A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow - Laura Taylor Namey Page 0,47

Scotland). And all about the sad and confusing parts left behind when we lose someone close. Her favorite uncle passed away from cancer last year. He was her biggest supporter, music mentor, and the first person she told about liking girls as well as guys. It was Uncle Albert who urged and inspired her to write her first song.

Like a familiar refrain, her revelation is still turning inside my head when my phone dings. I look up from Mami’s messages and Jules asks, “News from home?”

I’d normally brush this off. But in twenty minutes, I’ve learned Jules isn’t just a cool girl with stellar talent. Besides similar views on family and eating dessert first, we seem to get each other. There’s no way she’s lived sixteen years without having at least one row, as Orion would call it, with a friend. So I decide to share more about my friend, and all about Mami’s update.

“Stefanie—I didn’t think she’d last there,” I add after a short pause.

“In Africa?” Jules asks, scooting closer.

“Yeah. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to leave Miami. I thought after a couple weeks she’d show up back on my porch and realize all we’d planned was bigger than fieldwork. She’d realize maybe Africa wasn’t for her. I mean, the Stef I knew was a picky eater and couldn’t go two days without her hair dryer.”

Jules crinkles her nose and slowly raises one hand. “I may or may not know someone similar.”

It’s like a shot of life itself to laugh—better than wheatgrass.

“Most of all,” I continue, “we had our Miami plan. I wanted to keep that close. Before coming here, I ran and shopped at our regular places, and sat at the same plot of South Beach we always went to.”

“Like it would bring her back somehow?”

“Thinking us, the university nursing program, what we’d been since we were kids would bring her back. But she’s not coming home anytime soon. I tried, though. I stayed inside those Miami places for both of us.”

“I get that.” Jules leans in like her next words are a secret. “Do you know why she left like she did?”

I’ve dragged this question everywhere, even across continents. “I was too upset to stick around long enough for a real answer. And I can’t come up with anything that makes sense.” I trace the grain along the wood tabletop, stained the color of beach sand. “I guess people aren’t always who you think they are. What Stef did to me hurt. But I know it wasn’t all her. And I hated the way we left things.”

“Right—broken, like you said,” she muses. She wears the same kind of concentration I’ve seen on her face while writing a song. “Thing is, when you put something back together it’s never exactly the same as it was before. What if she wants to fix things, but it means everything’s different from how you used to get on? Can you do that?”

If there’s anything the last couple of months have shown, it’s that I don’t do well with “different.” Still, I answer, “I hope so. But I don’t know what that would even look like. I only know what our old friendship looks like.”

“Well, she needs to contact you first, and it sounds like she will. And her mum did tell yours that she’s happy.” Her brows narrow. “Question is, are you happy for her?”

“Always. No matter what went down.” My voice comes out small.

Jules offers a warm smile. “Then it sounds like you two will be just fine.”

She waves through the window at the black BMW pulling up to the curb.

“So, that’s me,” she says, and gathers her things. “Look, you know what it’s like here. Small city, tight community. I know I’ll keep some of my mates forever.” Her blue eyes meet mine—thoughtful but vibrant, just like her music. “But there are others that I don’t see much anymore, and I’ve realized that’s okay.” She smiles pensively. “Sometimes I put them into songs, and that’s where I keep them. Plus, there’s always room for new friends.”

My heart swells, testing the space between my ribs. Orion had said almost the same thing. Lingering on the rewind of him, I miss Jules rising and walking toward the door.

“Hey, Jules… thanks.”

“Yeah,” she says over a smile, letting the outside in. “See you, Lila!”

A few moments later, I cross over to Maxwell’s. After Jules, my steps are lighter than they’ve been all day. Orion’s at the counter helping an older