Page 62 of The Sweetest Surrender

“It must be Jordan,” Octavia said.

Selena frowned. “What must it be Jordan?”

“You’re excited about the awards luncheon this weekend, and it slipped your mind.”

At the mention of the luncheon, Selena groaned inwardly.

“Am I right?”

Selena let out a languid breath. “I um, kind of forgot about that, too.”

Octavia became silent again.

“Hello?”

Seconds later, the door to Selena’s office opened, and Octavia glided through. She sat down in a visitor’s chair directly in front of Selena, then crossed her legs and folded her arms.

Selena looked over Octavia’s Pam Grier appearance as if seeing her for the first time today.

“Tell me what’s going on and don’t lie.”

Selena relaxed in her chair. “You say that as if I lie to you all the time.”

“No, I say that because you try and hide when something’s bothering you all the time. See the difference there?”

Selena let out a harsh breath and told Octavia the full story of her Valentine’s Day night. The more Selena spoke the more the emotional structure of Octavia’s face changed.

“Oh nooo,” Octavia groaned. “Selena, I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

Selena shut her eyes, fighting back emotion that tried to overcome her.

“Unfortunately, no.”

“God, you don’t think Jordan would do that to you. Help me, please, I’m trying to understand.”

“Octavia, my parents have been together for a lifetime. There’s no way my mother thought she would be going through a divorce after fifty-one years of marriage. How is this fair to her? You spend your whole life with someone for them to have eyes for someone else and leave you?”

“Is that what happened?”

Selena hesitated. “I’m not entirely sure.”

At Octavia’s puzzled look, Selena pushed forward.

“Neither of them has actually said this is happening because of this. All I’ve received was an invitation to dinner and oh hey, Selena, we’re getting a divorce!”

Selena tossed up her arms and shook her head.

“You wouldn’t understand. I’m a part of who they are. If they divorce, we divorce, I have to pick sides, and love one more than the other, and oh God, I just can’t believe this is happening,” she said, overwhelmed.

Octavia rushed to her feet and skipped around the desk just as tears brimmed Selena’s eyes. Octavia threw her arms around her friend and held Selena while Selena gave into her mourning.

“I’m not supposed to be feeling this way, am I? I mean, I’m not a child, but I feel so dumbfounded and disheartened. I don’t know what to do.”

“Selena, I’m no therapist, but I highly doubt that it’s abnormal for you to feel a sense of dread. Like you said, you’ve followed their rules, listened to their advice, and considered them your models. With them breaking up surely it would throw your equilibrium off.”

Selena sniffled. “I’m gonna have to see a damn counselor, aren’t I?” She pouted and rolled her eyes.

“You might, baby, but if you do, may I suggest something?”

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