Chapter 11

eleven

River

"She stayed here last night," I tell Delia matter of factly as we prep the bar for tonight's party.

"We figured that out when you two were spotted together this morning," she says before heaving a dishwasher rack of glasses onto the bartop.

"And?" I nudge. Knowing well enough by now that Delia has an opinion on this and she will share sooner than later.

"And," she hums suggesting she's thinking about this for the first time, "I'm wondering if you think she's going to change for you." The confidence, the sharp bite of the words said almost flatly.

What is that supposed to mean? Aren't they close? My brain begins to ask questions at a rapid fire pace. I raise the empty clear blue ice buckets up and say to her simply, "Kitchen." Walking away before I scream, or ask too many desperate things, or say something I regret.

"Boss!" Delia yells barely audibly over the noise as I dip the bucket into the industrial ice maker and shake in as many cubes as I can. The cool air helps to calm my anger and frustration, and the lifting and adjusting allows some of the twitching in my muscles to subside. Lugging the two heavy containers back to fill behind the bar I work in silence hoping to move on.

"River," Delia says more gently this time as she takes the bucket from my hands. "I'm sorry, I'm mad at her. I'm so happy she is here, but I'm so sick of this. I'm not sure if calling her on it is even fair. I just am watching a good friend hold on to something so illogical. I watch those meditation streams she runs, the confident and calm person she portrays isn't my Lily."

Delia proceeds to uncork a bottle of white wine and pour herself a half glass. I raise an eyebrow before motioning for her to proceed.

"River, come on. You aren't stupid," she sighs at me.

"Delia, come on. You aren't saying anything," I mimic back to her.

Gulping down the remainder of the glass and refilling, she hands it to me and motions for me to drink. While my mouth is full of the dry, tangy, cold liquid she continues.

"She cares too much about what other people will say or do. She's avoided joining the six of us unless it was either in the city or we went to her. She's focused on things here as though it's all of Peacock Springs against Lily Long, when you know it's such a small group who would even care. The sticklers for the outdated town rules are shrinking every day. Seth took over the bookstore, you took over here. We're adults now, and we have as much of a voice as anyone else. Why isn't she letting us help her? What is she doing? I know she isn't as happy as she says. It's why I call so often. It's why I push Nessa to keep her book club brunches going over Zoom. I know very well what it's like to have only you all as family."

"Fair point. And, were you telling me this is foul?" I make a face finishing off the bit of wine Delia had given me.

"My tips have suffered greatly since you switched to this brand. I'm glad you see the light."

"Hey, Delia," I soften, "you do have a family in us though. It's not just lip service."

Her eyes shimmer with moisture as she blinks back tears and nods.

"I just think it's ridiculous that Landan and Grant were allowed to drive away my sister. It was bad enough when Landan…" she trails off.

"When she what?"

"This is so embarrassing." She drops her head into her hands.

"Probably, but nothing more bad wine can't fix," I tease .

"Okay, so Landan just had a tendency to find that thing you were most insecure about and at the perfect moment drop it casually. She did that a lot when we were still friends is all. It took a long time to see how fake that relationship was, and it always hurt. I can't explain it better."

"You're right, you need the good stuff when dealing with people who manipulate your emotions or cut you down." With that, I hand her a glass of water. "Unfortunately, we're not off the clock yet for set up. Let's go, Rosie's is delivering the flowers and I need you to help make Susan's dream of a ray of sunshine made of flowers come to life."