Page 7 of Puck King
Alison
Sleet pelted against the window.I rolled into the cushions on the sofa and pulled the sleeping bag tight around my neck. My feet tingled from being propped up on the armrest of the condo-sized piece of furniture for too long. After tossing and turning all night long, replaying all of the red flag moments in my relationship that I had ignored, I’d finally drifted off to sleep, only for Hollie’s alarm to go off.
Her bedroom door creaked and her footsteps were quiet as she tip-toed to the bathroom in the pre-dawn light. I winced as I heard a thud. “Ow, ow, ow.” Hollie’s pain was obvious even though she was whispering.
“Are you okay?” My voice cracked.
The bathroom light shone into the hallway and I knew that my night of restless sleep was over.
“I stubbed my toe on the trim,” Hollie groaned. “I don’t think I broke it.”
I tossed off the sleeping bag and padded over to inspect my former employee’s foot. “It’s not broken,” I advised after inspecting the very red pinky toe. “But you might lose your toenail.”
“Great.” Hollie rubbed her toe as I returned to the sofa. “Alison?”
“Yes?” I flopped onto the cushions and pulled the down bag back over my body.
“It’s been a week.”
A week since my life had imploded, and I’d been sleeping on my assistant’s sofa. “I’m heading to the farm on the weekend,” I reminded her. I should’ve gone sooner. The sanctuary of my family home was what I needed after leaving Brian, but I’d had an appointment with my lawyer and had wanted to get the separation and divorce proceedings started immediately.
Hollie hobbled to the living room and sat on the chair beside me. “You know that you can stay as long as you want. I was just wondering if you wanted a change of clothes. Or, maybe even a shower.”
I didn’t have to stick my nose into the neck of my baggy sweatshirt to know that I smelled worse than a locker room. I stood and folded up the mummy-shaped bag as best I could. “I know, Hollie. I’m going to pull myself together today.” I wasn’t sure who I was trying to reassure, me or Hollie.
Hollie stood and gave me a hug.
“You’re a brave woman.” I laughed.
She smiled. “Get in the shower. I’ll leave a change of clothes for you and go make coffee. Then we can figure out how we’re going to start up our own clinic.”
Hollie had walked out of the clinic with me that day. I hadn’t asked her to, she’d insisted.
Brian had been calling every day, but I sent the calls to my voicemail, which I didn’t check. I’d sent him one text back – with my lawyer’s contact info. Then his messages had stopped.
I didn’t want that lying son of a bitch, but part of me wanted him to fight for me, for us, so I could reject him – not the other way around. “As soon as we get the paperwork settled, we’re golden, Hollie.” I smiled. As much as the past week had royally sucked, the idea of starting a fresh new practice, with a loyal and competent assistant, gave me a sense of purpose.
When I stepped out of the steamy shower, I almost felt like a new woman. As I wiped the steam from the mirror, a stranger looked back at me. She had circles under her eyes and looked like she’d aged overnight. I was two months shy of my twenty-ninth birthday, but could usually pass for five years younger. I sighed and wondered if those days were over.
The smell of coffee drew me from the warm bathroom. When I stepped into the tiny kitchen, Hollie smiled, and as her eyes drifted down my body, a grin spread across her face. “Well, that isn’t going to work, is it?” She laughed and pointed to the pants.
I had pulled the socks up, hoping they’d meet the bottom of the leggings, but I was almost six feet tall and Hollie was at least six inches shorter than me. “My forearms are also going to be chilly.” I laughed and stretched my arms in front of me. The sleeves of Hollie’s sweater ended well above my wrists.
Hollie set a cup of coffee on the small table in her eat-in kitchen. “I guess that means we’re going shopping.” Her eyes sparkled.
I took a sip of the coffee and knew that I couldn’t afford to go and buy any new clothes until there was some kind of…I gulped as the word crossed my mind – settlement. “Not today, Hollie. After my meeting I’m going to go to the farm and spend some time with my family. I also have a closet full of clothes there.” The clothes were all from my university days, but at least they would fit.
Our conversation was interrupted by the buzz of a cell phone. “Do you need to get that?” I pointed to the phone that was about to buzz off the table.
Hollie looked at the display. “Weird.” She furrowed her brow. “It’s a friend from my spin class. I wonder what she wants.”
“Answer it.” I laughed. Hollie preferred texting.
Hollie gave me an eye roll but accepted the call. I enjoyed my coffee and zoned out, making a mental checklist of all the things I needed to get done to get back on my feet. Not just for me, but for Hollie, too.
When she ended the call, I came back to reality. “What did she want?” I asked.
Hollie’s cheeks were pink, and a grin that would make the Cheshire Cat jealous spread across her face. “You weren’t listening?”
