WIP: Harem House Chapter 29 - Part 2

“I have the leases for you to sign in the office, but I figured we’d handle that after brunch.” Deb said, sitting on a stool by the island next to Mindy. The others had also gathered around the island, sitting on the padded stools. Only Kelly stood, cooking on the stove. No one acknowledged Lynn’s return. 

“Do you all want separate omelets, or would a big scramble be preferred?” Kelly asked. 

“I’m fine with scrambled.” Kat said, shrugging. The others agreed. 

“Are milk and butter okay?” Kelly asked, looking at Rani. 

“Yeah.” Rani said. “Thanks for asking, actually, but I don’t eat eggs.” 

Kelly nodded. 

“Are you vegan?” Debrah asked as Selene came in behind Lynn. Lynn had poured herself a screwdriver and taken a drink. 

“Vegetarian, more like.” Rani said. “Though it’s more how I was raised and personal preference than, like, a political stance or anything.” 

Debrah nodded. “Your family are vegetarians then?” She asked. 

“Most of them.” Rani nodded. “Some of my siblings and cousins aren’t, but my parents are.” 

“Is that a religious restriction?” Lynn asked curiosity in her voice. 

“Kind of?” Rani answered. “It’s not like Halal or Kosher or anything super strict, but my parents wouldn’t throw steaks on the grill either.” 

“So your family is Hindu then?” Debrah asked. 

Rani nodded. 

“Is your family from India, originally?” Deb asked. 

“My mom grew up there. My dad was born there but grew up in the States and has family there. They married, my mom moved here, and my siblings and I came along.” Rani shrugged. 

“Lots of siblings?” Debrah asked. 

“Yeah.” Rani said, not elaborating further. “And cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and neighbors… my parents’ house is always filled to capacity.” 

Mindy and the others listened intently as they plated food. For some of them, this was the first time they had learned about Rani’s family. Mindy barely knew some of the other girls, but Rani especially piqued her curiosity. 

“Sharing the house with us shouldn’t be too bad then!” Mindy said, smiling. “There’s only seven of us, including Arthur.” 

Kat glanced at Lynn, who silently sipped her drink. 

“What about you, Deb?” Rani asked. “Are you from the city originally, or did your family move in from somewhere else?” 

“I grew up in Maine initially.” Debrah said with a slight smile. “My family moved to Crofton for my father’s work, and I stayed for college.” She chuckled, having told the story a million times before. “Then I met George, and the rest is history.”  

“How did you two meet?” Mindy asked, eager for the story. ‘How We Met’ stories were always romantic when they’d been polished through decades of retellings. 

“Oh.” Debrah smiled. “I met George after class in college one day. We had a group project for astronomy to work on and were assigned to the same group.”

“Astronomy?” Mindy asked, curious. 

Deb nodded, laughing. “Science elective our Junior year.” She shook her head. “I thought it would be a fun class, looking at stars, that kind of thing. Turns out, it’s actually a fairly complicated third-year physics course.” 

Mindy winced. “Oof.”

“Yeah.” Deb said, continuing her story. “Well, the two other people in the group were total slackers, so when we met in the library to review the plans, it was just us. We got talking, and he mentioned having tickets to see Veruca Salt; I mentioned loving their album, and a few days later, he asked me to the concert. I thought it was a date.”

“Wasn’t it?” Kelly asked, confused. 

“No. Apparently, it was a group outing, and I was almost immediately introduced to George's girlfriend.” Deb sighed. “Theresa.” She said the name with a surprising amount of venom. “They broke up a month later, though.” Deb smiled. “And the Veruca Salt concert is still a fond memory.” 

Mindy had never heard of the artist, though the name sounded interesting. Of the assembly, only Selene seemed to have recognition in her blue eyes. 

“One of the first female-fronted alt-rock bands.” Selene said when Kat turned to her for an explanation. “They had a good punk-pop sound.” 

“I’m surprised you even know who they are!” Deb said, turning her attention to Selene, who seemed to shrink under her gaze. 

Mindy nudged Selene supportively.

“Selene’s into the whole punk rock scene.” Kat said, explaining. “Always has been.” 

Selene hugged her elbow. The black jeans with the rips all over her legs looked punkish, but she looked plainer than usual in a matching black T-shirt. Her nose stud and eyebrow piercings were absent, too. Mindy noticed she was carefully choosing her words around Deb, but Mindy couldn’t see why. Deb seemed nice.

