Page 12 of Memories By the Shore
I stand in my kitchen for an unclear amount of time, filtering through memories of getting hit with that fucking volleyball. Little did I know that summer changed the person I was, and not just because I lost my parents—but because that man changed my brain chemistry.
The building buzzer downstairs goes off. I sprint to my double front doors and let the girls in.
Lina barges through and immediately finds the glass of whiskey on the counter in the kitchen. “Damn, you’ve already started?” She walks over, takes a sip, and grimaces. “I don’t know how you drink this shit.”
“I don’t know how you drink those dirty martinis,” I playfully retort.
“Touché.” She places her hand on her hip. “Bailey and Piper were right behind me.”
“You look sotan from your trip,” I say.
Lina gives me a coy smile. “Bora Bora, baby. And I’m surprised I got any sun at all. Carter and I spent most of the time in our little over-water hut.” She pauses, running her tongue along her teeth. “We fucked everywhere.”
I laugh. “I’m not surprised!”
Just then, Bailey and Piper walk in, wearing workout clothes similar to Lina’s. “Alright, it’s ten o’clock at night, and you’re dressed like you just returned from a fancy dinner. What gives?” Piper comments.
“Should we sit down?” I say, gesturing over to the couch.
Bailey’s eyes narrow. “I have known you for a long time, and you’re never this formal. Your text got me worried, but your demeanor is unsettling.”
Bailey knows me too well. We lived together for four years in college and then again while I was attending flight attendant school. Lina and Piper have concerned expressions.
“Look, I’m safe. But this is a secret that I’ve been keeping for a long time, and I’m finally ready to tell you guys.”
Without a word, all three of my friends slowly enter the living area.
“Wait, I was promised breakfast.” Piper frowns, bringing her legs up and tucking them to the side.
Bailey laughs. “We’ll make your food, but we must hear this first.”
“Okay, but don’t forget I’m growing a human over here,” Piper says.
“We know,” Lina whispers, resting her head on Piper’s shoulder. “Spill it, Avery.”
I sit on the edge of the couch, leaving some distance betweenme and my friends. I try to gather my thoughts mentally from the words before they hit the air, but the silence is deafening.
“Dave proposed to me tonight.” Sucking in a heavy breath, I prepare to release the secret that I’ve kept safely inside my heart for years. “But I’m already married.”
The color drains from Bailey’s face. “Wait, what?”
Piper’s jaw drops. “I’m sorry. Did I hear you—”
“What?” Lina interrupts, her pupils dilating.
“I know you’ll have many questions, but I need to get this out first.”Rubbing my sweaty palms along the tops of my legs, I take their silence as my cue to begin. “You guys know my parents passed away when I was seventeen, and I moved to Coconut Grove with my aunt Helen until I started college, right?”
Bailey chews on her lip, and both Lina and Piper slowly nod. I know they’re all fighting back unhinged reactions, but they’ll need to fight their urges longer.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I continue, “So, Jasper and I got married that summer—” Bailey opens her mouth to speak, but I bring one finger to her lips, silencing her. “We’ve never actually divorced either.” Cocking my head to the side, I wait for their flurry of reactions and questions, but all three of them remain quiet. “Okay, I’m finished.”
Bailey glances at Piper, and then Piper’s eyes dart over to Lina’s.
Lina smashes her lips together and then makes a popping sound while separating them. “Alright, so that’s a lot of information.”
“I need a drink.” Bailey lifts off the couch and heads for the kitchen. She pulls the cork out of the wine, brings it to hermouth, and takes a swig directly from the bottle.
Piper, now the more level-headed one, surprisingly smiles at me. “Well, um, so can we get into how youactuallygot married and kept it a secret from everyone for years?”
