Sable #2
“You and my son both fuss too much,” Bee grumbles as she takes the seat I had just been in.
I panic a little when Bee mentions her son, and glance over at Plum.
“Anyway, Plum is right. Forget what some brainless twit says about you. You know your heart, and that’s all that matters.
” Bee nods once, letting us know the discussion ends there.
She hands out the mason jars of witchy margarita goodness and sighs in contentment.
After all, what argument could we possibly have against that?
“How’s Kai been?” Plum asks softly, after a long pause of silence, where I think Bee might be falling asleep.
There’s a lull in the kids coming to grab candy. The younger ones are finishing up, and the older ones will be out here soon. I don’t care how old someone is. If they want candy, they can come get candy. Costume or not, I don’t care.
Some kids don’t have access to costumes.
Some don’t like dressing up for one reason or another.
I don’t judge. My heart twists imagining the kids who go trick-or-treating because the candy is the only meal they might get that night.
Someday when I’m rich, when, not if, I’ll pay the town's school lunches. All of them.
I glance at Plum, remembering how we met. After her mom died, she almost lost her dad too. At first, I shared my school lunches with her, but when I came home hungry every day, Grams got suspicious. When she learned about Plum, she started sending me to school with plenty of extra food to share.
“One day, no kid will go hungry in this town,” Plum had said to me with tears in her ten-year-old eyes, so big and full of sadness. It’s her dream, and as her best friend, it’s my job to help her see it come true.
“He’s doin’ good. Be better if he were still with you, but when do men ever listen to their mothers, hmm?
Once it’s too late, that's when,” Bee grumbles, huffing an exasperated sigh.
“He’ll be back soon, if you didn’t know,” she adds, glancing toward Plum, who’s staring off into the distance. Lost in her thoughts.
“I heard. He’s the best man for Stella's wedding. He and her fiancé hit it off, I guess.” Plum keeps her voice suspiciously neutral.
“Yep. How you feelin’ about that?” Bee asks Plum, who just shrugs.
“It’s not my wedding, I’m just a bridesmaid. I’m sure he’ll head back to the big city he loves so much once it's over.” Plum’s voice is a little higher-pitched than normal, even though she’s trying to look nonchalant.
“Mm,” Bee grunts, giving a noncommittal shrug.
Riiiiight.
Plum never fully got over Kai. I always kind of thought she used her crush on Nick as an excuse not to face the past, but what do I know?
“He bought me a new house. Damn thing’s a new build.
None of that small town charm I raised him to appreciate.
Thinks I need fancy stuff.” Bee chuckles, looking over to me.
“Betas,” she snorts, and I smirk. I’m not going to say anything about my best friend’s ex, in front of his mother, a woman who happens to be very important to me.
“Imagine having Bee for a mother-in-law,” I say with a laugh, and Plum finally snaps out of her thoughts to glare at me.
“I did, once,” she snarks with a sassy look, and I suck my lips between my teeth, eye bulging as I try not to laugh too hard.
“Ope,” I wince, wrinkling my nose at her as I make a face that says, ‘Uh oh, I’m in trouble.’
“Bitch,” Plum says with a smile, looking away from me so she doesn’t crack and start laughing.
“Trick or treat!” a white sheet ghost hollers as their big brother helps them up the steps.
The teenager looks ready to bolt, but as his younger sibling hollers cheerfully about the regular-sized candy bars in the cauldron, his face lights up.
“I’m eating that one right now!” he howls with an aggressive growl for a pint-sized kid.
“Mom said you could only have three tonight.” Big Brother sighs, waving a little goodbye as he helps the kid down the stairs.
“Mom ain’t here. You are!” I hear the little kid announce as they make their way across the street toward the coffee shop.
“He was spirited,” Bee chuckles. “This is a good night, it’s good to have you girls here.” She glances up at my hat, pointing to it. “I sure fucking miss my best friend though.”
Thank you, Bee, for ripping my heart out and destroying it. Tears fill my eyes, and I nod.
“I really miss her too. I think this is the first time you’ve said that,” I say, sniffling as Plum reaches over to squeeze my hand. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I guess it’s just nice to know someone else misses her as badly as I do.”
“She’s my best friend. We won’t be apart long, dear. I’ll be reunited with her again soon enough,” Bee says with a gentle smile, “but moments like this make me miss that old bitch.” We all crack up laughing at her insult, clinking jars, and it effectively breaks the sad tension.
The rest of the night isn’t so bad with Bee and Plum by my side.
The alphas both check in several times each to make sure I’m still going to the party, since we agreed to meet there after the trick or treating festivities. I’d wanted them to join us, but they both had something important to do, and Rhian is working the pumpkin patch trick or treat.
After my fourth check in text, I even get a message from a very confused Rhian.
Rhian: Are the alphas also nagging you about going to the party? I’ve told them both four times EACH that I’ll definitely be there.
Sable: I think they’re just excited to see us.
Rhian: Should I be worried they’re plotting something?
Sable: Like what? Ohhh, do you think they’ll chase us again? That ended very well last time.
Rhian: No, more like… Actually, that doesn’t sound so bad.
Sable: See you soon.
By the time Plum and I are heading to the bar, I don’t feel as nervous as I had been over the last several hours. Especially with thoughts of haunted house chases filling my mind. Of course, I should have known everyone would be on their best behavior in front of their kids.