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Story: Not Until Her

I sigh.

“I’ll keep trying then. Your name is just too short.”

“Then call me by my name like the rest of the world.”

“Nope! Too easy,” I declare. “Happy belated birthday, by the way.”

“What’d you get me?”

“Another year of irreplaceable friendship,” I say cheerfully.

Kara turns back to us with a soft smile, and her hands full.

She gives one to Miles first, and he accepts it with a nod.

“Thanks.”

“Sure,” she replies. Then she hands me the other and gives me a knowing look. “I’ll make yours, I just have to rinse the blender. Do you want to try mine?”

I shake my head.

“I’ll rinse it. You two should catch up.”

They both laugh a little uncomfortably, but they accept the set up for what it is.

I try to eavesdrop over the sound of the sink, but I can’t gather much. They ask each other how they’ve been, and then nothing. Just the sound of water hitting the plastic blended I pout to myself, but I’m sure my wife will tell me everything later.

Vic leans into me.

“Smart.”

“Hopefully.”

The night carries on smoother than I could’ve imagined. I check in on Kara at regular intervals, but she doesn’t seem to be struggling at all. Her and Autumn don’t interact much, but they’re polite when our board games force them to talk to each other.

I’m counting it as progress.

Wyatt, with less of a filter than I have, decides to ask the room if they think it’s super weird that Miles' ex is here with his friend.

Yeah, he’s plastered. Everyone just laughs him off, thankfully. It’s not long after that when we call it a night, and Vic tells us all to get out of her house so she can take her husband upstairs.

She’s pretty drunk, too.

As we walk towards our cars in cool autumn air, we give simple goodbyes. Kara gives Miles a quick nod, and he returns it the same way. I don’t expect them to ever be best friends or anything. I couldn’t imagine them smiling or hugging in greeting, but this is still good. This works.

If I had it my way, Miles would know exactly what the problem was with their marriage, but it doesn’t matter. It’s not about me, and if Kara wants to keep that to herself, then so be it. That’s her prerogative.

I’ll let everyone think she was this big, bad villain, while I enjoy what a sensitive little softie she is behind closed doors.

“You look like you want to say something sweet,” she tells me with a sneer.

“It can wait,” I respond, having mercy on her.

Not too much, though, as I place a wet kiss on her cheek. I giggle as she wipes it away, but that’s all she does.

Oh, progress indeed.