Page 39 of Smoke

“Thank you for doing the hard thing and talking to me, Kay,” I repeated.

She nodded, but her eyes still looked a bit haunted.

“I need to talk to Blade and Bash. I don’t think I’ll feel better until I speak to all of you.”

“Will you speak to them soon? I hate that this has been weighing you down.”

“Yes. I’ll talk to them as soon as I can. Do you think they’ll be upset with me?”

Reaching out, I took her hand. “I think they will be grateful to have such a good friend. How about we go together and talk to them?”

“Would you mind going with me? Would it be awkward for you?”

“No, you’re right. We aren’t living. I’ll gladly go with you,” I told her, only speaking the truth. It was time for a change—a change for more than just me.

“Sometimes it’s hard to give y’all advice without feeling like I’m nagging you. I just want you all to be happy.”

Shrugging, I said, “I think being a good friend requires a certain amount of nagging. Besides, one day you’ll fuck up and I’ll get the pleasure of being the one doing the nagging.”

***

Ashley

“Can you pass me the green crayon?” I asked Eloise.

She handed it to me and I thanked her.

“How’s your arm?” Allyson asked as she colored a tiger pink.

That was silly, tigers weren’t pink.

“Is lots better,” I answered instead. We were in my playroom. Daddy and Auntie Kay were having a meeting with Uncle Bash and Uncle Blade. I felt like it was pretty serious and my tummy flipped around. I hoped everything was okay.

“When can you go back to work? Lennon said she misses you,” Eloise said, coloring a puppy blue.

We need to help our friends learn their colors. They’re doing a terrible job.

I fought back a grin. My Little was a bit of a coloring snob.

“Daddy thinks it might be too hard for me to go back, so I told the shop I wouldn’t be returning. They were really nice about it,” I said, shifting on the carpet. The movement pulled my deliciously sore muscles. Daddy had fucked me over the back of the couch before everyone came over and each pull and pain I felt as I moved made me feel even more loved. I think I wanted him to fuck me before we went anywhere so I could always feel owned and adored.

“I think it would be hard too,” Allyson said.

“Yeah. I wouldn’t want to go back either. Are you sad, though? I know you really liked the job,” Eloise said.

“I was a bit sad, but I discovered while working there I really enjoyed decorating cakes and Daddy said we could lookinto finding some classes to grow my skills and maybe I’ll start making and selling specialty cakes.”

“I’d be happy to sample them all for you,” Eloise said, nodding.

I giggled.

“Yeah, we’ll try anything you make,” Allyson said. “But you should definitely make red velvet.”

“I’ll always share my cake with you, you guys don’t have to be sneaky with it.” I laughed.

They smiled and I found myself feeling even more thankful for them.

“What about your mom?” Eloise asked. Her lips were pressed in a thin line and I was touched that she was worried.

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