SAINT NOBODY ── RIO [GOOD GIRLS]

zero ━━ ᴡʜᴏ ᴇʟꜱᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴜꜱ?

ONE WEEK AGO

"I'm late, I know."

Pushing Beth's door shut with her foot, Faye made her way further into the Boland kitchen, smiling ruefully at the group seated at the counter. Hiking a bright-eyed Avery up higher on her hip, she made her way over to the kitchen island, inhaling yearningly at the aroma of coffee lingering in the air.

Ruby cooed a hello to Avery when Faye joined them, deftly shifting her mug out of reach when her eyes drifted to it. She clicked her tongue at Avery before, motioning to the woman sitting beside her, she nodded her head knowingly at Faye.

"You're not any later than Annie."

Side glancing pointedly at the aforementioned Marks sister, Ruby hummed."She floundered in, like, forty seconds ago."

Nudging Ruby's shin with her foot, Annie scowled at her friend before shifting in the stool she was sitting sideways in. Simpering in tune with Ruby, Beth got to her feet and rounded the worktop, finger brushing Avery's cheek in greeting as she passed.

"Want some coffee?"

"Please."Faye breathed out longingly and perched Avery atop the side of the worktop so she could relieve her daughter of her coat."Someone didn't cooperate getting ready this morning."

"You got them, right? You got the donuts?"Annie queried, tilting her body off to the side so she could scan Faye for the familiar store label.

Presenting and joggling the box with a roll of her eyes, Faye slid it across the counter with her unoccupied hand and it glided home into Annie's awaiting grasp.

"I got the donuts."

Annie and Ruby wasted no time in opening the box before carefully hand-picking their preferred donut—Jelly for Ruby and vanilla frosted for Annie.

Allowing herself to be seated without a fuss, Avery kicked her little legs out and flailed her arms once her mother had liberated her of the coat. Fingers then twining in her mother's sweater, Avery turned her head from side to side so she could investigate her new surroundings.

Her gaze lingering on each woman before, ultimately, she found the vibrant paintings on the fridge most deserving of her focus.

"Mmm! Gimme her. I need a pick me up."Annie appealed around a mouth of donut, making grabby hands at Faye until Avery was handed over.

She took Avery from her mother with a laugh of delight, planting a kiss on her chubby cheek. Faye smiled at the sight as she seated herself down on the unoccupied stool in-between Ruby and Annie, draping Avery's coat over her thighs.

"You are so cute."Annie sighed, embracing Avery with a sentimental murmur."She still has that baby smell."

Accepting the steaming mug from Beth when she held it out, Faye noticed her eyes lingering on her younger sister and followed, turning to look at Annie. Palm heating up against the porcelain, Faye blew into the mug before she took a small sip then deposited it down on top of a coaster.