Ronnie fidgeted and pulled on her skirt, letting the flowing material drop around her knees. The bodice was form-fitting, but Ronnie had never been comfortable wearing anything that clung to her like a second skin. Natasha, on the other hand, was comfortable squeezing into any dress, even with her swollen abdomen. The turquoise dress was cut low across her breasts, and her hair was perfectly curled and styled in a low ponytail over her right shoulder. Her makeup was pristine, from her shimmery dusty-pink lipstick to her false eyelashes. She had a hair stylist and makeup artist that worked their magic on her each and every morning, and as much as Ronnie tried to avoid being shallow or materialistic, she couldn’t help but feel like a bag of excrement looked better than her when she stood next to her sister.
Patricia looked stunning, too, dressed in a smart white pantsuit and stiletto pumps. She had lightened her already-blonde hair to a silvery-platinum, which made her gray eyes pop even more than they usually did. She interlaced her fingers on the table as she leaned forward, her nose wrinkling more and more as she examined more of Ronnie’s appearance. “Your nails aren’t done, your eyelashes are nearly nonexistent, and your skin looks like it was scrubbed with a rock. Goodness me, I pity Kenneth on your wedding day. How much are your father and I going to have to pay to make you beautiful?”
Ronnie cleared her throat and picked up her lemon water, swirling her straw in the ice and pushing the lemon down to the bottom. Natasha joined in on the ribbing. “Honestly, Veronica, finding a more appropriate job would be much less hazardous on your appearance. All those sponge baths you give your patients must reap havoc on your hands. It’s no wonder they look like they belong to an old woman. It must be such a challenge, cleaning all these people who don’t want to be clean—”
“I’m sure you know everything about that, Tacky. It must be so difficult for your nanny to bathe Ella and Miles instead of you. It’s only been, what, two years? Three years? Your hands really clean up well when you don't touch your children,” Ronnie snapped, unable to hold her tongue at Natasha’s comment.
Natasha’s eyes narrowed at the childhood nickname, but she didn’t seem to have any issues with her parenting coming into question. “Viola is a wonderful nanny. She just started teaching Ella how to play piano, and last month she got Miles to practice his riding three times a week. I bet not a single child in your unit plays piano or knows how to ride a horse. They’re just in there sleeping, refusing to eat and pretending to be sick.”
Ronnie’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow.” She stirred her straw for a few seconds before pushing her chair away from the table. “You know, Natasha, I knew that you were a bitch, but I didn’t think you’d go that far.” She shook her head and scoffed. “I really hope that if anything happens to Miles or Ella that you’re nicer to their nurse than you are to me.”
Patricia rolled her eyes and put her hand on Natasha’s before she could continue. She gave Natasha a pointed look before turning back to Ronnie. “Your sister is right, Veronica. You spend so much time there with those children when you could be having your own. What good are you really doing, helping those who don’t deserve to be helped? All those single mothers, those couples with all those children—”
Ronnie couldn’t help her reaction, and she had already thrown her cup of water in her mother’s face before she even knew what had come over her. Patricia gasped and jumped, her back slamming against the polished wood of her chair. She held her hands up by her face and looked down, her eyes widening and her jaw dropping as the lemon slid down the collar of her suit jacket and into her lap.
Ronnie let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes, taking half a second to calm herself before saying, “My apologies, mother.”
Natasha looked even more angry than Patricia did. “You little—”
Ronnie didn’t hear the rest as she walked away from the table and out of the restaurant. Her eyes were burning, but she wasn’t going to let herself cry. Her mother and her sister weren’t worth the pain.
She got into her car and turned on the radio, closing her eyes again and taking a few deep, slow breaths before putting her car in drive and making her way out of the parking lot. She pulled onto the main street and started to head home, but when she reached the entrance to her apartment complex, she ignored the turn and kept driving.
Ronnie drove and drove and drove until the gas light came on. She pulled into a gas station filled up the tank, and changed into the spare clothing she kept in the car before going to the fast food restaurant across the street, her stomach growling and her mouth tasting like something rotten. She ordered the first thing that she saw before pulling into a space, adjusting her radio again before settling in to eat.
