Chapter 1.36

—Camille—

I dropped down on the sofa next to Chastity. “So, how are things?” A short distance away, I heard Loralee shriek with delight; Tito, Luc, and Loralee were all playing spacewalkers.

Chastity smiled. “Oh, things are pretty good. Santi just got a promotion.” She looked at me sideways. “Huy and Anna just had another boy. Blake.”

“Brandon and Blake. Cute.” Inwardly, I shook my head. It had been over two years since Huy had seen Loralee. Rarely, they spoke on the phone or exchanged emails. As if they lived an ocean away, not half an hour. Once he had a son to take up his time, what did he want with a measly daughter? As happy as I was to have Huy out of my life, I couldn’t help but feel angry at him for ignoring his child. “I really hope Anna is happy with him.”

She sighed softly. “I do, too. I really do. She always seems happy. And she certainly seems to fit the description of everything Huy could want in a woman, but who knows what goes on when nobody is around?”

I nodded. “He’s probably found something else to criticize. You know, Shirley told me that her sister’s ex-husband had a second kid with his new wife a few months ago. I mean, it’s good that he’s still in Joshua and Nora’s lives, but I’m definitely worried about his current wife. He’s probably got another girlfriend or two on the side.” I laughed suddenly. “You know, that was the one thing I don’t think Huy ever did.”

Chastity arched a brow. “All the problems you two had, and you don’t think he was running around?”

“That was the one area we could agree on.” Life with Huy had been far from good, but we’d gotten one thing right together. I looked over at Loralee. Two things.

Chastity laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. “Camille.”

“What?” I grinned. Shocking Chastity was fun. “He wasn’t half bad in the sack.”

She made a face, waving her hands at me. “Okay no. We’re not going there.”

Laughing softly, I got up and nodded towards the kitchen. “How about a drink?”

She made a sound of relief. “Fantastic idea. And don’t talk about my brother’s sex life ever again.”

Together we went inside and made our way over to the bar. “How is Connor?” I had never known Connor well or been particularly impressed by him, but it was polite to ask.

Chastity shrugged. “He’s fine. Wasting his life, but fine. I love my brother, but he’s useless. He won’t get out there and even attempt to get a job. He just spends all his time in front of the TV. I hardly ever even go over to the house anymore. If he doesn’t ask me for money, then Octavia just makes bitter comments about my life.”

I sat down at the bar and sipped my drink. “That sounds about right for Octavia.” Was it terribly petty to be pleased that she was aging, alone, and unloved? If it was, I honestly couldn’t bring myself to care.