Richard sighed. "I did at one point, but I haven’t even thought about that since I met Zainab, I swear."
"Yeah, that’s believable," Mitch grumbled, "considering all of the time you’ve spent hugging and touching her since then."
"I hug and touch Miranda, and even Michael isn’t worried that something’s going on."
"Not anymore," Michael said pointedly.
"What?!?"
Michael shrugged. "I could have killed you when we were kids, and I’ve got to admit, I’m not crazy about all the touching now."
"Are you seriously worried that I would ever—? She’s like my sister."
"I guess I can see how that wouldn’t be comforting to you," Mitch said. Michael glared at him, and then Martin and Mitch burst out laughing.
"Shut up!" Richard hissed, but Martin put up his hand, still laughing.
"Look, Jessie, I know, was one of your biggest detractors, and now she’s totally down with it. And it’s not just that you literally went into the line of fire. She said she hasn’t seen Miranda this happy ever. If she’s okay with it—and you—then so am I. I like Miranda too, and you know what? She does seem happy. But get a sense of humor, guy. If you can’t laugh about it, then you really are going to kill someone over it."
After a moment, Michael shrugged. "Say what you want, Mitch. I’m not the one getting naughty emails from Kyra Allen."
Martin punched Mitch’s shoulder. "See? It’s official. We all agree that you’re a stupid idiot."
"Old news, alright? Can someone tell me now how to win my wife’s forgiveness?"
"You mean there’s someone she’s forgiven?" Michael snarked.
"She’s still talking to me," Richard said quietly. "But that was after I let her have the pleasure of ripping my head off."
"You know what?" Michael said. "This is going to be one of those few instances I agree with her. You’re an imbecile. Zainab was the best thing that happened to you ever, and this is one of the few tragedies you can’t blame me for, since I actually liked her and didn’t try to screw that up."
"Do you think I don’t know that?" Richard said with some annoyance. "Do you think I haven’t been trying to figure out how I can fix my mistake?" He looked at Mitch. "You want to know what’s worse than having the person you love ready to kill you? Having her graciously accept what you’ve done. Because you know what that means? Don’t bother trying to make up for it, because it doesn’t matter. She didn’t want an apology, and not because she’s a martyr. She doesn’t care." He reached for a second bottle. "And now she’s perfectly happy to be my friend. My friend. You know what that probably means? That means she’s seeing someone—seriously."
Mitch saw Martin look down at the floor. "You know who she’s seeing, don’t you?"
"I—uh—" Martin sighed. "Jessie thought she had a good idea."
"Who is it?" Richard demanded.
"It’s just a guess."
"Jessie’s smart."
"You’re really, really not going to like it."
"But I want to know anyway."
"Teague."
Richard clenched the beer bottle so tightly Michael thought he might break it. "That’s not funny."
"I told you it wouldn’t be."
"You cannot be serious. After what he did to Jessie? Zainab loves Jessie like a sister."
Martin shrugged. "Jessie loves her like that too, and that’s why she doesn’t care."
"Jessie seems to have a lot of that lately," Mitch said to Michael, who made a face.
"And what about what the bastard did to everyone else?"
Michael rolled his eyes. "Boy that sounds familiar."
Mitch shrugged. "True—if even Michael can get some redemption—"
"Oh shut up," Michael said as he shoved a chip in his mouth. "And certainly not in the eyes of the only person I actually care about."
"Dude, what’s up with that?" Martin said, practically bursting. "I mean, like I said, we’re cool, but I’m confused here."
"Join the club," Mitch muttered.
"I remember when I went to that big house Miranda used to live in and you weren’t there but you might as well have been. You cast a long shadow even I could tell Miranda was dying to get away from, and the next thing I hear from Mitch, you two got married. And then you’re cousins, and you’re gone. And now you’re back. Then it looked like you two were, uh, back together, but now you’re all Mister Doom and Gloom again. Inquiring minds want to know."
"It’s complicated."
"That’s okay, the three of us all graduated from college. Maybe we can untangle it."
Michael rolled his eyes, then sighed. "Miranda and I....she came home with me after the party," Michael said with some difficulty.
