Lily’s phone vibrated on the counter beside her and she grimaced, expecting to see another text from Edith. But instead it was a text from Nick.
Hey, we still good for tonight?
Lily tried to ignore how her stomach flipped at seeing his name flash across her phone’s screen. They’d exchanged numbers the other day after leaving IKEA, and tonight she was joining him at his friend’s birthday party with the goal of finding a potential wedding date.
Yep! Lily texted back. She’d felt a slight thrill as they’d stood outside of IKEA and she’d watched him add his number to her contacts. He’d squinted and quirked his mouth while he typed. Even his focused face was handsome, because of course it was.
Seconds later, he replied: Cool.
Then: Hope you’re having a good day.
Thanks, you too!!
She cringed after hitting send. Were two exclamation points really that necessary? It sounded overeager. She didn’t want Nick thinking that she liked him, especially since he’d told her that he wasn’t trying to date. It was true that she still found him attractive, and his random monologue about a Swedish IKEA had only intrigued her more about the inner workings of his mind, and he was the first person she’d ever told about Strick and she appreciated that he hadn’t judged or pitied her. But she wouldn’t act on those feelings or let them fester and blossom. She’d decided that their kiss in Violet’s kitchen had been a result of repressed horniness and overexcitement after surviving an elevator brawl. Nick was going to help her find a date to Violet’s wedding, and that would be the extent of their relationship. She wasn’t even sure if they were friends. She was proud of herself for jumping in and asking for Nick’s help, though. Now if only she could properly apply that assertive energy to moving up in her career as well.
The bell over the front door chimed and Lily looked up to see Iris and Calla walking toward her.
“Auntie!” Calla shouted. She ran to Lily as fast as her little legs would allow, and Lily scooped her up into her arms.
“Hey, lady,” she said, holding her niece close. Calla smelled like chlorine. Lily glanced at Iris, who looked sleek in her black workout tank and tights. She wore a black baseball cap, concealing her short cut. Letting out a full-body sigh, Iris sat on the empty stool behind the counter. Lily let Calla down, and she ran over to her grandparents, who showered her with hugs and kisses.
“We just left her swimming class,” Iris said, rubbing her forehead. “And before that it was ballet. In an hour she has karate. I could sleep for a year straight and I’d still be tired.”
“I didn’t even know three-year-olds could take karate class.”
“Me neither, but I looked into it because Calla was so insistent. That’s what happens when you let your child watch Cobra Kai.”
“I’m happy to help with Calla whenever you need me to,” Lily said. “You know that, right?”
“Yes, and I love you for offering. But I’m okay, really. I’m tired, but it’s a normal tired. Not like last fall.”
Lily nodded, thinking about how exhausted and stressed Iris had been last October when she’d been promoted at work. She’d spent almost every evening and weekend entertaining clients and potential influencers for the makeup brand. Earlier this year, Iris had finally told her boss she had to cut back, even if that meant she’d need to find a new job. But her boss valued her too much to let her go. The weekend work had stopped altogether. Sometimes Iris still spent late evenings at the office, but at least she was home in time to have a late dinner with Calla and help her get ready for bed.
Without needing direction, Iris began filling the remaining vases with flowers. She moved even quicker than Lily and rarely had to readjust her arrangements. That was Iris in a nutshell. Doing everything perfectly on the first try.
Lily brushed off her hands and hugged her sister. At first, Iris stilled in Lily’s arms, then she relaxed.
“What was that for?” Iris asked, smiling curiously as Lily pulled away.
“Just because.” Lily shrugged. What she didn’t say was that she admired Iris, who’d experienced the untimely death of her husband and college sweetheart when Calla wasn’t even a year old. Lily thought Iris was a wonderful mom and that Calla was very lucky. But Iris didn’t like sentimentality, so Lily added, “And you’re helping me on these centerpieces.”
Iris snort-laughed and shook her head. “I’m trying to decide where we should go for Violet’s bachelorette party. Karamel Kitty suggested a nightclub in Miami, and she said we could stay at her South Beach mansion. She obviously didn’t use the word ‘mansion.’ She said ‘house,’ but her house is a mansion, so I’m using the correct word for accuracy’s sake. What do you think?”