“It was amazing.” I frown. “But now that you call it into question, itwaskind of…intimate.”
“Which is why I’m saying you should’ve stuck around. Maybe it could’ve become something. God knows you need someone to help you get over Daniel’s stupid ass.”
I sigh. “I’m as over him as I can get. We haven’t heard from him in over a year, and the last time we did hear from him it was a generic birthday card for Aiden with a twenty-dollar bill inside, and he’d signed it ‘Dan.’” I shake my head. “Heneverwent by Dan, it was always Daniel. And who signs a birthday card for their own child with their first name?” Cora’s eyes narrow, and I realize I’m getting worked up. “I’mover him. As in, I’m over our relationship. I’m not in love with him, I don’t miss him, and I hope I never see him again, but that is just for myself. I’m mad for Aiden, and that’s different. Aiden deserves a father. Our personal problems shouldn’t mean Aiden doesn’t have his dad. I’ve never said a bad thing to Aiden about Daniel and I never will, and if Daniel comes back and indicates he wants to be a part of Aiden’s life, I’d let him. I’d have an anxiety stomachache the entire time, but I’d do it for Aiden.”
Cora’s smile is gentle. “I know, babe. I know you would.” She sighs, and then smiles more brightly. “I’m glad you had last night, at least, though.”
I laugh. “Me too.”
“So. What are we doing today?”
“Back-to-school shopping,” I tell her, glad and sort of sad at the same time to be moving on from the topic of Jamie and our one, magical night together. “Aiden still needs a new pair of gym shoes, a few more folders, and like, eight million glue sticks.”
“So…we’re making the drive out to Walmart, then?”
I sigh. “As much as I don’t want to, yeah.”
She shrugs. “Fine by me. I want to browse their book section anyway. My little library is a bit sparse.”
“Didn’t you spend something like a hundred dollars on books for your classroom library last year?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t get me started. Kids borrow them and don’t return them.”
“So make a sign-out system. Like, hold their grade hostage until they give the book back.”
Cora just sighs and waves a hand. “I could, and I threaten to do just that every year, but the kids who don’t return the books are the ones that probably don’t have any books of their own at home, and I just sort of conveniently forget. Every kid deserves to have books at home.”
“You’re too good for your own good.”
She widens her eyes and whispers conspiratorially. “DON’T LET MY SECRET OUT!”
I just roll my eyes, laughing. “It’s not a secret to anyone who knows you, Cora.”
“Idohave a certain reputation around town, Elyse.”
“That’s just a holdover from high school.”
“Ididsleep with Ellen Baldwin’s husband senior year.”
I snicker. “That was the talk of the town foryears. I still can’t believe you went through with it.”
“He was a DILF! Or, not a dad, just a hot older guy.” She shrugs. “Ellen and Cooper were basically divorced by then anyway. It’s not like they were happily married. They weren’t even living together—and hadn’t been for almost a year. So I like to think I slept with Ellen Baldwin’sex-husband, except for a minor technicality.”
I just laugh. “Yeah, minor technicalities like actual signed divorce papers. No big deal.”
“She was just mad because Cooper told everyone I gave better head than she did.”
“CORA KATHERINE PEARSON!”
She grins salaciously. “Which is true. I do give amazing head.”
“CORA!”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Oh stop being such a prude, Elyse. Sex is normal. Everyone has sex.” She frowns. “Except for Pa Chantry, I think.”
I laugh. “Actually, I heard from Margie Nelson that Pa Chantry and Dot Wannamaker get it on. In his barn. Alot.”
Cora shakes her hands, making gagging sounds. “Oh my god, oh my god,eeew. Why would you tell me that?”
