“I remember hearing her yell over the old landline in our kitchen.”
“Mickey still snuck me them all the time. Always with a, ‘don’t tell your mother.’” Her attempt at replicating my dad’s accent cracks me up.
Ginelle takes a sip, eyes roaming around the dim bar. Iwatch a tear gather on her lashes before she dashes it away. She sniffs hard.
“You don’t have to go, Gin. Not right now.”
A shiver shakes her shoulders. “I do, though. If I don’t...I’m scared I never will.”
“Is that so bad?” If looks could kill, I’d be on the floor. “I’m just sayin’,” I hold up my hands in surrender, “there are worse places.”
“And better ones,” she spits.
“Sure.”
“But everyone else has-has gone somewhere else. Tried something else. Even Jo—” She swallows the back half of Joey’s name like a bitter pill. “I have to,” she almost whispers.
I want to tell her the grief will follow her, that she can’t outrun it. But I know she’s not in a place to hear me.
“Do what’s best for you, sweetheart. We’ll be here if you need us.”
“Of course you will be. Toni’s here.” She almost sounds like her usual self, so much so that I feel bad bursting that particular bubble.
“I’ll be here. Not sure about Toni.”
“What? Why?”
“Far as I know, her lease is out at the end of the month.” And then she’d be gone. I have to believe it’s for the best.
Ginelle looks genuinely confused. “You sure? Lucy was literally talking to her about winter coats a couple days ago. I mean, I’ve never been to Texas, but I’m pretty sure that’s not a need there.”
I hate the hope flaring hot and bright in my core at the thought of her staying.
“Wait.” The hope takes a backseat as Lucy’s pained expression from last night flashes in my mind. A couple of days ago would be just after Thanksgiving. Ginelle had told Michaelabout her plans to move before the holiday. “You were with Lucy a couple days ago?”
“Yeah . . .”
My voice drops, “And you didn’t fucking tell her you’re moving across the goddamn country?”
Ginelle doesn’t look at me. '“It’s complicated.”
“It’s not.” I run a hand over my face. “Ginelle, I support whatever you need to do. But I won’t forgive you if you don’t cut her loose before you leave.”
“Just because you’re friends, doesn’t make what happens between us your business.” It’s an old line from an older argument.
I lean over the bar, not in her face exactly, but I need her to hear me. “It is my business. It’s cruel to let her keep believing there’s a future with you when there isn’t. And she’s dealt with enough cruelty in her life.”
She drags in a shaky breath. “I don’t know what the future looks like.”
“No one does. But the least you can do is be honest with her. She deserves that.”
“Like you’ve been honest with Toni?” She scoffs.
“What does that mean?”
“I’d bet money you haven’t told her how you feel.”
“You have no idea how I feel.” Lucy could be a loudmouth, but I knew that wasn’t something she’d blab to my cousin in less than twenty-four hours.
