Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
At night, she would sit to listen to a movie, and of course, Lorenzo now joined her, and she had even started him knitting. In a strange way, they were developing a friendship. Other than the three women she’d gotten close to, and they formed their special bond, she’d never had friends growing up. Her sister had been her only friend.
Tatiana was the first of her friends to arrive. She always put on a brave face, a cold one, but Clarissa knew the other woman was hurting a great deal.
She slumped down, and turned to look at Clarissa. “Hey,” she said.
“Hey.”
“You know, life sucks sometimes,” Tatiana said.
“I know.”
Tatiana groaned. “Of course you know. You had that thing with your sister and I’m an asshole.” She pressed her face to her arms. “I’m sorry.”
Clarissa didn’t even flinch and she reached out, attempting to offer her friend comfort, but Tatiana sighed and leaned against her. “I’m a terrible friend.”
“You’re not a terrible friend. We all have different levels of what we deal with.”
“But I’ve just got an asshole husband. You actually suffered—”
“Don’t,” Clarissa said. “Don’t do that. Don’t attempt to compare that kind of stuff. You were starting to fall for Emilio. He hurt you, and I’m not sitting here thinking any less.”
“How?” Tatiana asked. “You literally held your dying sister and you were a kid yourself.”
Clarissa shrugged. “I know there are people who have suffered worse and less, but it doesn’t change what people go through.” She gave Tatiana’s arm a gentle squeeze.
“You’re a good friend.”
The truth was, Clarissa didn’t have the first clue how to be a good friend. “Thank you. Are things still not going great between you and Emilio?”
“It’s ... no, no, it’s not. I want to get a divorce and we can’t get one.” Tatiana sighed. “It sucks. I wish I could go back in time and not think about any of that. I wished I never heard what he said, or that we were not even listening, and none of this happened.”
Clarissa knew exactly what she meant. It had been a rough year. At least Liana and Mia had been able to find some solace with their partners and were both expecting children. One day, Clarissa wanted to be a mother, but first, she wanted to be a wife and fall in love.
Part of her wanted to fall in love with Lorenzo, but she also couldn’t help that he was supposed to be married to her sister. Before overhearing what he truly thought of her, she had been falling for him. How could she not fall for him? He’d been sweet, kind, caring, and loving. He’d been everything she had hoped for, and although the sex had been terrifying and dull, she figured it would all work out in the end. At least, that was what she hoped.
“Do you know what sucks?” Tatiana asked.
“What?”
“I was falling in love with him.” And her lip started to wobble. “Doesn’t that make me a fool?”
“No, it doesn’t make you a fool at all.”
Tatiana laughed, sat back, and took a deep breath. “I refuse to cry. I do not want to keep crying about this, but it hurts so much.” She grabbed a piece of tissue out of her bag and dabbed at her eyes. “I just want all of this to be over.”
Clarissa agreed.
Mia and Liana joined them, and she offered both women a smile. Mia was starting to look heavily pregnant, and Liana hadn’t long given birth to a baby boy. He was not there today, so she figured he was with his dad, Diego.
The moment they all arrived, they exchanged kisses on the cheek, and greetings. The waiter came, and Mia ordered herself an ice water. Clarissa went for a coffee, as did Tatiana, and Liana ordered herself a soda.
“So, how is everyone?” Liana asked.
There was a round of “good,” and Clarissa offered them all a smile and agreed. She knew how to put on a brave face and play the part. It was what her grandmother had taught her to do. Her parents hadn’t liked how unpredictable she was, that was what they had called it.
“How is little Diego, and we’re talking about your little boy?” Tatiana asked.
They talked about Liana’s new baby. Mia complained and raved about how amazing and awful the pregnancy was.
When it came to Tatiana and Emilio, she just shut them all down.
Then, Mia looked toward her. “How are you and Lorenzo?”
Clarissa hated being the center of attention. She couldn’t help but tense up. “It’s ... the same ... ish.”
“Ish?” Mia asked, and Clarissa saw the other two women perk up, and they repeated the word “ish.”
“I don’t know how to explain it, but we’re talking and that is progress, right?” she asked. She felt her nerves start to build. She didn’t want to be talking about her relationship.