Page 28 of Never Not Friends

“Nah.” I wave the wedding invitation in the air. “I just wanted to show you this.”

“Em!” Her face fills with excitement. She abandons the stirring, wiping her hands on her shirt before grabbing the cardstock invitation. I watch her smile as she reads over every line. Genuine happiness tugs her lips higher. “Aww, I love it! You did so good picking everything out. I wouldn’t change a thing.” The happiness reaches her feet. She bounces up and down with little steps of joy as she stares back at me. “I’m getting married!”

I can’t help but smile too. “Yes, you are.”

“I couldn’t do it without you.” She walks to the fridge and uses a magnet to display the invitation like it’s an honor roll certificate.

“I barely did anything. Vinny showed up and finalized it all.”

She laughs. “We both know Vinny did nothing.”

I take a seat at the kitchen table. “How’s your mom feeling?”

“She’s okay.”

“Did the doctor’s appointment go okay?”

“It was a physical therapy appointment to help keep her moving. She can walk short distances to the bathroom, but for anything longer, she uses a wheelchair.” Juliet sighs. “It’s just hard seeing her in so much pain. She’s just so weak and tired. I could barely get her in the house today after the appointment. It just completely wiped her out. But she’s a trooper. She’ll push through. Thanks for asking.”

“Of course. I love your mom.”

“I know. She really is a gem.” She pauses, her lips turning downward. “I feel like the worst daughter in the world leaving her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just when I get married. Things will change. I won’t be able to come over as much to her house to help her, and I hate that.”

“Vinny won’t mind if you still come over.”

She’s back to mindlessly stirring the soup. “I know, but I also don’t want to do that to him all the time. He deserves a wife who’s there for him, not always gone taking care of her mom. I just feel torn, you know? Like I’m choosing my happiness over my mom.”

“That isn’t what you’re doing.”

“It feels like I am.”

I think about that. About choosing your own happiness when it might hurt someone you love. Apparently, I’m not a good person to ask or give advice on this particular subject because I never choose myself.

“I think,” I say slowly, “loving someone doesn’t mean that you have to give them everything.”

Juliet looks at me for a second then laughs. “You giving me that advice is hysterical.”

My heart panics. Does she know? Have I not kept my feelings as close to the vest as I thought?

I swallow. “What do you mean?”

“Emma, you would give your kidney to someone if they mentioned they were feeling tired.”

My shoulders drop with relief. “I would not. Besides, you can’t just donate organs because someone’s tired.”

“You’d find a way.” She smiles. “But I appreciate you saying that. You’re right. I don’t have to give my mom everything I have. I’ve been doing that since we were teenagers. It’s time for my dad to step up and be home more. Maybe it’s okay that it’s finally my time, you know? Maybe it’s okay to put my happiness first even if it hurts her.”

Juliet says it all casually, like she hasn’t just reached inside my chest and poked something fragile. Tears sting the backs of my eyes, but a few rapid blinks do the trick.

“Oh, by the way, I got something for you.” She adds a little pepper to the soup.

“For me?” I clear my throat, resetting back to normal. “Why?”

“Because you need it. Hold on, I’ll be right back.”