Page 35 of Pity Play

“Okay.” She doesn’t seem concerned.

“They’re buying a place in Florida.” When her expression doesn’t shift, I add, “They’re leaving Elk Lake.”

Sitting down on the couch, she looks around the room. “I see you’ve already started packing. When are they selling?”

“As soon as I can get the place repainted, re-carpeted, and emptied.”

“Good for them.” She still doesn’t appear to be worried on my behalf.

“I’m a little concerned about me.”

“What about you?”

“I’ve been home for a few years now. I’m worried about how I’ll make it on the outside.

“Lorelai.” She scoots over to console me. “You’re going to be okay.”

I shake my head. “I hope so.”

“People move all the time.”

I stand up and start to pace back and forth across the room. “People do move all the time. But I don’t. I’m not sure I know how.”

“You moved to Madison,” she reminds me. “You haven’t always lived at home.”

“That’s true,” I tell her. “But that was my decision. This isn’t.”

“Just take the next step,” my friend says. “You don’t have to know what comes after that. Not yet.”

“What do you think my next step is?” Because pudding was my first thought and that’s currently laying in my stomach like a lead weight.

Stating the obvious, she says, “You’ll need to find an apartment.”

“I’m not sure I make enough money.” She shrugs. “We’ll findyou something you can afford. You don’t need a lot of space,” she says. “You’re only one person.”

Allie has had a much harder road than I have, and she’s still managed to hold her own. I try to let that console me, while saying, “I can’t imagine my parents not living in Elk Lake.”

“They’re only here for part of the year. So, I suppose it will be a lot like it is now, except that you’ll be living somewhere else.”

“I guess I’m feeling sorry for myself.”

“No one gets that like I do,” she says. “Heck, I’m still there. But if my parents decided to move, I’d have to go, too.”

“It’s just that …” I don’t really know what I’m going to say, so it’s a good thing she interrupts me.

“You’ve been on your own before, Lorelai. You can do it again. You just need to put one foot in front of the other until you see where your path is leading you.”

My head bobs up and down. “You’re right.”

“Life is shocking at times. And it’s hard. Things happen that you never, in a million years, thought would happen. But even so,” she says, “I have to believe the struggles are worth the journey.”

“Do you want to get an apartment with me?” That would make this a lot less difficult on me both financially as well as emotionally.

Instead of coming to my rescue, Allie shakes her head. “I’ve only been home a few months. I’m not ready to commit to staying in Elk Lake.”

“Let me know if you change your mind,” I say hopefully

She smiles kindly. “You’ve got this. You don’t need your parents. You’re a remarkable woman.”

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