I follow her out onto the street, and we start walking past restaurants, shops, and offices. “Look around, Claire,” Lennon says. “You’re living in one of the greatest cities on the planet, and you can choose to do anything you want, anytime you want to.”
The light changes green just as we step up to the curb, and I pay attention to what’s around me. There’s an underlying bed of noise from the cars. The buildings tower, almost too tall to take in as the sun glints off their reflective windows. And people—lots of people—are moving, talking, laughing, carrying bags from all kinds of shops and stores. There’s a group of college kids chatting excitedly as they walk with purpose; there’s a couple lifting a toddler by his hands and swinging him every third step. There are three young guys drumming on buckets on a street corner, and it’s crazy, but 75 percent of these people have dark hair.
The world ebbs and flows, and Lennon just takes it in stride.
“It’s freeing, really.” Lennon glances at me. “And look—you made a new friend today!” She holds her arms out to indicate herself. As she does, she accidentally knocks into someone walking past. “Ope! Geez, so sorry.” She winces at me with a smile and moves to the side. “Plus, I know the city like the back of my hand, so if you have any questions—I’m your girl.” She turns and keeps walking.
“What do you do?” I ask, quickening my pace to keep up.
“I’m a Realtor,” she says. “Luxury properties.” She pulls a business card out of her purse and hands it to me. “My cell is on there, so you can call me anytime.”
I look at the card, then tuck it into my purse.
“What about you?” she asks. “What are you into?”
“Well...” I screw up my face and take a breath.
It was easier when the answer to that question was “Strawberry Shortcake.”
“I’m trying to figure that out. I haven’t actually been here that long.”
“You didn’t move here for a job or something?”
I shake my head. “No, it was—” I pause, then decide to open up. “I needed a change. I needed to do things that scared me. So I made a list, and ‘move to a new city’ was near the top of the list.” I go quiet for a second before adding, “I always wanted to live in Chicago.”
She drops her jaw and frowns in admiration, hitting me on the arm. “Claire! That’samazing.”
I half roll my eyes because, seriously, it doesn’t feel amazing right now. “Jury’s still out on that one.”
“Are you kidding? It’s huge.”
I smile. Someone in my corner. It’s nice.
“One of my goals is to get a hobby,” I say.
She laughs. “That’s fair.”
“What about you? Other than selling condos to Chicago’s elite, what are you into?”
“Mostly my husband, Daniel, and my baby, Eve.” She smiles. “And pickleball.” Her eyes light up. “Oh my gosh! You should come! We play on Saturdays. I’ll text you the details.” She hands me her phone. “Here, put your number in.”
“This is a big step in our relationship,” I joke. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”
“True.” She sucks in a breath. “We are moving fast...”
We both laugh, and I wonder why I waited so long to try to make new friends.
I hand the phone back, and she opens a new text. Seconds later, my phone dings.
Unknown number: It’s your new friend, Lennon. Save my number.
I talk and type out her contact info. “New... Friend... Lennon. Got it.”
She beams. “I’m so glad that lady was rude to you!”
I laugh. “Me too!”
She sticks her phone in her pocket and looks down the street, then takes off purposefully. “Come on, slowpoke.”
