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We both freeze.

“And if you’re panicking, you can stop. I came here to see my friend, not hang out on her porch alone. Get out here.”

I look to Kara to see if she has any clue of what she wants to do, but she shrugs.

“What do you mean you know who she is?” I ask through the door.

Vic throws the door open instead of answering and almost hits me with it. She looks exasperated.

“Get out here, and stop being weird.”

We do as she says, stiffly shuffling outside again. I let the two of them sit, and I stand nervously near Kara’s side.

Vic rolls her eyes.

“I’m going to say this one time, so hear it.” She looks Kara dead in the eye. “I’m not going to crucify you for being Miles’ ex-wife. There might be some explaining to do at some future point, but I don’t care for it today.” Her gaze lands on me. “Youabsolutelyhave some explaining to do, but again: not today. Fair? We good?”

The two of us quickly nod.

And then we all get swept up in conversation, like it’s the least weird thing ever that she is who she is.

“Oh, please!” Vic shouts with a laugh. “Autumn is the least confrontational person we know.”

It’s her response to Kara seeming worried that Autumn might discover we’re all doing this right now, and it’s the truth. Autumn wouldn’t be thrilled, but she wouldn’t do anything that Kara should worry about.

“I gave her ideas to get back at Justin,” I tell Kara. “She had so many opportunities, but she thought karma was doing its job just fine.”

“I love her for being the bigger person, I really do.”

“It’s precious,” I add. “But sometimes someone just needs to have their food sneezed on.”

Kara’s hand flies over her mouth, but I hear her laugh.

“You didn’t.”

“We both did,” Vic says with a smirk. “Amelia kept inviting us over for dinner, being none the wiser. Between you and us? We had some things to share with her, too. I always flipped her toilet paper rolls the other way, and guess who she blamed it on?”

“I’m hoping it was Justin.”

The answer is our shared grins.

It was childish, sure, but it was fun. It felt good to get a little revenge for our best friend’s sake. She still has no idea, and I have been wondering if I should deliver the news of all of our little tricks as a birthday present. Maybe a cute little journal where I draw and detail them all.

She can’t be madnow, we’ve been on our best behavior for months. Honestly, that family has grown on me a lot, and I feel good about it.

I feel good about itbecauseof our shenanigans. Don’t think I’d be able to say the same if I hadn’t been the sole reason that every single one of that woman’s houseplants died.

“Good for you guys.”

32

“No, she didn’t,” I whisper in disbelief.

The flowers that had been looking like their time was coming to an end, with dry petals and stems too short after a few attempts to prolong their life, are gone.

In their place is an even more elaborate, gorgeous,stillyellow bouquet. They have a new vase, tall and pink with textured bubbles in the glass. It’s so cute.

I turn it, admiring every angle of my flowers as they spin..