chapter 3

Chapter 3

CAROL

After arriving at my small apartment, which was more like an art studio, I changed into something more comfortable. It wasn't long before Susan arrived.

"Yum! These are delicious."

"Yes, you're right. I needed something sweet to sweeten my day. By the way, I ran into your father today." Susan stopped chewing, her perfectly groomed eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Long story. It was pure chance..." I waved my hand to downplay it. "He asked me to tell you to call him." She looked at me for a moment before continuing to eat her chocolate donut.

"I swear I'm going to end up getting fat if I keep this up." I laughed. The girl had an incredible body and never gained weight.

"Sure!" Susan was beautiful; a natural blonde with a killer body, beautiful blue eyes, just like her mother's. Or at least that's what I had seen in the pictures she had shown me, even though she resembled her father more.

"So what happened?" Susan looked at me from the other end of the couch, stuffing another donut into her mouth.

I told her everything that had happened with my idiot ex-boss.

"Wow, that sucks."

"Tell me about it." I got up from the couch and went to the kitchen for more wine. "Do you want some more?"

"No, I have dinner tonight with Dad and Henry." She shouted over her shoulder.

"Wow, what's that about?" I said as I returned to my spot. Susan seemed a bit nervous.

"Well... Henry has asked me to move in with him, so I've accepted."

My wine remained suspended in the air on its way to my mouth.

"I don't think your dad will like that idea."

"Dad has to get over it. I'm not a child, Carol. I'm twenty-two years old. I can take care of myself. He can't expect me to live with him forever. I know he needs his space too, even if he doesn't want to admit it."

"Are you sure about this? I mean, you've only been dating for a year and a half."

"Yes, very sure."

"Okay. In that case, I wish you all the best, enjoy it." Something in my voice must have given me away because Susan frowned.

"What's wrong, girl?" She moved closer to me and took my hands in hers.

"Nothing, don't mind me."

"Oh no. You're not getting away with that. I know you well enough to know something's up."

I rolled my eyes. Nothing escaped her.

"I don't have a job. I'm about to be evicted from the apartment, I have nowhere to live..." The realization hit me so hard that my breath caught. "But don't worry, don't let my problems overshadow your happiness. I'll figure something out."

"Well, of course I'm going to worry. You're my best friend, obviously I'm going to worry about you."

"I love you."

"And I love you, girl." We hugged.

"I hate having to call my parents and ask for help." Susan's back tensed. Slowly she let me go, with a serious expression on her face.

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

I shrugged. There was no need to mention anything. She knew.

"No, you can't do this to me." She stood up and paced back and forth, agitated. "Your parents moved to Spain three years ago. How can you even think of something like that when you fought so hard to stay here?"

"Do you think I don't know? I know better than anyone what I had to do to stay. Having to prove to my father that I could be on my own was tough. I also don't think I'll ever forget Corinne's sad look."

Emotions overwhelmed me, tears began rolling down my cheeks.

"I don't see what else I can do. I have no money, no job, and on top of that, I have to move out of this place in a week."

"When were you planning on telling me all of this?"

"I don't want to bother you with my problems. Plus, I haven't seen much of you lately. You have your own life, Susan. You're even planning to live with Henry, and that's great, you know? It's awesome. But I have to figure out my life and give it some stability."

She stopped pacing and seemed to think about everything I had said.

"You are important in my life, you have always supported me unconditionally. So if you need me, I will be there for you without a doubt. Let's solve this."