Page 22 of Merrily Ever After
Megan’s face is already falling. “Oh, Zo, you know we would, but Christian’s got a big industry awards dinner then.”
“Someone’s givingyouan award?”
“Rising profits,” he says.
“Disgusting.” I turn my attention to Megan for more important matters. “What are you going to wear?”
She immediately whips out her phone and we spend the rest of the evening going through her shortlist of eleven options.
Eleven.
After another hour, we call it a night. Outside, they turn left, and I turn right to make the short walk back to my apartment.
“Hold on,” a voice calls softly as I let myself in the door. “I’m scrubbing Bolognese from your rug.”
Sinead. I head down the hallway and into the living room as my best friend in the whole wide world stands with an exaggerated stretch from my couch. The television’s on low, playing a crime drama, and my rug remains spotless bar the chocolate stain from two months ago that may or may not have been my fault.
“I don’t understand,” I say as she waves. “Where’s the chaos? Where’s the anarchy?”
“What can I say? I’m the toddler whisperer.”
“Sorry to break your heart, but I gave him a hit of weed before you left.”
“No, you didn’t. It’s my calming maternal presence.” She grabs her bag. “Did you have a nice evening?”
“I did,” I say. “And it was needed, so thank you. How about you guys? Did you get on okay?”
“We had spaghetti and read some stories. He also drew some pictures. I left them by his bed for you.”
“There’re no creepy little girls in them, are there? Last week he kept giving me pictures of the two of us and a creepy little girl hovering in the doorway.”
“Zoe.”
“He gave her red eyes and then just kept drawing these black circles over and over—”
“I’m going now.”
“Crayon practically tore through the page.”
“I think they’re dinosaurs today.”
I nod thoughtfully. “He does like dinosaurs.”
Sinead yawns, stretching her arms above her head again. For real this time.
“You want to stay over?” I ask. “It’s late.” But she shakes her head.
“Rory’s taking the morning off tomorrow. We’re going to go look at blinds.”
“Thrilling.” I hang up my coat and grab some crackers from the cupboard.
“You really need some more Christmas decorations in here,” Sinead says. “You have a Christmas child. It’s in his blood.”
“Yes, that’s exactly how the Gregorian calendar works.” I shove a cracker into my mouth. “I’ve got a wreath.”
“You’ve got a magnet-shaped wreath on your fridge.”
“That I bought especially for the occasion,” I say as she rolls her eyes.
