Page 45 of Lady Death

“Not what I said.” He leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the lips. “Don’t wait up. I’ll probably be late.”

He winked and was gone.

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want,” she told the girls.

“I want to stay,” Vivi said, and then skipped—skipped—into the kitchen.

“How old is she?” Keres asked Adira, who just chuckled and shook her head before following after Vivi.

The two women were busy getting plates and silverware. Adira carried them over while Vivi pulled her cake out of the bag.

“Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.”

“Don’t worry, she didn’t bake it,” Adira assured her.

“She can screw up chocolate cake?” Keres asked.

“Once again,” Vivi stressed. “I didn’t know eggs expired.”

Keres blinked. “Did you think they’d last forever?”

“Apparently, that’s what Ghost asked as well,” Adira murmured.

“In my defense, they don’t teach you these things on YouTube,” Vivi said. “Or if they do, I haven’t found that video.”

“You watched YouTube to learn to cook?”

“Oh, yeah. YouTube is the modern-day Encyclopedia Brittanica. It’s how I learned how to use a jigsaw and how to circumcise a baby. Although not at the same time.”

Keres had the feeling Vivi was always going to surprise her. She opened her mouth, but Adira put a hand on her arm.

“I’ve learned it’s better not to ask,” Adira told her.

Vivi rolled her eyes as she placed the cake on the table. Keres grinned then ran upstairs to change into a pair of shorts and t-shirt. When she came back down, her slice of cake was waiting for her.

“Milk?” Adira asked them.

Both girls nodded and Adira brought over the milk carton and glasses. For the next few minutes, they ate cake. The chocolate goodness exploded on Keres’s taste buds.

“Would it make me look gluttonous if I have another piece?” she asked.

Vivi giggled. “I need another one, too. Sugar is one of the basic food groups, you know. Sugar, caffeine, carbohydrates. Not necessarily in that order. The perfect meal, in my opinion, is pancakes and waffles smothered in maple syrup, and coffee to wash it all down. It’s not just for breakfast anymore, you know.”

“No wonder you’re so hyper,” Adira said, smiling.

Vivi held up a finger. “Actually, that is a myth. They’ve never definitely proved that sugar causes hyperactivity. Cavities, yes. Calories, yes. Gas, for sure. Have you ever smelled sugar farts? God, they’re horrible. In fact, once upon a time, Lincoln—”

“What’s it like having two boyfriends in a motorcycle club, Adira?” Keres asked loudly, wanting to shut down that runaway train as quickly as possible.

Adira blinked. “Uh. Sometimes I forget who I’m texting and get messages screwed up.”

“Youhave a boyfriend in a motorcycle club,” Vivi responded.

“Maybe,” Keres with a shrug.

“Why do you say that?” Adira asked.

Should she tell them? Explain? It didn’t seem right because she just met the two women.

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