Nina sits down beside me and pats my hand. “We may not know each other, but I do know a freak-out when I see one. You don’t have to share, just know we got you.”

They got me. Normally a statement like that from anyone besides my girls would have me rolling my eyes, but for some reason I believe her. “Why?”

Sasha sighs, drawing my attention to her. “Listen, Kai is family. I know he introduced you as his ‘client and friend’ but it doesn’t take much to see how important you are to him, and I won’t even bullshit you and act like we don’t all know about your past with him at this point. So if you’re important to him, you’re important to us.” The skepticism I saw on her face earlier has been completely replaced with understanding and acceptance.

“And just take it from me, once these bitches decide you’re their friend, you have no say in the matter. I tried when I first moved here,” Ciara adds.

“There was little to no effort to get rid of us, ma’am,” Nina interjects.

“Mm-kay.”

“Thank you,” I whisper. My breaths come easier by the second.

“Of course. Can I hug you?”

I nod my head and fall into Nina’s embrace. I’m not really much of a hugger, and I think she senses that which is why she asked, but I’m appreciative of the fact that she seemed to also sense I needed one in that moment. I’m careful to suck my tears back so they don’t fall and mess up her T-shirt, but otherwise I just let myself feel all my emotions. Ciara rubs my back, and Sasha smiles at me over Nina’s shoulder.

I pry myself out of Nina’s arms so I can look each of them in the eyes as I let the confession fall from my lips.

“I, um…had an abortion when I was nineteen.”

“I won’t lie and say I didn’t assume you suffered a loss when you got choked up watching Kai with Bianca. I’m so sorry for your loss,” Ciara offers. Sasha and Nina echo her sentiments.