***
Several hours later, Ronnie pulled into the parking lot of a café several blocks away from her home. She put the car in park and shut the engine off, grabbing her charger out of the glove box and shoving it into her purse. She yawned and rubbed her eyes before getting out, slamming the door and dragging her feet as she made her way up the shrub-lined cobblestone walkway.
She opened the front door and went up to the counter. She rocked her weight back onto her heels and stuffed her hands in her pockets as she studied the board over the counter. This café was more health-conscious than she was used to (really, wheat grass in coffee? Who actually drank that abomination?) but it was better than nothing, especially after the day that she had had. They had smoothies and food items, too, so there had to be at least one or two things bad for her.
“Can I help you?” A voice from behind the counter asked, startling Ronnie out of her reading. She lowered her eyes at the woman, raising a hand up to rub the back of her neck as she took in the woman's appearance. She wasn't sure why, but the barista looked incredibly familiar. She had medium-length red-brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, a dark-green hat low over her eyes and a bright-green apron resting over her clothes, although she was not wearing a name tag. Instead, she had on a button that said, “Save the planet!” and had a picture of a cartoon narwhal on it.
Ronnie shrugged. “I have no idea what to get,” she admitted, looking back up at the menu. “I've never really been all that into that superfood phase.”
The barista smiled. “You want to know a secret? I'm not always into it, either. The mango smoothie or the raspberry iced tea taste fantastic, though, and the our double-chocolate brownies are so good you'd never guess they were vegan. Here, try a bite.” The woman grabbed a fork off the back counter and opened the bakery shelf. She pulled out the tray of brownies and put two on a plate. She turned around and popped it under a warning tray, humming under her breath for a minute or so before pulling the plate out.
“There, delicious,” she said, flashing Ronnie a smile and handling her a fork.
“Can you offer this large of a sample?” Ronnie asked, taking the fork and tugging off a piece of the brownie. “I mean, a bite I'd understand, but to split two whole brownies with a customer?”
The barista snorted. “I'm sure my boss will understand. Besides, she's always telling us to share with customers.” She took a bite before clearing her throat. “Go ahead and try it while it's hot. It's the best, I promise.”
Ronnie stared down at her bite for a moment before popping it in her mouth, her eyes widening as the delectable dark chocolate hit her taste buds. It was rich and velvety, and had some sort of cherry and almond undertone to the flavor. There were large chocolate chunks that oozed out onto her fork, and the molten center spilled out onto the plate.
“Wow,” Ronnie said, scooping up another bite and eating that one as well. “You're right, this is pretty damned good.”
“See? Trust me, and I'll treat you right.” The woman winked before her eyes went wide. “Oh! Trust you! That's why I know you!”
Ronnie raised an eyebrow in confusion. The woman shook her head and continued. “You're a nurse, right? At that hospital down the street?”
“Uhm . . . yes?”
“You helped my s
on! I'm Amy, remember? You took me down for coffee after my son's kidney replacement a few months ago and told me to trust you on the hospital coffee.” Her face lit up. “Tommy was crazy about you. He still talks about you, when he has his appointments.”
Recognition stirred in Ronnie at the name, and she could picture the little boy and his sweet baby sister. She had meant to get in contact with Amy after Tommy went home (she at least normally sent out a “Get well soon!” card and a few balloons), but things had gotten so crazy both in her personal and professional lives that it had just slipped her mind. “Oh! How is he doing? Is he finding it easier to move around?” He had been incredibly sore after the surgery, and spent several days walking around with the assistance of canes.
Amy's smile fell slightly, but she kept the happy-go-lucky look on her face and nodded. “He's done with the canes, but he's doing his best to give me a heart attack. He likes to run all around the house, even though he still trips everywhere. Morrie, too.”