“I’m not an expert or anything.” Selene said. “I’m just more diverse with my tastes than Kat here.” 

“You leave my taste in music alone.” Kat laughed. “You enjoy your noise, and I’ll enjoy my Taylor Swift.” 

Katelyn nodded, and silence fell as the others looked between them. 

“I always preferred Shakira.” Lynn said, pouncing on the silence to no response. 

“So, where are you all from?” Debrah asked, dispelling the awkward silence. 

“I’m from here.” Mindy volunteered. “My parents live in Reedville.” 

“Oh!” Lynn said, surprised. “I’m surprised you would want to live here then, with your family so close.”

Panic flooded Mindy. She knew Lynn was an enemy, and her sudden focus on Mindy’s family set off alarm bells in Mindy’s head. She looked at Rani for reassurance but kept going. “Well, I wanted the college experience, so I moved into the dorms. Then the chance to live here presented itself, and it’s cheaper than the dorms in the long run.” She shrugged. 

“Your parents don’t mind you renting elsewhere?” Deb asked. 

“Or do you not get along with them?” Lynn asked. 

“They see the wisdom in it being cheaper than the dorms.” Mindy said. “And they’re glad I made friends so quickly.” She squeezed Rani’s hand as Rani moved and stood between her and Selene, which Lynn noticed. Her parents didn’t know that Arthur would also be living here, but that was a detail Mindy intended to omit for as long as possible. Nor did she think it was prudent to alert anyone to that fact. 

“Well, that’s nice that they live so close. You must get to see them a lot.” Deb leaned against the counter. 

“Yeah. I work for them sometimes when they need help with the restaurant, so I see them all the time.” Mindy explained. 

“What restaurant?” Lynn asked, curious. 

Mindy hesitated. “The Garden Wok?” Mindy said with more than a bit of hesitation. “It’s the only Asian Fusion restaurant in Reedville.” 

“I’ve been there!” Deb said excitedly. “Wait, you’re Chang-Hoon’s daughter?” 

Mindy flinched in surprise. “You know my Appa?” And she’d used his actual name, not the English name ‘Charlie’ he gave customers. 

Deb nodded and smiled widely. “He went to college with George and I! He was a mutual friend. He was even at that concert I mentioned! I used to do his taxes. Oh, that’s fantastic.” 

Rani whistled ‘It’s a Small World After All’ to the girls' amusement. Mindy sat, dazed by the mental image of her father at a punk rock concert.

Deb laughed. “We haven’t seen each other in years, but he’s doing well?” 

Mindy nodded, struck dumb by this revelation. Did her dad know that Deb was Arthur’s mom? He knew Arthur as a customer from the restaurant, but neither ever mentioned that connection. Maybe her dad didn’t know Arthur was Deb’s son? Deb and her dad obviously weren’t close, as Mindy had no recollection of meeting Deb or Arthur as a kid. Then again, as kids they were different ages.

“Yes, he’s doing well.” Mindy said. 

“Well, that’s fantastic.” Deb said. “Oh, I really should reach out to him. That is too funny.” 

Panic overcame Mindy’s sense of language. She said something, but the way everyone stared at her, she realized she’d said it in Korean instead of English. “Oh, sorry.” She said, shaking her head. “I mean, well, my Appa is so busy, but my Umma had mentioned getting together for dinner at some point to meet everyone. Maybe we can do a girls' night?” 

“Absolutely.” Deb said. “We’ll pick a date.” She pulled out her phone and sent a calendar to Mindy so she could pick a date before continuing the conversation. 

“What about the rest of you?” Deb asked. “You’re all moving in, but do your parents know? Or, come to think of it, what do your parents think of you all dating Arthur?” 

The girls looked uneasily between each other, frowning, except for Rani, who looked unabashed. 

Lynn laughed. “You got Deb with that one?” 

The girls and Deb looked at Lynn with confusion on their faces. 

“They were doing the whole, “I am Spartacus” thing with dating Arthur yesterday.” Lynn explained to Deb. “But Kelly’s his actual girlfriend.” 

“Is that right?” Deb asked in the tone of someone who knew it wasn’t while she looked at Kelly. 

“Arthur and I are definitely dating.” Kelly said with a nod. She didn’t look up from her pan of scrambled eggs when she spoke. 

Deb laughed. “Well, I think my son is a fortunate young man when it comes to love.” She said, eyeing the other girls. “Which is good. He wasn’t always so blessed.” Her eyes fell onto Lynn with the weight of a truck, and Lynn flinched. The unexpected blow echoed through the room. 

