Page 114 of June: Jess' Story

“No, I know it is. Summer texted me Merry Christmas yesterday and asked if I could tell him to call her.”

“Oh?” Again, I’m playing it cool. “So there’s hope for them yet?”

“I really hope not.” She cringes. Well okay, that’s a yes, though.

It was just sex. (Yes, I have to keep reminding myself.)

“Good morning, my princesses!” Brit waddles into the kitchen.

“Hi, babe!” “Morning, mom.” We both greet her. “Can we talk real quick?” I ask.

“Sure,” she tilts her head and I lead her to the office for some privacy.

“I’m moving back to DC.” I blurt it out as soon as she’s sitting so I don’t lose the nerve.

“Jess, you don’t have to do that.”

I give her a warm smile. “I know, but I want to.” And I mean that. “Eden deserves a chance at big family holidays in her own home, don’t you think? And I can give that to her, and keep custody if I just relocate. It’s an easy sacrifice to make in the scheme of things.”

“Are you sure? I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too, but I’m sure. It's the right thing to do.”

“Dare I ask when?” She’s bracing.

“Well, I was thinking soon, like in the next week or so…” Brit’s face falls. “But I think I can stick around a few more months till the nugget comes.” There’s nothing there for us yet. “But once Tommy and Jamie are back from Taiwan, officially, I’ll go.”

“Okay. Thank god.”

“In other news, I heard Damian left.”Wow, I just can’t let this go.

Brit rolls her eyes. “Yeah, he said he had something at work, but literally no one is working the week between Christmas and New Years, so I can almost guarantee Summer is giving him a second chance and he jumped.” I nod. Yup.

“Well, good for them!” (I’m definitely overselling it.)

“Are you okay?” Brit examines me carefully.

“Oh yeah, never better.” She arches an eyebrow. “Have you talked to your brother?” (I’m deflecting now, I know.)

She nods, but doesn’t say anything more. That’s fine. I don’t need to know. What I don’t know can’t kill me.

“Do you think if you went to him, you guys could work it out?” she asks, but I’m shaking my head before she’s even done talking.

“He’s married, Brit. I also told him I loved him, and he didn’t say it back…” Brit’s face quakes like she’s fighting back the tears.

“You did?” Her bottom lip shakes.

I give her a sad smile. “It ran its course naturally. I made my bed, and he made his and now we have to go lay in them. Separately.” (Mine, alone-ly.)

“Okay, I just hate this.”

“Why? Just pretend it was six months ago and we couldn’t stand each other. Nothing has changed! It’s just like old times.”

“I guess that’s true…”

“Still love you like a sister,” I say, opening my arms to her.

She stands slowly and embraces me. “No secrets, right?”