Page 220 of Prickly Romance

“It doesn’t matter. Hadyn will kill us if we have you lifting a finger,” Sunny says, popping to her feet.

“Deej only has this tiny sofa. We can’t all sit in it,” Vanya defends herself.

“I got it.” Sunny takes over from Vanya. She drags the chair over to me. “Sit here, sweetie.”

“Thanks.”

“Kenya, pass the Oreos,” Dawn yells. “You’re not a squirrel storing up for the winter. Put some back.”

“Never.” Kenya shoves two in her mouth.

I laugh and tuck my leg under me.

“Did you enjoy the performances, Deej?” Sunny asks, eyeing me carefully.

“Sure…”

“She left after Niko’s piano piece,” Vanya tattles.

I give her the stink eye.

She shrugs. “It’s the truth.”

“Uh, I wish I could have run away too. I came to watch Belle stick her leg out a few times, pirouette once and then skate off the stage. My baby was up there for less than two minutes, but I had to sit through hours of a kid hawking on a trombone and two screechy violin acts.”

“Beth’s tire-changing performance was nice though,” Vanya points out. “I’m still trying to figure out how they fit an actual car through the door.”

All the ladies murmur in agreement.

“And Niko’s song was just…” Dawn sighs happily. “It was beautiful. She impressed me so much.”

“How does she do that without being able to hear?” Sunny asks me.

“Learning the piano as a deaf person doesn’t necessarily require hearing. Seeing the keys is enough to get started and after that, your body memorizes the placement of the fingers. It’s actually really healthy and therapeutic to play the piano, no matter who you are.”

Dawn bobs her head, impressed.

Vanya smiles. “It sounds like you’ve rattled that speech off before.”

“I’ve had to mention it a time or two at the foundation.”

“Speaking of the foundation,” Sunny begins.

I tilt my head and face the ceiling. “I knew this was coming.”

“What’s going on with you and Sazuki?” Kenya asks.

Four pairs of eyes drill into me.

“I… we…” My throat closes up. All the happiness I’d felt being in their company drains into a painful knot in my chest. “We broke up.”

Gasps ripple through the room.

“Are you kidding? Why would he make an idiotic decision like that? I thought he was a smart guy!” Vanya shrieks.

Dawn approaches me. Her hand falls on the top of my head. “Are you okay?”

I was before she comforted me.

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