Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Robin wouldn’t have been caught dead in that club, and frankly, needlecraft wasn’t really my thing either, but my mother is excellent at it, and I always loved her work and wanted to be better. CJ’s work was always way better than mine. In fact, she used to enter the county fair every year, and she had a stash of blue ribbons in her bedroom at home.
We went to college together as well, and we were roommates all four years.
But no sooner had we graduated when CJ’s father, a colonel in the Army, got transferred to Germany, and CJ decided to go with him and her mom. She got a great job as an au pair for a German family, and that was the last I heard from her. We emailed for a while, kept in touch on the socials, but then longer and longer periods took place between our emails until eventually it all petered out.
I’m not sure which one of us emailed last.
I start to respond to her when another email pops up on my screen.
I don’t recognize the name, but the domain name is one of the law firms my father uses.
I quickly open the email.
Dear Ms. Bellamy,
I’m an attorney at the law firm of Polk and Creighton in Austin. Your father mentioned that you’re looking to form a nonprofit. I believe I may be able to help you. Let me know when you’re available and we’ll set up a meeting.
Sincerely,
Brick Latham.
Brick?
That was my grandfather’s name. Brick Bellamy. I didn’t know anyone else had that name.
But I’m excited.
My father came through for me more quickly than I thought he would.
I quickly respond.
Dear Mr. Latham,
Thank you so much for your email. My time is flexible, so let me know what’s good for you. We can start with a phone or Zoom call. As you may or may not know, I’m recovering from cancer, and though I feel great, my physicians have advised me not to drive for another week or two. After that, though, I’m happy to meet you at your office in Austin. Thank you so much for your offer of help.
Raven Bellamy.
I get ready to email CJ back when I decide to call her instead.
I need to tell her what I’ve been through and that if she wants to see me, she’ll have to come to me, at least for the next week or two.
I punch in the number from her email.
“Hello?”
“Ceej?”
“Oh my God, Raven!”
“Yeah, it’s me. I just got your email. So you’re back in town?”
“Yeah, I’ve been back for a couple of months. Unfortunately, Dad passed away, and we had to bring his remains home.”
“Oh my God, Ceej, I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. Cancer.”
I gulp back my gasp. “How’s your mom?”
“She’s good. She has an apartment in Austin. It’s been hard for her, but she’s dealing.”
“And how are you doing?”
She sighs. “I’m adjusting. We knew it was coming. It was pancreatic cancer, and there’s not much they can do about that. He lived about six months after the diagnosis. All he could talk about was how he wished he had retired ten years ago, once he was eligible. Then he and Mom could’ve had more time together.”
I sigh. I’m not sure what to say. Having been in the situation, I know nothing—no words—can help her.
I could tell her that at least her father had a long life, which he did. Longer than I would’ve had if Falcon hadn’t come through with his bone marrow.
But telling CJ that at least her father had a long life would feel like a punch in the gut to her.
“Raven, you there?”
“Yeah, of course. I’m just so sorry.”
“I appreciate that. I’m sorry we lost touch.” Her voice brightens up. “So tell me. What’s going on with you? I checked you out on social media, but the last time you posted was like three years ago. You’re not married?”
Yeah. I’ve never been much into social media, and once I was diagnosed, I didn’t want to post at all.
“No, not yet. I’ve been…busy.”
“And I was always sure that Raven Bellamy would be the first of our group of friends to marry. After all, you were the homecoming queen back in high school.”
“True.”
“Is that still a sore spot with Robin?”
“Come on, Ceej. It’s been a long time now. Robin and I are close. Any drama from high school is long behind us.”
“If you didn’t look so much alike, no one would even know you were twins. You’re so different.”
She’s not wrong. Robin and I have always been different as night and day. CJ herself was up for homecoming queen as well, as well as Robin, me, and one other girl whose name I can’t even remember now.
“So no husband,” CJ continues. “Any special man in your life?”
“Not exactly.”
“What do you mean not exactly?”