“Oh my god, are we really talking about this?”
Justine purses her lips and gives me a curt nod.
“Yes, ok? I already knew that for the most part, three tours and there’s very little mystery left.” I smile as Mark’s words play through my mind. “Rest assured, I’m well taken care of.”
“You were before, they’ve always taken good care of you, but now it’s different and I want to make sure?—“
“Don’t even say it.” I giggle as I hold up a hand. “Last night was the first time, and I was. Multiple times.”
Justine smiles proudly then continues her interrogation. “Everyone exchangedI love yous?”
I nod.
“Everyone, Leonor?”
“Yes! Oh my gosh, you’re terrible. Lucky and Pete told me they were in love with me, I told both of them the same, then we all had a bunch of orgasms, ok?”
She gasps and clutches her pearls as ifthatwas the most inappropriate thing we’ve said so far for a parent-child conversation. “You don’t have to be so crass, girl. Climax or release would have been fine.”
“Orgasm offends you?”
Justine shivers like she’s absolutely disgusted. “The act is wonderful and life changing, the word is just plain gross. It sounds too much like organ.”
Wow.
I think she’s rendered me speechless.
“Now we just have to get Markus and Norman on board, then you can work on making me a grandmama a bunch of times over.”
I stand corrected.
And why does everything have to come back to babies?
Probably because Justine doesn’t know there’s a very slim chance I can ever have any, and like any other parent, she wants to become a grandparent. She’s also told me multiple timesabout how much her and Pierre wish they would have found me when I was a baby. So, grandkids are the next best thing apparently.
Too bad I’m more than likely going to burst that bubble at some point.
Then what she said really sinks in and I frown. “What do you mean about Norm and Mark?”
“Ugh, Leonor you are so much smarter than that,” Justine huffs as she gets to her feet. “The five of you, absolute perfection. Onandoff stage.” But before I can drill her on what that means and how I totally agree even if I don’t understand, she checks her watch at the same time her phone starts ringing. “My car is here. I’ve got to run, don’t stay too late. Dirt Sack Danny is going to be milling around, so don’t worry if you hear all kinds of things outside. You know how he is.”
“Ok.” I smile as she kisses my cheek, appreciating her even more than I did before.
That last comment was all mama tiger.
“I love you, Leonor, and I am so happy we have you back.”
“Love you, too.”
Then she’s gone in a blur of color and sparkle.
Stretchingmy arms above my head then rolling my stiff neck, I look down at my phone with a grin.
LUCKY: When are you coming home? Pete’s super grumpy and I think it means we need to see you naked.
PETE: I’m not grumpy.
PETE: But we do need to see you naked.
