“There,” Vivian said. “Now you look less like you’re telling a ghost story in front of a campfire.”

“Um, yeah.” Her voice was still hoarse. She reached for the water glass on her nightstand and took a sip while Vivian watched.

Then she watched Vivian back, awaiting a reprimand or instructions or something other than the silence she got as they stared at each other.

Amazingly, Vivian blinked first. Then she closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose. “I said to cancel it for now. I won’t make that decision tonight.”

“Good idea,” Jules said because she was still a sleepy idiot.

Vivian’s eyes widened, only slightly but still enough that it was a declaration of pure shock from her. She said, “Oh, is it, Julia?”

“I-I mean,” Jules stammered. Shit, shit, shit. “I just mean it’s a big decision. There’s nothing wrong with giving it a little more time. Whatever you decide is totally fine. I wasn’t implying otherwise.”

Vivian relaxed her mouth from its pucker. “Just as long as you’re not about to throw Bible verses at me.”

“Oh God, no. That’s not my thing.”

“Glad to hear it. I…well.” Vivian adjusted her hair, smoothing her hand over the back of her head. She never did stuff like that. Her hair, clothes, and makeup stayed obediently in place at all times in a way that seemed supernatural.

“I guess that’s it.” As she lowered her hand, Vivian looked tired again, even more so than before.

Jules’s heart ached more than before too. She’d never wanted to comfort anyone as much as she wanted to comfort Vivian. It was almost physically painful not to be able simply to take her hand and say, It’ll be okay.

The thought made her fingertips tingle, just like when she’d handed Vivian the water glass. But that was just dumb. This was a…solidarity thing. Women supporting women and all that.

“Yeah, well,” Jules said, “if you need me, you know where to find me.”

Vivian blinked. “Yes. I do.” She ended the call.

Jules flopped back down on her bed with a thump and a groan. She was certainly awake now. Her heart had started pounding again, which was normal when you got yanked out of deep sleep and thought something was badly wrong but it turned out someone just wanted to confuse you.

Or connect with you. Or something like that.

She looked up at the ceiling. So Vivian had put a hold on the abortion for now. Fine, great, whatever, but of course she hadn’t been able to wait until, say, seven a.m. to tell Jules. Good grief.