Page 109 of Dance with Me
“So, what’s been going on?” Gina asked, dragging her rolling suitcase into the apartment.
“Ha!” From the kitchen, Kevin barked out a laugh, echoed by Lori. “What hasn’t been going on?”
At Gina’s curious look, Natasha beckoned her further inside. “I guess I should fill you in.”
“Youguess?” The further Gina moved into the apartment, the more her eyes widened, taking in the boxes and remaining tarp. “Did you repaint the walls?”
And then some.“It’s . . . kind of a long story.”
“Give me a minute, and then I want to hear all of it. You’ve been tight-lipped since I left.” Gina took off her shoes by the door, then went into the kitchen to hug Lori and Kevin. After scooping a bit of each salad onto a plate, Gina gave Natasha an expectant look. “Well?”
“Let’s talk in my room.” Natasha led the way into her bedroom.
Gina stopped just inside the door, gazing around and chewing. “Where’s all your stuff?”
“It’s part of the story.”
They sat on the edge of Natasha’s bed. Natasha’s stomach fluttered with nerves.
“I need a minute.”
Gina shrugged and tucked into the food. “Take your time.”
Natasha didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to admit how much she’d fucked up since Gina had left. How incapable she was of handling her life on her own. It was different with Lori and Kevin. They still didn’t know the full story—Lori didn’t know about her credit, and neither of them knew about Babe Planet.
And while no oneneededto know every bit of her life, she was holding back out of fear of judgment. She didn’t trust Gina not to judge her. And that was kind of shitty way to think about your best friend. Of anyone, Gina deserved to know.
All along, Dimitri had pushed her to open up to Gina. To reach out to her. He’d seen how she was struggling, unmoored, and while he’d tried to help her himself, he’d also understood the need to connect with the one person who knew you better than anyone else, and who still loved you.
Her mother didn’t accept her life choices, but Gina always had, even when she didn’t agree with them. Despite the evidence, Natasha still hadn’t seen fit to open up to her.
Now or never.
It was hard, but Natasha told her everything. From closing out her credit cards and buying a new car, the extra jobs and leak in the ceiling, the sprained ankle and Dimitri’s confession of love, Babe Planet and Donna’s threat, all the way to breaking up with Dimitri and moving back into the apartment. She even included the most recent developments—Donna’s revenge through Rocky Lim, and Penelope’s call.
When Natasha finished, the relief of having spilled everything left her weak, but she anxiously awaited Gina’s response.
Gina was quiet. She’d set her empty plate aside on the floor, and she sat now leaning back on her elbows. Finally, she said, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Natasha could have asked, “About what?” She’d spilled so much tonight. But she knew what Gina meant. Why hadn’t she told her . . . all of it. Any of it. Why hadn’t she asked for help.
“I’d been leaning on you for so long, I figured it was time I stood on my own two feet.” She lifted her right foot, a simple bandage pulled over the ankle like a sock. “Guess that didn’t turn out so well.”
Gina hugged her around the neck, and Natasha’s breath hitched again. It was what Abuela would have done. Maybe that was why they were friends. Maybe that’s why she loved Gina so much.
“You’re doing great,” Gina said. “Get your mom’s voice out of your head.”
That did it. To have someone know her so well and still love her . . . The tears came, and Gina rubbed her back. Again, just like Abuela would have.
“I missed the hell out of you,” Natasha admitted.
“I was worried about you. But I figured if things were bad, you’d tell me.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t. I didn’t want to bother you.”
Now Gina gave her a punch in the arm. “You’re my best friend. You’re never a bother. That’s part of the best friend pact. Didn’t you know?”
“Now I do.”
