“I think any God that would allow me to be hit by a cab and have all of my dreams go up in flames is no God I want to know.”
“Did you ever consider that maybe God doesn’t give you what you want but has a way of placing you exactly where you’re meant to be?”
“And you think this is where I’m meant to be? Living with my parents? Losing everything I’ve spent my whole life training for?”
“You may not be able to see it now, but maybe one day you’ll see things differently. Maybe one day you’ll look back on this time and see that there was purpose in it all.”
“Doubtful.”
“This will be good for you. Getting a job, getting back out there.” He stands, clearly over my groaning, self-pitying mess of a self.
“Somehow, I doubt that,” I disagree. “And what if I refuse?” I ask once his back is facing me.
“Then I suppose you’ll be looking for a new place to live,” he says over his shoulder as he reaches the doorway.
“Seriously? You’d kick me out?”
“Make no mistake, London.” He turns fully to face me. “This is not a free ride. Your mother and I urged you to come home so we could help you get on your feet, not so we could support you. It’s time. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant. If you want to continue to live here, youwillget a job.” He says it with a finality I know better than to argue with. “Now get dressed. The least you can do today is join your mother and me for lunch. She’s making your favorite.”
“Grilled cheese and tomato bisque?” I perk up at that.
My father grins, giving me a soft nod. “I’ll see you downstairs in twenty.” With that, he steps into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him.
“CAN I JUST SAY IT REALLYis so good to see you,” Patty says, her nails clacking loudly against the keyboard in front of her as she types something I can’t see from where I’m seated on the opposite side of her desk.
I tried really hard to pump myself up for this interview, if you even want to call it that—feels more like facing a firing squad—but no matter how long I took making sure I looked perfect, itdid nothing to hype me up internally. In fact, I feel even worse about this now than I did before I walked into this drab office.
If I weren’t facing eviction and ensuing homelessness, I most certainly would not be sitting here right now, forcing a fake smile for a woman I never cared for. Her daughter and I were friends through elementary school and junior high, but we stopped hanging out in high school when she started spreading rumors about me—the most egregious one being that I tried coming on to her and that I was only dating Penn to cover up the fact that I was secretly a lesbian who was in love with her.
Even if I were into girls, Cat Stewart would be my last choice for a girlfriend. Big hair. Big boobs. An even bigger mouth. Nothing but drama. Needless to say, my life got a lot better after I ended our friendship.
But wewerefriends once upon a time, and as such, I spent a lot of time at her house over the years, meaning I spent a lot of time around Patty, and if there’s one thing I picked up on, even as a kid, it’s that the apple did not fall far from the tree.
“You as well,” I finally respond after a long beat. “How’s Cat doing? I haven’t seen her in so long.”
I may not like this woman or her daughter, but I’m nothing if not a performer. I didn’t just do dance growing up; I did theater as well, and if I can portray a perfect depiction of Juliet dying from poison, I can pretend I actually care about this woman and her daughter for a few short minutes.
“Oh, she’s doing amazing. She’s a nurse now. Graduated a couple of years ago. She’s been working over at Everett Memorial in Harrisburg.”
“That’s awesome.” My cheeks hurt from holding a smile that’s anything but genuine. “Is she married? Seeing anyone?”
“It’s funny that you should ask. She’s actually been dating one of the Kade brothers for the past few months.”
My stomach hollows.
“As a matter of fact, I think you actually dated him in high school. Penn Kade.”
Mother trucker...
“Oh yeah. That was a long time ago.” I can feel my façade slip, but I’m quick to secure it back into place. I know what she’s doing, and I won’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
“He’s done really well for himself too. You probably should have held onto that one. Though your loss is my daughter’s gain, I suppose.”
It takes everything in me not to reach across the desk and slap the smug smile off this woman’s face.
“Everything happens for a reason.” I widen my smile for good measure.
“I suppose it does. And now here you are, back in Wren Cove.”
