Authors note: I've finished my first draft! I'm so happy! I cried as I wrote the final chapter then just kept writing and added a chapter that is 100% unnecessary but was a comfort to jot down. I'm not sure if I'll post it but we'll see!
I'm going to keep posting this one and start on my next! The same cast of characters.
Let me know your thoughts on the below, I want to make this story as good as possible before I decide what to do with it!
Thanks for reading.
***
Sunday brunch was chaotic and busy as it always was at Alice's at nine in the morning. I sit on the curb by my truck as I watch Shelly pull in, I wave and she meets me at the line flowing out the door.
"Busy this morning," she comments.
I look her up and down, where normally she'd be in a blazer and a collared shirt, she's wearing an old band t-shirt and jeans instead of some form of khaki.
"You okay?" I ask.
"Laundry day." She says looking to her feet.
I nod though I doubt it's the whole truth.
We make our way to the counter to order and get our number. By the time we find a place to sit down outside our coffees appear. I take a deep sip and sigh. I braced myself, try again.
"So what's really going on? You've never looked like it's laundry day a single day in your life, including high school, and I'm pretty sure you did your own laundry even then." I say thinking of her busy single mother.
She gages my stubbornness over the top of her mug and takes a deep drink before setting it down.
"Okay. Dan and I are getting divorced and the laundry machine broke so this is all I have left that doesn't smell."
Our food arrives as I gape at her.
It gives me a moment to collect myself.
"I'm so sorry Shelly." I say handing her the ketchup bottle.
She bangs the end firmly, a small sign of the anger I see brewing in her eyes.
"Yeah, turns out we weren't as happy as I thought. He didn't like the shed."
She shakes her head in disbelief as I ask, "Why not?"
"Says it's just another assumption that he do the gardening. Another expectation that I put on him." She rolls her eyes. "Its not like I don't do my fair share. He hasn't touched a dish since I paid for them."
I take a bite of my eggs as she continues.
"Seriously, if he'd rather fuck some dumb youth from the city and do his own damn dishes it's fine by me. But the least he could have done is wait until he left me to start shopping around."
"Oh no." I say horrified.
"Yep. Found tinder on his phone." She takes a large bite of toast and says with her mouth full, "the classiest of all the dating sites."
"Wouldn't know." I say honestly.
"Of course not, you've always loved Will." She snorts at my surprise. "Really Hannah, everyone knew. Even me. I knew I was just loaning him out until you were old enough for him. Still, I care about him."
"I guess," I think back to his words the other night and nod. She was right. He has loved me since we were children. "Doesn't mean he didn't like you too."
"True. Now I have to hope that the immature rejects that are thirty and single in this small ass town are going to like me too."
"Hey, thirty is not that old." I argue, "and you are still a hot piece of ass. I'm sure you won't have any trouble."
Her eyes well up.
"What is it?"
"How many of them do you think would want me."
"Plenty!"
"And when they find out I can't have children?" her eyes well up and she quickly takes another bite of her toast.
"I'm sure there are plenty of men out there that won't care. You're great Shelly, seriously. I mean I strongly disliked you in high school for obvious reasons but you are a great person. You're smart and kind and you are going to find someone wonderful. You can adopt if you want kids, and if you don't there are plenty of people who don't want kids either."
She sighs, "I don't know what I want anymore."
"Me neither." I admit. "I guess we just keep driving forward anyways and see where life takes us."
She smiles, "one step at a time."
"Exactly, start by getting Dan out of your life for good and then we can focus on your next phase of life."
"Thanks Hannah."
"Of course," I shrug sipping my coffee.
"How are things with Will?"
I smile into my mug. "Things are good. He said he might come with me when I leave for BC."
"That's great! I mean I'll be sad to see you go but it'll be nice for you to have a tiny adventure together."
"Yeah, I think it will." I smile and admit, "But I'm no longer opposed to staying. It turns out I really like my future sister in law. And I just kind of got Hank back..."
"They'll be here for you when you're ready to plant your roots." Shelly says, "You're a travel writer, and a good one. You shouldn't give that up just yet."
"You've read my stuff?" I ask in awe.
"Of course, I followed you around France, Dan and I were going to visit that one vineyard you stayed at for the week on our five year anniversary next year."
"You should go without him." I say smiling, "meet all the sexy French men."
She laughs as I wiggle my eyebrows.
We sit and I tell her all about my time in France, the best stories, the ones that never made it into any article. She tells me about the summer she spent abroad in Valencia, Spain and the trip she took to the coast of Croatia. We spend the entire afternoon laughing over our cups of coffee until the staff begin sweeping around us. When we go to say goodbye, she pauses and gives me a tight squeeze.
"Thanks, Hannah. I'm really glad we did this."
"Me too. We should do it again next week." I say, not just to be polite but because I mean it.
Because it's nice to have a friend.
"I'd like that. I'll text you," she says as she climbs into her sleek car.
I smile and wave as I climb into my own and pull out. The drive to Will's is ingrained in me now and I get there before I know it. I pull in and smile as I hear the saw running.
I know without looking that he's building my stairs, the main storage in the tiny house and the route to the loft.
Will it be enough to hold both our clothes? I ask myself and pause. For a moment I feel the panic, the familiar fear creep up. Then Will steps around the corner smiling, his hazel eyes are warm and kind and my stomach flutters.
If there isn't room for both our clothes we'll build another house. A bigger house. I smile at him and walk over falling effortlessly into his arms for a kiss.
Or I'll just build in more storage I think looking at the beautiful home that we've half finished.