Chapter 8

TÉLYN WAS A SIMPLE WOMAN. Well, as simple as it would get for someone who had been spoiled their entire life. She really didn’t require much. If you kept her fed, entertained, and let her have her nonverbal time, you were alright in her book.

It wasn’t a difficult arrangement. For all her expensive tastes and spoiled tendencies, Télyn truly valued the little things in life.

Which was why the courthouse wedding she and Paige had was undeniably the best day of her life. They slipped away from the Olympic Village, trading their ugly USA paraphernalia for real clothes and a marriage license.

Télyn wore a simple black dress that she stole from her mother’s closet days before. It felt right to get married in something that belonged to her. She chose black because black was elegant and it made her feel like royalty. Even when Paige argued and said they should wear the traditional whites, Télyn looked at her like she was crazy. There wasn’t a universal rule that you had to wear white. Since Télyn always got what she wanted, Paige wore a black suit with the loafers Télyn forced her to buy.

Télyn knew she was going to get married the moment she woke up that morning. Nothing could ruin her mood because she finally had something she’d been waiting years for. Team USA won their game against Brazil, Télyn talked a little bit of shit with Jordan and Asija, and even had an oddly heartfelt conversation with Sharon. How she was able to act like she wasn’t about to marry the love of her life was beside the point.

By one o’clock, Télyn was doing her makeup in the hotel room Kiki and Angel shared. Télyn told them she and Paige were just going out to dinner, so neither one of them knew her life was about to change forever.

Télyn nervously checked her phone every ten minutes, making sure Paige didn’t have any second thoughts. She had jokingly thrown out the idea, but she didn’t know Paige would agree. But why wouldn’t she? They were equally crazy about each other.

When she finished getting ready, she made her way to the courthouse extra early. She sat in the car and prayed for what felt like an hour; it probably was. She prayed for her and Paige’s union, she prayed for the babies they wanted in the future, she prayed for their families, she prayed for patience, she prayed for understanding. She prayed for all the things people were supposed to pray for when they got married.

Then she prayed for something a little more selfish.

She prayed that Paige would love her forever.

Because she was stubborn and dramatic and did too damn much sometimes, and she was terrified that Paige would wake up one morning and change her mind.

Télyn stared at the ring she had chosen for Paige. It had taken her months to pick it out, because none of the ones she’d seen before really screamed Paige. It was a platinum band with a brushed finish and softened edges. At first glance, it looked understated. Then the light hit it. A row of small diamonds was set into the inside edge of the band, wrapping halfway around.

When Paige texted Télyn and told her she arrived, Télyn didn’t rush to move. She waited for this day for four long years, and now that it was here, she was stuck. She checked herself in the mirror one more time and exhaled deeply. She grabbed the picture of her mother that she kept in her visor before meeting her fiancée in the courthouse.

Télyn and Paige got married. The actual ceremony was a blur. One minute they were standing in front of a judge, the next Paige was sliding a ring onto her finger and Télyn was trying not to cry. Afterward they took photos with Tahj, ate dinner at their favorite restaurant, and had cake at Télyn’s house. One thing they could both agree on was that whipped frosting was disgusting and buttercream was superior.

They couldn’t stay in their bubble forever. Eventually they had to head back to the village. Back to curfews and schedules and cameras and questions they weren’t ready to answer.

But Télyn would always remember this day. She didn’t care that she was one step closer to eating olympic gold, or that she’d spent the entire afternoon terrified.

She remembered it because it was the day she became Télyn Rivera-Bueckers.

“Niecey pooh, what’s going on?” Sapphire plopped on the couch right next to Télyn, who had been scrolling on her laptop for the past hour.

Télyn looked over at her, before briefly turning her attention to the screen. She did a double take at Sapphire before squinting. “Why are you making that face?”

“What face?” Sapphire asked, scooting away a little.

