Page 107 of Try Easy

“Mr. Tollison sent in one of my photos, and they want it. They want to publish it.” Lou pushed herself to her feet and paced across the room. Her blood started flowing again as she moved, and she was struck with the urge to break into a run. She settled for climbing on top of the sofa and yelling, “They want my picture!”

Penny stared at Lou for a moment and then she dropped the milk and ran to join her on the sofa. They jumped up and down, hugging each other.

“Congratulations,” Penny said. “I knew you could do it.”

Lou’s smile spread across her face. “I have to tell Keoni!”

After the words came out of her mouth, Lou’s smile crumpled. Her first thought had been to share her joy with Keoni. He would be so proud of her. But then she remembered how he’d felt about the photo of him in the tourist pamphlet. He’d been embarrassed by it, not even wanting her to see it. How would he feel about being featured in an international magazine? He might not be pleased at all. He might be angry.

“I don’t know what to do,” Lou said, sinking down to the sofa.

Penny sank down beside her. “Call him,” she said.

“I’ve tried,” Lou said. “He never answers.”

“That’s because you hang up before he gets the chance.”

Lou squeezed her eyes shut, feeling tears threaten. She had called Keoni several times and even waited for it to ring once or twice, but she had always hung up before he had the chance to answer.

“If I talk to him, I’m never going to get on with my life.”

“You call this living?” Penny asked. “You’ve been moping around here for almost a month. You haven’t looked for a real job. You haven’t even taken any pictures.” Penny took Lou by the shoulders when she tried to look away and pinned her with a glare. “Have you even brushed your hair today?”

Lou winced. Penny’s words cut deeply. She’d just been feeling so proud that she’d bought oranges and milk and hadn’t thought about Keoni until five whole minutes after she’d woken up.

“The world isn’t over just because your plans didn’t work out the way you wanted,” Penny said.

Lou stared at Penny, who had seemed to shake off her misery over losing Bones with admirable resilience. She’d sworn off men and had been focusing all her energy on her career.

“The way I see it,” Penny said. “We got a gift when we went to Hawaii. Our eyes were opened.”

Penny’s voice sounded strange, and Lou took a closer look at her friend. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that there is a whole world out there for us to explore.”

Lou shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t want to tell you this yet, but I guess now is just as good a time as any.” Penny hesitated and then said, “I’m leaving Seattle.”

Lou’s mouth dropped open. “When?”

“Next month.”

“Why?”

“Why not? I need a change. A fresh start.”

Lou stared at Penny, her mouth still hanging slightly open.

“I can’t believe this,” Lou said, feeling a burst of anger. “We were supposed to be a team, Penny. And now everything is ruined.”

“It isn’t ruined,” Penny insisted. “It’s just different.”

Lou stood up and walked down the hall to her room. She closed the door and then went straight to the record player on the dresser. She picked up the needle and started the record that was already on the turntable. The first strains of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” filled the room as Penny opened the door.

“Not this song again,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t bear to hear it one more time.”

“So leave,” Lou said. “What’s stopping you? You’re leaving me anyway.”

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