Page 13 of The Husband Contract
"Ssh!" I say, as I answer the phone. "Hi, this is Willow."
"Willow. I've been thinking about you all day." His voice is sensual and low.
"You have?" I lick my lips nervously.
"Yeah. I've been thinking about tonight and how much fun we’re going to have."
“I am looking forward to it, as well.”
“I was thinking that you should wear?—”
"Hey, can I call you back in a little bit? I am actually working right now."
"I guess." He sounds annoyed. “But don’t leave it too long.”
“Hmm, okay.” I hang up the phone and frown. “I think he was going to tell me what to wear.” I make a face. “That should be romantic, but I’m finding him a bit controlling and annoying.” I let out a long sigh. “I should still go, right?”
“Of course!” Brielle nods enthusiastically. “He’s probably just nervous on the phone.”
"I guess so.” I walk over to the now-shining glass mirror and stare at my reflection. My green eyes stare back at me. They look tired. My blonde hair looks limp and flat, and my face needs a good scrubbing. I look like I am thirty-five and not the twenty-five that I really am.
I bite down on my lower lip. I’m exhausted, tired, anxious, and nervous. I'm not going to allow myself to cry because I am lucky that my aunt and cousin took me in and that I have a job.
It wasn't their fault that my parents died in a drunk-driving accident, caused by the other driver. My heart aches as I think about them.
I miss them. I can't remember them that well, but I miss them with everything in my heart and soul. I wonder how different my life would be if they were still alive, if they were here to take care of me. I wonder if I would’ve been able to go to college. I wonder if I would’ve been able to travel, or if I would've had designer handbags or clothes that weren't from the secondhand store. And I wonder if I'd actually be able to tell Charlotte off and stick up for myself and my friends. Will I ever be brave enough to tell her that I feel like she took advantage of me, that I feel like she didn't really love me, and that she used me?
But those are things I keep hidden and secret inside, because I already know that Katherine and Brielle don't like Charlotte. And I am determined to be positive. At the end of the day, Katherine and Brielle have families that love them and would support them if they lost their jobs, but I have no one.
I mean, I have Katherine and Brielle, but they have nothing to support me with. They have no savings either.
I rub my forehead and play with my hair. Life hasn't gone my way so far, but I know it could be worse. Maybe one day, I'll meet a tall, dark, and handsome stranger, and he'll sweep me off my feet, and all of this will seem like a bad dream. Good things do happen to good people sometimes. Though it often feels like nothing good happens to me.
"Hey," Brielle says, walking up to me and placing a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?”
Katherine walks over to my other side and wraps her arm around my waist and squeezes me in tight. I nod and lower my eyes and take a deep breath.
"We're in this together," she says softly. "We're best friends. We're all broke, but one day, one of us will make it, and then we'll have to be there for each other."
I smile at her. "What did I do in life to be able to have the two of you as best friends?" I will not cry.
"I don't know. You obviously did something absolutely amazing, because we are gems."
“You are," I say, laughing, and then I take a deep breath. I look out the window and relax. It's a beautiful day, and this property is as picturesque as an impressionist painting by Monet. It's only a small building consisting of five bedrooms, but all have a view of the countryside. If you look out the windows, you can gaze upon numerous green fields and beautiful rambling pink, red, white, and yellow wildflowers. And if you venture to the back, there's a pool that is so inviting I want to jump into it every time I see it.
I stare out at the sign of the B&B:Whispering Haven Bed and Breakfast.Even the name is quaint and cute. Charlotte had taken our suggestion on the name of the property, and I was glad.
"We can do this," I say under my breath as I look at my friends. "We can make this place successful. It is great practice for when we have our own place." And I know in my heart that if we can make this place successful, I'll be able to find investors to help us buy our own place, which is my dream. We’d do amazing. We have so many ideas, yet we don’t have the money. All that is stopping us is the money.
I pull out my wallet from my handbag and take out the small photo I have hidden between the ten emergency five-dollar notes I keep in it at all times. It's a photo of my mom, dad, and me as a baby. We're all smiling, looking happy.
"I miss you," I say, and then I look at the sky outside, wondering if they're staring down from heaven, rooting me on. But I hear no voices back, which I suppose is a good thing, because if I did hear a voice back, it might mean that I’m crazy. And I don’t want to be crazy. I just want to be me. I just want to live the life I feel like I was supposed to live.
Brielle, Katherine, and I always joke that I'm like Cinderella. But Cinderella had a happily ever after. And sometimes, when I'm standing here, working, I don't feel like it's ever going to happen.
“They miss you, too,” Brielle says, and we all group hug, holding each other tight, appreciative of the fact that we all have each other.
And as I stand there, I realize that I’m going to appreciate this moment. And my friends. Because until something changes, this is as good as it's going to get.