Télyn tilted her head, pointing at the worried expression Sapphire wore. “That face.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sapphire created a little more distance. She knew Télyn would not like the news she was about to receive. “This is my normal face.”

Télyn stared blankly at her. She did not have time for this right now. Her and Paige’s wedding anniversary was next month, and she’d been so busy she hadn’t bought her a gift yet, which was unusual for her. She usually had Paige’s gifts picked out months in advance, so for her to have absolutely nothing planned with less than six weeks to go, was insane.

Télyn turned back to her laptop. “Okay. Lemme know when you stop being weird.”

They sat in silence, Télyn browsing through gift options for Paige. She was about to just say fuck it and buy her the world. If anyone could do it, it would be her. Sapphire stared at Télyn, trying to figure out what kind of mood she was in. You never knew with her these days.

Télyn rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the hole forming in her face. She clicked a tab she had open, one with an SUV she knew Paige would like. She could use a bigger car since they would be mommies soon.

After she sent her email, Sapphire was still staring at her. Télyn turned to her, eyes wide. “Damn, can I have my face back?” she snapped.

“Indi and Sky are coming over,” Sapphire spewed, moving over until she was almost hanging off the arm of the couch.

“Sapphire!” Télyn yelled.

Sapphire held her hands up in defense. “What? I couldn’t just tell them not to come over.”

“You literally could’ve,” Télyn said, slamming her laptop shut. She tossed it onto the coffee table, no longer in the mood for online shopping. “Damn it.”

The whole reason Télyn came over Sapphire’s house was because she needed peace and quiet, and she knew she could find it here. Paige and Juni were motormouths, so it was nice to be able to get things done without someone screaming in your ear every five minutes. Sapphire was barely home, so Télyn almost always had the place to herself.

“I can tell them to leave,” Sapphire offered.

Télyn shook her head. “No, it’s okay. You probably haven’t seen them in a while, and I miss talking shit with Sky.”

She loved her aunts, but damn they didn’t know when to shut up. If Télyn thought Sapphire could talk your ear off, Indigo and Sky were worse. Sky especially, because she barely kept in touch. She had a whole family and kids, and loved to talk about them.

“Great,” Sapphire said, looking at her phone. “They should be here soon… and by soon, I mean they’re pulling up.”

Télyn rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen to make herself something to eat. She’d been getting better about feeding herself lately, mostly because she was hungry all the time now. Her current hyperfixation was peanut butter and jelly. It had to be toasted, cut into triangles, and made with crunchy peanut butter, or she wouldn’t eat it.

The doorbell rang and Télyn continued to make her sandwich while Sapphire got the door. She shook her head when she heard Sky’s loud voice travel into the kitchen.

“Wassup bitches!” She kicked her sandals off, holding up a plastic bag. “I brought liquor!”

Télyn peeked her head from behind the wall while her bread toasted. Indigo was behind Sky, and rolled her eyes as she pulled her heels off. Sapphire looked at Télyn and shrugged before leading them into the kitchen.

“Big Té, never the little one!” Sky greeted, pulling her niece into a hug. She kissed all over her cheek and Télyn gagged. Sky pulled back, taking her in. “How’s my favorite niece?”

“Hey, Sky Sky,” Télyn said, wiping her face. “I was fine until you decided to put your nasty ass lips on me. Don’t you have a husband?”

Indigo snickered, taking a seat at the island. “Hey, Té.”

“Hey.”

Sky looked very offended. “So? What’s that supposed to mean? I can’t kiss my niece?”

Télyn laughed. “I’m barely even your niece. Relax.”

Sky was only three years older than her, and she never let her forget it. Growing up, Télyn could never do anything without Sky rubbing in her face how she was not only older than her, but also her aunt. Even Indigo and Sapphire were chill about it, because they saw Télyn as a sister-cousin in some ways.

“See?” Sky pointed. “No respect!”

Télyn rolled her eyes, grabbing her toast. Sapphire grabbed four shot glasses from the cabinet and set them on the counter. Télyn looked over, and she swore her stomach dropped to her ass. She had never been one to turn down a shot, so they would automatically assume something was up if she did.

