Page 100 of Despite It All
After our morning quickie we did actually sit down and talk about how the move would actually work. All of my stuff is in South Carolina, and Jett’s going to be gone for away games for the next two weeks. So, even though we all hate it, Stevie and I still got on our flight back to Aster Creek later that day.
It’s now been a full week and I’ve officially turned in my notice, packed up about eighty percent of our stuff, and… told my family. To say the least, my sisters were not happy. But surprisingly, Dad was very supportive and he was the one who I thought would flip out the most.
Since this will be my last Sunday here for a while, I asked Wav and Winry to meet me for a sisters’ brunch at Crossroads. As much as I know my sisters love me no matter what, this week it feels like there’s been this rift. There’s no way I can leave without talking it out with them.
With a deep breath, I walk into Crossroads. Winry sits at our normal table by the window.
“Hey,” I say, pulling out my chair.
“Hey. I’m good for now, but Ivy couldn’t make it this morning. The rush is gone so Abigail should be able to handle it for a bit, but I may have to go help her if we start getting a line.”
“That’s okay. What’s going on with Ivy? She’s been MIA for weeks now.”
Winry sighs and rests her head on her hand. She looks exhausted. “Her and Jasmine are officially calling it quits I think. She refuses to give me any details, but the weirdest thing happened yesterday too.”
“What weird thing?” Waverley asks, sitting across from me. “Hi, sorry I’m late. I totally overslept.”
“It’s okay. You’re gonna have a baby, welcome to being tired for the foreseeable future,” Winry laughs. “How are you feeling otherwise?”
Waverley smiles because she can’t not while talking about it. Not that I blame her, I want to smile when I talkabout it for her. “I feel good. Tired and a little queasy if I don’t eat when I get up.”
“Oh man, I can’t even imagine how much Owen’s cooking for you now.” I swear, in a different life, Owen West was one hundred percent a chef.
“He may have made enough food this morning for a tiny army, yes, but Belley and I were so not about to complain.” Waverley turns back to Winry. “What was the weird thing that happened?”
“Oh, right!” Win scrunches her eyebrows. “Eddie Wilson rode in on his motorcycle yesterday asking if he could talk to Ivy.”
“Eddie, like y’alls tattoo guy?” I ask Waverley. I don’t really know much about him other than he’s friends with Wav and Owen.
“Was he covered in tattoos?” Waverley looks at Win, and she nods. “I guess so. What did he want to talk to her about?”
She shrugs. “Didn’t say, just told me to have her call him. I’ve never known her to even talk to him, let alone have his number.”
“Hmm, odd.” Waverley reaches for her cinnamon roll and takes a big bite. “I can’t stop eating.”
I remember that stage. Granted, mine was a bit delayed with morning sickness but towards the end of my firsttrimester I was eating everything in sight. “Maybe you’re having a girl. I ate everything with Stevie.”
Winry chuckles. “You really did.”
“Well, you don’t get to find out because you’re leaving,” Waverly snarks, taking another bite.
I know she doesn’t truly mean that she won’t tell me, but I’m bummed enough already. “Wav, come on. You know I’m doing what’s best for my family, and we’ll come visit all the time.”
“It’s not the same, Wyla, my baby needs their auntie.”
“And my baby needs her dad, Wav!” Doesn’t she realize how hard this is for me already?
“Alright, let’s calm down for a second.” Winry’s pulling out her sister-mom mode, it’s different from her normal mom mode. She’s not afraid to tell us how she really feels. “Wav didn’t mean for it to come off as bitchy as it did. We’re glad you found Jett and are happy with him. We know you’re doing what’s right for you and Stevie, but you can’t blame us for being a little sad at the same time.”
I sigh. “I know, but you’re my older sisters, I need y’alls support in this.”
Winry reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “Wyla, we’ll always support you.”
Wav lays her hand on top of ours and sighs. “We’re just going to fucking miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you guys too. I’ll probably cry and call you both so much that Jett will send me back here within the month.”
My sisters laugh, and Wav says, “No, he won’t.”
