Noah: Brutal.
Liam: Yup. But we’re still throwing the party. I saw a video of these kids who threw a party at their neighbor’s place when they were on vacay. Looked epic.
Noah: Did they get caught?
Liam: It was such chaos that by the time the cops showed up, no one knew who was hosting.
Noah: IDK, sounds sketch.
Liam: Brah, there’s no way we’d get caught. And their insurance has to cover any damage so it’s seriously a victimless crime.
Noah: Note the word CRIME, dingus.
Liam: Don’t be such a bitch. It’s no big deal.
Noah: I’m not a bitch. It’s just a shit idea.
Liam: It won’t be when we find the right house. Charmaine will come. And maybe you’ll get to the bottom of the real or fake question.
Noah: When you put it that way…
11
“Be decisive. Right or wrong, make a decision. The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.”
~ Anonymous
Email from: Blaire Pritchard, PTA President
To: Jessica Halloway
Subject: Towels for Dog Wash Fundraiser/Pies
Hi Jess,
I heard back from PetLove, and they would need at least half of the towels back on Sunday morning. The other half could be brought in on Monday, but they’d want a $100 deposit if you’re going to take them home. I’ll leave it with you to decide whether you want to collect old towels or use the store’s. I’ll need to let them know three days before the event what we’re doing.
With regards to the Thanksgiving pies, we really do need you to make at least six. Can we count on you?
Blaire
Blaire Pritchard,MHRM, BBA, Director of Human Resources at Info-Tech Inc, PTA President, Proud Mom of Hannah and Will
It had been eight days since the collision, and Jess had yet to figure out how to reinvent herself. But that was okay. She needed time to heal. Her body was still objecting to moving around much—her arms said a decisive no to lifting a laundry basket, her back refused to allow her to bend down to tidy the shoes in the mudroom, and her neck complained vehemently no matter what position she tried to sleep in.
Baxter, on the other hand, was in his glory. His person was with him twenty-four hours a day. He was perfectly content to curl up on her lap as she lounged on the recliner and binged30 Rock, which was what she was doing at the moment. She had started out watching a Kira video aboutFive Reasons You Might be Feeling Empty, but shut it off as soon as Kira introduced Reason Number Three: Improper Nutrition. Jess knew Kira was about to launch into a sales pitch about her new supplement line. Since the brunch, Rachael’s comments about Kira being an evil marketing genius had dulled Jessica’s ability to enjoy Kira’s videos.
Outside, it was a perfectly beautiful early winter day. The sun was shining for once, the sky was blue, and she wanted to be out there instead of indoors in her pajamas. Her mom wasn’t coming by today and she was supposed to be at work, so she was a little extra lonely. So lonely that she called the pottery shop.
When her boss, Evelyn, answered, Jess told her she was just checking in to see how things were going. “Fine. I’m definitely missing you today.” Lowering her voice, she added, “That group of seniors is back. God, they’re needy.”
“True, but at least they’re nice about it.”
“Not all of them. The one with those crazy red glasses actually said something quite nasty about you when they came in.”
“Really?” Jessica’s stomach clenched. What would Betty possibly have to say about her?
“She asked if you were coming in, and when I said no, she said, ‘Thank God.’”
