Page 84 of Solanum

Chapter Eleven

A week passed, and Nora continued to improve. Her voice came back normally, her bruises faded, and she began to leave the bedroom more often.

We sat down together at the kitchen table one night with Sali and Maggie after everyone else cleared off for the time being. Maggie fixed coffee for us while Sali hogged the doughnuts for herself.

"Give me that already." I dragged the box away from her and snatched out a chocolate one. "Heathen."

"Dickwad." Sali scowled and yanked them back, then stole a cruller.

"Twatwaffle."

"Cock weasel."

"Douchenozzle."

"Oh my God." Maggie swatted the table. "The two of you already!"

Nora laughed at us, shaking her head in time with her amusement. "Two idiots."

"Seriously." Maggie and Nora's allegiance only grew from that point on, interceding on the bickering Sali and I tossed at each other at any given moment.

"I've made a decision," Nora said suddenly, interrupting the stupidity.

"What's that, Nor?" asked Maggie, the two of them serious where Sali and I continued to glare.

"I'm selling my condo. I've listed it already." She lifted her phone to show us the screen. "And talked to the realtor who sold it to me. I'm selling it as is. I'll pick up some of my clothes, but everything else is going."

We all stared at her, Sali with a cocked brow and Maggie with a crinkled one.

"Just like that?" Sali asked. "Nothing else to be done?"

"I don't want to ever go back there again. I don't care where I'll live. I'll stay with Maya if I have to."

"You can stay here," said Maggie, without an ounce of hesitation. "Until you've decided where your next steps take you. I, personally, have loved having you here—"

"She means she's enjoyed having someone around to go get her nails done with. Which the two of you have done twice in as many weeks," interrupted Sali, as usual.

Maggie swatted her arm and continued. "You and Harper will have free reign of the house while we're on our honeymoon. And Ben if he's not at Katie's."

"Thanks." Nora smiled and looked down at her phone. "I feel better just knowing I won't have to deal with it anymore. It'll sell fast."

"I'm sure it will. It's in a nice area," said Maggie.

I sat quietly while listening to them discuss it and Nora glanced at me, her tentative gaze falling on mine.

"What do you think?" she asked, her voice soft.

"I think you need to do whatever makes you happy, Nor." I rubbed her back and she nodded, her gaze flickering to her phone again.

"Not sure what that is right now."

"It takes time, kid," Sali piped up. "It all takes time."

Nora nodded, drawing in a slow breath before looking to me again. "Can we go to your place when they leave?"

"Of course." I held my hand out to her and she took it. "For sure. Maybe Anita will come by for dinner or something. She seems to avoid coming here."

"That's my fault." Sali raised her hand. "All me. My bad."

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