Page 17 of Doomed By a Demon

Fiona

Two months later…

“Iknow you’re all curious about why I arranged this dinner,” I say to my three college roommates as they shoot me wary glances from across the table. I flew to Boston since they all remained in New England after graduation, and I booked a reservation at what we used to think was the fanciest restaurant in town; but as a grown adult, I recognize it is clearly a half step up from an Olive Garden, at best.

“Uh, yeah,” Cora says as she peeks around the corner of the table. “I’m guessing you’re about to tell us you’re pregnant, but I have a sense for these things and I’m not getting that from you.”

I clear my throat. “Because I’m not pregnant,” I tell her. “But thank you for not putting your hand on my belly and asking if it’s a girl or boy. I’m pretty sure I would’ve been legally within my rights to smack you.”

Heather chuckles as she chews on a piece of free bread from the basket just dropped at our table. “Fiona’s right. It’s not assault if the person deserves it.”

I take a sip of my apple martini, hoping liquid courage will guide me through this conversation. I was reluctant to have it, but Arthur and I were so curious, I just couldn’t take it anymore. Video chat was my top choice for the setting, that way I wouldn’t have to book a flight, but Arthur pointed out how our phones are always listening to us, and I got paranoid. So ultimately I chose to come to them.

“Everyone’s phone is off, right?” I ask again.

“Oh my god, yes,” Cora says with a dramatic eye roll. “Spit it out already.”

All four of us have gotten married, and as of last week, all four of us have gotten divorced. I attended each of their weddings, and they attended mine. Since then, the most I knew about their personal lives, all three of them, is they’ve been casually dating.

“Cora, are you seeing anyone at the moment? Anyone special?” I decide to start with her, given how impatient she is.

Her features tighten before softening into a neutral expression. “No, not really.” Her tone is guarded, as I suspected it would be.

“Kayla, what about you? Have you been getting back out there after the divorce?”

She and Robby were on and off for years before tying the knot. Their marriage resulted in beautiful twin girls whom I’d commit murder for in a heartbeat. She and Robby are much better co-parents than they ever were as a couple.

“Um, yeah. I’ve been seeing this guy, Dante, for about six months. He’s great.”

Dante, huh?

“Lovely,” I reply, turning to Heather. “And Heather, what about you?”

Her gaze narrows. “Why are you asking this question with such an obvious dopey sex face, Fiona?”

I jerk back, speechless. “I do not have a dopey sex face.”

“Who are you seeing?”

Cora snickers. “You have the dopiest sex face I’ve ever seen. Did you ride his face in the car on the way here?”

“Okay, fine!” I shout, the blood climbing up my neck and filling my cheeks. I lean down, lowering my voice. “I’ve been seeing someone for two months but…” I look at each of them, silently begging them to be cool about this. To tell me I’m not the only one. “He’s been with me, I guess you could say, for twenty years.”

Heather gasps as her eyes widen. “Shut the fuck up. You too?” Then she smacks Cora’s arm knowingly, and they share a proud glance. Kayla gets in on the fun, kicking her feet under the table and bouncing in her seat.

Heather reaches across the table for my hand and gives it a comforting squeeze. “You met your defender. Oh, honey. We’re so happy for you.”

“Are you serious?” I ask, annoyed and elated and baffled as hell. “You…all? You’re all…I mean, you knew? And you didn’t tell me?”

“How could we tell you?” Cora asks, shaking her head like my question was ridiculous. “It’s not the kind of thing anyone would understand without having seen it for themselves.”

Kayla nods emphatically. “We had to wait until he presented himself to you.”

The negative feelings dissipate, leaving the bloom of hope in my chest. “So then…Dante? He’s your defender?”

She nods, her expression morphing into what I can only assume is the dopey sex face. It looks like she’s about to start drooling at the mention of his name. “Oh yeah.”

I turn to Cora. “And yours?”