“Thanks for fitting us into your schedule.” She continues, “How’s the day treating ya? I see you’re wearing a wedding ring, how’s that going?” I bristle from my spot on the couch.

What kind of question is that?

After a minute or so of humoring invasive relationship inquiries from Jamie, Donya swishes out of the room with a promise to be right back.

Jamie flops onto the love seat next to me. “Hey hey hey, you.” She grins and pulls her feet up underneath her. Then puts them down on the floor, then pulls one up and sits on it.

I frown. “Why do you feel the need to say ‘hey’ three separate times?”

Jamie shrugs. “I enjoy the word ‘hey’ in a cluster of three.”

I glance at her outfit again. “Do you not own normal pants?”

She snorts. “What are normal pants?”

“Doing your hair like that makes you look like a five-year-old.”

“That youth serum Grams got me must be working.”

Grams? Who’s Grams? She’s so calm. And self-assured. It’s annoying. I roll my eyes and blow out a sigh.

Jamie grins at me. “You really have a way with that.”

“With what?” I snap.

“You’ve mastered the execution of the perfect eye-roll-dramatic-sigh combo.”

I glare at her.

She claps. “Oh my gosh, wow. Consider auditioning for a role on the CW. Excellent work.”

Donya returns with a platter of tea-related ingredients, mugs, and a kettle. She takes a seat in the solo chair, and we begin.

20. A Girl Is a Little Disoriented

JAMIE

August 30, Sunday Afternoon

Colorado

Donya and Siri are discussing our mother. I nod along now as Siri talks about the lifelong aspiration she’s had to travel the world as a ballerina. I mechanically take another sip of tea.

I’m losing my shit over here. I know 100 percent of my focus needs to be on reconnecting with Siri right now, but I’m spiraling out about Zarar. It happened. I sat there with him and spilled my whole life story. We got up, we had lunch together, and I told him everything. I broke my own fucking rule. My shit is mine. I can handle it myself.

But there I was blabbering on. For like hours. To Zarar! He listened and nodded empathetically until I saw the time and bolted off to Terry’s cabin for this appointment.

My brand-new hot fishing instructor friend who gently hits on me every other hour and runs into girls with pamphlets knows more about me now than my own sister does. Dawn doesn’t even know the full reason why I’m here. She doesn’t know about my massive bomb. She doesn’t know about Siri.