Page 50 of Crystal Iris
That’s your house?
Yep.
If I didn’t know his family had that kind of money, I would have thought he’d sent a picture of a fancy lodge. The mountains Isaw when I visited him with my prism are visible in the background.
Wow.
Plenty of room, he texts.
I’ll ask her.
Let me know, firecracker.
Thirteen
“The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau
I’m struggling to find something to wear. I’m still in my yoga clothes when Aaron gets home. I completely forgot about Lara and Ted’s party until he brought it up this morning. My head is definitely not on straight lately.
I have an entire closet to myself here, but my clothes are still split between this place and my apartment. I also realize I need to do laundry.When did I become such a mess?Not that I’ve ever been great with domestic chores, but still—this is bad, even for me. I throw on a simple black dress, tie up my hair, and slip on the most basic pair of shoes. I look too… boring. I open my jewelry box and decide to wear my mom’s pearls. Tomorrow would’ve been her birthday, and she’s been on my mind all day. There’s never a day I don’t think of her, but on her birthdays, it’s like she’s right there with me. I’ve created a few rituals to celebrate her, like drinking my coffee from her favorite mug… which is still at my apartment. I make a mental note to stop and grab it tomorrow before work.
“Do you have their gift?” I ask as we head out.
“Yes, I got it. Let’s go,” Aaron replies.
I’m thankful for Tina, Aaron’s secretary, who arranged a last-minute gift like it was the easiest task ever. She even seemed excited when I called her for help.
Lara and Ted are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary with family and friends. I can’t understand why anyone would want to do such a thing. Their home is beautiful—exactly what I imagine Lara’s place would look like. Everything is light, classic, and neutral. Abstract paintings decorate the walls, along with sculptures that I know are mostly there because of their price tags. The living room opens to an outdoor pool, too cold to use in March.
“If you like this place, you should see their house in Martha’s Vineyard,” one of Aaron’s friends says as we walk in.
“Your home is beautiful,” I tell Lara, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you! You guys need to come over for dinner sometime.”
“I’d like that,” I surprise myself with the honesty.
“Ted has to be here somewhere,” she says, looking around. “Ted!” She calls when she spots him.
“Hey, you came!” Ted is wearing a navy sports coat, coordinating with Lara’s dress color.
“I like what you guys did with the… outfits,” Aaron says, pointing out their matching look.
“Lara’s idea that we match,” Ted says, smiling at his wife and grabbing her hand. They seem happy.
“Congratulations, five years! Your wedding feels like it was yesterday,” I say, remembering their beautiful celebration. The food was so exotic, I didn’t recognize half of it. I remember someone mentioning an expensive Japanese melon; I had no idea fruit could be a luxury item. They chose to get married in Ibiza—nothing will ever compare to that place, that water. Our time there was spoiled when Aaron got food poisoning after the rehearsal dinner. Lara and Ted took it personally, even though no one else got sick. I told them it had to be something Aaron ate on theplane. They made sure we had the best room in the hotel after theirs, as if that would make him feel any better, but we were still grateful for the gesture.
“Anything I should avoid eating today?” Aaron jokes, and our thoughts sync.
“I made sure to test everything,” Ted says, patting his belly.
We all laugh.
“Would you excuse us? I have something to show Iris,” Lara says, pulling me toward her bedroom upstairs.
“What is it?” I ask when we’re alone.
“I know it’s none of my business, but I’m dying to know—any news between you and my favorite bad guy?”
