The Neverending Hangover

Chapter Five

...........................................................................

Brad was uncomfortable with me adding another four hours to my week days, and another four to my Sundays when I would perform. He understood why I wanted to, and completely supported the singing, but he said something else had to give.  Brad didn't tell me what to do, but he gave me his opinions, which I respected and trusted. Therefore, I decided to take Tuesdays and Wednesdays off from the shelter.

I had only been home for four months now, and was still on antidepressants and in therapy, though I had decreased my dose and was only meeting with her once a month. I still hadn't visited the parking lot at Andy's company where Drew's miscarriage started. I was doing well, but I didn't want to get myself burned out and end up backsliding, especially when I was embarking on a new singing journey which may prove emotionally exhausting.

Kendra called me to let me know I was having a niece. I started crying- from happiness, and quite honestly, relief. For whatever reason, their child being a boy seemed like it would have been harder for me to handle.  They already had a name picked, Gianna Rose. She  said the Anna part of Gianna was for my middle name, Anne, Gi after Andy's mom, Georgia, and Rose was after Kendra's grandma.  I adored everything about it.

Now that I had Tuesdays and Wednesdays open during the day, I could help Bre with any wedding tasks that needed to be completed.

Brad and Steve had completed the upstairs bathroom and master bedroom, and it looked amazing.

I had gotten to know the shelter director, Kate, enough to know that I liked her. Her job wasn't easy and also didn't pay well, which meant she really had a passion for animals. She was smart, enthusiastic, no-nonsense, and leaned into conflict confidently. She was also petite and curvy, with chin length curls in tight, perfect little black spirals. She had the most beautiful complexion I had ever seen, a dewy glowing brown, without even a fine line on her face, and I knew she was thirty-two, because she had told me. She had amazing cheekbones, a winning smile, and was incredibly down to earth. I started to think this might also be a potential friend, and then I thought of something else. She might be a good fit for Marcus. I started making plans to meddle.

...........................................................................

Bre had decided to move in with Steve early. It made sense. It would save them both time and money.

Steve nearly started crying when she told him.

"Oh, honey, that is such a relief!", he said, embracing her and kissing her. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

"It makes sense", she said. "I do want to try waiting, though, until the end. I mean, we've gone this long".

"I agree", he said. "We will try".

"What really got me on board", she added, "was realizing that even if I stayed here starting right after our honeymoon, I would still have to pay through the month of September.  If I move out the end of June, I save three months of rent, and am saving us both time by being here to help with remodeling stuff and moving everything before I'm back to work. It really makes the most sense".

"I'm glad you thought of it", Steve teased, and she rolled her eyes at him.

...........................................................................

By the end of June, Bre and Binx were moved in, Maggie was enthralled with her new little brother, and Binx tolerated Maggie from a distance. The upstairs bathroom was completely working and finished, the master bedroom was completely finished including decor, and Bre was living in it. The bedroom next to the master, on the same exterior wall, was painted a sandy color with chocolate brown carpet and white trim. Everything upstairs had white doors and white trim. They intended this room to be the nursery, but didn't want to move forward with decorating yet. Since they had no idea how many children they would be blessed with, and also because they didn't want to jinx things, they left the other two rooms upstairs unpainted with no carpet or decorating for the time being.