City That Never Sleeps

Nothing Good Ever Happens After 2 AM

"Going back to New York was challenging for many reasons. Disappearing for nearly four months into Michigan wasn't entirely the best move to make on my part, I see now. I only had become apart of the group for a solid month before I left, leaving Lily to fill everybody in on the details of why. But, somehow, when I came back I came back to open arms.

"One thing I wasn't anticipating, however, was the huge amount of -"

April 2006

"- work!" I cried in agony. I threw my bag on our table and slumped into the booth, ready to drink my sorrows away.

I heard Robin approach the table. "Why is she sitting like that?"

I lifted my head, still pouting, and turned to Ted. Ted, seeing this, went ahead and explained for me.

"She just got back from her second shift and was yelling how she would choose death over going back to work Monday."

"Ah."

Barney, who had been at the bar getting our drinks, came back at that moment.

"So like I was saying I saw this chick with huge -"

"Huge boobs, yeah we know. Just give me my drink." I impatiently grabbed at mine downing it as fast as I could.

"Well well well," Barney grinned. "Look who's trying to recreate The Pineapple Accident-"

"Incident."

"Incident. You got your shot at Ted here and now you're trying to get with me."

Ted and I shared a quick look before I replied. "That's not at all what I-"

"Despite being back in New York for a while now, Ted and I hadn't talked about the night of The Pineapple Incident. When we saw each other for the first time we both silently agreed never to speak of it."

"Oh save it, Lori. I see right through your plan. You've been after this" he made a gesture to his body "since day one."

"Since day - do you have me confused with someone else?"

"Well, I'll tell you something, Lori. You don't have to try much harder, just uh, unbutton two more of those on your shirt and we'll get you a cab to my place in a little here."

"I'm going to kick your ass." I deadpanned taking his drink out of his hands and drinking it myself.

"You're going tuh what Lor?" He laughed.

"Make fun of my Michigan accent one more time and I'm going to kick you so hard in the balls."

"I'm going tuh kick ya so hard 'n da bAHlls. Bahaha! Did you hear her! She's all like -" I picked him up by his collar and dragged him out of the table. I lifted my knee threateningly. "-sweetjesuspleasedonthurtmeimjustkiddingihavesomuchtolivefor! Did I mention I liked your hair?" He gulped.

I let go of him and took a deep breath before sitting back down in the booth.

"Kids, I'm not a violent person. But that first month back was so stressful I felt like I was going to explode after every day I worked. In case you two didn't know, I had worked at two jobs for the majority of my young adult life. That's why I was more than happy when I came to New York and that one job was enough to make me financially stable. That was until your Abuela had her stroke.

"I had taken pride in myself knowing I was able to make enough money to get by and send some home already. But now in order to help cover the ongoing medical costs, I got myself a second job again."