Richard and Martin looked at each other, then laughed. "Excuse me?" Michael said, putting his drink down.
"Boy, that’s a surprise," Martin said sarcastically. "Because it’s not like you two weren’t all over each other at the party."
"That I wasn’t invited to," Mitch grumbled.
"You went out of your way to tell Emily that you had to go to the party at your firm and asked to take Hellie."
"Because I thought she might want to come with me then!"
"How would you know what anyone else was doing?" Richard said to Martin. "You and Jessie hardly came up for air."
"Good peripheral vision. So what happened?"
"I’m not going to talk about her like that!"
Now Mitch laughed too. "We get it, Michael. Jeez, who knew you were so gallant? I think Martin meant afterward."
"I said a few things I shouldn’t have," Michael said, grabbing some chips. "And I want to take it back."
"When are you going to learn?" Richard exploded. "How many chances do you think you’re going to get with her?"
"Back off!" Michael said, finally offended. "I’m all the things people have said I am and worse, but what about you? And you?" he said, pointing to Mitch. "I’m not stepping out on her. I’m not talking out of both sides of my mouth. I think she’s the most important thing in the world, and if I manage to convince her to take me back once and for all, I’m not going to forget how hard I worked for her or how precious she is. And I know I can do it because when we were married I had to pinch myself every day. We’re cousins, okay? Our grandfather was a degenerate pedophile who makes me look like a monk. And we didn’t know. Then we were manipulated our entire lives by another megalomaniacal pervert who might as well have killed our parents. And worse. What are your excuses?"
Richard and Mitch looked at each other. Mitch raised his bottle. "I hereby inaugurate the first meeting of the Hopelessly In Love. And Martin."
Richard and Michael raised their bottles. Martin frowned. "What, I have to be in constant turmoil to prove how madly in love I am with Jessie? That’s love? What the Hell is wrong with you three? You wouldn’t know what to do with a good thing if it sat in your laps—because apparently they have, and you’re literally crying into your beers here with me." Martin shook his head. "She wants to see me at a certain time? That’s when I’ll see her. She doesn’t want to tell me if she’s going out with her friends? Fine, I’ll wait here until she’s ready. She wants to not call me for a few days? Fine. Then she wants to spend three whole days in bed with me, whether we have classes or not? Fine. Her way, because she deserves it after everything. I had my chance, and I didn’t take it until a lot of crap had been thrown her way, so she needs to do this the way she needs to do this. And she deserves it. And I’m not complaining or dying on the inside, because I’m just happy that I’m with her. That means I’m not in love with her?"
Michael raised his bottle. "Yep, he’s in."
The game came on, and they followed it intently until the commercial. "So," Richard said to Mitch, "are your parents going to help with Hellie while Emily’s gone?"
Mitch sat up. "What do you mean, gone?"
"Emily didn’t tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"Our pres
ence has been requested in Israel," Richard smiled. "Just to get a look at what we’ll be dealing with, and make sure everyone’s on the same page. Emily, Miranda and I are going next week."
"What?!?" Michael and Mitch said at the same time. Martin snickered a little bit at Richard, then made himself comfortable on the couch so he could have a good view.
"Emily’s going to Israel? She didn’t say anything just now," Mitch sputtered.
"You’re just full of surprises tonight," Michael said angrily. "Shouldn’t I know about that if you want me to do my job? And oh, don’t tell me, this was Ari’s idea?"
"Shut up," Richard said under his breath.
Mitch honed in on Michael’s implication. "Ari? Who the Hell is Ari?"
"Oh," Martin said, nodding. "Is that the Israeli guy Emily was dancing with at the party?"
"You should have seen him at dinner with Miranda!" Michael spat.
"You really need to let that go," Richard said.
"Guy?" Mitch said, putting down his bottle. "Israeli guy? She was dancing with an Israeli guy? No fucking way!" Mitch said as he leapt up. "That’s enough! She is my wife, and she isn’t going anywhere with some Israeli!"
"You’d be less upset if she’d been dancing with someone from Egypt? Or Canada?" Richard said as Mitch dialed his phone.
