Page 5 of Waiting for Sunshine

I don’t even try to stop the tears. My whole life changed in two days' time. I have no idea what I am doing next. I just up and left the only life and job I’ve known since starting college and meeting Pete. Traveling across the country to come back home. No job prospects, and no place of my own, and it scares the hell out of me.

I am so grateful for Taylor allowing me to call her guest room home for now. This is the second time in my life I’ve lost everything and moved away. Only this time I moved back to where it all fell apart the first time. I feel like there’s something poetic about that, I just can’t manage to see it right now.

Tomorrow I think I will go out and start looking for a job while Taylor is at work. I can’t just sit around and do nothing. Iwon’tjust sit around and do nothing.

After taking an in-depth shower that made the water run cold, which was very much needed, I get out and dry my hair. I throw on my CCA sweatshirt and some joggers before joining the girls. As much as I want to just crawl into bed and sleep away the last few days, I am really excited to catch up with them.

* * *

When I walk into the living room, take-out containers from our favorite local Italian restaurant cover the entire coffee table. They’re all sitting around talking and giggling.

“I’mnotlying, I walk in there to give this man a blanket and he’s just butt ass naked on the bed. Nobody even warned me!” Taylor dramatically waves her hands around.

“Umm. Do I even want to know?” I laugh, as I plop down on the couch next to her.

“No!” Leah and Lauren shout in unison.

“So the other night I’m at work and some old man came in from a car accident and someone told me he needed a warm blanket, so I’m sitting there thinking oh, this poor old man, I’ll grab him a blanket, he’s been through so much, right? HE WAS COMPLETELY NAKED! Becauseno one told methat car accident patients get stripped all the way down to check for injuries.” Taylor yells. “I threw the blanket at him and ran out of the room.”

“Taylor, you didn’t.” I gasp.

“Yes, the hell I did.” She shrugs and tips her wine glass back until it’s empty. I shake my head in disbelief, even though I fully believe it. Just another reminder as to why I stuck with art when Taylor tried to convince me to go into nursing with her.

“Okay, so let's get into it. What the hell happened with that rat bastard ex-boyfriend of yours?” Lauren says.

“Wow, okay. So we’re just…doing this.” I cough trying not to choke on the wine I just drank. They all settle into their places on the couch, holding their take-out containers and drinks. I take a deep breath in, “okay, where do you want me to start?” they all look at each other and then back to me.

“The beginning,” they say.

So I do.

I tell them about how he had become much more distant lately. He would work late into the night several nights a week, and was always glued to his phone when we were together.

Because of that, I would spend more time at the art studio than at home because it just didn’t feel right anymore. Then the big finale was when I made a surprise visit to his work for our anniversary and found him going down on Mandy right there on his desk. They all laughed hysterically when I told them a sushi roll slapped Mandy across the face.

“As it freaking should,” Leah said, bobbing her head back and forth.

Then they all comforted me and reassured me when I questioned why I wasn’t good enough for him. Questioning why he would cheat on me, and trying to pinpoint where exactly it all went wrong. Why he had chosen to cheat and humiliate me like that, instead of just ending things?

“What a fucking asshole. I really am gonna kick his ass next time I see him.” Taylor said, slamming her take-out container on the coffee table.

“Well, hopefully, you won’t see him ever again. I’m so done with men that it’s ridiculous.” I proclaim.

“Oh please, you are not. You just need agoodman. One that’s worthy of you and all the goodness you possess.” Lauren says. Maybe she’s right, but for now, the jury is out on every last one of them. I don’t see myself trusting so easily after this whole debacle, so swearing off all men seems like my best bet.

“Okay, so if we are done with the info spill on Pete. Can we talk about anything else?” Taylor goes to open her mouth to speak but I interrupt, “anything besides naked old men in the ER,” I say with a pointed stare in her direction. She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Leah, how are those little munchkins you teach every day?” I ask.

Leah had talked about being a teacher ever since we worked on that group project together in middle school. She said she wanted to teach Kindergarten because it was the cutest age, however from some of the stories I’ve heard I think it might also be the sassiest age. She went to UT to get her degree and is currently taking online classes to get her master's.

“They’re as crazy as ever. One of them brought me a frog the other day after recess and I almost screamed. I had to very politely tell little Oscar that frogs needed to stay outside so they can find their way back home.” Taylor makes gagging noises, bringing our attention to her.

“There’s no way I wouldn’t have thrown the whole kid back outside.” She says waving her hand in front of her face. I shake my head as if to dismiss the comment then turn my attention to Lauren.

“What about you Lu, how’s business been for the best realtor in Nashville?” Lauren is the most sought-after real estate agent in Nashville. I’m convinced the girl could sell a cardboard box to God himself if the pitch was right.

“It’s been steady, I have been absolutely booked the last few months. I am hoping to get a bit of a break here soon though. People usually don’t want to be moving during the holidays.” She shrugs. With it being the beginning of December, Lauren usually hits the start of her slow season which lasts from now through the New Year. Then it's back to business booming.

Before I can respond and tell her I might be using her to find me a place, a yawn completely takes over my body.

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