“Sit,” KT says. “They aren’t coming out while we’re here, and they’re probably long gone. There hasn’t been anything for them to eat around here in forever. I’ll set traps tomorrow, just in case.”
My stomach wins out. I sit on the floor and lean back against the kitchen cabinets. The space is so small, I don’t have to move to grab my first piece of pizza from the box on the coffee table. “Oh, if my parents could only see me now.”
“They’d stage an intervention.” KT is sitting on the futon, the cover of which needs to be removed and washed, and takes a piece of pizza.
“No joke.” I lift my slice high and drop the string of cheese clinging to the tip of the triangle into my mouth, then follow it in with the pizza and take a luxurious bite.
Chloe sits on the floor kitty corner to me and crisscrosses her legs in one of those yogi poses, closes her eyes, and brings her hands into prayer position. KT and I freeze mid-bite. Our gazes dart to each other, then Chloe, then to each other again before we stifle laughter.
Chloe takes it in stride. Eyes still closed, a smirk on her face, she says, “Spirit guides of the highest truth and compassion, forgive these mere mortals for their mockery of your infinite powers—”
“We weren’t mocking.” I look at KT. “Were we mocking?”
“Absolutely no mockery.”
“—and bless us all on our quest for light.” She opens her eyes, grinning at us. “Heathens.”
“Amen,” KT says, stuffing her mouth with another bite.
We all go quiet, devouring the pizza, which takes all of fifteen minutes. Turns out none of us has had decent pizza in years, and we are all starving. We’ve also finished off one bottle of wine and opened another. The ants and mice don’t bother me so much with wine in my system.
When we’re done, each of us leans back against whatever is behind us and sips the wine.
“This is so much better than a Skype chat.” I feel so warm and loved and accepted in this circle, and it’s bittersweet because I know it can’t last. In a few days, we’ll scatter in the wind again. “Do you guys think we could manage this again? Like once a year or something? It sounds weird to say that I miss you when we’ve only talked digitally over the last seven years, but I do.”
“I get that,” KT says. “I feel the same way.”
“Same.” Chloe nods. “But our schedules are murder.”
“They are.” I’m feeling melancholy, already anticipating their loss. No doubt having seen Levi twice today hasn’t helped in that department.
“Live in the present,” Chloe reminds me. “We’ve got seven whole days together, and after bumping elbows in this space, we may kill each other before the end of the week.”
“You’re right, I live way too much in the future.” Although today has pulled me back in time, not forward. “Speaking of the future, Chloe, it looks like you succeeded in bringing your Eat, Pray, Love enlightenment to every country in the world like you dreamed.”
“I don’t know about every country.”
“Your book has been translated into forty different languages,” KT says. “I think you can infer that it reached every country, even if only by messenger from someone who read it.”
She sighs and her smile is radiant, but there’s something a little off. “Man, it’s been a crazy ride.”
“And you found your guy,” I say. “Your One.”
She holds that beatific smile like a mask. “One crazy ride.”
KT clears her throat. She’s staring at Chloe, expectant. When Chloe doesn’t go on, KT asks, “Are you really going to make me call you out?”
Chloe’s smile evaporates, and she releases a deep sigh. Her shoulders slide, her head dips, and her gaze lowers.
“What?” I ask, glancing between them. “Call her out about what?”
“Bodhi,” Chloe says, lifting her gaze to mine. The misery and hurt there squeezes my stomach, and I automatically reach for her hand. Chloe lets out a cynical laugh. “My soul mate turned out to be more of a twin flame.”
“If twin flame is synonymous with asshole,” KT says.
“Leave it to KT to bring everything into perspective,” Chloe says.
“What happened with Bodhi?” I ask. “How did KT know? And what the hell is a twin flame?”