Page 34 of Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming

brIDGET

B ridget has been talking on the phone or texting Silas every day since they met.

Last night, they talked for four hours about everything from their individual predictions for the apocalypse to the origins of different foods.

Silas was surprised that cinnamon rolls come from Sweden originally, another random fact Bridget knows thanks to author research.

Lamar’s wedding is in one week, and she’s more enamored with her crush than ever. She’s downright giddy about their road trip.

Tonight, Silas is bringing Danielle and Tiffany over for dinner with her, LJ and Tanya, something she’s more nervous than giddy about.

She really wants the kids to like him and his kids to like her.

While there’s no reason either wouldn’t, she’s still anxious, especially about her kids liking Silas.

LJ and Tanya aren’t fans of their future stepmother.

Bridget understands, and not just because she’s their mother.

Lamar’s fiancée, Justine, is the epitome of fake.

She’s the type to call herself a girl’s girl but obviously has no problem being a side chick.

LJ simply ignores Justine’s presence. She tried bonding with him exactly once, and he chose to treat her like a nonentity and stayed silent when she tried to engage him.

This resulted in her leaving him alone. As a girl, Tanya didn’t get off so easily.

Justine wants to be besties. She’s constantly asking Tanya to go shopping or get their nails done.

Tanya isn’t disrespectful because she was raised right, but she inherited Bridget’s no-nonsense demeanor—and unsurprisingly, she’s on her mom’s side.

Justine thinks that Tanya being a teenager is enough to frankly manipulate her into being friends.

Tanya may be all fun and games thanks to her goofy sense of humor, which has always been a fun balance to her brother’s more laid-back personality, but she’s also very shrewd.

Something Bridget has always admired. She cannot be played.

Case in point, her approach to her soon-to-be stepmom is to be polite but not warm.

Meanwhile, whenever Bridget and Justine are in the same room, Tanya is especially chummy with her mom as a subtle dig at Justine.

Tanya once told Bridget she wants Justine to see how close they are and know, “This will never be us.” Bridget truly loves her babies.

The doorbell rings. Bridget lets him, Tiffany and Danielle in.

“You look radiant.” Silas kisses her on the cheek.

He says it like it’s a statement of fact and not his opinion.

That’s how he compliments her. He’ll tell her how beautiful she is, and it will sound like he’s saying, “The sky is blue .” As if it’s something that’s common knowledge, Bridget loves it.

It’s not fake and showy. She can tell that he means it and he’s not just saying it to flatter her.

“Thank you.”

“Girls, this is my lady friend, Bridget. Bridget, these are my daughters, Danielle and Tiffany.”

Tiffany gushes, “I cannot believe I’m meeting br Nelson! You’re amazing.”

“Thank you, sweetie, and please, call me Bridget.”

“Okay.”

“Hello,” Danielle says. She’s much more demure and calmer than her sister. Both girls must look more like their mothers. Only their eyes resemble their dad’s.

“Hello.” Bridget opens her arms for a hug, and before Danielle can hug her, Tiffany does.

“And for the record, I think your revenge plan with Dad is brilliant,” Tiffany says.

Bridget rolls her shoulders back in pride and smiles. “Why, thank you.”

“I have to admit, I wasn’t totally on board, but after hearing what your ex did, I hope you and my father ruin his day. Just don’t get arrested.”

Bridget shakes her head and holds up her hands. “We won’t.”

Danielle looks relieved.

Bridget turns toward the bedrooms. “Let me go and get the kids. Please, have a seat.”

She heads to Tanya’s room and knocks on her door.

“Come in,” Tanya calls out.

“Hey, babe, it’s time to meet Silas and his girls,” Bridget tells her.

“Okay.”

Tanya rises and heads to the living room, as Bridget heads to LJ’s room.

She knocks on his door. “LJ, it’s time to meet Silas and his daughters.”

“Okay, be right out,” LJ calls back.

He comes out of his room, and Bridget loops her arm in his. “You’re okay with this, right?”

“I mean, I’m not exactly thrilled that you’re driving cross-country with a dude you just met, Ma.”

“I know, but everyone knows what he looks like, and now you will, too. Besides, he gave me permission to give your aunties and your new uncles all his contact info—and he agreed to background checks by Ranson and Big Head. If he’s planning to murder me, so far, he’s doing a piss-poor job,” Bridget jokes.

LJ chuckles. “Just be careful, okay?”

“I will. I promise. Now bend down so I can kiss you.”

LJ laughs and does as he’s told. Bridget kisses him on the cheek.

“It’s so disrespectful that you’re so much taller than me when I used to be able to hold you in one hand.”

“I know, Ma. So, you’ve said.” LJ shakes his head.

