Page 58 of Scars Like Wings

I chuckled like I always did, hearing her perky yet robotic voice say “‘goyles.” “Yes, please! Can you unlock the door for them also and let them know?”

“Done and done!”

I let Quinn know that the girls were headed up before tossing my phone on the bed and heading to my closet. The warmth from my shower was starting to fade, and the chill was beginning to return again. So, I decided to put on my thickest and comfiest sweatsuit set, which consisted of a light blue cargo pant and a matching cropped hoodie that showed the tiniest sliver of stomach and tattoos. I put on some mismatched fluffy socks and my house ankle boots. I topped the look off with a silk-lined navy blue beanie over my locs to keep my scalp warm. I plucked my phone from the bed and my laptop from its charger on the desk. Then I pulled my favorite thickest blanket out from on top of thebed to wrap around my shoulders. I left my bedroom with Dinah in tow behind me, yowling as usual for no reason.

Leaving the hallway, I came upon Everett in the kitchen pulling bags of coffee beans from the above cabinets. He raised an eyebrow at my bundled appearance, but he didn’t mention it as he said. “Good morning, kiddo! I was wondering when you would emerge from your cave. I was about to brew some coffee. Want some?”

“Uh, am I black?” I joked. As he chuckled, I added. “Go ahead and grab cups for Simone and Maisie. They are on their way up.”

He got my favorite mug—one from my childhood withSailor Moonon it in her iconic crime-fighting pose—along with two others that were Simone’s and Maisie’s favorites, an iridescent one that we had gotten when Everett took us camping for the first time and one shaped like a cactus. He filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove. Uncle Everett was a purist when it came to coffee. He could talk for days about how certain beans tasted and whatnot. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t care because I usually liked my sweet cream oat milk-based coffee creamer with only a side of coffee.

“Seeing the girls again so soon?” Everett measured the coffee beans to grind them.

“Yeah, we figured we would have a little sleepover tonight! We have to catch up for all the time we missed while they were away, and we didn’t get to hang out as much during the party. Is that okay?”

“Of course! I love those girls. Besides, I’m eager to hear how the party?—”

“Hello!” I heard Simone before she entered, followed by Maisie. They were both dressed just as cozy as I was minus extra layers. Their overnight bags and laptop bags floated behind them on a bed of Maisie’s magic. I went and hugged them.

“Haven’t seen you two in ages!” Maisie joked.

“Ohmigod! Is that Everett’s famous coffee?” Simone gasped, heading to the counter. “In ourfavoritemugs? What have we done to be so spoiled this weekend?”

Uncle Everett chuckled. “Oh, these aren’t for nothing. Y’all owe me tea if you want this coffee.”

The girls’ bags settled onto the floor of the living room, and I placed my laptop on an end table nearby while we hopped onto the barstools. Uncle Everett prepared and served our coffees how we liked them while we chatted with him about the party, the morning after, brunch, our date at Chill’s, and our coffee date after. He raised his eyebrow when I told him to give me more coffee than creamer for the first time ever, but he didn’t delve any deeper about it and I was grateful. I didn’t understand this never-ending cold I felt, let alone how to explain it to someone else. I savored the warmth from the mug in my hands, the steam hitting my face, and the fog of my glasses. It took some of the chilled edge off my skin.

“Sounds like you kiddos had a lot of fun! Leave it to Byrd to meet someone in the clumsiest way possible. You are nothing if not on brand.” Everett smiled my way while I stuck my tongue out at him. “I can’t wait to meet Quinn, though. She sounds adorable for you.”

“She definitely is! You know she sent me a ‘Good Morning’ text this morning. It was so sweet.”

“Ohmigod! Cole sent me one, too! His was a little less sweet and a bit morespicy.” Simone bit her lip before lifting her mug to drink.

I made a face. “You straights are freaking weird. Isn’t there a time frame for morning wood pics? Isn’t it like breakfast or something where it only happens during certain times?”

“Oh, honey, not with cis-men.” Maisie shook her head. “Dick pics are like waffles at Wa-Ho. Always being sent out twenty-four-seven, even on holidays and during natural disasters, nomatter if you order them or not. They are also poorly made more often than not, but are great when received while drunk.”

I laughed along with everyone. “So, Cody sent you one, huh?”

“He sent me, like, five last night, yes.” Maisie sipped her coffee. “You want to see?”

“That’s horrifying.” I scrunched my nose. “But obviously, yes.”

As Maisie pulled her phone from her sweatpants pocket, Everett shook his head. “I will never understand why you, as a lesbian, always say yes to looking at dick pics. You are alwayssoeager.”

“Uh, because they are fascinating, and I like to judge—Oh my god, he’shuge,” I said as Maisie showed me and Simone the pictures. They were actually pretty good quality and showed his piercing nicely.

Everett came around the bar to look over our shoulders. I heard his jaw as it dropped. “Wow.”

“Right?” Maisie said, scrolling through the pictures.

“I don’t know whether I should be impressed that these are so good or icky that he is able to take such good ones first thing in the morning,” Simone said.

Maisie waved her off. “Well, he’s just a fling. Unlike Cole and Quinn, this one is not ready to be a real boy and have a relationship. Which is perfect for my noncommittal ass who literally just wants a situationship, anyway.”

“We stan a queen who knows what she wants and gets it.” Everett raised his mug to Maisie.

“Well, speaking of relationships and the real men whoareready for them, did you have fun with Mr. Teddy this weekend?” I said over my mug.

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