When no one says anything, I say, “Hello, you’re supposed to be comforting me, telling me how much you hate Pike.”
Stella crosses her legs. “I’m sorry, I’m just trying to understand. He lied to you about why he wanted to stay married?”
“Yes,” I say, dabbing my eyes. “He made me think that it was me he was interested in, but, really, he was just trying to save himself. I didn’t want to be married, he knew that, and he didn’t care. He thought about himself first.”
“Yeah, that’s shitty,” Stella says.
Greer is sitting on the bed with me and I can tell she’s not happy from the pensive look on her face. “I thought he was a good guy,” she finally says. “I stuck up for him in front of my husband, and this is what he does?”
“I think we all threw down for him,” Stella says. “We were on his side, convincing you that he was a good guy, that he wasn’t going to hurt you. I don’t understand.”
“Yeah, why would he move you into his place if it was all a game for him?” Greer asks.
From the kitchen, Keiko clears her throat. We all lift our heads and watch her adjust her glasses. I considered not inviting her, but then I thought that maybe she’d have an inside scoop, that maybe she knew something I didn’t know. From the look in her eyes, I think I was right.
“Do you have something to say, Keiko?”
“I do.” She holds her chin high. “Although, with the present animosity built around my comrade, I do believe my opinion will fall on empty ears. Therefore, I shall wait until the outrage has simmered.”
“Oh, don’t hold back. Please, tell us what a great man Pike Greyson is,” I say, my voice full of sarcasm, and I know I’m taking my hurt out on Keiko, but I can’t control it.
Quietly, she says, “He is a good man.”
Guilt hits me in the chest as I realize he’s Keiko’s friend, her good friend, and inviting her probably wasn’t the best idea. She’ll become defensive, stick up for him.
Keiko’s eyes meet mine. “He is in love with you, Cora. That is all I shall say for now.” She adjusts her glasses again and then rests her hand on the small swell of her belly.
“He might be in love with her, but that doesn’t negate the lying,” Stella says, always the one you can trust to get angry on your behalf. “How can she possibly trust him after this?”
“The same way you were able to find solid ground with Romeo,” Keiko says. “You were determined to find resolution. The same way Greer became accustomed to Arlo. There is a foundation of love. You don’t flee from it.”
“You ran from Kelvin,” I say, defending myself.
“Ooo, good one. That’s true. She did run from Kelvin,” Stella says.
“Because she thought he didn’t want children,” Greer says, stepping in. “And I don’t think pointing out each other’s flaws in relationships is the way to go.”
“She started it,” I say, pointing to Keiko, who stands there stoically.
“Either way, we should be letting Cora grieve, because she’s hurt right now and, as her friends, we need to allow her to be hurt.” Greer takes my hand in hers. “It’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to feel betrayed.”
Betrayal. Heartbreak. Anger. Every emotion is present.
“It’s okay to mourn the loss of what you thought you had. Trust me, I think all of us in this room have done that.”
“We have,” Stella says.
“I consumed a chocolate-and-vanilla marble cake generated for ten individuals, in one sitting, while viewing late-night reruns of The Golden Girls,” Keiko chimes in.
Oh God.
“Is that where Blanche came from?” Stella asks.
Keiko holds her stomach and nods. “I feel akin to Blanche and her promiscuous behavior.”
“I can see it,” Stella says and then turns to me. “Do you want to order something? I can call up Romeo and he can have some food delivered; we can have a slumber party or something at my place so you don’t have to be here alone.”
I glance out the window, taking in the white, crystalized snow that decorates the ground. It started snowing on my drive over here, making my retreat from Pike that much slower. “I don’t know. You guys should probably get home because of the weather.”
“Well, then I’ll stay with you,” Greer says, holding my hand. “I don’t want you to be alone.”
“We can all—”