Page 149 of My Lucky Charm

She sets my bowl in front of me, and even though it’s so good, it only takes one bite for me to realize it’s not going to make me feel better.

I drop my spoon into the bowl and the tears push back, and I don’t even try to hold them in. I’m fully sobbing now, helpless to stop.

“Eloise.” I hear the concern in Poppy’s voice, and honestly, she’s right to be worried. I’m worried. This isn’t like me. I’ve lost the ability to locate my bootstraps, and I have no idea how to get a hold of myself. My lip is quivering, and my body is shaking under the weight of these tears.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” she asks.

I shake my head and shrug and sob, and when I glance over at her, I see concern on her face. She pulls out her phone. “I’m texting Raya, and we’re going to have a Hart to Hart to Hart.”

I nod through my tears, picking up the bowl of ice cream while Poppy tucks her phone into the pocket of her chef’s coat.

“Come on. Let’s go.” She motions for me to stand.

I and my bowl of ice cream follow her out to the alley where her car is parked. My coat is still inside, but I don’t even care. We get in and she drives us to her sweet little house, and at the sight of it, knowing that space is safe and comforting, the sobbing intensifies.

“Whoa, what just happened?” Poppy asks.

“Your house—” I cry out. “It’s so—Niiii—ce.”

“Okay, let’s get inside before you wake up my neighbors. Mrs. Howell goes to bed at seven-thirty.”

As she’s unlocking the front door, I take a bite of the ice cream, but because I’m still sobbing, it doesn’t exactly go down the way it’s supposed to. I cough, sending ice cream spluttering out of my mouth and onto the porch.

Poppy frowns over at me.

“I knooooow,” I wail.

Raya pulls up as Poppy pushes the door open, takes the bowl away from me, then shoves me inside.

“You need comfy clothes,” she says, as Raya walks in.

“What is going on?” Raya asks.

“Don’t be meee—aann to me,” I wail, and my sisters exchange a look. Poppy is digging around in a laundry basket of folded clothes. I reach for the bowl of ice cream, but she blocks me, then proceeds to strip me down to my underwear and, with Raya’s help, dresses me in baggy sweats and a giant hoodie right there in the entryway.

“Better?” she asks.

I nod, still sniffling.

They lead me into the living room and over to the couch. Raya sits in the armchair across from me, like a schoolmarm, a tight expression on her face as she waits for me to explain whatever the heck is going on with me.

But I can’t.

Because I don’t know.

“Eloise,” Poppy says in a gentle tone once we’re all seated. “Calm down. Take a breath.”

I struggle, but manage to shakily do both.

“Did something happen?”

I shake my head.

“Did you get fired?” Raya asks.

I shoot her a gee thanks look, and she holds up two surrendering hands.

“Is this about Gray?” Poppy asks. “Or Scarlett? Are you upset that Scarlett is leaving?”

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