Page 138 of Honey Pot

“Not this time, it’s important.” Bobbi ripped back the blankets, fighting against my grip but eventually winning out. “I swear,” she growled and stared at me. Her lips pressed into a tight unimpressed line. “Stop acting like you’re dying and answer this call.”

I grumbled and snatched the phone from her as I struggled to sit up in bed and pressed the receiver to my ear. “Hello?” I snapped.

“Clementine?” Ella’s voice was sweet as honey even over the phone.

Panic flooded me.

“Is he alright?” I asked, putting the phone on speaker, suddenly much more awake and aware.

“No,” she said and then followed it up quickly with a “yeah, but no.”

“Alright?” I said, confused about the reasoning for the phone call if everything was fine.

“Cael is…” I hadn’t heard her stumble before. She was too quick-witted and eloquent for her to stutter her thoughts. “He’s sad.”

“He’s a big boy, Ella,” I said, tucking a strand of dirty hair away from my face and ignoring the twinge of pain that flickered through me at the thought of him being sad enough for Ella to reach out to me. And then like a tidal wave, his voice washed over me. ‘I made you sad.’ And I hated myself for doing that to him.

“I called because I need to know something. He won’t talk about it, but I need to hear you say it so I can help him,” she said.

“What?” My fingers found my wrist, rolling the threaded bracelet between them to keep my mind from spiraling to dark places.

Bobbi sank into the bed across from me listening and watching intently.

“Do you love him?” Ella asked.

Yes.

The silence stretched on. Bobbi groaned and leaned over pressing mute on the call.

“Don’t you dare lie to her,” she growled at me and unmuted it with a serious look on her face. She narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at me.

“Clementine, are you still there?” Ella said softly.

“Yeah, I’m here,” I responded, but I still wondered if I could tell her the truth.

I continued to stare at the phone, flipping the bracelet around on my wrist, trying to make a decision. I could smell him on my skin and in my hair, feel his fingertips on my body, and hear his voice in the back of my mind, but… was that enough?

“She does,” Bobbi blurted. “She’s sitting here like a deer in headlights, but I know she loves that bleach blond Ken doll more than anyone and anything she has ever loved in her entire life.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you weren’t alone.” Ella quietly laughed.

“I’m Bobbi, her best friend and apparently the only honest person in the room,” Bobbi snapped.

Ella laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Bobbi, I have one of you and, Clementine… if she’s anything like Zoey. She’s right.”

Bobbi sat back triumphantly and held her arms out mocking me.

“I do,” I finally said in a defeated voice, causing Bobbi to drop her arms and sigh gently, the confession lifting a weight off her shoulders. She gave me a sympathetic smile and brushed her hand over my cheek.

“Good, we have work to do,” Ella said quickly in a hushed voice.

Ella had explained that something was wrong with Cael, like he was a shell of who he usually is. His recovery was still intact. He hadn’t slipped when I left, which was a small mercy that had been consuming me. I had almost called a few times just to check in on him, but I knew the implications that would carry.

The work that followed wasn’t as complicated as I expected.

Bobbi, my Momma, and I were booked on flights to Harbor for New Year's Day.

The day of the Rivals exhibition game.

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