"Emily, it’s me again. No, don’t hang up. You are not going to Israel. Yeah, I know, you can do whatever you want, you’re a grown up. Whatever. No, this is not like me going to Ireland! Because we’re married, damn it! No, don’t give me this b.s. about being separated! Because I God damn love you, and you love me, and I loved you in Ireland and I made the biggest mistake of my life but that doesn’t mean that you get to make an even bigger one in Israel!"
Richard put down his beer with a thud and took a deep breath. "I need to make a call too."
~~~
Zainab picked up her cell phone as Emily went into the kitchen to argue with Mitch. Miranda had let Robert’s name slip, and Emily had been aghast. Miranda had run upstairs to tuck Hellie in, and Jessie was sitting on the couch, not saying a word. Zainab was about to get into it when Mitch called. Now she was doubly relieved to talk to Richard. "I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight. I’m sorry, but that’s none of your business. So what if I kissed you goodnight? Oh, Martin said that?" Zainab looked at Jessie, who blinked innocently. "I’m going to repeat again, it’s none of your business. My God, Richard, did I ask you any of these questions? What do you mean I should have? Would that have made a difference? No, you need to do what you need to do. So do it. I’m not stopping you. Being with me didn’t stop you. Now that we’re not together, don’t try and stop me from what I have to do. Don’t start in on someone else’s flaws, because you don’t have the right!"
A minute later, Martin’s phone rang. Michael could tell who it was by the look on his face. "…Oh, nothing, just trying to watch the game while Richard and Mitch make fools of themselves on the phone. It’s more entertaining, actually. Is that Emily in the background?" He saw Richard pull the phone away from his face for a second. "You’re right, I guess that is Zainab. Is that a good sign?" He laughed and sighed. "I miss you too, but if you leave now I’m not going to get the running commentary. Yeah, I totally want to do something tomorrow. Anything I want? Ooh, baby, now I’m going to have to get inspired." He blushed a second later. "Are you sure no one else can hear you?"
Miranda came down from putting Hellie to bed and saw everyone on their phones. Jessie was laughing, Emily was in the kitchen, shouting, and Zainab was turning red. It was nice, for once, not to be at the center of the drama. She was leafing through a magazine on the couch five minutes later when Jessie tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, you." Jessie shoved the phone in her face. "Martin wants to know who Eleanor of Aquitaine’s first husband was."
Miranda looked up. "Tell Martin that it was Louis VII. And tell him that if he has any other questions tonight I’m available by email."
Zainab came in a minute later and handed her the phone. "Richard wants to know if you’re coming in to work next week."
Miranda didn’t look up this time. "Go ahead and tell him yes. And then tell him that I’m disappointed in his lack of resourcefulness."
"Oh Jesus, fine," Emily grumbled five minutes later as she came out of the kitchen. "Miranda, do you want to talk to Michael?"
Miranda threw down her magazine and stood up. "Put me on speaker. Hell, all of you, over there and here, put me on speaker. Now tell Mitch to tell Richard and Martin that I do not want to speak to that sneaky, judgmental man ever again unless it is in the office and has something to do with work. And then have someone tell him that I left two very precious items at his apartment and I want them back. Have Mitch give him the address here if he doesn’t know it already. So he can mail them. Then tell him that if he stalks me, or sends me weird invites or gets into my playlists again I will hunt him down and he won’t like it. And then tell him that if I see him on Monday and he sits on my desk and makes double entendres or tries to undress me with his eyes or make me cry I will do exactly the same thing, because I know I can. And then tell him that I am turning off my phone and taking a bath and then locking myself in my room. Okay?" Her three friends stood back. Jessie nodded finally. "Good!" Miranda said as she climbed up the stairs.
Jessie was laughing on the phone thirty seconds later. On the other end, Martin laughed too. Michael, still stunned, handed the phone back to Mitch. "What?" Michael asked, holding his breath.
"Jessie said tomorrow might be a good time to visit Miranda."
