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“Fine.” I sigh halfheartedly. “Marshall and I are... figuring things out.”

I spend the next hour filling in the trio on everything that’s gone down between Marshall and me. All of the moments of joy and tension and everything in between. They ask questions as I go and interject freely with their thoughts and opinions.

By the time I’ve sufficiently caught them up, I’m breathless from talking so much, and after drinking so much water to keep my mouth from going dry while I spilled, I desperately need to pee with how the baby is pressing down on my bladder.

“You’re squirming like you need to escape.” Selene chuckles.

“I just need to use the ladies’ room,” I say, already pushing myself up from the table. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll come with you. Girls go in pairs. Buddy system.” Naomi jokes, her demeanor much more cheerful now than when she first sat down at the table an hour ago.

“You know we’re fully going to scheme shit while you’re gone, right?” Zuri asks with a smile as we both leave the table.

“I expect nothing less,” I say, returning her grin.

Naomi and I make our way through the bar to the restroom, and she kindly waits for me when it takes me longer to finish up in the bathroom than her.

Walking back to our table, we pass the bar, and something catches my eye on one of the TVs placed above the shelves of alcohol, making me stop in my tracks.

BREAKING NEWS: Texas Supreme Court rejects challenge to state’s abortion law over medical exceptions

But it’s the man on the screen that truly has my attention.

When the banner scrolls to its next caption and confirms my fear, my heart drops out of my chest.

NOW: NewsNow LIVE with Texas Attorney General Charles Snow on the court ruling.

My father.

I knew I’d never be able to avoid him completely.

But still... that fucking man. His presence is everywhere.

Waddling up to the bar with Naomi close behind, I get the attention of the bartender.

“Can you turn up the volume on that TV?” I ask them, and they give me a nod.

It’s busy despite it being a weekday, but when the TV is loud enough to hear the sound, it’s like all the noise falls away, and all I can hear is my father’s voice.

“Joining us now is the man behind this monumental decision, Texas Attorney General Charles Snow.” The news anchor says, turning to address the other man on screen. “Attorney General Snow, thank you for joining us.”

“Thank you for having me.” My father says with a smile that would look genuine and charming to anyone but me.

I should walk away. I don’t need to listen to his lies. He’s not here. I’m not trapped. I can leave.

But something keeps me rooted to the spot.

“Elsie?” I feel Naomi addressed me more than I hear her. “You, okay?”

I want to reassure her that I’m good, but I can’t bring myself to speak. Breathing is hard enough as it is, and the world feels like it caves in as I watch my father casually talk on screen with the news anchor about the most recent ruling on the state abortion ban.

“This is a case that hits close to home, isn’t it Attorney General?” The anchor asks.

“Yes. Very much so.” My father says, his face dropping into a mask of false sorrow. “My wife, God rest her soul, passed shortly after giving birth to our daughter.”

The anchor gives him a sympathetic look that sends rage through me.

I know how calculating my father is and how every word and expression is carefully measured to get the desired response from his audience. I can see straight through him, but everyone else falls for his performance every time.

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