Free What a Girl Needs by Kristin Billerbeck Page B

stepping onto the path, and my eyes burn with bitter jealousy. Their life has started, and Kevin is so heavily involved in saving other people’s families that he has no time for ours. His life is his. And mine is…beige.
    Arin carries an oversized bag and she hops a spritely step. She’s just as I imagined. Still skinnier than me, with a small bulge poking out of her yoga pants. Yoga pants when she’s pregnant. Shoot me now . Seth takes the diaper bag from her and heaves it over his bony shoulders. I hide behind the curtain and remember how many nights I spent in this room wondering if I would ever be somebody’s bride. Now I have a husband, and it appears maybe contentment is like chasing a rainbow. I let go of the curtain and hightail it to the kitchen, barefoot before the young family rings the bell.
    “She’s in yoga pants,” I say to Kay, “and with the hips of a twelve-year-old. That’s just wrong.”
    “May I remind you those cute hips of Arin’s got her Seth Greenwood, your castoff. He’s not exactly Prince Charming.” She lowers her tone. “I think they’re having troubles, so be kind.”
    “I was really more his castoff if we’re honest. It’s not him or her that I’m jealous of, it’s that little boy. Their jobs don’t get in the way of their starting a family.”
    Kay smirks. “I thought you were coming here to tell us all you were pregnant.”
    I shake my head, feeling like a failure. “That would have been awesome. Is that why no one seems happy to see me?”
    “Put the chicken nuggets in the oven. I’ll answer the door and give you time to compose yourself. We’ll tell them you’re channeling Raggedy Ann for dinner with that hair.” She opens the fridge and puts the salad on the middle shelf. “This needs to chill a bit.”
    The kitchen smells divine, a mix of fresh cilantro and lime. “I miss the fresh veggies being so readily available.” But I’m talking to myself because Kay is gone.
    The shrimp are cooked already and a deep pink, but there’s no noxious odor, just the tangy rice wine vinegar. I will never understand how Kay can make everything happen like she does and there’s no sign of any effort. I look down at the cookie sheet dotted with a few dinosaur nuggets on it and call after her. “You trust me with these nuggets?”
    She reappears in the doorway. “Not really, but I’ll have to go on faith unless you want to answer the door.” Kay’s eyes widen. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
    I hear the front door open, Kay welcoming them, then the clatter of the small family echoes across the foyer, through the small house.
    At the sound of Arin’s teenage voice, I want nothing more than to run back to Kevin and forget this idea of trying to go home again, but instead I venture to the foyer. Seth and Arin are obviously livid with each other. They don’t even seem like they’re together and I find myself angry at them both. Come on, this was the great love affair that broke my heart. Get it together!
    This dinner party gives me the sudden urge to run, and I abhor exercise. Seth and Arin and their gorgeous little family is darling – but I could have said so on Facebook and been perfectly at peace. A face-to-face meeting? It’s awkward and I search for the proper greeting. Hey, great job on the procreating! Kevin and I are still mulling that thought!
    I duck back into the kitchen, unable to think of a thing to say, when I see another car pull up outside—Seth’s old Saab—and I know it must be Sam, Seth’s parasitic friend who never understood the concept of a date. In fact, you might think The Bachelor franchise started the two-on-one date idea, but I’m here to tell you that it was Sam. And apparently, he doesn’t understand the concept of marriage either, because here he is, alone. Just like old times.
    I hear the friendly chatter at the entryway and set the timer for twenty minutes on the chicken nuggets. My time is up. Sucking in a deep breath, I exit