Mindy looked at Rani, who seemed as surprised as everyone else. Then Rani’s expression turned mischievous, and she added more fuel to the fire, breaking the silence. 

“I’m dating someone from school.” Rani said. “As for the house, I told my sister I was moving in here, but she doesn’t know the details. My parents don't really care what I do so long as my grades stay up.” 

“I have a boyfriend at school.” Kat said, picking up on Rani’s teasing and ignoring Lynn’s surprised expression. “He’s as hot as Arthur and about as tall.” 

Selene giggled. “Same.” 

Deb restrained her laughter, allowing them to tease Lynn, but ready to step in if it went further than their good-natured ribbing.

Lynn gave Kat and Selene disbelieving looks. “As hot as Arthur?” 

“Practically his twin.” Kat said. “Or maybe his brother?” 

“Does Arthur have a brother?” Mindy asked, unable to hide the confusion in her voice. 

“No, Arthur is an only child.” Deb said, assuring Mindy. 

“What does your family think of Arthur?” Lynn asked Kelly. “Do they like him?” 

“My mom won’t care.” Kelly said, frowning. “She’ll be thrilled I’m dating a guy, but we aren’t close.”

“Dating a guy?” Lynn asked. “Are you bi?”

Kelly didn't answer her. “My brothers are aware of Arthur, though. I told my twin about him almost immediately.” Kelly said to Deb.

“Twin?” Lynn asked, her eyebrows rising. 

Kelly smiled. “Unlike Arthur, I have a twin. My younger twin brother Kyle, and two other younger brothers Declan and Brian.”

“Ah, your twin’s a boy.” Lynn said, nodding. “That tracks. No wonder you're so masculine.” 

Kelly’s glare toward Lynn suggested she should rethink testing the patience of a woman with an Irish temper while she held a hot frying pan. Her desire not to mess Deb's kitchen challenged her desire to brain Lynn, and she nearly lost the fight. 

“Kelly's not at all masculine.” Rani said. “She’s as femme as they come.”

“Overcompensating.” Lynn said, explaining her theory to Rani as casually as one might discuss the weather.

The silence threatened to turn hostile, but Deb spoke and diffused the tension with her cheerful tone. 

“We never finished learning where you were from, did we? Where did you all grow up?” Deb asked, bringing the conversation back several steps. 

“I grew up outside of Hartford in Connecticut, where I’m originally from.” Kelly said through nearly gritted teeth. “But my brothers are all over the place going to different colleges, and my Mom moved to Columbia last year.” 

“Hey, another New England girl.” Deb said, smiling. “Go Pats!” 

Kelly laughed, breaking the tension. She pushed the eggs in the oversized pan on the stove with the spatula she raised in her fist. “Go Pats!” 

“I’m from New Jersey.” Rani said. “So not New England, but close enough. Pats suck. Go Eagles.” 

“We’re from Belmont, a small town just outside Charlotte.” Kat volunteered. “I don’t follow sports.” 

“My parents live in Nashville now.” Katelyn said. “But we moved there from California when I was in high school.”

Lynn focused on Katelyn as if she hadn’t noticed her before. The taller Katelyn looked down at her and raised her chin in greeting. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met.” Lynn said. “I’m Lynn, Arthur’s friend.” 

“Woah, walk it back, bitch.” Rani said, raising her hands. “Arthur would blow a gasket if he heard you introducing yourself as his friend.” 

“Well, I–” Lynn started. 

“Lynn is definitely not his friend.” Rani interrupted whatever bullshit Lynn was about to spew. “But they were apparently friends when they were kids.” 

Deb sighed. “Those were the days.” 

Lynn smiled. “Well, I used to be his friend, and once he grows up and forgives me for turning him down in high school, I hope to be friends with him again. Unfortunately, Arthur holds a grudge for every little thing.”

Katelyn stared at Lynn. “Arthur?” She asked. “Arthur is holding a grudge?” She looked at the others. “Wait, this is the girl he mentioned last night?”  

Kelly nodded. 

“Oh?” Lynn asked, her curiosity piqued. “What did Arthur have to say about me?” 

“Nothing.” Katelyn said. “Not really. He said to leave you alone.” 

“He told you to leave me alone?” Lynn asked, her smile suspicious. 

“Not me specifically, but like…” Katelyn glanced at Kelly. 

