“So no work, no car. Anything else?”
Her serious blue-green eyes fix on mine. “Yes, he tells me what to eat, what not to eat, when to take my vitamins, even what brand to take. I can’t go near Dog’s litter box anymore, and he’s obsessed with having no soft cheese in the house.”
I don’t know much about pregnancy, but this all seems a little extreme.
Raven sniffs and rests her hand on her belly. “I know he’s worried about the baby and me.”
“He loves you, Rave. Just tell him he’s being a jackass.”
She shakes her head and picks at the terry robe. “No, I understand why he’s scared. I mean losing his Dad so tragically he’s afraid something will happen to the baby and me.” She flips and drops back to the pillow. “I’m sorry. I’m totally making this about me.”
“Please, I’d much rather talk about your fucked-up life than mine.” A shadow of a smile tugs at my lips. “Kinda feels like old times.”
Life has been so good for Raven lately, but there was a time, years and years of time, where we’d just drive and vent about our shitty lives. She’d always be complaining about her mom; I’d be bitching about my dad. It worked out great because the second I wished I had a mom around I’d listen to Raven bitch about Milena and decide maybe a mom’s not all that cool. I’m pretty sure my dad stories did the same for her.
“Remember that night senior year when we drove all the way to Barstow?”
I can’t help but laugh at the memory, and it feels so damn good. “We had big plans, huh?”
She dissolves into full-belly laughter. “That song.”
“Oh my gosh, Raven, the song! Yes.” We’d written a song on the way there and swore we could sell it in Hollywood and make millions. “I still remember the words.”
“You and me were lovers at fi-irst, you and me were fi-irst lovers, oh . . .”
We both double over, holding on to each other’s arms and laughing until tears stream from our eyes and our bellies cramp.
Raven catches her breath. “Holy crap! That was so much fun. We had the world at our fingertips that night.”
“Yeah . . .” I wipe the laugh-tears from my eyes. “Until we got hungry and decided we’d try again another day but bring more food.”
Her eyes go unfocused, and she swings her gaze out the window as if she’s seeing that night vividly in her mind’s eye.
“For all the shit that was thrown at us, Rave, we made it through all right.”
She turns toward me, a peaceful expression softening her features. “Yeah. I’d give anything for even a little taste of the freedom we had that night.”
I hate seeing her so down, and after the night I’ve had, I think we could both use a little freedom. “So?” I raise an eyebrow. “Let’s go for it.”
Her eyes go wide, and she shakes her head. “Oh, no, Jonah would kill me.”
“Is he here?”
“No, he’s at the training center.” She chews on her fingernail, letting the idea marinate. “He won’t be home until tonight.”
“A ten-minute cruise around the neighborhood.” A flutter of excitement ignites in my belly. I sit up cross-legged. “We’ll roll the windows down, blast your crappy fifties music. It’ll be just like old times.”
“I don’t know, Eve.”
“Oh come on! It’ll be fun. And just think. You’ll get it out of your system, and you won’t get pissed at Jonah anymore.”
“Fine.”
“What? I mean”—I shake my head—“are you serious?”
“Yes, dork!” She stands up from the bed and holds her hand out. “But I’m not going to hide it from Jonah. I’ll tell him tonight when he gets home. He’ll be pissed for a second, but I’ll take the tires off of it and put it on blocks if that’s what it takes to convince him that I’ll never do it again.”
“Yes!” I hop off the bed. “Can we grab a coffee while we’re out?”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Now get dressed and meet me in the kitchen before I change my mind.” Without another word, she races from the guest room, and I race toward my . . . Crap. I have no clothes.
“Wait, Rave. I need something to wear!”
“I’ll bring you some!” she calls from down the hallway.
A slow smile pulls at my lips. This is exactly what I need. Being like this with Raven, having this little taste of our history, reminds me of how much I need her, and she me. Here this whole time I thought that Jonah and the baby would fill the spot I occupy in her heart. But is it possible that spot is sectioned off for only me? That there’s enough room for all of us to co-exist? Maybe she gets something from our friendship that she won’t get from her husband and kid.