When Girlfriends Break Hearts by Savannah Page

you need to do is make your own life a foreign world to yourself and quit everything. Don’t forget your yoga, your job, your friends .”  
    “But your reaction to your husband leaving you for that preschooler was to pack up, quit your job, and move to Bali!”  
    “Only after some time of grieving and sorting things out,” she said in a soothing voice. “I didn’t change everything overnight. Sure, my ex-husband made me feel like my life had taken a one-eighty in a matter of seconds, but in reality that’s not what happened. Events in life are progressive, Sophie. Things don’t suddenly happen out of nowhere, with no progression, and for no reason.  
    “I took my time to grieve and sort through the mess and eventually I found that the next step in my life’s path was to make a career change. Move somewhere exotic and new for awhile. Make my next move in life. That takes time, Sophie. And you’ll get there.” She placed her warm and wrinkling hand on mine. “In time you will get there, my dear. Have faith and don’t give up.”
    I thanked her and gave her another hug. I knew I could count on her to share her wisdom and kindness. Of course, I knew her advice wouldn’t be heeded easily and quickly, and I’m sure she figured that much as well.
    “Don’t get lost in all this, Sophie. You’re stronger than it so don’t let it get you down.”

Chapter Twelve
     
    The very next afternoon I took Pamela’s advice and decided that a forty-five minute Basic Yoga Stretch I class was a better way to spend my lunch break than crying into the tuna sandwich I had packed that morning. I had to pick myself up and push on, no matter how painful. Pamela was right. I needed to focus on my yoga, on my career, and on getting better.
    I headed for Studio Tulaa at lunch. This particular course wasn’t taught by Pamela, but I nonetheless finished feeling rejuvenated and enlightened, and I was enthusiastic to follow it up just a few hours later with my regular evening course after work. Rarely would I have to work past the five or five-thirty mark at Katie’s , and this evening was no different. So back to yoga I went, ready for an hour and fifteen minutes of deep stretches, not to mention a hug and warming smile from Pamela. She exuded confidence, kindness, and general feel-goodness. She and her yoga instruction were turning out to be great antidotes to the pain I would feel build up throughout each day. And surprisingly, in just a couple of short days, I was starting to feel like maybe, just maybe , I could pull out of this. Not unscathed, but I could pull out. Slowly, but ever so surely.

    ***
    “I’m home!” I called out to Claire as I walked through the front door, still dressed in my yoga clothes. I rarely ever switched out of my workout clothes after class; only if I had some hot date planned or some after-workout plans, but who was I kidding? These days I was lucky I even got out of bed.
    I heard raised voices and then mumbling coming from what sounded like Claire and Conner’s bedroom. I closed the front door behind me and quietly made my way across the living room. The raised voices stopped, but the mumbling continued.
    “No, I don’t want to talk about it,” I heard Claire say. Her bedroom door was open a few inches. Were Claire and Conner having an argument? It’s normal for all couples to have squabbles, but it was out of character for Claire and Conner to have shouting matches, which sounded like what was going on before I entered the scene.
    “No,” Claire said again. “No. We’re not talking about it anymore…I don’t want to…I said no…”  
    Suddenly Claire swung her bedroom door open and I jumped, caught in the act of shameful eavesdropping.  
    “Girl, it’s about time!” Claire said. She became all smiles and walked up to me.
    I chuckled, not sure what to think of the rather uncomfortable situation. “It’s about time for what?” I asked, casually peering over Claire’s shoulder.