“Oh, he told Kelly to leave me alone?” Lynn asked. “Well look at that, he's still looking out for me.”

“He told all of us to leave you alone, because he's a decent human being.” Rani said. 

Lynn smiled. “Well, it’s not like you have to obey his every word. I won’t bite unless you want me to.” She winked at Katelyn, who looked confused. 

Katelyn shook off her confusion. “I’m still wrapping my head around Arthur holding a grudge. He’s a very forgiving person, like, to a fault.” 

“I guess you don’t know him that well.” Lynn shrugged. 

Katelyn glanced at the others, then at Lynn. “He forgave me for trying to force myself on him. I practically attacked him. What the heck did you do that he won’t forgive?” 

Deb put her mimosa on the counter. “I’m sorry, what?” 

Katelyn’s eyes snapped open, and she looked at Deb as if she’d forgotten that the older woman was there and related to Arthur. She'd been too focused on Lynn.

“Sorry.” She sighed. “I was in a bad place and came onto him pretty strong, but nothing happened. He stopped it, and we’ve worked it out since.” She looked to the others for support. 

Kelly nodded, and Deb took her word for it, relaxing and picking her drink up again. 

“He forgave Sanjay and that Jace guy, and they tried to beat him up.” Rani added to the legend while discussing Arthur’s capacity for forgiveness. 

“Wait, what?” Deb asked again. 

“Don’t worry about it.” Rani said, waving away Deb’s evident concern. “He and Jace are good, and who the fuck knows about Sanjay, but Arthur handled them like a fucking king.” 

“Okay…” Deb said, still pulling out her phone and sending a quick text to her son. 

Mom: Did you get into a fight at school?!

“Yeah. He’s like, Mister Forgiveness. Whoever those guys are, plus me.” Katelyn said, turning to Lynn. “So what the fuck –sorry, Kelly– did you do?” 

“Well, I’m sure Kelly would have killed you for sleeping with her man. He probably saved your life.” Lynn laughed. “But with me, it’s just an old grudge, and he refuses to let go because he’s stubborn. Though, maybe he's warming up to me if he's still looking out for me.”  

“I don’t think he's warming to you anymore than I think that’s why you aren’t friends anymore.” Kelly said coldly, cutting off Selene’s red-faced retort. “But we don’t need to go into that now, do we?” She asked. 

Lynn’s nostrils flared wide. She swallowed and glanced toward Deb. “No. I guess not.” 

“Good.” Deb said, interrupting the two with her well-practiced smile. “Anyway, Katelyn, this is Lynn, and Lynn, this is Katelyn. Kelly’s roommate.” 

They nodded at each other. 

“So if he turned you down I take it you’re not dating Arthur, too?” Lynn laughed as if she were in on a joke with the rest of them. 

“Not officially, no.” Katelyn said, glancing at the others for help. “Not yet.” 

“Yet?” Debrah asked with a laugh. “Oh, dear. My son is too charming for his own good.” 

Lynn smiled. 

“He’s definitely charming.” Katelyn agreed. “And he’s… good.” 

“He’s very good to us.” Kelly said, agreeing. 

“And great in the sack.” Rani said, not caring that Deb nearly snorted her drink. 

The champagne bubbles tickled Deb’s nose, bringing tears to her eyes. She wiped her face with her wrist to clear away the tingle. 

The glances passing through the group of girls were tense until Mindy cut the tension by giggling. “You’ll have to forgive Rani.” Mindy said, reaching for Rani’s hand and squeezing it. “We love her, but she has no filter whatsoever. As you may have noticed.” 

Deb smiled to see the others in agreement. Lynn smiled to see Rani’s hand remain in Mindy’s. 

“So wait, I know Kelly is his real girlfriend, but how many of you have slept with Arthur before they started dating? Is he a total man whore now?” Lynn asked, leaning forward with her elbows on the island counter.

The girls glanced at Deb, who looked side to side, then at her phone, conveniently ignoring them as she read Arthur’s response. The girls raised their hands.

Arty: No, two guys tried to fight me, but they were misguided and we resolved it peacefully.

Mom: Proud of you.

“Wow, really?” Lynn asked, gawking at the girls and glancing rapidly between Selene and Kelly. “I guess he is a man whore.”

“Don't call my son names.” Deb said. “Or you can go back downstairs.”

“Sorry.” Lynn said, not moving. “I was just surprised.”

