to leave us, aren’t you?”
“What
are you talking about?” Jane pressed the fabric to her nose and inhaled. It
smelled good. Freshly dry-cleaned and properly stored, no scent of mold or
mildew and not a fray in sight. A very good sign for a piece of clothing that
was older than she was. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I
know things didn’t work out with you and Harper but eventually you’re going to
find someone and move away.” She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. It
was the kind of sweet, sad smile that made people want to do whatever it took
to make her look happy again.
“That
doesn’t mean I’m leaving.” Jane assured her.
“It’s
going to happen eventually.” Chloe let out a slow breath. “It has to. The three
of us can’t live in that apartment for the rest of our lives. Eventually one of
us is going to go do something stupid like fall in love.”
Jane
folded the dress over her arm as she studied her friends face. She’d known
Chloe for nearly six years, they’d gone to college together, been dorm-mates
and then roommates but managed to never share a bed. She was as close to her as
she was to Lily and she planned on keeping it that way until the three of them
were bunking together in the nursing home. She’d never actually had any other
plans in life other than getting a bigger apartment so the three of them could
have more space for their clothes.
“Sammi’s
opening a lounge down in the Old Port and she’s looking for investors,” she
announced when she realized it was the perfect thing to say.
“I
think my waitressing days are numbered.” She tucked a stray piece of hair
behind her ear and went back to examining the dresses on the rack.
“That’s
not what I said,” Jane corrected her. “I said she was looking for investors.
People who will help her build and run the place.”
“So,
not just a few silent partners to soften the financial risk?” Chloe asked.
“I
wouldn’t blame her for trying to protect her assets.” Jane’s eyes settled on
the big brown price tag dangling from the edge of her dream dress and
contemplated turning it but she knew it would be the quickest way to talk
herself out of buying it. She had money, her small bits of coin she earned from
a job she hated would cover the dress and a new pair of heels, so she wouldn’t
have to touch fat trust fund she’d earned by keeping her mouth shut and doing
as she was told for the first eighteen years of her life. “I just know that I’m
tired of lining other people’s pockets, and maybe it’s about time we owned
something of our own.”
8.
“ Now you just look like a stalker.”
Harper was halfway up the stairs to Jane’s apartment when she
noticed her sitting in a chair on the porch. She had her ipad in her lap, a red
solo cup in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
“That wasn’t my intention,” Harper said as she took the last step
onto the porch.
Jane took out her earbuds and took a drink before speaking. “What were
your intentions?”
“Apologizing,” Harper replied. “Making things better.”
“You’ve been sitting in your car for twenty minutes.” Jane took a
drag off her cigarette and exhaled. “Were you rehearsing a speech?”
Harper wanted to remark on the fact that Jane was watching her but
decided it was a bad idea. “I keep trying to pull one together but I can’t
figure out what I want to say,” she admitted. “Everything sounded wrong.”
“Well, I appreciate your honesty.”
“That’s good to hear.” Harper pointed to the pack of cigarettes on
the table next to Jane’s chair. “This isn’t because of me, is it?”
Jane shook her head and brought the cigarette to her lips.
“What were you listening to?”
“Blonde Redhead.” She exhaled slowly, the white smoke creating a
gauzy curtain between them.
“On Spotify?” Harper leaned asked the porch railing and attempted
to engage Jane in conversation. “I’m on there, is
“What
are you talking about?” Jane pressed the fabric to her nose and inhaled. It
smelled good. Freshly dry-cleaned and properly stored, no scent of mold or
mildew and not a fray in sight. A very good sign for a piece of clothing that
was older than she was. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I
know things didn’t work out with you and Harper but eventually you’re going to
find someone and move away.” She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. It
was the kind of sweet, sad smile that made people want to do whatever it took
to make her look happy again.
“That
doesn’t mean I’m leaving.” Jane assured her.
“It’s
going to happen eventually.” Chloe let out a slow breath. “It has to. The three
of us can’t live in that apartment for the rest of our lives. Eventually one of
us is going to go do something stupid like fall in love.”
Jane
folded the dress over her arm as she studied her friends face. She’d known
Chloe for nearly six years, they’d gone to college together, been dorm-mates
and then roommates but managed to never share a bed. She was as close to her as
she was to Lily and she planned on keeping it that way until the three of them
were bunking together in the nursing home. She’d never actually had any other
plans in life other than getting a bigger apartment so the three of them could
have more space for their clothes.
“Sammi’s
opening a lounge down in the Old Port and she’s looking for investors,” she
announced when she realized it was the perfect thing to say.
“I
think my waitressing days are numbered.” She tucked a stray piece of hair
behind her ear and went back to examining the dresses on the rack.
“That’s
not what I said,” Jane corrected her. “I said she was looking for investors.
People who will help her build and run the place.”
“So,
not just a few silent partners to soften the financial risk?” Chloe asked.
“I
wouldn’t blame her for trying to protect her assets.” Jane’s eyes settled on
the big brown price tag dangling from the edge of her dream dress and
contemplated turning it but she knew it would be the quickest way to talk
herself out of buying it. She had money, her small bits of coin she earned from
a job she hated would cover the dress and a new pair of heels, so she wouldn’t
have to touch fat trust fund she’d earned by keeping her mouth shut and doing
as she was told for the first eighteen years of her life. “I just know that I’m
tired of lining other people’s pockets, and maybe it’s about time we owned
something of our own.”
8.
“ Now you just look like a stalker.”
Harper was halfway up the stairs to Jane’s apartment when she
noticed her sitting in a chair on the porch. She had her ipad in her lap, a red
solo cup in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
“That wasn’t my intention,” Harper said as she took the last step
onto the porch.
Jane took out her earbuds and took a drink before speaking. “What were
your intentions?”
“Apologizing,” Harper replied. “Making things better.”
“You’ve been sitting in your car for twenty minutes.” Jane took a
drag off her cigarette and exhaled. “Were you rehearsing a speech?”
Harper wanted to remark on the fact that Jane was watching her but
decided it was a bad idea. “I keep trying to pull one together but I can’t
figure out what I want to say,” she admitted. “Everything sounded wrong.”
“Well, I appreciate your honesty.”
“That’s good to hear.” Harper pointed to the pack of cigarettes on
the table next to Jane’s chair. “This isn’t because of me, is it?”
Jane shook her head and brought the cigarette to her lips.
“What were you listening to?”
“Blonde Redhead.” She exhaled slowly, the white smoke creating a
gauzy curtain between them.
“On Spotify?” Harper leaned asked the porch railing and attempted
to engage Jane in conversation. “I’m on there, is
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