Sky and Indigo were watching something on Indigo’s phone while Télyn made her sandwich. Sapphire went and grabbed some sugar-free juice before pouring it in one of the shot glasses and sliding it to Télyn. Télyn looked at Sapphire. Sapphire looked right back, completely unbothered as she twisted open the bottle of tequila.

“Where’s Juni?” Indigo asked. “I’m surprised she isn’t here. Y’all are attached at the hip.”

Télyn rinsed her knife off before throwing it in the dishwasher. “She’s at home with Paige. Probably destroying my house.”

Télyn just knew she would have to come home and immediately clean her home from top to bottom. Paige offered to use a cleaning service, but nobody cleaned their house better than Télyn. Plus, it gave her something to do.

“I need to see June Bug before I leave. I won’t see her again until Christmas,” Sky said, taking her shot. She lived in North Carolina, and only came outside if she absolutely had to. Otherwise, she was under her husband and being a mother to her three children.

Télyn felt bad for her sometimes. Sky should’ve been young and turnt with the rest of them, but she subjected herself to being a stay at home mom. Télyn hoped having kids wouldn’t turn her into somebody who never left the house. She was never outside like that, but being around Sapphire and Indigo, there was almost never a weekend when she didn’t go out when they were together.

“When’s she going back to Connecticut?” Indigo asked.

“Beginning of August. I start residency in a few weeks, so Consuela’s moving in full time until she goes back home.”

Sharon suggested Juni come home earlier, but Télyn wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. With residency starting soon, she wanted to soak up every second she could. They had spent the summer doing whatever they wanted. Movies, shopping trips, beach days, random drives with no destination. Télyn had more free time than she’d ever have again. She also had to figure out how to tell Juni about the baby. The next time her little sister saw her, she’d be an auntie.

Indigo snickered behind her shot glass. “Hoes really finna be doctors.”

“She’s already a doctor,” Sky said proudly. “Big MD, never the little one.”

“Our family is so iconic,” Sapphire said, taking her shot. “We have a WNBA player, a wardrobe stylist, a professional hacker, and a doctor.”

“I am not a professional hacker,” Sky retorted, taking her shot. She grimaced, quickly sipping her chaser. “I work in cybersecurity.”

“Tomato, tomahto.” Sapphire nudged Télyn in the side and nodded at her full glass. Télyn rolled her eyes and took a baby sip before taking another bite of her sandwich. Sapphire poured everyone else another round before they cheered. “To the Rivera girls! May our asses get fatter, and our stomachs get flatter!”

They clinked their glasses together before taking their shots back. Sky leaned against the counter, pouring herself another one.

“I needed this,” she said. “Jason is stressing me the fuck out.”

“Uh oh,” Indigo said. “What happened?”

Sky sighed. Naturally, the conversation moved to the living room. Télyn sat in the arm chair while her aunts piled on the sofa. Personal space was a foreign concept to them.

“He wants another baby,” Sky explained. “I’m just not ready to give him that.”

“Your body, your choice,” Indigo said. “Fuck what he wants.”

Sky ran a hand through her hair. “He is my husband, after all.”

Télyn sighed. This was so grown. Most of her friends were always on the go, and a man was the furthest thing on their minds. She enjoyed talking to them about failed dates and how men weren’t shit. Talking to someone who had been married for years felt different.

Télyn was married, but Sky was married married.

“It’s still your body,” Sapphire said. “He not pushing out no babies.”

“Thank you,” Sky said. “That’s exactly what I told him.”

“And what’d he say?” Indigo asked.

“That he isn’t getting any younger.”

Télyn made a confused face. “Aren’t y’all thirty?”

“With three kids. As in uno, dos, tres,” Indigo emphasized, counting on her fingers. Télyn and Sapphire gave her a look, and she sank in her seat. “My bad. Damn.”