Deb straightened and put her phone away. “Did you ever sort out whatever the difficulty was yesterday?” She changed the subject. “Did Arthur figure out a compromise that worked for you?” She turned to Kat and Selene when she asked, narrowing down to their disagreement not far from the cookout at Homecoming. 

Selene nodded. “Yeah, he figured things out for us.” 

Deb smiled. “Good! I’m glad he has a good head on his shoulders. I’d hate to see him drop the ball with any of you.” 

“He’d never.” Kelly said, smiling. Lynn looked confused momentarily, but her and the others' attention was stolen when Kelly cried out. “Eggs are done!” 

She dished them out onto a plate of their own that Deb provided. She’d reheated the pancakes, pigs in blankets, and other dishes in the oven and pulled those, too. After filling their plates and refilling their drinks, the girls took their food into the dining room. Mindy was the second to last again, with Lynn behind her. 

The large dining room was a lot of oaken wood with a large rectangular table and a wide china hutch currently empty of its fine china. The chairs were bare wooden dining chairs, and Mindy’s heart fell when she saw them. She sat gingerly, but the sting of the cane on her ass from the night before flushed anew with a raw ache on her backside that made her close her eyes and adjust. 

“Oh, this table is gonna be great for D&D.” Rani said, sitting between Mindy and Kelly with a small pile of pancakes on her plate. The table was arranged so four could sit on a side, with a chair at the head and foot of the table. The head of the table had a window behind it, looking out into the backyard. The double-wide archway at the foot of the table led into the hallway. The chandelier above them brightened as Deb adjusted the dimmer switch. 

Mindy imagined Selene tied to the table’s four legs and spread on top, sushi resting on her naked body while the others sat, tied to their chairs. Arthur fed them as he saw fit and adjusted the intensity of their vibrators according to his pleasure. Meanwhile, his friends came and went from the display, enjoying the view while the party continued. Mindy blushed at the scene in her head. 

“It'd be great for a lot of things.” Mindy agreed with Rani. 

“Nerd alert!” Lynn said as she sat across from Rani. 

The others stared at her. 

“What?” Lynn asked. “Dungeons and Dragons is like playing pretend with costumes and math in your mom’s basement. That’s definitely nerd territory.” 

Rani sighed. “You’re the only basement dweller here, bitch. And I like Math. I’m an engineering major. And no one wears costumes.” 

“They don’t?” Mindy asked, the disappointment clear in her voice. 

“Not usually.” Rani smiled. “But we’ll wear some to the Ren Faire.” 

“You’re going to the Ren Faire?” Lynn asked. 

Rani sighed. “Shit. Maybe I should invest in a filter.” She glanced at Lynn, who was staring her down. “That was the plan, anyway. Did you ever order your costume?” She asked Mindy. 

Mindy nodded. “It hasn’t gotten here yet, but it should be here before we go.” 

“Perfect.” Rani said. “Can't wait to see you in that costume.”

“Are you two–” Lynn was about to ask a follow-up question, but Deb interrupted her with her own question. 

“So, how did all of you meet Arthur?” Deb asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.” 

“I met him Freshman year.” Kelly said, sitting beside Deb, who was at the head of the table. “We’ve been gym buddies ever since, and started hanging out together last year.” 

Lynn silently ate the fruit on her plate. 

“I met him after his second date with Kelly a few weeks ago.” Katelyn said. “He was… there when I got home.” 

“Oh, so he spent the night after date number two?” Lynn asked. “Slut alert.”

Kelly glanced at Deb, blushed crimson, and didn't say anything. 

“I don't need any details.” Deb assured them. “But you don't have to be shy about the fact that you're dating my son. I'm aware and happy for you and him. I’m perfectly willing to help you out if you need any advice, too. Also, I’m great at drinking and listening.” 

The girls smiled. Mindy understood Deb spoke to all of them, but from the look of hatred on Lynn’s face directed at Kelly, it was clear she thought the words were for Kelly’s sake only. 

“Technically, I met him last semester, but it was shortly after his breakup with Lori, and he claims he doesn’t remember me.” Rani frowned. “But I ran into him and Mindy at the mall while I was on a bust of a date this semester. I ditched my date and I hung out with them the rest of the night.” 

Mindy couldn’t help the smile that crept across her face. She remembered that night both vividly and fondly. Kneeling across from Rani, watching as Arthur stripped her. She wished Arthur were here right now. 

“Oh, I haven’t been to the mall in ages. How’s it doing?” Deb asked. 

“Practically empty of people, except for a few stores and the movie theater.” Mindy shrugged. 

