She bobs her head left and right. “Yes and no. I had Rose.” She flinches almost immediately after saying Rose’s name. “Sorry,”
she mutters. “I didn’t mean to invite the elephant into the room.”
It’s amazing to me that she’s the one apologizing. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. You lost someone, too. I kinda… pushed that aside because I was so focused on the people I lost.”
She tries to pick up her expression unsuccessfully. I prod the plate of pelmeni back towards her. “Eat pelmeni now. We’llworry about the elephants later.”
That gets a smile out of her and she meekly resumes eating. I can’t help but watch her chew, taken by the way those plump lipsdance and shift. It’s weird, the things that are turning me on.
The fact that I can see the swell of her belly underneath
