Page 29 of Slap Shot

Gus and Millie can’t wait either.

What are you doing today?

Me

Trudging through the city with Piper to find an apartment. It’s bleak, but I’m hopeful we’ll get there.

Hudson

Good luck!

“Well.”I look around the apartment from the small kitchen and put my hands on my hips, glad Lucy isn’t here to see this. “This sure is… something.”

“The mouse in the living room really makes it feel like a home.” Piper wrinkles her nose and steps away from the mold on the windowsill. “How is this place not condemned?”

“The better question is how are they asking for twenty-five hundred dollars a month for a place this shitty. That should be a crime.”

“You can’t live here. And you can’t live in the other six apartments we saw this morning. In fact, I don’t think you should live anywhere besides our place.”

“You don’t think having to get a tetanus shot before living here sounds fun?”

“Madeline. You cannot be serious.”

“Using humor is a coping mechanism for me, and these are dire times, Piper.” I sigh. “I’m going to have to find my own place eventually. I appreciate your offer to let us stay with you rent-free, but my moral compass won’t let me rely on other people long-term. I’ll figure something out.”

“I’m an optimist too, and even I can recognize how shitty this situation is.”

“From what the guy in the front office told me, all the decent apartments were snatched up by college kids and people who moved in this summer. The pickings are slim.” I stare at the stove that has a burner missing, and I can’t help but laugh. “And slim left a while ago. If he’s smart, he’ll never come back.”

That makes Piper giggle, and soon we’re cackling in the middle of the dilapidated hellhole that might be my future residence.

Me, Lucy, and the family of mice living in the walls.

“There were shit stains on the toilet.” She wheezes, and when she reaches out to hold the counter so she doesn’t fall over, I bat her hand away.

“You need an immunization before you touch anything in here. Did you see the shit stains on the walls? I have a lot of questions.” I groan and hug my purse to my chest. “What the hell am I going to do?”

“We’ll figure it out over lunch. I invited my friends to join. Between the four of us, I’m sure we can come up with a plan.” Her smile is sympathetic, and I’m grateful I don’t have to go through this ordeal alone. “Let’s grab a bite to eat so you can tackle this afternoon with a clear head.”

“And leave this place so soon? What a bummer.” I head for the door, eager to get out of here. “Where are we going?”

“There’s a sushi place close to the arena I’ve been wanting to try. I have to head to the office after to get some work done, so I can’t join you for the next part of your house hunt.”

“Lucky bitch,” I say, and we laugh all the way to Piper’s car.

The drive to the restaurant is short, and when we walk inside, the hostess leads us to a table occupied by two women.

One has long red hair and a splash of freckles on her cheeks. She looks vaguely familiar, someone I’ve definitely seen before, and her shirt shows off sculpted arms.

The other has her brown hair up in a messy ponytail. She’s talking animatedly and using her hands, and I can tell she’s someone with a big personality.

Nerves hit me like a ton of bricks.

I had a few girlfriends back in Vegas. A small group of moms I saw once a week, when we’d chat over charcuterie boards.

My coworker, Alice, who I grabbed dinner with every now and then when I had a rare night off.

It was all surface level stuff, though.

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