Once Lourdes got her claws into him, I quickly became an afterthought. I had a roof over my head and my basic needs met but neither of them had time for me. By the time I was ready for college, I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there and I probably wouldn’t have moved home afterwards if not for Lindy. Dad offered to pay for grad school, though, so it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
In spite of that, the father I knew no longer exists and I’ve given up on having any kind of meaningful relationship withhim. No matter how many times I’ve tried to talk to him, he doesn’t listen or see how Lourdes has changed him.
Hockey was always his priority—Mom and I were afterthoughts to an extent—but with Lourdes, it’s like she has him under some kind of trance.
I hate her and now I’m counting down the days until I get my degree. I’ve been putting away money since I turned eighteen, just a little here and there because I don’t know if my father will give me anything to help me get started in life. I have some of my mother’s jewelry so I can pawn it if I have to, but I’d prefer not to—it’s all I have left of her other than pictures and memories.
In the meantime, all I have to do is keep my head down and—a notification on my phone startles me and I see it’s the dating app I recently signed up for. I don’t know what came over me to do that but even though I’m attractive enough, I’m both nerdy and busy, so meeting men has never been a priority for me. I figured this would be a safe enough way to at least dip a toe in the dating waters.
I like this app because it’s completely anonymous and the rules of engagement are kind of cool. It’s called Blind Love, and you can’t exchange pictures or any personal information unless and until you want to. I had one guy reply to my profile last week but as soon as we started talking he wanted to see a picture and I basically swiped left. The whole point is to connect without being distracted by looks, so why is he immediately demanding to see pictures?
Today, someone new has sent me a message.
Broderick M.
BRODERICK: Hey, Jeannie. I saw your profile and wanted to say hi. I’m twenty-five and live in the suburbs of Atlanta. If you’re interested, say hello.
Hmmm.
I used my mother’s name instead of my own just for an added layer of security since friends I haven’t talked to since high school have been crawling out of the woodwork once Dad got hired by the Thunder. Someone interested in me solely because of my dad’s involvement in hockey is the last thing I need in my life.
That’s one of the reasons I joined a brand-new dating app.
And I like that Broderick is local, even though with traffic, it seems like anything outside of Peachtree Heights is an hour’s drive.
But I’ll be driving soon enough. At least, that’s my hope.
I chew the inside of my cheek for a moment and then start typing out a response.
JEANNIE: Hi, Broderick. Nice to “meet” you. I’m twenty-three and moved to the Atlanta suburbs about a month ago. I’m in college getting my master’s and like long walks on the beach.
Let’s see if he has a sense of humor.
BRODERICK: LOL You know it’s about a four-hour drive to the nearest beach from Atlanta, right? But if that’s your favorite thing to do, we can definitely make the drive over to Tybee Island at some point if we decide to meet in person.
JEANNIE: I was kidding, but that’s sweet.
BRODERICK: What brought you to Atlanta? School?
JEANNIE: Actually, no. I moved with the family since I’m living at home while I finish my degree. What about you?
BRODERICK: I came here for work.
I don’t want to get too personal too soon, so I shift the conversation.
JEANNIE: What do you think of ATL so far?
BRODERICK: I like the cost of living—the traffic and humidity, not so much.
JEANNIE: Same. Luckily, my commute from my bed to my desk is pretty short. Most days anyway.
BRODERICK: I wish mine was that short!
JEANNIE: Is your job downtown?
BRODERICK: No, it’s in Alpharetta, so it won’t be too bad.
JEANNIE: We’re practically neighbors! I’m in Peachtree Heights.
