Lavender had never been to a real museum before. This one had posh floors and walls and ceilings, even discounting the art. The gardens were fantastic, too. Being here was like visiting a mansion on the sly, only no one could really have a house this nice.
Diego walked hand in hand with her and they ate lunch under an arbor. Someday, when she had her own house, she'd have an arbor heavy with wisteria. All the flowers in her garden would be purple.
But all happy days must end. Ariel sent Diego a text asking him to bring Lavender home for supper, but that he could pick her up again afterwards. Lavender had forgotten that the others had Diego's number when she'd ignored all of Ariel's texts. Why should Lavender go back to that hateful house, where her stuff wasn't safe, one minute before she had to? All the nice things Miss Magnolia had done for her in the past didn't make up for stealing her hormones.
But Diego had agreed, because he had an errand and he thought she might need more clothes.
She'd brought enough for the two mornings she had left. But she went. Ariel met her at the door and helped her carry her bags upstairs. "You'll never guess what happened."
Lavender tossed her bag on her bed. "I probably won't."
Ariel bounced on Lavender's bed. "No. You won't."
Lavender crossed her arms. "Please."
Since Ariel was the reason Lavender had had to come home in the first place, she should either help Lavender repack or get out of the way.
"Trav, Austin's friend, well, he texted Alana. He said he knew about you and me and if she was the same way, he didn't care because he thought she was beautiful. Isn't that sweet? They're going to see a movie tomorrow."
Ariel popped back off the bed. "And Alana was so pleased that she let slip that she was the one who trashed your room and stole your meds."
Ariel opened Lavender's drawer. What? Her box? Her bottles and needles were still inside. Her hands shook as she carried them to the bed. She got out an alcohol pad and wiped her skin. What was her dosage? She'd done this so many times. Why couldn't she remember?
"And this." Ariel lifted Lavender's pillow, exposing her journal.
Lavender quickly turned the pages, then made herself take several deep breaths. A day and a half late on the meds probably wouldn't mess her up as much as a rushed dose. Once she was partially calm, she gave herself the shots. A load was off her mind. When she saw Diego the next time he came to California, she wouldn't be ugly or mannish.
Ariel grinned. "She was jealous."
Lavender put her stuff back in the box. She would need a safer place for it. "That's no excuse."
"Are you glad I made you come home?"
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Maybe she should carry her meds with her from now on. One needle and two bottles wouldn't take up much space. Neither would her journal. But she'd have to start using her big purse again.
Ariel plopped onto Vish's bed. "I just found out."
"So this wasn't why you made me come back?"
Ariel shrugged. "If Miss Magnolia had wrecked your room, she wouldn't have hidden the fact. She would have boasted. And I couldn't imagine why she would have taken your meds. She knows how important they are to us."
"So I should forgive her?"
Ariel rolled her eyes. "She didn't do anything."
So tearing Lavender's habits and personality to shreds was nothing? And during the whole, excruciating lecture, Miss Magnolia hadn't let Lavender clean up anything or offered to help. Plus, once she did learn that Lavender's meds were gone, she acted like Lavender deserved it. That was something in Lavender's book.
*~*~*
Diego hopped down the courthouse steps. He had the papers he needed, but what to do until Lavender was free again?
He called Patrick. Jessica answered. Yes, Patrick wanted him to come over, but he was too distracted by an online game to remember that his best friend would only be in town for a few more days.
Diego stopped by a store for beer on his way over, and bought flowers for Lavender, as well as some for Jessica's table. Jessica put the flowers in a vase. "Patrick, you could learn from Diego."
Patrick killed his opponent. "I don't need to buy you flowers. I'm already sleeping with you."
Jessica picked up a dishcloth, walked into the living room, and whacked Patrick with it. He paused his game and pulled her over the back of the couch. Diego turned away to avoid the shrieks and giggles coming from the living room. He checked his phone. Would Lavender have her flowers yet? What other flowers could he send her after he went home?
"Thinking about your girl again?"
Diego grinned and put down his phone. "Always."
Patrick opened one of the beers Diego brought. "Were those 'have sex with me' flowers?"
Diego grabbed a beer. "More like 'have sex with me again'."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you two."
Patrick leaned on the counter. "Was she any good?"
"Patrick!"
That would be an understatement. "The best of my life."
Jessica tossed her dishtowel on the counter. "Do you talk about me this way?"
Patrick pulled her close. "Not for ages."
She pushed out of his arms and crossed hers. "Ages?"
Patrick glanced at Diego. "When we first met, wasn't it?"
Diego lifted a hand. He didn't want a fight. "He just asked if I compared lovers, and I don't see how someone couldn't."
Patrick rubbed Jessica's shoulders. "He's been with everyone."
"Everyone? Isn't that an exaggeration?"
Diego held up his beer. "They've all been about my age, and legal, of course."
None had been the five years younger that Lavender was, but she was special in more ways than that.
Patrick nodded. "Like your dark angel."
"My lady in purple." That last word had too many syllables, but Diego shoehorned it into the tune.
"And you date men as well as women?"
"Not at the same time."
Patrick nodded. "Serial monogamy."
"Because not everyone finds the love of their lives at fourteen." Diego tipped his bottle to them.
Jessica snuggled against Patrick. "We were lucky."
He wrapped his arms around her. "So she was a ten, or just a very good eight?"
"Patrick!"
Diego laughed. Jessica was fighting a losing battle. Patrick always wanted to know what Diego's sex life was like. "She's off the charts."
"Where? You didn't take her to Mom's?"
"I did, indeed."
"In my old bed?"
Jessica put her hands over Patrick's ears. "You shouldn't be hearing this."
"You did the dirty in my mom's house with my brother next door."
If Travis had been home, Diego might have been more reluctant, but it wouldn't have stopped him completely. "Not the first time."
"Do tell." Patrick tugged Jessica's hands down and kissed them.
"The beach, moonlight, a few blankets, after a sunset and sandwiches."
Patrick frowned. "Sounds uncomfortable."
"You had to be there." Diego was very glad Patrick hadn't been.