“Hey, Tex.”
“Hey, Ariel. The girls are all out back on the patio enjoying breakfast.”
“Thank you,” she said, stepping in and walking through to the back. She paused outside the door and studied them. They looked relaxed and happy. She knocked on the window to gain their attention. They glanced up and smiled. She stepped outside.
“I’d like to say I come bearing mimosas but it’d be a lie. How are you?”
“Better now that we’re here,” Nic said. Her words took a load off Ariel’s shoulders. The skittish girl had been her main concern. She didn’t like new places or new faces.
“It feels a lot safer in the complex,” Lorene admitted.
“Good. We pulled you in because my apartment got hit. Tiny thought this was the best location for your safety.”
“I agree with him,” Karla said.
“Good. I want you to be as comfortable as possible.”
“You gave us a chance at a real life. There’s nothing we could say to truly thank you for that,” Maddie said.
“It’s your bravery that’s made this possible. We’re helping each other out,” Ariel said. “Did the lawyer explain everything to you guys?” Ariel asked, taking a place at the table.
“She did. Do you want some? We made plenty,” Karla said gesturing toward the pile of toast, bowl full of eggs, and plate of bacon.
“Yes, thank you. I’m starving. I just woke up and came over this way,” Ariel said. She dished up a plate, and they continued to talk.
“What do you want to do when this is all over?” Ariel said.
“Travel,” Karla said.
“Get a real home and fill it up with everything I love. Living your life to accommodate temporary living is depressing,” Lorene said.
Ariel’s heart went out to these women. “Soon the world will once again be your oyster. The way it always should’ve been.”
“I wish I had your confidence,” Nic said quietly.
“Half the time it’s faking it to make it. I don’t wake up every day and feel confident, believe me. I admire you ladies. You’ve been through hell and back, but you’re still here, fighting, and refusing to let them win. That’s brave as hell,” Ariel said.
“I just want it to be over so I can think about what the hell it is I want to do. The past few years have been about survival,” Karla said.
“What are you going to do?” Maddie asked Ariel.
“Everything different. This showed me how much I was lacking in my life. I’ll approach things from a different angle now, that’s for sure,” Ariel answered.
“How so?” Karla asked.
“I was so focused on forming a career I alienated myself and lost who I had been. My hobbies went to the wayside. My love life got so old and unused it gathered mold, and my crew shrank to four people. When they started to pair off, get married, and have kids I felt the lack of options keenly. Being forced to lessen my work load to deal with all of this opened my eyes and taught me a thing or ten about myself.” She shook her head thinking of the insane growth she’d undergone.
“And Hawk helped you?” Karla asked tentatively.
“Yeah, he did. He’s rough around the edges. His ways are unconventional. But he’s still the best thing that’s happened to me in years.”
“You love him,” Lorene said.
“Yeah, I guess I do,” Ariel said.
“Does he love you too?” Nic asked.
“I can’t say. I’ve never asked him,” Ariel said. Her palms grew sweaty, and she shifted in her seat. Did he claim her because he desired her body, or was there something more? His mother thinks so. Aren’t they supposed to know?