Page 36 of Haven

Now it was time to get to my favorite girl. And boy, did I need to see her now.

Thirty

Rory

The ride to Joey’s pub was without issue, and Babs was waiting for me with a plate of greasy chili cheese fries and a strawberry milkshake. The combination made my stomach hurt just looking at it. Babs stabbed a forkful of fries and looked at me, her brows furrowing as I got closer.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I quipped.

“The bestie senses are tingling. What happened?”

I scrunched my nose. “My body threw a tantrum and now I want carbs.”

She narrowed her eyes on me, evaluating me. “Bitch, what the fuck? I’ve seen you triggered. This looks different.”

My intuitive bestie could read me like a medical book. I exhaled heavily. “I got weird texts and they called me princess.”

“Who?”

I shrugged, grabbing the order of regular fries and the chocolate milkshake Babs ordered for me. “I don’t know. I blocked the number after almost having a panic attack.”

“Do you need anything?”

I dipped a perfectly salted fry into the milkshake before popping it into my mouth and smiled. “Just bestie time.”

“Great. Because I needed this, too.” She shoveled her forkful of fries and chili into her mouth, dripping chili onto the table and her shirt. “Sorry, your nibling is craving grease.”

I laughed, handing her a napkin. “Pregnancy cravings are already kicking your ass, I see.”

“I am an endless pit, and then I throw it all up. I’m either hungry or I’m nauseous. I need this kid to decide.”

“I’d say I wish I could help, but no thank you.”

She scoffed playfully. “You don’t want to be pregnancy buddies?”

Absolutely not. Kids were not in my future unless they were adopted, and I was not in the proper headspace to think about that. Sometimes I wondered about fostering kids, but at the same time, I was scared that my own trauma would peek through and harm the child in some form. Not physically, but emotionally. Or maybe I was projecting.

“I love you, but no. The maternal gene flew the coop in Nevada. I am ready to be the gay auntie and spoil them silly, though. So, did you talk to the dads?”

She sighed, drinking her milkshake. “They left campus before I made it back after getting the approval to finish the course at home. I can’t find them on social media. I wasn’t smart enough to get their number after I let them knock me up. Now I don’t know where any of them live other than Crestview, and I am not going there alone.”

“My girlfriend lives there, so I’ll go with you.”

She blinked at me, pointing her plastic fork my way. “Bitch. Take a step back. Your what?”

“It’s not official or anything, but yeah. We both felt a connection when I went there the other day, so we decided to see what happens.”

“Oh, I’m loving this development. Tell me more.” Babs sunk another forkful into her mouth.

“We’re unofficially dating. She said she would do something special for me when she asks me to be her girlfriend. Babs, I like her, and it feels like I am on cloud nine.”

She fanned herself. “I love her already. She better treat my best girl right. Do you have a picture with her?” I nodded, pulling up the selfie we took on the beach. “Wow, she’s gorgeous. Damn girl. I take it none of the Vipers know?”

“Nope, and I plan on keeping it that way for a while. I don’t know how Cin will react.”

“Well, I want all the details. You deserve happiness, and I like that look in your eyes.”