Ronnie shook her head. “Sure sounds like a handful.” She cut the last little bit of the brownie in half, scooping up a bite before pushing the plate towards Amy, rubbing her hands together and dusting the crumbs off her pant legs. “Thank you for the brownie. It really was delicious. I think I need to take one on the road with me. Pick your favorite smoothie too, please?”
Again, Amy's smile fell for a millisecond before she pasted a fake grin back on. “Absolutely.” She pushed herself up from the counter and turned around, throwing a few different fruits and juices in a blender before going back to the display case. She grabbed the brownie and threw in a few cookies before handing the bag to Ronnie, shaking her head when Ronnie held out her credit card. “On the house.”
Ronnie accepted the bag warily as Amy turned to pour her smoothie in a cup. “And you're sure you're not going to get in trouble with your boss for this?” she asked, nodding in approval as she took the cup from Amy and tried a sip. “She must like you a lot.”
Amy grinned. “I'd imagine so.” She reached into the display case and pulled out another cookie for herself.
Ronnie let out an amused breath through her nose and shook her head before turning around and heading towards the door. She had only made it halfway through the café, however, when she heard her name being called.
Ronnie turned around to see Amy looking sheepishly at her, twirling the ends of her hair between her fingers and shifting her weight between her feet. “Hey, Ronnie?”
“Yeah?”
Amy pursed her lips to the side. “It's totally okay if you say no, but do you think that you might want to come to Tommy's birthday party at our house on Saturday? I know you don't know me, and I don't know what HPA guidelines it crossed but I know Tommy would love to see you again－”
“Sure, I'll come,” Ronnie interrupted with a small grin. “I'd really like seeing him again, too. Just let me know the time and place, and I'll be there.” She walked back up to the counter and grabbed a napkin and a pen. She quickly scribbled down her name and phone number before handing it over to Amy. “Here. Text me the details.”
Amy took the napkin, her fingers brushing over the back of Ronnie's hand. Ronnie startled when she felt a small chill go through her at the contact, but she shrugged it off. The air conditioner was probably just a little too high for Ronnie's taste, or she was getting sick. It definitely didn't have anything to do with the contact with the other woman across from her, no matter how chance it was that they had just touched.
She cleared her throat and took a step back, tucking her hands into her pockets. “I have my phone with me pretty much all the time unless I'm at work, so just text me whenever, okay? I don't have anything going on next weekend so anytime works.” She could feel her palm starting to itch, something it always did when she felt uncomfortable in a situation.
Amy was starting to look uncomfortable, too, her cheeks flushed a dark-pink and beads of sweat dotting along her hairline. “Uhm, great.” She reached up and scratched the back of her neck before dropping her hand and grabbing a rag, rubbing it in circles over and over the same spot on the counter. “Well, uh, I should get back to work, but I'll see you this weekend, okay? I'll text you later.”
Ronnie swallowed. “I'll see you then.”
She turned on her heel and walked out of the cafe towards her car, her heart in her stomach and her cheeks hot. She took a long drink of her smoothie, welcoming the way that it froze her throat. She didn't want to down it, but she hoped that it would make her body temperature something more comfortable. The way that her shirt was pressed against her back was making her sick, and her hair felt like it was wilting.
The fact that it was so chilly outside that Ronnie was shivering, somehow, went over her head. It couldn't be anything other than the temperature that was sending Ronnie out of sorts. A new friend and a shared dessert was nothing to get up in arms over.
6
On the day of the party, Ronnie found herself anxiously pacing around the house, straightening the pictures on her wall and kicking Reagan's toys out of her way. Kenny sat on a bar stool in the kitchen with a mug of coffee, his ankle crossed over his knee and his eyebrow raised as he watched his fiancée fidget.
“You okay, babe?” he asked, shaking his head as Ronnie tripped over her feet and stumbled into the door frame.
Ronnie shook her shoulders out and stood up, running her hands through her hair and blowing out a long breath. “I'm fine, why do you ask?”
“You're literally shaking. How much coffee did you drink before I got up?” He looked pointedly at the empty mug in the sink and the depleted supply of Keurig cups. “Four, five cups?”
