Everything happens for a reason,that’s what I’ve always thought. Saying that about my aunts grooming salon burning down seems fucked up, but clearly there must be one. There must be a reason I’m currently packing up to go back to my hometown after being away for two years.
I just recently finished nursing school after struggling with not knowing what to do after undergrad. Some say I’m impulsive, and others say I’m indecisive. I guess I’m both of those things, depending on the day. Or the situation.
Right now, the indecisive part is winning because I haven’t known what area of nursing I want to go with and have been applying to several different jobs. Impulse is taking over at the fact that I applied to the only open position at the hospital near Amity, which is the Emergency Department.
And why I’m moving before even hearing back.
Last night my aunt called me in the middle of the night and told me what happened. As soon as I hung up, I tried to wake upAaron, my boyfriend, and tell him. He just groaned and rolled over. I get that it was the middle of the night, and he doesn’t like being woken up, but I would only do that because it was important. Which it was. And I ended up staying awake most of the night worried and overthinking.
Aaron left for work during the couple hours I managed to sleep in the early morning. Once I woke up, my day has been spent job searching, applying, and now packing.
The front door unlocks and I go out to greet him, so I can tell him what’s going on.
“Hi, welcome home.” I smile widely as he comes through the front door.
“Hi sweetie.” He smiles back, pulling me into a tight hug, pressing his lips to my forehead for a brief moment.
I sigh into him, but then he’s letting me go and I have to catch myself.
“How was your day?” he asks, moving to the kitchen to pull out a beer.
“Oh, actually”—I bounce around the island to meet him—“I have some news. My aunt’s grooming salon back home had a bit of a fire last night, and I may have told her I’d come back there to help.”
He furrows his brows while taking a sip from the bottle. “How’re you going to help?”
“Wellllll,” I exaggerate the last letter, scooting even closer to him so I’m pressed against his side. “I may have told heryouwould help with your architect-ness, but that we’re a two for one deal.”
His eyes narrow, and my shoulders stay up by my ears with a wary smile on my face, waiting for his response.
“And what about my projects here? You think I can just leave those?”
“No, I mean you don’t have to stay in Amity, just help for a little bit. You have partners at your job now. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.” My confidence in this plan is wavering, especially with the way he’s looking at me.
He sighs, shaking his head. “Okay, I could go with you for a couple days.”
“Yay!” I squeal, bouncing up on the balls of my feet, and wrapping my arms around his neck in a hug. “You won’t regret it. It’ll be fun, you can meet Jerry Lee, he’s my aunt’s crazy bird that says random shit. Some of which I may have taught him.”
He grimaces. “What did you teach the bird to say?”
“Oh you’ll see.” I chuckle, already thinking of his reaction. I go back to packing up a bag so I can start my drive to Washington soon. I think about my mom’s banana bread and how I’m excited to have that again. Maybe she’ll even have it ready when I get there. Then, I think about other desserts and end up blurting, “Does anyone even really like tiramisu?”
“What?” Aaron deadpans.
“The dessert, could it even be considered a dessert? I feel like it’s not sweet enough. Do you think anyone actually likes it? Or isit just a cool thing to say that you like tiramisu. It’s fun word, but it’s not a fun food.”
He’s quiet for a couple seconds, and I’m wondering if he even heard me, but then I hear, “Why do you say shit like that?”
My shoulders deflate. I love Aaron, we’ve been together for around two years, but sometimes he doesn’t get me, and I’m used to that because a lot of people tend not to get me. Sometimes I try to tone it down, but other times I can’t help it.
I pick up my phone, remembering how I mentioned Jerry Lee and text my aunt asking if he’s okay since he was the one in the building when it caught on fire. She responds quickly, and I stare at the screen longer than necessary, but his name catches me off guard. Just like it always does.
Trish: He’s fine. Parker actually saved him.
Lily: Well good for Parker.
Lily: I hope you can sense my sarcasm.
I toss my phone down, worried that I may end up thinking too much about the guy she mentioned. The one I try not to think about but always ends up snaking his way into my mind one way or another. Either the memories of how he looked when I was leaving, or the look on his face when I saw him with another girl not long after.