Page 134 of Maple Mountain
With a sigh, I opened the door and my two happy, very pregnant friends entered.
“We came to offer support,” Salem said.
“And we bring libations of the raspberry leaf kind,” Hadley stated, holding up a jar of loose-leaf tea.“By way of Muddy.”
“Oh, yum,” Poet said, rising.
Salem shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the coat hook.“No animals to greet me?”
“Brooks took Lottie to work,” Poet said.
“Archer took Mildred to work, too,” I stated.
Salem looked at me.“Empty nest, huh?”
“Let’s get down to business,” Poet said.“I texted you guys for a reason.”
“Why would you text—” Salem’s eyes widened as she looked at me.“Oh my God.You had sex with him again, didn’t you?”
I winced.“Kinda, yeah.”
“What do you meankinda?You either did or you didn’t,” Hadley stated.
I sighed.“We had sex.Twisty-pretzel, so-good-I’m-now-addicted sex.”
“When?”Salem demanded.
“You guys keep talking,” Poet said as she rose from her seat.“I have to shower and get ready to open the bookstore.”
“You can’t shower now,” Salem stated.
“I already know all this,” Poet said with a wave of her hand.“So, carry on.”
She slipped into the bathroom and shut the door.
Salem and Hadley looked at me and waited.
“What?”I demanded.“What do you want me to say?”
Hadley leaned back in the chair and placed a hand on her belly.“So, you guys are together now, right?”
“He says we are,” I admitted.“I don’t know though ...It’s all so messy.And then there’s Lenni to think about.”
“Have you told Lenni about you and Archer?”Hadley inquired.
Poet opened the door and yelled out, “No.Because Wyn is using her as an excuse not to get too close, but it’s too late for that because Wyn loves Archer.”
She shut the door again, disappearing.
“Wait, you love Archer?”Salem asked.“Like officially?”
“Yes,” I replied glumly.“That’s the diagnosis.”
The bathroom door opened again, and Poet called out, “She also loves Lenni and is worried about bringing more instability to her life if things don’t work out between her and Archer.”
“What is this, a Molière play?”I demanded.“Either get in the shower or get out here.”
“Talk sense into her,” Poet commanded.“I’m showering now, I swear.”
