Page 29 of The Enemy Plot
“Oh, absolutely,” Emma says, smiling. “And out of all of them, he didn’t seem that bad. But those girls? Nuh-uh. They’re bad news.”
“I know,” Lola says, shaking her head. “They don’t even read.”
“Ew!” Emma and I say at the same time, and Lola bursts into laughter.
“Should us bookish girls get an ice cream before heading home?” Emma asks, cocking her head to the side. “We’re celebrating a birthday, after all.”
I glance at Lola, and her smile widens. “Ice cream it is.”
We worm ourselves out of the park and onto the street, following Lola to an ice cream shop she knows, not far from the Lincoln Center.
We each order a decadent sundae before sitting down at a table in front of the window. I grab the candle and lighter I was carrying in my purse, placing the candle on top of Lola’s ice cream.
Lola beams as we start singing Happy Birthday, and the entire shop sings along. We all clap, and she blows out her candle. Then, Emma whips out her phone and snaps some selfies of us as a memory.
We start eating our ice cream when suddenly, Lola chokes out a sob next to me. “What’s going on?” I ask, panic rising in my throat.
Emma brushes her hair while I pat her back.
“It’s nothing,” Lola sniffles. “Thank you for tonight. You’re so nice. I’m sure you have better things to do than hang out with a teenager.”
“Pff.” Emma swats a hand through the air. “No we don’t. You’re the coolest girl we know.”
My smile is sincere. “Absolutely.”
Lola laughs, wiping her tears. “Thank you. I just really miss my mom right now.”
My heart breaks for her. I know how difficult it is, spending her first birthday without her.
“The two of us used to come here all the time when she worked at the center. She was a dancer, just like I’m going to be.”
“I’m sure she’s really proud of you,” I say, squeezing her hand. “I bet she’s looking down on you and seeing what an amazing young woman you’re becoming.”
“You think?” she mumbles, her gaze falling to her ice cream. “I did punch someone today.”
Emma breathes out a laugh. “That doesn’t count. She deserved it.”
Then, we all burst into laughter.
“Can we not mention that to my uncle?” Lola winces. “He already doesn’t let me do anything. If he hears about this, he might put prison bars on my windows.”
I press my lips not to laugh. “I think we can keep it between us. But he might surprise you. He’s not that bad. He just worries about you.”
Lola sighs. “Yeah, I know. Having a kid wasn’t exactly his lifelong dream, so he doesn’t really know what to do with a teenager who was just thrust into his life. I think he feels stuck with me.”
“That’s not true,” I say with a shake of my head. “Deacon loves you. He’s just a man, and men have a harder time expressing their feelings.” I wink. “You’ll learn that with time.”
“I guess,” she says, eating another scoop of her ice cream. “I just wish my life was different, and I didn’t have to live with him. That I still had my mom, and life wasn’t so messed up.”
“Your life isn’t messed up,” I say, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “It’s tough. There’s a difference. Losing a parent is like losing a piece of yourself, but you’ll come out stronger because of it. That may be hard to understand right now, but trust me. Your mom would want you to live your best life.”
“Really?” She swallows. “That’s what happened with you?”
“It is.” Iglance at Emma.
“And with me,” she says, shaking her black fringe. “I lost both my parents when I was seventeen. And look at me now—one tough cookie.”
Lola looks between us for a second, and it’s like an invisible bond just linked the three of us. I wasn’t kidding. Losing a parent definitely feels like losing a piece of yourself. But sometimes, the right friends can help fill that void. And those bonds are unbreakable.