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“Stop saying shit like that I’ll see if one of the old ladies at the club can watch hiet in that car to pick him up”

“Okay I hear you”

She says that but I don’t fucking believe her I don’t knohat to do for her, but this isn’t working

“IYou’ve never been married You don’t understand how it feels to be so lonely To ache so deeply for soain Never hear their voice…I need ive hio on? How do I do this? How do I go on with h he never existed?”

“One day at a tiet up and show up for Gus, because that’s what Denny would want In time he’d want you toit has to be tootta live You’re still here And you keep his memory alive for you and Gus, but you’re not dead”

Chapter 6

Patience

My first day had interesting er The man makes ingabout my security I don’t want to be anyone’s charity case, but I appreciate what he did forsure I’m safe, not a lot of people would have stood up for ustus is his nephew, his sister’s son He probably has a big brother complex, but if he had been the ht would have gone so er wouldn’t need to force a woo down on will

ingly

Kicking my heels off, I unbutton my blouse and unzip the back ofit, I remove my shirt and move to the laundry room off the downstairs bathroom by the kitchen pantry This part of the house was an addition I deposit rab a tank top off the top ofon top of the laundry basket I keep putting off carrying upstairs Slipping the soft cotton overit down over my torso

I have a bottle of wine calling my name “There you are, Mr Puss” Whiskers saunters into the kitchen and stops to stretch “Did you have a good day while Mo hi me loud purrs “I suppose you want your supper, hmmm” He looks up at me like duh “Fine My wine can wait a few more seconds” I really need a social life My cat has become my sole companion

I miss Karen, my bestie She’s an older ho lived across the street from Nicholas and hbors Soh, but I didn’t feel that instant connection to any of theether for years, so they’ve settled into their cliques Today was day one I need to give things tih Going fro your cat for company is even harder

I grab the wine bottle forgoing a glass, flip on the Tv to find arade this house to include central heating and cooling Another luxury I’ in my life There’s sos I’h to lift them on my own Another tick on the box of why I should have e

I don’trab er wrote his phone nus with a call likely from my mother

I take the ith et reception out here There’s only the one phone I pick upif I don’t rush, I’llthe stool, I pick the telephone up from the receiver “Hello”