Télyn rolled her eyes. “Most people are just figuring out their lives at thirty. You aren’t ready for another one right now, and he needs to respect that. Your kids are still young, so it’s not like he can use the age gap excuse. If he can’t get with that, we’ll jump him.”

Sapphire and Indigo nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I know,” Sky agreed. “I do want another one, but not right now. The twins just turned one, and Nana is barely four.”

“Nana turned four?” Sapphire asked. “Damn. I’m really a deadbeat auntie.”

Indigo snorted. “Marriage sounds exhausting. I’ll stick with being the rich auntie.”

Sky frowned. “It’s not exhausting. It just… takes a certain type of patience. Your marriage shouldn’t ever make you feel like it’s draining you. Once you start feeling like being with your person is harder than being without them, that’s when you have a problem.”

The room went quiet for a second.

“Damn,” Indigo said. “Who knew Sky Sky was smart?”

Sky rolled her eyes. “Don’t forget who used to do your homework, little girl.”

“And she’s so serious,” Indigo added.

“Anyways… marriage isn’t fifty-fifty all the time,” Sky continued. “Sometimes it’s eighty-twenty. Sometimes it’s ninety-ten. Sometimes one person is carrying more because the other person can’t.”

Télyn glanced down at her wedding ring.

Paige had carried her more times than she could count.

Télyn picked up her phone, clicking a contact from her favorites. She waited a few seconds before they answered.

“Hey, Té.”

Télyn picked at her fingernails nervously before blurting, “Paige and I have been married for two years!”

She slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide in disbelief. The room grew quiet as everyone stared at her. Surely, she was joking. Télyn wouldn’t go off and get married and just not say anything.

“Télyn, what the fuck?” Kiki screeched into the phone.

Télyn jammed her finger into the red button, hurrying to end the call before Kiki could go off on her. She exhaled and sank into the chair, finally happy to get that off her chest. She was good at keeping secrets, but hearing Sky talk about marriage made her realize she was tired of pretending she wasn’t somebody’s wife.

The silence lasted all of three seconds.

“You what?” Sapphire screamed.

“Married Paige,” Télyn said casually.

Indigo blinked. “Two years ago?”

“Yeah.”

Sky stared at her. “You’ve been married for two whole years and just didn’t say anything?”

“Technically not whole because our anniversary is next month.”

Now it was Sky’s turn to scream. “What?”

“So I’ve been teammates with this lady, and she doesn’t bother to tell me she married my niece?” Sapphire pulled out her phone to call Paige, and Indigo slapped the phone from her hands.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Sky said.

Télyn shrugged. “Congratulations would be nice.”

Télyn’s phone started ringing. She stared at the screen. Everyone stared at her.

“Answer it,” Indigo said.

“No.”

“Yes.”

The ringing stopped and started again.

“She’ll just keep calling,” Sapphire said.

Télyn groaned. “I know.”

“Then answer it!”

Télyn picked up the phone when Kiki called a third time.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Kiki yelled into the phone.

Télyn flinched. Kiki never cussed, or even yelled for that matter. Télyn knew she pissed her off bad this time.

“Me and Paige are—”

“I heard you!” Kiki cut her off. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Us,” Sapphire corrected.

“We didn’t want to tell anyone,” Télyn said.

“We? Or you?” Indigo challenged.

Télyn swallowed. The executive decision to keep their marriage a secret was made by her, and Paige went along with it. Télyn told her that she could tell her people if she wanted, but Paige decided if Télyn wasn’t telling hers, she wouldn’t tell hers either.

Looking back, that probably wasn’t fair.

“Me,” Télyn admitted quietly.

“That’s what I thought,” Indigo muttered.

“Télyn!” Kiki shouted.

“Okikiola!” Télyn yelled.

Sapphire shook her head. “Let’s all relax. Té is private, and we all know this. I don’t know why we’re acting so surprised.”