“Who’s Lori, again?” Lynn interrupted. “That was the ex that dumped Arty, right? Where did she end up transferring to?” Lynn asked but was roundly ignored. 

“I met him at the start of the semester when I started working at the marketing materials office.” Mindy said. 

“So you work together?” Deb asked, though her face looked as if she were unsure whether she already knew that. Mindy didn’t hold it against her. It was one thing to meet Arthur’s girlfriend and remember everything about her. It was another to meet six young women and try to keep them all straight. 

Mindy nodded. “He’s been showing me the ropes.” 

Rani nearly spit out some of her mimosa, and everyone turned to look at her. The alarm in Kelly’s face only made Rani laugh more. “Sorry.” She said, not explaining what made her laugh as she dabbed her face with a napkin. 

“I met him sophomore year, but he doesn’t remember that either.” Kat rolled her eyes. “He chased off some guy who wouldn’t leave me alone, but it wasn’t a big deal to him. I got reintroduced to him later via Selene.”

“He loves playing the role of a knight in shining armor.” Lynn said, rolling her eyes. “He was always big on chivalry and defending a lady's honor or doing whatever a lady asked of him.” Her emphasis on the last part of her sentence was impossible to miss. 

The girls glared at Lynn. 

“He’ll be putty in your hands as a maintenance man.” Lynn assured them. “Anything you need, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to serve.” 

“Wow.” Rani said, staring at Lynn. “I can’t tell if you’re trying to be euphemistic, but if you’re trying to be clever, please stop. It’s like watching a weiner dog pretend to be a Great Dane. It was amusing at first, but now I cringe whenever you open your mouth. Arthur’s a very dominant man. His–”  

Kelly cut her off by clearing her throat and nodding at Deb, whose fork was halfway to her mouth, paused in the air. 

Lynn glared at Rani, then glanced at Deb and didn’t say anything mean, letting silence fall. 

“Your son fucks.” Rani said to Deb. 

Kelly spit out her drink, and she wasn't the only one. Deb laughed it off, cueing the others to laugh with her. They joined, somewhat nervously. Mindy stared at Rani wide-eyed, silently begging her not to say something like that in front of Deb again.

“What about you?” Deb asked Selene. 

“Do I fuck?” Selene asked, surprised. 

Deb giggled and shook her head, making Selene blush and sink into her chair as if she might slide under the table. 

“I meant, how did you meet Arthur?” Deb asked.  

“I met him and Lori my freshman year.” Selene said, shifting in her chair to sit up again. “At auditions for Cinderella.” 

“That’s right, you were friends with Lori, weren’t you?” Deb asked. 

Selene nodded, eating a cinnamon bun on her plate. Her mouth was conveniently too full to discuss further. 

“I was as well.” Kelly volunteered. “We were roommates.” 

“You’re dating your former roommate’s ex?” Lynn asked, incredulous. 

“Such a sweet girl.” Deb said. “I hope she’s doing well.” 

Selene swallowed. “She’s doing okay, from what she’s told me. Have you heard anything from her recently?” Selene asked Kelly. 

Kelly frowned and shook her head. “We haven’t talked.” 

Mindy heard the determination in words, suggesting that Kelly didn’t want to talk to Lori, which surprised her. Mindy would have given almost anything to talk to the girl who introduced Arthur to BDSM. Lynn registered the tone, too, but Mindy doubted she understood half of what was being said. Rani was right; it was almost painful to watch Lynn flail, but amusing. 

“Well, maybe I’ll reach out.” Deb said. “I wanted to give them space after they broke up, but Arthur hasn’t spoken much about his break with Lori other than to say it was mutual.” 

Kelly scoffed. “Sorry.” She said when the others looked at her. 

“He told us the same thing, but I think she hurt him more than he let on.” Selene explained, not looking at Lynn as she spoke. “He was pretty upset about it last semester and the beginning of this one.” 

“Well, I’m sure he’s forgotten all about it by now.” Deb said, waving the concern away. “He seems very happy.” 

“Of course he is!” Rani raised her glass in a toast. “We’re fuckin’ awesome.” 

The girls laughed, and even Kelly smiled as she joined the clink-clink of the toast and drank her orange juice. Lynn didn’t, but she wasn’t sure why the others were toasting either. Her eyes scanned the group, and Mindy could see the gears turning, but it was like watching a wheel spin without moving anything forward. She almost felt sorry for the girl. Almost.