I see it from a different angle these days.”
The girls nodded their agreement. “It’s insane how clear
things get when you simplify,” Evonne said.
“In my case shit got a lot more complicated. Still, I’m happy,
and unless I’m mistaken, I think my mom is too,” Joey said.
“Wait. Are your mom and dad re-hooking up?” Ariel said.
“She says no, he gives me the glare of death which means
drop it, so I’m thinking, yes.” Joey laughed.
“Wow. How do you feel about that?” Juliette said.
“Honestly, it’s about time. It’s obvious they never got over
one another. Who am I to deny them happiness?” Joey shrugged.
“How are you and the little one doing?” Ariel asked Joey.
“Good, most of the time. Morning sickness is really any
time, any place sickness though.” Joey grimaced. “I’m also craving things I
know I hate. Garlic.” Joey wrinkled her nose.
“How’s Daddy seem to be taking it?” Ariel said. Moose had a
way of being terrifying when he wasn’t joking.
“Like a champ. Late night craving trips and all,” Joey said.
The silly grin on Joey’s face made Ariel smile. Joey was thriving. All her
friends were. Despite the shit they’d been dragged through, good things
prevailed.
“When we made that deal at Cork to start living our lives
and take risks, none of us bargained for even a fraction of what’s happened,”
Ariel said.
“Understatement,” Evonne said.
“How much longer until you find out what you’re having,
Joey?”
“Another month and half. I’m so ready,” Joey rubbed her
still-flat belly and beamed.
“Do you want a boy or a girl?” Juliette said.
“Either as long as they’re healthy. I figure either way they’re
guaranteed to be awesome, ’cause you know, like mother, like children,” Joey
said in a sing-song voice that set them all off into peals of laughter. “Hey, I’m
serious you guys,” Joey said.
Ariel laughed harder and placed a hand on the muscles
protesting in her belly.
“We love you, Joey,” Juliette said.
“Don’t patronize me,” Joey scoffed.
“Don’t get her riled up. She’ll sic Moose on us,” Evonne
mumbled.
“Yes, and trust me, you don’t want to be on the receiving
end of that ass chewing,” Juliette said.
“Did I miss something?” Hil said.
“Oh yeah, Pregnancy Polly over here had a crying jag. Moose
walked in, thought we caused it, and let us know exactly what he thought about
it,” Juliette said.
“Hey, I told him you guys didn’t cause it,” Joey mumbled.
“Yeah, we know to proceed with caution, Pregzilla,” Evonne
said.
“Yeah, he’s a little overprotective right now,” Joey said.
“Look at that grin; she’s loving it,” Ariel said.
“Well it’s been oh, never since I had a man I loved taking
up for me. Plus it’s one of the few lovely side effects of pregnancy so far,”
Joey said.
“Once you hit the second trimester I hear the sickness eases
up,” Ariel said.
“I sure hope so.” Joey sighed.
“Are you climbing the walls yet?” Evonne asked Ariel.
“Honestly no. I do my edits when they come in, I read, and I
go with the flow. I think I needed the break and didn’t realize it. Not being
caught in the mess my parents made lifted a weight, and the absence of a deadline
looming over my head is nice.”
“You have been cranking them out like a machine,” Joey said.
“I just wanted to establish myself and build a fan base. In
the process I kind of sacrificed my life,” Ariel said.
“What matters now is you’re on the road to getting it back,”
Juliette said.
Ariel smiled. “You’re right.”
“I feel like we should toast. Let’s go grab a drink,”
Juliette said.
“Funny, wine has turned into beer,” Ariel said.
“Quiet, Red,” Evonne said, tossing a wink toward Ariel.
They walked over to the bar and settled in for a few drinks
and some conversation, huddled together at the end to be heard above the music.
“So I hear you’re the one I need to talk
The girls nodded their agreement. “It’s insane how clear
things get when you simplify,” Evonne said.
“In my case shit got a lot more complicated. Still, I’m happy,
and unless I’m mistaken, I think my mom is too,” Joey said.
“Wait. Are your mom and dad re-hooking up?” Ariel said.
“She says no, he gives me the glare of death which means
drop it, so I’m thinking, yes.” Joey laughed.
“Wow. How do you feel about that?” Juliette said.
“Honestly, it’s about time. It’s obvious they never got over
one another. Who am I to deny them happiness?” Joey shrugged.
“How are you and the little one doing?” Ariel asked Joey.
“Good, most of the time. Morning sickness is really any
time, any place sickness though.” Joey grimaced. “I’m also craving things I
know I hate. Garlic.” Joey wrinkled her nose.
“How’s Daddy seem to be taking it?” Ariel said. Moose had a
way of being terrifying when he wasn’t joking.
“Like a champ. Late night craving trips and all,” Joey said.
The silly grin on Joey’s face made Ariel smile. Joey was thriving. All her
friends were. Despite the shit they’d been dragged through, good things
prevailed.
“When we made that deal at Cork to start living our lives
and take risks, none of us bargained for even a fraction of what’s happened,”
Ariel said.
“Understatement,” Evonne said.
“How much longer until you find out what you’re having,
Joey?”
“Another month and half. I’m so ready,” Joey rubbed her
still-flat belly and beamed.
“Do you want a boy or a girl?” Juliette said.
“Either as long as they’re healthy. I figure either way they’re
guaranteed to be awesome, ’cause you know, like mother, like children,” Joey
said in a sing-song voice that set them all off into peals of laughter. “Hey, I’m
serious you guys,” Joey said.
Ariel laughed harder and placed a hand on the muscles
protesting in her belly.
“We love you, Joey,” Juliette said.
“Don’t patronize me,” Joey scoffed.
“Don’t get her riled up. She’ll sic Moose on us,” Evonne
mumbled.
“Yes, and trust me, you don’t want to be on the receiving
end of that ass chewing,” Juliette said.
“Did I miss something?” Hil said.
“Oh yeah, Pregnancy Polly over here had a crying jag. Moose
walked in, thought we caused it, and let us know exactly what he thought about
it,” Juliette said.
“Hey, I told him you guys didn’t cause it,” Joey mumbled.
“Yeah, we know to proceed with caution, Pregzilla,” Evonne
said.
“Yeah, he’s a little overprotective right now,” Joey said.
“Look at that grin; she’s loving it,” Ariel said.
“Well it’s been oh, never since I had a man I loved taking
up for me. Plus it’s one of the few lovely side effects of pregnancy so far,”
Joey said.
“Once you hit the second trimester I hear the sickness eases
up,” Ariel said.
“I sure hope so.” Joey sighed.
“Are you climbing the walls yet?” Evonne asked Ariel.
“Honestly no. I do my edits when they come in, I read, and I
go with the flow. I think I needed the break and didn’t realize it. Not being
caught in the mess my parents made lifted a weight, and the absence of a deadline
looming over my head is nice.”
“You have been cranking them out like a machine,” Joey said.
“I just wanted to establish myself and build a fan base. In
the process I kind of sacrificed my life,” Ariel said.
“What matters now is you’re on the road to getting it back,”
Juliette said.
Ariel smiled. “You’re right.”
“I feel like we should toast. Let’s go grab a drink,”
Juliette said.
“Funny, wine has turned into beer,” Ariel said.
“Quiet, Red,” Evonne said, tossing a wink toward Ariel.
They walked over to the bar and settled in for a few drinks
and some conversation, huddled together at the end to be heard above the music.
“So I hear you’re the one I need to talk
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