“Because this isn’t something you keep private,” Kiki said. “Té, I’m so mad at you it’s not even funny.”

Télyn rolled her eyes. Everyone was making such a big deal out of this, and she couldn’t understand why. She and Paige’s relationship had always moved at their own pace, so getting married hadn’t really changed anything.

Paige still stole her hoodies.

Télyn still stole Paige’s fries.

They still argued about what to watch before falling asleep halfway through the movie.

The only difference was a piece of paper and rings.

“Did y’all at least have a wedding?” Indigo asked.

“We got married at the courthouse.”

The room exploded.

“A courthouse?” Sky yelled.

“You couldn’t even give us a backyard?” Kiki asked.

“Or a barbecue?” Sapphire added. “Paige likes hot dogs.”

“Y’all are focusing on the wrong part,” Télyn said.

“No, we’re not!” Kiki shouted through the phone.

“We’re having a wedding after I finish residency, and none of you are invited.”

“I’m the maid of honor, I have to be invited,” Kiki said confidently.

Télyn rolled her eyes. “Sure, Jan.”

Sapphire’s phone rang and she held it up for the group. “It’s like she knew we were talking about her.” She picked up the phone, putting it to her ear. “Hey, Bueckers.”

“Télyn, we’ll talk about this later,” Kiki said. “Don’t think I’m done with you.”

“Whatever, Kiki.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Sapphire walked over to Télyn, handing her the phone. “I should’ve known they didn’t wanna talk to me. It’s Juni.”

Télyn took the phone and looked at it confusingly. Why would Juni call Sapphire instead of her?

“Hey, Potato,” Télyn greeted.

“Mommy Bluey, get here now,” Juni whispered.

“Why are you whispering, Juniper?”

“Because P told me not to call you, but she didn’t say I couldn’t call Auntie Saphy and ask for you. I’m hungry, and P doesn’t know how to cook, so I need you to come save me.”

Télyn bit back a laugh. “Do you want me to order you a pizza?”

The line went quiet. “Yes… but I also miss you, so can you just come home?”

Télyn smiled, already standing to grab her things. She didn’t care if they were halfway across the world, she would always come for her Juniper.

“I’m on my way. Hold it down until I get home, okay?”

“Okay,” Juni whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, Juniper. More than the sun, the stars, and everything in between.”

Télyn ended the call and handed the phone to Sapphire. All of the girls were staring at her.

“What?” Télyn asked.

Sky smiled. “You’re gonna make someone a great mommy one day.”

Télyn’s throat tightened unexpectedly.

“Stop being sappy,” she muttered, grabbing her laptop from the table.

“You know she hates for anyone to show emotion,” Sapphire teased.

Télyn flipped her off before grabbing the rest of her things and making her way to her girls. She ordered the pizza before she pulled out of Sapphire’s driveway because she didn’t want Juni to wait too long to eat.

She walked inside the house and instantly got irritated. Juni’s basketball was at the front door instead of in the garage like it belonged. Télyn kicked off her shoes and put her bag in the closet before picking up the ball. The house was quiet, which meant something was wrong.

Télyn ignored it and went to the garage to put the ball away. When she went back towards the kitchen, she heard Juni’s voice.

“It says we need three eggs.”

“Do you wanna crack them?” Paige asked.

“Mommy Bluey doesn’t let me. She said I always get the shells in the mix.”

“Well, she’s not here, so it’s our little secret.”

Télyn walked into the kitchen with her hands on her hips. Juni jumped off the countertop to greet her sister. Télyn leaned down, kissing Juni’s forehead. Juni wrapped her arms around her sister’s neck, squeezing her tightly.

“Mommy Bluey, I missed you!”

Télyn kissed her temple. “How’s my favorite girl in the whole wide world?”

“I’m good. Me and P are making a cake for dessert.”

Télyn looked up at Paige, who cracked the eggs two at a time. She shook her head, knowing she’d have to check for shells. “Really? What else did you do today?”

