Page 106 of January

“Yes,” the woman repeated. “It’s time.”

Kyle nodded and turned around to take Melinda’s hand. They walked off and turned right at the cathedral.

“What the hell just happened?” Melinda asked her.

“I have no idea,” Kyle replied.

“Apparently, we’re having kids one day,” Melinda said, taking Kyle’s hand in her own. “Were you aware of that?”

Kyle laughed and said, “I wasnot. I thought she’d tell me I was about to come into a great fortune, and I’d get to tell her that that already happened or something.”

“She said you trusted yourself with me. Is that true?”

Kyle looked over at her before she kissed her on the temple and said, “I do.”

“Save that for the apparent wedding we’re going to have one day before those kids she said we’ll have, too.”

Kyle laughed, which Melinda was grateful for because it gave her a chance to try to process what had just happened. That woman had known about Kyle’s mom, her relationship with Melinda, and had told Kyle to trust herself with something else that neither of them had revealed. She’d also told Melinda to be patient, and as Melinda looked over at Kyle, she knew she would be. Kyle was worth a little patience.

CHAPTER 29

“Bridgette, hi,” Kyle said.

“Oh, hey,” the woman replied before she stood up from her crouched position and turned to Kyle. “Doing some grocery shopping?”

“Yeah. You?”

“Nope. I’m working.” Bridgette pointed to the card rack.

“Oh, right. You stock the cards you make?”

“Today, I do. I don’t normally, but we’re a bit short-staffed. We had to drop the contractors we were using to replenish, so now, we’re doing some of it ourselves. I’m taking care of the local shops that carry our stuff today.”

“Did the contractor mess up or something?” Kyle asked as she leaned over her grocery cart.

“No,” Bridgette replied but didn’t add anything else.

Kyle sensed there was something there that Bridgette wasn’t saying, but she didn’t know the woman well enough to push. Instead, she glanced at the rack.

“Is Mel an anniversary person?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“Like, does she celebrate anniversaries? I think most people celebrate the years, but does she do the months, too?”

“I don’t know that anyone has ever asked me that about her before.” Bridgette paused. “I don’t think she makes abigdeal out of it, no. Why?”

“We’re together now, and it’s silly, but I was thinking about making a reservation for our one month, which, depending on when we consider we got together, would be coming up. I thought I’d get her a card or something since her best friend makes them for a living.”

“Oh,” Bridgette replied. “Don’t buy her any of these.” She shook her head.

“What? Why?”

“They’re lame. I can make you one just for her if you want.”

“You can just make a one-month anniversary card?”

“Itiswhat I do,” Bridgette replied, smiling at her. “And Mel deserves the best.”

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