~~~
Two hours later, the men were off their phones and looking at the television, but no one was paying attention to the game. Martin was smirking a little bit. Mitch had somehow convinced Emily to meet him for brunch, and as soon as Jessie heard Emily agree to that, she had told him she wanted to come over tomorrow. Martin was going to be sure that Mitch was out of the apartment by eight-thirty so he could tidy up, not that Jessie ever cared about those things.
Richard had yelled about Teague, and he’d been happier than he wanted to admit that Zainab had finally yelled at him about Sophie and his lack of emotional availability. Zainab had agreed to meet him too, and now Richard was scared.
Michael did the math, and he knew that Miranda was going to be alone. Now he could apologize. And he knew he had to do a very good job.
Michael saw Mitch looking at him. "What?"
Mitch shrugged. "I was just thinking that we’re tied for most dramatic relationship, and I bet neither of us pictured it that way. You ever wish it were a little different?"
Michael smiled and shook his head. "No, I wouldn’t change one thing."
CHAPTER 18
Miranda happily agreed to watch Hellie the next day. "Okay, so you have my cell," Emily said as she grabbed her keys. "And don’t let her bully you into eating too much chocolate or we’re all going to pay. And if anything happens you’ll call me, right? Are you sure you’ll be okay?"
Miranda looked at her friend. Emily was wearing lipstick, and her hair was down. Just the way Mitch always liked it. "Emily, I’ve got this. Have a good time, and don’t worry if brunch runs late."
Zainab came down next. "Are you sure you don’t need some help with Hellie today?" she asked Miranda in a monotone. "Because I can cancel with Richard."
"I think you want to hear what he has to say."
"I don’t know," she said. "I’ve known that man better than I’ve known anybody, and I think I have a very good idea of what he could say."
"I’ve known Richard for years, and you know what? He surprises even me sometimes. I think you should give him a chance to surprise you."
"Maybe I don’t want to risk another bad surprise."
"And knowing your mystery man—"
"You know I’m seeing Robert."
"Fine, and knowing that you have Robert—sorry, I have to say Teague—as a backup doesn’t help?"
"Robert never, in any way, replaced Richard."
>
Miranda smiled knowingly. "And he never will."
Zainab stood glued to her spot as if she couldn’t move. "I’m still seeing him."
Miranda shrugged. "You’re entitled."
"I’m not doing this because I’m entitled," Zainab snapped. Miranda smiled because it was so unlike her. "I’m seeing Teague because I want to."
"Why?"
"Why do you want to see Michael?"
Miranda laughed and shook her head. "No way, Z. You do not want what Michael and I have or had."
"Have."
Miranda looked away angrily. "Does everyone think I am so weak that I am going to let him do whatever he wants to me—speak to me, look at me, touch me, treat me—and always forgive him, always take him back?"
"I know you’re not weak," Zainab said kindly. "You forget; I saw you when you were married to him. I know how in love you were with him, and I can tell that you still love him like that."
"I love him more, but I wouldn’t wish this craziness on anyone. And I love you too, so I hope you’re not walking into something with Teague—"
"Robert."
"Whatever—that’s like this."
"Why? Overall, I’ve got to say, you seem pretty happy."
"Michael is one huge gamble, all the time. I’ve got a piece of him, and he’s got a piece of me. Should I give him the rest, or should I just cut my losses?" Zainab didn’t say anything. "But you, my friend, don’t go around giving little pieces of yourself up."
Zainab teared up. "There’s where you’re wrong, Miranda. I did give a piece of myself to Richard. More than a piece. I’m just willing to let that go so I can keep the rest of me."
Miranda hugged Zainab. "He’s a good man. Just hear him out. And you don’t have to give anything away today, I promise."
Zainab wiped her tears. "I’m going to hold you to that."
Finally, Miranda and Hellie were alone. Miranda gave the little girl a bath, then made breakfast while Hellie watched a little TV. They read some Doctor Seuss books, then Miranda looked outside.
"You know what, girlfriend? I think it looks kind of nice out today. How would you like to go to the playground one last time before the snow comes?"
Let's Move On (The New Pioneers Book 4) Page 11
