I take out my phone and reply to his last message.
Molly:They are pretty, aren’t they? Glad you could see them
Molly:And sorry for your loss:(
He replies immediately.
Seth:Can’t say it doesn’t hurt. But at least I’m best friends with Javier Ruiz now.
I laugh at the idea of Seth hanging out with an A-list celebrity. But I guess it’s no less absurd than Marian dating one.
I consider for a moment, and then decidefuck it.
Molly:Hey—emily and gloria and I are going to grab drinks at a bar nearby. want to come?
Molly:And of course marian, should she deign to fraternize with the enemy
Seth:Aww, thanks for the invite! Can’t though—we’re going back to the hotel on the friends and family bus to mourn.
Of course. It was stupid of me to suggest it. No one wants to hang out with the jubilant fans of the opposing team.
But I kind of thought he might want to hang out withme?
“What’s wrong?” Gloria asks.
I realize I’m staring glumly at my phone.
“Oh, nothing!” I say. I shove my phone back into my pocket and try not to be disappointed.
But as we get down to the bottom of the hill, my pocket buzzes.
Seth:But I’ll see you at the baby shower, right?
CHAPTER 16Seth
Gloria and Emily’s house is the kind of place people move to LA for—a mid-century modern on a Silver Lake hillside overlooking Hollywood, complete with palm trees, a pool, and the smell of orange blossoms on the breeze. Inside is just what you would expect from a pair of set designers. The bathrooms alone are more beautiful than any room in my entire condo.
“You made it,” Gloria exclaims as I walk into the backyard, where about twenty intimidatingly stylish people have congregated around a long table surrounded by electric pink bougainvillea. I scan the crowd for Molly. She’s not here. I dislike how much this disappoints me.
I hold up two sparkly gift bags—one from me, and one from Marian—to the mothers-to-be. “For you.”
“We said no presents!” Emily objects. “Childbearing is so commercialized. It’s sickening. All the twins are getting are cribs and some swaddling cloths.”
“No diapers?” I ask innocently.
“Nope.” She laughs. “I hope that’s what you brought me.”
“One’s from me and one’s from Marian. She was so bummed she couldn’t make it.”
“Ooooh, open the one from Marian first!” Gloria says.
I point to the purple bag. “That one.”
Emily fishes inside and then bursts out laughing. “Oh my God, thattramp.”
“What is it?” Gloria asks.
Emily holds up two tiny Cubs jerseys withRUIZon the back.