They head to the living room to find Tanya on the couch, sitting crisscross applesauce, laughing with Silas, Tiffany and Danielle.

“What are you all laughing at?” Bridget smiles as she and LJ take a seat in their respective chairs.

“King Rodrick’s death,” Tanya answers.

Bridget smiles. Tanya had no business reading Bridget’s books when she was twelve, but that’s exactly what she did.

The good news is The Queen’s Dilemma is a slooow burn, so Tyberious and Miranda have not had sex yet.

But there was a shitload of violence. Both kids are at the age where Bridget is okay with them reading it now, and she warned them that the next book has nookie.

LJ said he’ll skip those parts. Tanya said she’ll read them with an open mind.

“Tanya just described the perfect death scene for him,” Silas adds.

“God, not the diarrhea thing.” LJ rolls his eyes.

“Yes, he’s been poisoned. Why not have the side effect be that he poops himself to death? It’s the death he deserves,” Tanya cheers.

“Hear! Hear!” Tiffany agrees. “His death should be as painful as possible and think of how humiliating it will be for him to die in such a ridiculous way. He’s not known for being a good king.

All kindness and care for the kingdom comes from Miranda.

So, the only thing he’ll be remembered for is pooping to death. It’s perfect.”

“Thank you,” Tanya replies. She turns to her brother. “You just don’t see the vision.”

LJ rolls his eyes, and they all laugh.

“I wanted to meet you both in person and let you know that your mother will be safe with me.”

“Oh, we know. If she isn’t, Uncle Big Head will kill you,” Tanya says casually.

“Yeah, I’ve heard about that brother. As formidable as he sounds, I’m more concerned with your aunties.”

“You should be. Auntie Lyric will shoot you. She works in PR and has a rich boyfriend. She’ll get away with it, too,” Tanya replies.

“Well, I definitely don’t want to get shot.”

“And I’m assuming your two daughters will want revenge,” Tanya says to Tiffany and Danielle. “It will turn into a whole bloody mess straight out of one of mom’s books.”

“Understood. Your thoughts, LJ?” Silas asks.

“I don’t have any. Tanya broke it down nicely.”

Silas grins. “Okay, is there anything you two want to ask me? Tiff, Dannie, do you want to ask Bridget anything?” Tiffany opens her mouth to speak. “Something that isn’t book related, Tiff,” Silas adds.

“Not really,” Danielle says.

“If it’s not book related, then no,” Tiffany answers.

“I don’t have any questions either, but if things go sideways and you end up punching my dad in the face, just know LJ and I won’t care.” Tanya nods.

“I concur,” LJ says.

Silas bursts out laughing. “Y’all are funny. It must be jokes all the time at y’all’s house.”

“It’s all fun and games until they team up on you and you’re the only guy in the house,” LJ remarks.

“Oh, boo-hoo. You have to live in a house with women. We give you advice about girls most guys would kill for,” Tanya teases. “And with Tiffany and Danielle in the mix, you have more female opinions and advice.”

“I hope their girl advice is better than yours, T.” LJ addresses Tifanny and Danielle. “She once told me to buy my girlfriend, Charmaine, a large pizza when I was trying to think of an apology present for her.”

“What? You didn’t even try to see if that would work,” Tanya protests.

“I’m not gonna lie, that would have worked on me,” Danielle says.

“I wouldn’t have even needed the pizza. An order of wings would have worked on me,” Tiffany adds.

“See! He ended up getting her a boring-ass bracelet.” Tanya shakes her head.

Silas and Bridget laugh hard and loudly.

“Okay, you two, do either of you actually have any real questions for Silas?” Bridget asks her kids.

“Not really. Just make sure our mom has fun,” LJ says.

“Yeah, she works really hard and never really takes time to enjoy anything unless it’s with our aunties,” Tanya adds.

“I’m on it,” Silas responds.

They all go into the backyard, where Bridget has a Mediterranean buffet set up. The evening is filled with more chatter and plenty of laughter.

Later that night, Silas calls Bridget before bed.

“I’m so glad tonight went well. I was a little nervous,” Bridget confesses.

“I was a lot nervous, but the girls can’t stop gushing about you,” Silas says.

“Tanya likes you too, and LJ could not be happier to have another guy around.”

Silas chuckles. “Look, I don’t mean to cut this short, but I have some things I have to take care of before we leave. I just wanted to wish you good night, beautiful.”

“Okay.” Bridget pouts.

“I can hear you pouting from here, Bridget. C’mon, fix your face,” Silas says.

Bridget fixes her expression. “Okay.”

“That’s better. Don’t worry, I’ll make up for having to cut off our time together.”

“Cool. Just so you know, a large pizza definitely would work on me.”

Silas laughs. “Duly noted.”