Page 27 of It Couldn't Be You
“We could always bring you in for some part-time work. I’m looking to train Katie for some more managerial work anyway, so we’ll need some upfront help,” Rose said.
“That’d actually be amazing while I job hunt,” I said, happy to grasp onto some hope.
“Let’s figure it out the next couple days, then.” Rose patted the table as if adjourning our brief meeting and then walked off.
“Are you getting a promotion?” I whispered excitedly to Katie.
“Sort of? Rose just really needs some help with some of the money, buying, and management—behind-the-scenes stuff. She asked if I could ‘be her’ for some of the stuff,” she leaned across the desk as she lowered her voice.
“That’s great, Katie. If anyone could take over some of the stuff for Rose, it’d be you.”
“Well, we shall see how it all goes,” Katie said humbly.
“We’ll also see how being coworkers goes. Since I’ll soon be doling out coffee and books here.”
“You are going to need so much training. You make the worst cups of coffee,” Katie said seriously.
Iwas back at my apartment that evening, making myself some New Year’s Eve dinner, when my mom called.
“Hey, mama,” I greeted her.
“Honey, I just saw your message about everything that happened today. How are you doing?” I could hear water splashing in the background, I was on speakerphone. I could imagine her with her phone on the windowsill over the sink while washing dishes.
“I’m okay. I’m just trying to figure everything out.”
“Oh, sweetie. You will figure it out. I know it. I think God is just nudging you in some new directions.”
“You think so? What do you mean?” I walked from the kitchen counter to my four-person round glass-top kitchen table. I sat down, pulling my feet up onto the edge of my seat.
“Well, with your job–maybe it’s time you step out and try something new. Something a little different. Something more like what you talked about doing in college.”
“Where? There’s literally only one writing job in Sweet River, and I had it. Rich has the other.”
“I don’t mean in Sweet River,” she said this slowly, carefully.
“I was thinking about that today, too. Katie wasn’t too fond of the idea.”
“Well, Katie would be okay. I know we’d have you back home all the time. And wasn’t that what you said when you broke up with Jordan? That you didn’t want what he wanted, and he wanted to stay here.”
I was quiet. All thoughts led back to the breakup.
“How about you come home, hon? It’s New Year’s Eve. You skipped out on your beloved firework show. You’re there all alone in your apartment. I think you should come home. We can watch a movie, or we could zip downtown and watch the fireworks, just us three. I don’t think you should be alone.”
“I kind of want to be alone, though,” I said. “I was supposed to go to the firework show with Jordan, you know. He’ll probably be there with his whole motley crew.”
“Well, why don’t you go withyourwhole motley crew? Isn’t Katie going? She can make sure you don’t rub shoulders with Jordan. Plus, I saw that Gabe is home. He’d probably tag along, too.”
“I just…” I suddenly felt myself wishing I had a rewind button and I could push it back far enough before I broke up with Jordan.
My whole life felt too complicated now. I just wanted to have my old simple plans back. My old simple life when I spent New Year’s Eve with my boyfriend.
“Things just feel kind of hard. I don’t know what to do.” I rubbed my forehead.
“Oh, Em,” my mom said. “Should I come over?” But if I saw my mom with her mom hugs and her mom voice, I knew I would cry even more.
I needed to give my eyes, and my heart, a rest from crying.
“No, I need to go, Mom,” I cried.
