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It was Friday now, and I was all set to head back to the Coast after five agonizing days of being away from Bree. I considered going back last night, but the dishwasher had flooded after dinner, so I stuck around to fix it. By the time I did, it was late, and I was too exhausted to drive, all the manual labor I’d done around the condo during the week seeming to catch up to me.
I missed Bree and my family, but I also missed the sway of the houseboat and even the bustle of Ari’s. The phone calls and texts Bree and I had exchanged daily hadn’t been nearly enough to satisfy my need for her. We had, however, coordinated watching TV together several times, the first time being right after Bree had offhandedly mentioned how badly she wanted to watch some Halloween episodes of her favorite shows before “spooky season” was over. Timing the streaming services over the phone had taken some effort, but our perseverance had paid off.
I could now say that I’d seen “iconic, hallmark episodes” of several late ‘90s and early 2000s shows. And more importantly, I now knew which ones made Bree smile, laugh, and even cry.
I’d never seen someone get as lost in a story as she did.
I’d also been lost—in a different way—most of the time, but she was more than happy to pause and explain the backstories of all the characters as well as the plot points along the way. It was like she’d opened a door into her mind just for me.
I carried the mental image of her relaxed and happy in my bed like a talisman through the countless frustrations of the week.
She’d spent most of the week hanging out with Liem and taking a few short cleaning jobs at Fortuna—the best way to avoid executives, she’d said.
Executive assholes like AJ, I’d assumed.
She’d also sought out Jeanne for a brainstorming session about the lobby magnolia trees, but as Bree described it, it was more commiseration than problem solving.
Her tone and the frequency of her texts had changed yesterday and this morning, turning from generally happy to almost… cagey. I’d texted Liem to check that everything was okay, only for him to text back that I needed to “stop being a mother hen and come back to check on your coop if you’re so concerned.”
Not bad advice.
I stood up and exchanged a goodbye hug with Aunt Ari.
And then I walked out of the condo.
This time, as its former owner.
Another decision made and made well.
38
BREE
“Describe to me, in detail, your proficiency in making biscuits.”
I pulled my toothbrush out of my mouth and peered at Liem through the bathroom doorway. I didn’t care how comfortable in our friendship we’d gotten this week—I didn’t want anyone to watch me spit toothpaste out. It was about as vulnerable as pulling on pants.
Look.
Away.
Liem didn’t get the message, so I shuffled around until my back was to him and spat into the sink before rinsing off my toothbrush—the brand-new one Vinh had left for me—and put it away.
I turned back to my temporary roommate and leaned against the sink. “I used to make biscuits with Grandmother, but it’s been years.”
He nodded. “Good enough.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Meaning?”
“Meaning Vinh won’t be back until tomorrow sometime, so we need help at Ari’s.”
I’d already been dreading the idea of going to Fortuna, so I perked up at an alternative. “I’d love to help, if your parents are okay with that? I can tell them about my experience first, and really, they wouldn’t even need to pay me.”
Liem rolled his eyes. “Of course you’re going to get paid. Now come on, we’re chasing the sunrise.”
“Right now?” I shrieked, gathering my hair behind my head and wondering if I had time to fix it properly. I’d been up for less than ten minutes, having gotten up early to catch the sunrise from the deck. “Why didn’t you ask me last night?” I yelled at Liem's retreating form.
“I thought it’d be better as a surprise because, yeah….” He pointedly watched as I ran around the houseboat, changing into clothes fit for food service before braiding my hair back. “I thought you might panic or overthink it. Seeing as you’re doing both right now, I thought it was better that you only do that for a few minutes than a whole night.”
