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Stick to the Plan
Chloe
29 weeks & 4 days pregnant
Bainbridge Island, Washington
The ferry slowly slipped out of the port, and I adjusted my shades to hide the tears.
Leaving Tyler didn’t make my life any easier. If anything, I was struggling even more. Still, I resolved to stay strong, committing to a new morning routine devoid of his touches.
I woke up two hours before Kristin, took the first available ferry to the city in oversized clothes, and slipped through the side entrance of Madison’s shop long before she served her first cone.
I’d stopped reading the news, but occasionally I caught a glimpse of myself in the thumbnail with “Home-wrecker Watch” as the headline.
“Hey.” An older woman tapped my shoulder. “What type of drugs are you on, honey?”
“Um, none.” I debated getting up and switching seats. “I’m not on any drugs.”
“Are you sure?” she asked. “Because only someone on drugs would write something like that.”
She pointed to the front of my notebook, where I’d written the words, “Things I’ll Figure Out by Thirty.”
“That’s the age when we’re supposed to have it all figured out,” I said. “Or, so I’ve heard.”
“You’ve heard wrong,” she said, laughing. “I’m fifty-five and I still have no idea what I’m doing. I am having fun, though. I had my first threesome last month.”
“Threesome?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “Best birthday present I ever bought for myself. Those two guys who couldn’t get enough of these thighs.”
I laughed for the first time this week, and she patted my back.
“My husband could never do what they did to me,” she said. “If I could go back in time to when I was thirty, I would’ve arranged to have one of those every year.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I smiled. “Anything else you’d go back and change?”
“Not a damn thing, hun.” She squeezed my hand. “Who I wanted to be and what I thought about my life changed every week, so I finally let go of all that. I just enjoyed my life, and I suggest you throw away that notebook and do the same, hear?”
She didn’t give me a chance to respond. “Take care of yourself,” she said before heading toward the steps.
I flipped open my notebook and read through all the lists and goals I wanted, seeing I only had a few months to make them a reality.
As the ferry approached Seattle’s pier, I ripped the pages to shreds and tossed them in the trash.
Making sure my shades were secure, I took the long way to Madison’s shop and took my usual spot in her back office.
Within seconds, I heard a familiar voice.
“Chloe?” It was Tyler.
“Whoa.” Madison ventured into the cafe, and I strained to catch a glimpse of him from the window.
As usual, he looked perfect in his custom dark suit and tie, but my heart sank at the look in his eyes. It didn’t match the anger from his text messages.
It was anguish, pain.
“We’re not open for another two hours, sir.” Madison scoffed. “You need to leave before I call the police.”
