ME: The silence is kind of nice though. Different from the city.
KAT: It is. Takes some getting used to, but I like it.
ME: Did you get to catch up with Samantha? How’s she doing? Enjoying Antarctica?
KAT: Sam’s great! Loving this assignment and having so much fun on her Antarctic adventure. She sent me photos of some penguins, and they’re ridiculously cute. And she wanted to know all about… never mind.
My eyes narrow, and I wait to see if she’ll follow up on that thought. When she doesn’t, I can’t resist prodding her lightly for more information.
ME: All about what?
KAT: Well, you.
My brows shoot upward.
ME: Oh yeah? What did you tell her?
There’s a longer pause this time, and I can see her pacing in her room, her lips pursed in an adorable way as she types. When she sends a response back, it’s not long, but it’s loaded with meaning.
KAT: The truth.
My heart thuds heavily against my sternum.The truth. Which means someone else knows this whole thing is fake, that we’re lying to everyone including her family.
KAT: I hope it’s okay that I told her. But I promise the secret is safe with her. Sam won’t tell anyone or blab about it. She’s never broken my trust, not once in twenty years of friendship. She’s a vault when it comes to secrets.
ME: It’s fine. I trust you, so I trust her too.
Her shoulders relax a little, and she looks up from her phone and smiles at me through the window. She’s too far away for me to pick up all the nuance of her expression, but there’s something soft in it that hits me right in the chest. I grin back and shrug, trying to play it casual.
I still need to wash up after that workout, so I take my phone and head into the bathroom, still texting.
ME: What did Samantha have to say about what you told her? Was she shocked?
I set the phone on the counter and strip down, then turn on the shower and let it warm up before stepping under the spray. My phone pings after a bit, and I poke my head out of the shower to read it, water dripping down my face.
KAT: She thinks we’re crazy, which we probably are. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t approve of the plan, especially if it means Daniel doesn’t get to spend the whole holiday season sitting on his high horse feeling superior.
I chuckle, brushing my wet, shampooed hair back from my face with one hand while I dry my other hand off on the towel hanging by the shower. Leaning out past the curtain, I tap the little microphone icon on the screen with my finger, then dictate a response using voice-to-text.
ME: I like this Sam woman. She sounds like she’s got her priorities straight.
KAT: Sam is the best. She’s been my ride or die since elementary school. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her.
KAT: Wait, how are you texting right now? Are you in the shower?
ME: Yeah, but I can multi-task. It’s a valuable skill.
KAT: That’s impressive. And slightly concerning. Don’t drop your phone in the water.
ME: Lol. I didn’t bring it into the shower with me.
I finish washing my hair and rinsing off, then step out of the shower and grab a towel. My phone pings again while I’m drying off.
KAT: I never could get into evening showers. I can never get my hair dry all the way before bedtime, andthen I wake up with it all wavy and wild, like a bird’s nest.
ME: I bet that looks cute.
KAT: *eyeroll emoji* Sure, if you think actual bird nests are cute. It’s a disaster.
