Lumi (Cultivated Book 3) by Elin Peer

Author:Elin Peer [Peer, Elin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mian Publishing LLC
Published: 2020-02-13T18:30:00+00:00

February – Eight and a Half Years Ago

“It’s me!” I called out as I entered Liv’s and Charles’ house.

I hadn’t lived here since I was eighteen, but I still came by at least twice a week.

“Hey, Lumi, we’re in the kitchen,” Liv called back to me, and with a big smile, I shrugged out of my jacket and stepped out of my boots.

“I brought you the most amazing book. You’ll love…” My words stopped as I entered the kitchen and saw Liv and Damian. They were sitting in the nook — him with his head down and the heels of his hands to his eyes, and Liv with her hand to his back.

Liv was wearing a knitted jumper, jeans, and a minimum of make-up. “There’s water in the kettle if you want some tea,” she told me with a soft smile.

I hadn’t spoken to Damian since his wedding almost three months ago. Seeing him made my heart hammer, and my shoulders tense up. “Maybe I should come back another time.”

“No, it’s fine. I think Damian could use all his friends right now.”

I swallowed hard because, as far as I was concerned, my friendship with Damian was over.

“How about I go and make that call?” Liv said to Damian. “Have a cup of tea with Lumi, and then I’ll be right back.”

I wanted to tell Liv not to leave, but she moved past me with a quick squeeze of my wrist, and a whisper that she would try and contact our family counselor to set up an appointment.

After she left, I stood frozen in the kitchen with the man I both loved and hated sitting not far from me.

Damian was the reason I had missed Nathan’s birthday a few weeks back, and I would have never stopped by today if I’d known he’d be here.

I stared at him as Damian looked up from his hunched-over position, his eyes red and swollen with pools of tears. It shocked me that he looked five years older than when I last saw him.

“Damian,” I whispered. “What happened?”

A sob escaped him as he reached his arms out to me. Not even my wounded pride or broken heart could hold me back from rushing to his side and closing my arms around him. Squeezing me tight, Damian pulled me down on his lap and held on to me like I was the antidote to whatever had him in tears.

I held him and stroked his arm, asking him again. “What happened?”

“We lost the baby.” His speech was muffled from pressing his head against my body.

My eyes shut tight as I felt my heart bleed for my friend. “How?”

“It was sick.” He sniffled and eased his firm hold on me. “Don’t ask me to explain because I don’t understand it myself. It’s somethin’ about chromosomal abnormalities and genetics.” He sniffled again and reached for a tissue to blow his nose.

“Can’t you try again?” I asked.

Damian shook his head. “Turns out that Siobhan had three miscarriages with her ex. The doctors… they…” His voice broke as he shook his head.

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