone around us can hear. “I honestly think you’re having a boy.” I toss a secret wink in her direction. “Only a man would make a woman feel this awful on the regular. But what do I know, right?”
June laughs, the sound soft and genuine. Then her eyes get all dreamy, and she rests a hand on her still-small bump. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough, huh?”
“We sure will. And may God help your poor vagina.”
“Avery!” June chastises through a laugh.
“What?” I grin at her. “I think it’s sweet that I’m praying for your hoo-hah. That’s best friend shit, Juni.”
“You know what else a best friend would do?”
“Don’t even try to ask me to rub olive oil on your taint. That’s a step too far, June.”
“Olive oil? What? No, you psycho.” She practically chokes on her own saliva. “I was going to say watch Addy for an entire night so Beau and I can get some sleep.”
“She’s still not sleeping through the night?”
“Oh, she’s sleeping, all right,” June answers with a sigh. “But she’s sleeping in our bed with her feet in Beau’s chest and her arms punching me in the face.”
“That girl.” I laugh. “And yes to your request. I’ll keep Addy for the night soon.”
June’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”
“Of course.” I nod.
June’s expression collapses into a weep of gratitude, and she tucks her face into her hands. I reach for her wrist in comfort, but when my phone buzzes again in my hand, I also use the opportunity to discreetly glance at the screen.
Henry: It wasn’t a booty call, but now it’s starting to feel like your subtle way of saying you’d like me to have your pussy for my meal…
Truthfully, I wasn’t being subtle. I’m always greedy for Henry these days, and getting my pussy licked for lunch seems like a grand plan.
Unfortunately, there’s no time or room to reply because June is starting to get it together, and, evidently smelling her tears in the air, my brother has now arrived.
“What’s going on over here?” he asks, throwing an arm around June’s shoulders.
And, because this is my life, Neil is right behind him. Perfect.
“Avery says she’s up for watching Addy all night for us,” June announces with glee, making Beau’s mouth curve up and my dad’s eyebrows pull together.
“You sure you’re up for a whole night, Avery?” my dad asks, tilting his head like he’s inspecting me for clues of a drug addiction or impairment.
“Good grief, it’s like a family reunion and interrogation all rolled into one,” I say, grabbing my purse and standing up. “And I’d love to stay for it, truly, but I gotta run.”