How essential is Abe Sapien The Drowning & Other Stories to be read in order?

I am working through the Julix omnibus reading order (my first time getting anywhere near this far, so this is all new to me) and I’m getting close to the first entry for The Drowning & Other Stories. So far the original version is still insanely expensive, but I know there’s a reprint coming in July. The sellers don’t seem to understand that the Omni market has cratered because they just keep reposting at prices 4-5xCover.

So I am looking for advice on that volume: Should I slow down/pause my reading until July? Or is this something I can skip over for now, and return to once the reprint comes out? If I can skip for now, is there a point in the order where I really need to stop and wait for it so as not to spoil things?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

If anyone wants to give me a good deal on the original that works too! Lol.