Page 88 of My Vows Are Sealed

I wasn’t like Kate and Naomi. They’d both had no problem telling me about their first times, and I’d been happy for them and listened to them gush, but to me, it was private. The things that I’d shared with Brendan last night were between the two of us and no one else.

But apparently my embarrassment was the only clue these two needed to figure it out all on their own.

“No!” Ashton gasped. “You did more than sleep in that bed, didn’t you?”

“Oh, my God,” Kate laughed. “I thought we were friends, Darla. You’re supposed to tell us these things!”

“Last night was the first time,” I mumbled.

“Aww! Katie, our sweet, innocent little girl’s all grown up,” Ashton sniffed dramatically, wiping a fake tear out of their eye. “I’m so proud.”

I threw one of the pillows from the couch at them. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Pleasetell me you remembered to pee afterward,” Kate said.

Ashton and I both turned to look at her like she had three heads.

“Really, dollface?That’swhat you want to know?” they teased. “I didn’t realize you had a piss fetish.”

That did it. I lost it, dissolving in a fit of giggles. Leave it to these two to know how to make me laugh at a time like this.

“Hey, friends don’t let friends get the UTI from Hell after their first time,” Kate huffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. “They make sure their friendsdon’tmake the same mistakes.”

“Yes, I remembered to pee. Not immediately, but within like maybe fifteen minutes,” I chuckled awkwardly.

“That’s acceptable,” she chuckled too. “So, do we getanydetails?”

Well, if nothing else, talking about the one good thing to come out of last night was distracting me. I guessed giving them a few details could hurt anything.

“I mean, it was kind of awkward because neither one of us really knew what we were doing. But he was so sweet, and in its own weird way, it was the most romantic night of my life,” I admitted.

“What made you change your mind? You were pretty dead set on waiting until you were married,” Ashton asked.

“I don’t know,” I sighed, downing the last of my coffee. “I just…last night, the only time I wasn’t falling apart was when he was holding me. Like, all I wanted in the whole world was to be as close to him as I could get. I guess it just made me realize that signing a stupid piece of paper didn’t mean anything. He’s my soulmate, and he’s my rock. Nothing’s going to change that. And that’s why I’m scared of leaving here, even though I know it’s stupid to stay. I’m not strong enough to do this by myself.”

I tried to fight the fresh round of tears I felt stinging my eyes, but I wasn’t entirely successful. I took a deep breath as I wiped the drops that had managed to leak out off of my cheeks.

“Darla, you’re one of the strongest people I know,” Kate murmured. “As much as I wish you’d go to the cops, I get why you can’t, and doing what you’re doing is brave too. But you don’t have to do this alone. You’ve got me and Ash and Brendan, and Nay and Alex too once you tell them about this. Let us help you. Admitting that you can’t do everything by yourself isn’t showing weakness. It’s being human.”

I leaned my head on her shoulder, and she grabbed the bag of cookies and handed me another one.

“Here. Snickerdoodles make everything better,” she chuckled.

I smiled. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when you guys move to New York for college in the fall.”

“Aww, honey,” Ashton cooed. “You’re always going to be our sister from another mister, no matter how many miles there are between us. And you better not let anyone else be the person of honor at your and Brendan’s wedding.”

“Hey! We’reco-person-of-honoring it, asshole,” Kate teased.

“I wouldn’t dream of getting married without the two of you there,” I promised. “Hopefully it can happen before you have to move.”

The key turned in the door lock, and a glance at the clock told me that it was already past noon. When the door opened, a three-and-a-half-foot bundle of energy zoomed over to me and threw himself into my arms. I gasped and choked on a sob as I looked down at my favorite kid.

“Hey, little man,” I sniffled. “I missed you this morning.”

“I missed you too,” Nathan mumbled as he sat down on my knees. “Brendan said you’re not coming to church for a while.”

Wow. He had to have been able to tell that I wasn’t in a good place right now, because he hadn’t given me hell for calling him “little man.” I knew he was outgrowing that nickname, but I couldn’t help it. I’d been calling him that ever since he was born. It was a hard habit to break.

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