Me:I just resigned from Pulse Bulletin.
I stare at the screen, waiting for his response.A minute passes, and my phone vibrates.I’ve never read a message so fast.
Adrian:I know that couldn’t have been easy.But I really believe in you.This feels like the start of something better.
I find myself believing that, too.
Mom’s out of hospital and trying to get back to her usual self, or at least close to it.Just over a week ago, she barely had the energy to sit up in a chair, and now she’s chopping vegetables, getting involved with my siblings, smiling again.It’s not perfect, but it’s better.
I step into the grocery store, the automatic doors sliding open, letting in the cool evening air behind me.The aisles are quiet; just a handful of people moving around.
As I grab a bag of chips off the shelf, I catch Candyce from the bar watching me from the end of the aisle, her arms crossed over her chest.“Well, well.If it isn’t the naughty journalist.”
I breathe through my nose, forcing a smile.“Good to see you too, Candyce.”
She laughs, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder before pushing past me.Typical.This town doesn’t forget anything, but at least most people aren’t making a big deal out of it anymore.Except for one…
I turn the corner and nearly run into Violet.
“Jesus,” she huffs, hand over her chest.“You scared the crap out of me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
She eyes the chips in my hand.“Stocking up for a solo binge, or?”
“Game night.”I shift the bag under my arm.“Had to grab some food.Mom put me on snack duty.”
“Ah.”She taps her chin.“I needed a few things too, so I figured I’d stop in after work.Honestly, I’m still bummed you’re leaving.”
“I know.But I just wasn’t happy there anymore.Of course, I loved working with you and Luna, but the job itself?I didn’t enjoy it.I’m ready to do something that I love.”
She nods slowly, studying me.Then, without warning, she reaches out and squeezes my arm before pulling me into a quick hug."I know, and you’re doing what’s best for you.But damn it, I’m going to miss seeing you every day.Who else am I going to talk to about Max?”
As I pull back from her embrace, I chuckle."It’s not like I’m leaving the country.We can still see each other and talk.What if we set up a monthly girls’ date with coffee and thrifting to catch up?”
Violet smiles.“Honestly, that sounds so perfect.So what are you going to do while you look for your next position?You could work in retail, doesn’t have to be full-time.”
I hesitate.I’ve never considered retail before, but maybe she’s onto something.“I don’t know.I still want to keep writing.I don’t want to let that skill go to waste.”
“So do both,” she suggests.“Work at the shop a couple of days a week, write the other days.Best of both worlds.”
“That’s actually… a really good idea.”
“I have those sometimes.”
I grin, feeling lighter.It would let me stay close to Mom, too.As much as she’s improving, I don’t want her pushing herself too hard.
Violet nudges my shoulder.“So, what are you really shopping for?”
I shrug, trying and failing to look casual.“Just snacks.”
Her eyes narrow.“Uh-huh.Seems like something else is on your mind.Have you and a certain doctor talked?”
I try but fail at hiding my smile.“Adrian’s coming to game night, if that’s what you mean.”
She grins like she’s won something.“Ohhh.He’s coming to game night?That’s serious.”
“He’s come to it before,” I say, remembering Thanksgiving Scrabble.“We just haven’t had time to catch up.With Mom in the hospital, then getting her settled at home, and him working night shifts… we haven’t really seen each other.”
