Page 2 of Let's Be Forever

I flip her off. “I told you I’m not a morning person.”

“Or a day person or an evening person?”

“Now you’re just exaggerating. I’m nice.”

“To everyone but me sometimes. You hurt my feelings when you’re mean. I’m going to have to report you to human resources.”

I roll my eyes at her dramatics. “We are HR.”

She chugs the last of her drink. “If you want to leave Rosie with me one of these nights, you know I won’t mind. I’m more than happy to watch her so you can?—”

“No,” I cut her off. “My vibrator works just fine.”

“And when was the last time you used that?”

“Ah…” I peruse through my mental files and come up short. Has it really been that long? She gives me a knowing smile. “Shut up. Either way, I’m busy. We have a bakery to run, and I have a kid who doesn’t ever sit still. Remember?”

Granted, she’s staying put now, but it’s been a long day and I know she’s exhausted; otherwise, she’d be running all over the place.

She shrugs. “I’m busy too and I still find the time to take care of myself.”

I push away from the counter, collect her empty glass, and go to the sink to wash up. “And I’m happy for you, but I’m good. I swear.”

She stands next to me, folding her arms against her chest. “If you tell me who he is, I’ll find him and kill him.”

While I’ve never brought him up, Jenny accidentally did once. We all got together after our grand opening and had a few celebratory drinks. She slipped and told Em that he was a piece of shit, among other things.

Em asked about him afterward, but I made it clear I didn’t want to talk about it.

“I promise he’s not worth it. Anyway, I don’t care about him anymore,” I reply evenly despite how my heart shrivels. “I stopped caring a long time ago.”

I’m begrudging myself for not cleaning up before leaving this morning. I gave Rosie a yogurt pouch while I got her breakfast ready, and it was my fault for trusting her. She got a little too quiet and by the time I realized it, it was too late. She’d already gotten the yogurt everywhere.

I knew I’d regret it, but I was already running late.

I can barely keep my eyes open, but the kitchen is sparkling. Rosie and I have already showered and she’s in her crib, asleep. All I need to do is get in bed, but I only have the energy to lie in the living room and stare at the ceiling.

Groaning, I close my eyes as the soles of my feet achingly pulse. Exhaustion aside, I’m okay. I’m not working two jobs anymore, and I get to see Rosie more, unlike before.

This is better than before, I tell myself. Sure, the apartment is shitty, as is my car, but I’m not depending on anyone. I make my own money, and while it’s not a lot, it’s better than having none at all. And I’m not alone. I have Em, and Jenny still lives in New York; she’s just a train ride away. Moving to Boston was good for me.

The worst is over, I remind myself, because some days my brain likes to set alarms off, as if it were telling me that the danger isn’t over.

Forcing myself to stand, I trudge to my bedroom but stop halfway when I hear a knock. I freeze, letting my glasses slide down the bridge of my nose as the knocking persists.

I tiptoe to the door and grab the bat propped next to it, pushing my glasses up. I take a hesitant peek through the peephole. My breath gets caught and my heart staggers, the bat almost slipping from my sweaty palm.

I draw away from the door, blinking a few times, then lean in again, making sure I’m not seeing things. I take a few steps back, unsure what to do. This can’t be real. There’s no way.

I accidentally knock the bat against the door and wince. I have no other option but to open it now.

Exhaling a breath in preparation for the worst, I swing open the door. On the other side, my sister Maya stands with a large duffle bag hanging on her shoulder.

“Surprise!” She holds out a gift bag, a tentative smile gracing her face. “Congrats on the bakery and the baby.”

2

ANNA