Decisions
Cerise
Ipulled my feet beneath me, sipping on a cup of hot cinnamon tea as I regarded my best friend and her wife sitting on the floral couch across from me in my living room. A fire crackled in the stone fireplace, a soothing sound in the otherwise quiet room.
Arthur was curled up asleep beside me, unwilling to leave my side since I had returned just over a week ago.
“Are you all right, CeCe?” Emberly asked, leaning into Rosamund who had her arm across the back of the couch.
“Yes, of course. Why do you ask?” I threaded my fingers through Arthur’s soft, black fur.
“You’ve seemed…morose since you returned.”
“I’m just tired.”
Rosamund tilted her head, her wavy auburn hair brushing her shoulders. She was shorter than Emberly and the bridge of her nose and cheeks were sprinkled with freckles, accentuating big brown eyes. Eyes that could always tell when I wasn’t being truthful. And she never held back with me. “Tell us about what happened with Liam.”
“There isn’t much to tell. We formed a bit of a friendship. Had fun together. That’s it.”
“And?” Emberly raised a black brow, her tawny complexion warm in the firelight.
“And what?”
“What now?”
I sighed, taking another sip of tea. “Nothing. We’re just friends.”
“CeCe…” Emberly began.
I held up my hand. “I know. I just…I’d like to hear about your discovery first. My love life can wait. Tell me everything that happened.”
Emberly’s eyes lit up as she settled against the back of the couch, Rosamund toying with her dark curls.
The discovery had been a fluke. They were all reeling from losing Liam and me, and the rest of the expedition was cut short.
But on the way to meet with the authorities to report us missing, Emberly had been the one to spot it. A tiny lizard, just about an inch in size and covered in silvery glimmering scales. A new species.
And now Emberly would be honored—along with the rest of the team—at the annual awards gala in a couple of weeks. Held in a different town every year, the awards gala was where all of the beastologists, botanists, naturalists and other experts in our field dressed up and celebrated the accomplishments of the year.
Though it wasn’t my favorite event—the crowd of people was a little too overwhelming at times—I never missed it, and would definitely be attending to support my best friend and celebrate her accomplishments.
“All right.” Rosamund waved her hand at me. “Emberly told you what you wanted to know. Tell useverythingthat happened after you and Liam went missing.”
I poured each of us a fresh cup of tea, sat back, took a sip, and began.
I told them about Liam saving my life and our trek through the jungle. About the leeches, how we escaped poachers and then saved the animals.
“Of course you refused to leave without freeing those poor creatures,” Emberly said. “I’m not surprised in the least.”
I gave her a smile.
“And the way you escaped those men,” Rosamund said. “Amazing. Who knew you were a bad-ass?”
“That was mostly Liam. He was the one who took charge and helped me stay calm.”
I paused as I recalled how he soothed me when I was on the edge of panic; the way he carried me as we were chased through the woods after making our escape; how he punched that man and broke his own hand to protect me.
“Hello?” Emberly brought me back. “You there, CeCe?”