Page 76 of Unbound

She groans, her arms over her face like she can’t bear to look at anyone as she tells this story. “I was at the grave talking to Nevaeh about the wedding and how I feel like I’m living the life she didn’t get to live with them and how sorry I was. I mean, I’m really fuckin’ happy, you know? And she’s dead. How fair is that? She died. That’s shitty for me to be happy, right?” She turns to look at us for an answer, but both Raven and I shake our heads, unsure of what the right words are for this conversation.

“It’s okay to be happy, Lenny,” Raven is quick to tell her, sitting on the other side of her after she ties her long hair up in a knot of top of her head. “You shouldn’t feel bad about that.”

“But I do. And then as I was basically standing there crying while in front of my soon-to-be husband’s dead wife’s grave, asking forherblessing, a bird took a shit on me.” She motions to her shirt with the bird poop on the shoulder. “A big, slimy white shit!”

Raven snorts. “Wait. You mean to tell me you were standing at her grave and out of nowhere a bird shit on you?”

Lenny sits up. “Yes… but that’s not even the worst part. Right before the bird shit on me, I asked her to send me a sign that marrying Red and raising Nova was the right thing to do.” A sob leaves her lips the moment the words are out, her face following into her hands. “I asked for a sign of approval, and she shit on me. I was so stunned by what happened, I started to walk away and I wasn’t even halfway to my car and the motherfucking sky opened up and started pouring.” She points outside, still crying. “And now my wedding is ruined because his wife doesn’t like me.”

Both Raven and I stare at one another and she mouths, “Do something!” like I’m gonna have the answer to fix the emotional mess of a bride.

“You’re the maid of honor!” I whisper-shout back.

We debate with one another when Nova walks back in the room. “Grammy said she’s putting the babies down for a nap. She’s coming.”

With a few calming breaths, Raven shakes her head. “I’ll be right back.” And then she disappears into the adjoining bathroom that separates my room from Rawley’s.

I look to Nova and then Lenny, who’s still crying. “Rawley changed my oil last night.”

Please for the love of God know what I’m referring to.

I’m also hoping my confession breaks the tension in the room.

Lenny giggles, her tears slowing as her hand covers her mouth for a moment, and then she stops and stares at me. “Did he use an oil filter this time?”

“Yes.” I’m just glad she’s not crying anymore.

Mia walks in right then, smiling. “What’s going on in here?” And then she glances at me, then Lenny.

Nova stands up on the bed and jumps on Mia’s back. “We’re having a zombie wedding and Uncle changed Sophie’s oil last night. He used an oil filter this time.”

Mia’s eyes snap to mine.

Kill me. Just fucking kill me already.

Mia’s face doesn’t give away what she’s thinking. She doesn’t look like she disapproves. At least I don’t think she does because she calmly asks, “In the driveway or did you guys go to the shop?”

Nova shrugs when Mia sets her down on the floor where she finds a bag of makeup to entertain her. “Probably at the shop, right, Sophie?”

My face is beet red. “Um, I uh….” I don’t even know how to answer that but thankfully, Lenny’s appearance catches Mia’s attention.

“Oh my, Lenny.Whathappened to you?”

She groans and flops back on the bed but doesn’t answer.

“It’s a code red, Grammy.”

Drawing in a calming breath, much like Raven did, Mia comes forward. “Is it because Red’s so nervous?”

That’s clearly the wrong thing to say. Even Raven comes out of the bathroom and smacks her mom’s shoulder. “Mom, you weren’t supposed to tell her that!”

“I knew it! It’s because he doesn’t want to marry me!” Lenny sobs, makeup running down her cheeks. “He knows Nevaeh doesn’t want him to!”

Raven groans, makes Lenny sit up and hugs her to her boobs. “Goddamn it.” Flashing her mother a look of annoyance, she pats Lenny’s wet hair, smoothing it out. “Shh, calm down.”

Mia moves to sit next to Lenny, her hand on her leg. “L, of course he wants to marry you. He does.”

“Oh yeah? Then why has he been acting so weird? And why did you say he was nervous?”

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