“Seven.”
Kenny choked on his coffee and sputtered, “Seven?! Why in the world did you think that was a good idea?!”
Ronnie leaned back against the counter and grabbed an apple, polishing it with a wadded dishtowel. “It's just that time of the month,” Ronnie lied, “and they tasted good.” She forced herself to smile and pushed away from the counter. She walked over and gave Kenny a kiss on the cheek. “I'm going to take a shower, but text me later, all right? Have a good day at work.”
She started to walk away, but Kenny grabbed her hand and pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her toward him. “Hey, you know I love you, right? I know I've been working a lot lately, but you don't have to worry about anything.” He leaned up and kissed her gently.
Ronnie smiled and leaned her head against Kenny's. “I love you, too. Really, though, I need to go shower. I'm meeting mom to go through bridesmaid dresses in an hour.”
Kenny chuckled and nodded, letting go of Ronnie and standing up. “Don't do anything I wouldn't do,” he teased, ruffling her hair before taking his coffee cup over to the sink and grabbing his jacket from where it hung near the kitchen table.
Ronnie watched Kenny leave before sinking into a chair, dropping her elbows against the table and putting her head in her hands. She didn't know why she had lied to Kenny like that. It was just a birthday party. Her stomach felt sick, and there was a cold sweat on the back of her neck.
Beep. Ronnie jumped as her phone vibrated in her pocket, the text tone echoing in the empty kitchen. She reached down and pulled out her phone, her butterflies exploding as she saw a message from Amy.
[Received 10/2/2019. 09:57. From: Amy] Just checking to see if you're still coming today . . . Tommy is really excited to see you. If not it's fine, like I said I know you don't really know me or us.
Another message came through a minute later. [Received 10/2/2019. 09:58. From: Amy] Sorry if I'm being weird, I just don't really make friends that easily . . . sorry if this made things weirder.
Ronnie bit the inside of her cheek and wiggled her foot as she responded. [Sent 10/2/2019. 09:59. To: Amy] I'll be there! It starts in an hour, right?
The response was almost immediate. [Received 10/2/2019. 10:01. From: Amy] That's right. There was a smiley-face emoticon after the text.
Ronnie
couldn't help but grin down at her phone before she put it face-down on the counter. She started to make her way towards her bedroom, but she only made it halfway down the hall before her face fell and her footsteps faltered. What was she going to wear? Sure, it was just a kids’ party, but there was a heavy feeling in Ronnie's stomach that made her want to pull out the stops. Amy was stunningly beautiful, and even for a casual venue like her house, Ronnie didn't want to look like a fool around such a beautiful family.
She blew out a breath and rubbed the back of her neck, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again. She had no reason to be this nervous. It's not like anyone would pay attention to her. Besides, she wasn't trying to impress Amy or anything.
She went into the bedroom and pulled on a pair of jeans, a soft burgundy shirt, and a white-and-green striped cardigan. She tied her hair in a loose ponytail over her left shoulder and put on her eyeliner, mascara, and blush before frowning at her reflection. It wasn't ideal, but at least she didn't look like she was trying too hard.
Ronnie shoved her phone into her back pocket and walked back into the kitchen, ruffling the top of Reagan's head. She leaned down and kissed her snout before straightening up and grabbing her keys from the bowl on the counter.
***
Twenty minutes later Ronnie walked up the pathway to a brightly decorated backyard with a birthday bag in one hand and a stuffed cat in the other. She hadn't planned on bringing a second present for Morrison, but she saw the little critter when she stopped to get gas and couldn't help herself.
Tommy saw Ronnie as she got halfway up the path. His face lit up and he ran down to her, throwing his arms around her waist and burrowing his face in her sweater. “Ronnie! You came!”
Morrison came running down, too, but Ronnie was sure that the excitement on her face was from the party in general rather than from Ronnie's arrival. She squealed as she crashed into her brother's back, giggling loudly as she jumped up and down and pulled on his shirt.
In Her Hands Page 4