Page 100 of The Fates We Tame

Ari pats my hand. “You get used to her after a while. The group chat is outrageous.”

Rae pulls out her phone. “We should add you. Then you’ll get to know everyone’s private business. What’s your number?”

I recite it to Rae, who adds me, and then my phone screen lights up on the counter.

“I should have brought vomit bowls,” Iris says, looking at the bottles. “If you’re all gonna mix them, you’re going to be hot messes.”

There’s gin courtesy of Gwen. Iris brought a hot chocolate mix with whipped cream. Briar brought a coffee-based liquor. Rae brought a chilled Pinot Grigio. Catalina brought tequila. Vi brought an herbal tea she likes. And Ari brought Wishniak black cherry soda.

“I was sitting here wondering how the fuck we were going to mix them,” Gwen says.

Catalina rummages in her bag and presents lemon and salt. “Mine doesn’t need mixing.”

For food, there is an equally wide assortment.

Ari brought sour soothers. “I eat so many of them, they start to take the taste buds off the side of my tongue.”

“I made the crumble from an old English recipe and rhubarb and apples I grew in the yard,” Rae says. “I like gardening.”

“I brought cheese…because who doesn’t like cheese?” Gwen says. “Five different types, so you can pick what you like best.”

Catalina grabs another bag. “Niro’s cinnamon rolls.”

The other women groan.

“Oh, let me have mine now,” Iris says, reaching for the container. “I don’t care what else any of you brought. In fact, I’m willing to trade. My share of the cheese for your cinnamon roll, Gwen.”

“Um, let me think about that for a second. Nope.”

“Niro bakes?” I ask.

Rae nods. “He’s the best.”

Then I remember the morning in the clubhouse and shake my head. “I knew that. He made me and Avery pancakes.”

“Cupcakes,” Vi says as she places her food on the counter. “They were meant to be pretty flowers, but Avery wanted to help.”

I can’t help but chuckle at the excessively rainbow-sprinkled globs of icing on each cupcake.

“I knew there would be no substantial food, hence the Irish stew.” Iris glances to the pot bubbling away.

“We figured you might not remember trying some of these things, and you could decide if you liked them or not,” Catalina says.

“That’s really…” Tears sting a little, but I bite them back.

Ari places her hand on my back. “I’ve come to learn that this is really a group for the misfits. Except Rae, because she always has her shit together. And perhaps Gwen, whopretendslike she has her shit together.”

“Fake it till you make it, baby,” Gwen says.

“And I don’t always have my shit together, although bless you for thinking I do,” Rae adds. “I find lipstick works when everything else fails.”

“The things we’ve enjoyed reading are things like books from our book club and magazines,” Briar says.

“I hate you for bringing mine and Bates’s story,” Vi says to Gwen as she winces. “I’m normally proud of my books.”

“Hey, if the rest of us all know about all the ways Bates fucked you in your early relationship, it’s only fair Sophia has to wash her eyes out with bleach too,” Gwen replies.

I love that they’ve tried to do something unique for me, and the way they include me in their banter. I’ve been in a brain-rehabilitation unit, not living under a rock eating insects. I’ve eaten many of these things. I happen to love cheese and know that my stomach puffs up like a bowling ball if I eat too many pastries.