“We played basketball in the backyard, then we went swimming. I had so much fun!”

Télyn instinctively smelled Juni’s hair. The chlorine smell had been replaced by the scent of the coconut conditioner she used, letting Télyn know that Paige had remembered what she told her about washing after the pool. Paige didn’t understand why she had to wash it while it was still in braids, and Télyn had to send her fifty articles to explain.

“What’d you eat today?” Télyn asked.

“We had leftover mofongo and arroz con pollo from yesterday with salad, because P says I need veggies to make me strong.” Juni leaned forward and cupped her hand around Télyn’s ear. “P said you had to force her to eat her veggies.”

Télyn laughed, pinching her cheek. “I sure did.”

“Don’t be over there talking about me,” Paige called from the island.

“Go pick out your pajamas for tonight. We’re gonna eat our pizza in the movie room while we watch Princess and the Frog.”

Juni’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”

Télyn nodded. “Really. Me and P will finish the batter, and we’ll let you pour it. I promise.”

Juni nodded and ran off towards the stairs. Télyn went to the sink and washed her hands while Paige whisked the cake batter. They fell into a comfortable silence, an easy one. Télyn grabbed a clean pan from the cabinet and started checking the batter while Paige cleaned up around the island.

She never got tired of this.

“I count three shells,” Télyn said, wiping her finger on a paper towel.

Paige walked over and pecked her temple. “Better than five. I’m getting better.”

Télyn smiled, leaning into her. “It’s supposed to be zero, Paige.”

Paige immediately wrapped her arms around her waist from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. “It’s a work in progress.”

Télyn turned around, pinned between the counter and Paige as her arms fell on either of Paige’s shoulders. She pecked her lips, smiling when Paige chased after another kiss.

“I told the girls we’re married,” Télyn said.

Paige’s eyebrows rose. Télyn had never been the type to volunteer information. Especially not information about them.

“You what?”

“I told the girls we’re married.”

Paige blinked. “Did someone threaten you?”

Télyn laughed. “No.”

“You sure?”

“Paige!”

“I’m just trying to figure out what happened.”

Télyn couldn’t help laughing. The truth was, she was still trying to understand it herself.

One minute she was listening to Sky talk about marriage and carrying each other through hard seasons. The next minute she was blurting out a two year secret to her family.

“It just came out.”

Paige just stared at her. “It just… came out?”

Télyn nodded. “Uh-huh.”

Paige laughed. “Télyn Rivera-Bueckers voluntarily sharing personal information. The world really is ending.”

Télyn pinched her in the side. “Shut up.”

“What did they say about it?” Paige asked.

Télyn snorted, thinking about the different reactions she’d received. It wasn’t like she sat them down at dinner and told them. She just blurted it out in the middle of Sapphire’s living room, so she could understand their point of view.

“They were mad as hell.”

“How do you feel though?”

Télyn nuzzled her head in Paige’s shoulder. Paige smiled, pecking her wild mane. They stood like that, the warmth from the preheated oven wrapped around them. Télyn kissed Paige’s neck, soft and reverent.

“I like being your wife,” Télyn whispered.

Paige pulled Télyn’s head back, her hands cupping her face. When she looked into her wife’s gentle eyes, she saw love and compassion. It was growth from the void she had carried for so long without naming it.

Paige pushed some of Télyn’s hair out of her face, planting a kiss to her forehead. The light from the kitchen caught the freckles scattered across her face, softening her in a way that always made Paige pause for half a second too long.

She would love Télyn forever, and even after that.

“I like being your wife too,” Paige said. “Even though you snore.”

Before Télyn could respond, Juni came flying back into the kitchen.

“Can I pour it now?”

Télyn looked at Paige.

Paige looked at Télyn.

Then they both looked at the impatient little girl standing between them.

“Yeah,” they said together.

Juni cheered.

And for the first time all day, Télyn realized she couldn’t wait to tell her, too.