Chapter Seventeen Clover

Chapter Seventeen Clover

Friday night, December 15, 2023

By the evening, it seemed like Clover and Hailey had traversed the whole of the city, and while Clover’s legs were killing

her, she hadn’t felt so alive in months. With every memory they shared and landmark they visited, she felt like a whole new

person. Like someone who had chosen this life instead of stumbled upon it.

“Wow, you and Dee weren’t lying,” Hailey said when they finally approached Bee’s building. “This is seriously a hotel.”

“It’s a little ridiculous,” Clover agreed.

“You should see my place,” Hailey said. “I’m like a pauper by comparison. Dee and Lei have been trying to get me to see their

new place for a minute. I think it’s about time I do.” She nudged Clover’s shoulder. “I bet it’s a nice break from the farm.”

She paused. “Not that the farm is bad, obviously. It was like visiting something from a fairy tale when we were kids.”

Clover smiled. It was cute, seeing Hailey fumble a bit. She thought about letting her sweat a little more, but instead she said, “You can come up if you want to see it. Compare and contrast a little.” Her heart hammered in her chest.

“The farm to the hotel, or my shack to your condo?”

“Both. Either.”

Hailey gave her a slow, appraising look that made Clover’s hopeful little heart dance. “I can’t,” she said finally. “Gotta

get back to the restaurant. Busy night tonight. If I miss it, Gillian will kill me.”

“Aren’t you the boss?”

“That’s what they say.”

Clover dipped her head to hide her disappointment, but she understood. This was her first time taking a break in what felt

like years. She knew exactly what it meant to be “the boss.”

“It was good to see you, Clove,” Hailey said. She kissed Clover’s cheek. “Let’s hang out again before you leave?” She said

it as a question, and Clover nodded quickly.

“I’d like that,” she said.

They hugged, and as Clover let Hailey go, she thought, with a little bit of surprise, that this might be the last time she

ever would. She floated back up to Bee’s apartment, feeling as if all the pieces of her life had clicked into place. She was

meant to be here. She felt it in her bones. When she got to her door, she hesitated, then changed her mind, walking back over to

Dee’s door and knocking.

“Hey!” Leilani said when she answered the door, holding Miss Cleo back as she frantically tried to jump on Clover. “Fancy seeing you here. Come in, come in.” She ushered Clover inside, and Clover was engulfed by the smell of warm bread and cinnamon.

“That smells amazing,” Clover said.

“Thanks,” Dee answered as she came out of the small kitchen that mirrored Bee’s. “First time making challah, so I’m really

hoping it doesn’t suck.”

“Challah?” Clover asked.

“Jewish bread,” Dee answered helpfully, while Leilani rolled her eyes.

“That is one way to describe it,” Leilani said, swatting Dee playfully on the arm. “We’re celebrating Hanukkah. It’s the last

night.”

Clover felt like her brown skin might go white. “I’m so embarrassed,” she said. “I should have checked or something before

interrupting your holiday.”

“Dude,” Dee said, “not a problem. The more the merrier. Our door is always open, especially during Jewish holidays.”

“It’s the way of my people,” Leilani said. She bid Clover sit down as she asked her what her beverage of choice would be.

“We also have sparkling water, because Dee has no taste buds.”

“Ouch,” Dee said, though she was mostly fumbling with the oven by now.

“I’ll take wine, thank you,” Clover said. “You’re sure it’s okay? I just thought I’d stop by, since last night was such a

whirlwind.”

“Oh, you have to tell us literally everything.” Dee stood up and pointed an accusatory oven mitt in her direction.

“Nothing happened!” Clover laughed. “We had breakfast this morning and then kind of wandered the city today. It was nice.”

“ Nice? You ran into your high school sweetheart and it was nice ?” Dee said incredulously.

Clover couldn’t help the shock wave that went through her body. Her entire life, Knox had been known as her high school sweetheart. The idea that someone else could hold that title felt jarring. Wrong, even.

She shook her head. “Not technically my high school sweetheart,” she said. “But yeah, a girl I’ve thought about for a really

long time. It was surprising how easy it was to talk to her. And she’s single now.”

Leilani and Dee exchanged glances. For a moment, Clover forgot that they knew Hailey. She wondered what they knew.

“Isn’t she?”

“She is,” Dee said quickly.

“For now,” Leilani muttered. Dee shot her a look, and Leilani gave Clover an apologetic smile. “Sorry,” she said. “This is

what happens when your friends know all of your business.”

Clover nodded, thinking of her friends and family back home. She knew exactly what Leilani meant.

“I’m still glad you two ran into each other,” Dee said. “Who knows, it could be fate.”

“Could be,” Leilani agreed. “You never know.”

Clover didn’t want to share how much she hoped they were right. Instead, she looked over at the window opposite the living room. Dee’s apartment was technically more functional than Bee’s—it had, at least, more than one room besides the kitchen. But it felt a little less grand, with two small windows instead of Bee’s huge one overlooking the city. But against the darkness outside, Clover’s eyes caught on the menorah, whose nine candles lit up the corner of the room, leaving a warm glow.

“That’s really pretty,” she said.

“Thanks!” Leilani said. “I got the menorah at a flea market last year.” Her smile hinted at a little bit of nerves. “To be

honest, this is only our second year celebrating Hanukkah together.” She shrugged. “I’m still getting back into the swing

of things.”

Dee walked over to Leilani and put her arms around her. “Technically, I grew up as a Buddhist, but I haven’t been to a temple

in, like, nine years.” She rubbed Leilani’s shoulders. “It’s okay, babe.”

Clover smiled. “I went to church for the first time in nearly a year this week, and that’s only because my dad begged me to.”

“Heathens, the lot of us,” Dee said.

Leilani grinned. “At least we’re heathens together, I suppose.”

Clover nearly snorted, covering her mouth. She wasn’t used to being so callous about this sort of thing, but it didn’t feel

sacrilegious. Dee’s point was that they were all trying their best, and she felt, for the first time in a long time, sitting

here with her new friends as they drank wine and broke off a piece of challah together, that maybe her best was enough.