I was so lucky to have them.
Later that night, Mr. Calloway had texted to say I had the rest of the week off. And Nora insisted I stay with her instead of going back to my apartment.
So, so lucky.
“Sophie?” Nora called.
Uh-oh. She was home.
I decided to give up on the cat. She had to emerge from hiding eventually. Trying to act natural, I came out into the living room and sat on the couch. “Hey. How was your day?”
“Frustrating, but whatever. Tomorrow’s Friday, so I have that going for me.” She took her coat off and hung it up in the closet, then came over to the couch and sat down. “Look at you, all dressed and everything.”
I glanced down at my t-shirt and jeans. It was a definite step up from the worn-out pajamas I’d been living in. I was even wearing a bra. “Yeah. I had to run some errands.”
“I’m impressed. It’s only been a few days and you’re remarkably functional.”
Looking down, I shrugged and picked at a thread on my shirt. “I’m doing okay.”
“I know this is hard, but—” Something darted from the hallway into the kitchen and she stopped. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
“That little blur that ran into the kitchen.”
“Oh, that.” I kept picking at my shirt. “That’s my cat.”
“Since when do you have a cat?”
“Um…” I trailed off. “Since today?”
“That’s the errand you had to run? You got a cat?”
“Yes, I adopted a cat.” My lower lip trembled. I tried to hold back, really I did. But I burst into tears. “I just want something to love me.”
“I thought that’s what Mr. Fuzzykins was for.” She gestured to the hamster enclosure on her dining table.
“Mr. Fuzzykins bit me.” I held up my bandaged finger. “And I changed his name. He’s not Mr. Fuzzykins anymore.”
“What’s his name, then?”
“Camden, because he was mean to me,” I said through sobs. “But the cat doesn’t love me either. She keeps hiding under your bed.”
She put an arm around my shoulder. “Oh, honey.”
“Maybe I’m doing this all wrong.” I sniffed. “Fuzzy pets seem like a great idea because they’re cuddly. But I was reading earlier that bearded dragons are very affectionate.”
“What the hell is a bearded dragon?”
“A species of lizard. They’re very friendly and—”
“Okay, time to get dressed.” She got up and reached for my hands to help me up.
“I am dressed. Do you want to come to the pet store with me?”
“Soph, I’m drawing the line at scales. If you’re going to wallow, you’re going to do it right, not by adopting more animals.”
“I’m not wallowing. I’m trying to find new meaning in my life.”
She hauled me to my feet. “You’re not going to find meaning at a pet store.”
“Then where are we going?”
“Out. Go put on something that makes you feel good.”
“Like jammies?”
“No, I mean something that shows off your rack.” She gestured to my boobs. “I’ll help you with the rest.”
I changed into a black shirt and nicer jeans. Nora vetoed my slippers as shoes and talked me into a pair of pink kitten heels. Then she fixed my hair and put a little makeup on me. I had to admit, it made me feel a bit better.
Then we headed out.
Nora swept into Brody’s and waved her fingers at Jake the bartender. I followed her to a table in the bar and sat.
Jake came over and grinned. “Wow, ladies. You look great. I’m so used to seeing you in running clothes. What’s the occasion?”
“It’s a breakup party,” she said.
“Everly and Hazel on their way?” he asked.
“You know us so well,” Nora said. “We’re going to need three martinis and a lemonade, and keep Sophie’s drinks coming. Plus one of everything on the dessert menu. I don’t even care what they are.”
“You got it.” He winked and left.
Hazel and Everly arrived just as Jake brought out our drinks.
“Wow, you look amazing,” Everly said.
“This is Nora’s handiwork,” I said, gesturing to my hair and face.
“She’s adopted two animals in the last three days,” Nora said. “She mentioned a lizard and I had to intervene.”
“I guess consumption of sugar and alcohol is a more normal way to wallow,” I said, lifting my drink and taking a sip.
“I’m sure you’re not the only girl who’s gotten a breakup cat,” Nora said.
“What’s the other animal?” Hazel asked.
“A hamster who hates me.”
“Why do you think he hates you?” Everly asked.
I raised my bandaged finger. “He bit me.”
“That’s typical hamster behavior,” Hazel said.
“I’m a little bit confused,” Everly said. “Why did you get a hamster and a cat?”
I sighed. “This probably sounds silly, but the thought of going back to my apartment and living all alone was too much. I don’t know why. I lived alone for a long time and I didn’t mind.”
“Maybe because you didn’t think you’d go back to living alone,” Everly said.
She was right. But why had I ever let myself believe that?
“Have you talked to him?” Hazel asked.
“No. He texted right after I left, but I didn’t reply. And I don’t know what there is to say at this point. I do still need to get my stuff out of his house. And figure out how to pay him back because someone paid off all my loans with his money. Plus there’s the thing with my dad and the house he’s buying for him.”
“Wait, what?” Nora asked. “Did we know about that?”
“Probably not. I haven’t even told my dad yet. It’s what he agreed to in exchange for staying married.”
“You asked him to buy a house for your dad?” Nora asked. “Of course you did. Sometimes I don’t think the world deserves you. You’re too good.”
“Good at being a hot mess.” I took a big swallow of my martini.
“Sophie, you’re an amazing woman,” Everly said. “You have so much spirit.”
Nora put an arm around my shoulders. “She’s right. We’re lucky we found you.”
“Thanks, girls.” I sniffed back the tears. “I love you.”
“We love you too,” Nora said.
They really did. Maybe I didn’t have Cox. And maybe I was about to get divorced—my one and possibly only attempt at marriage starting as a disaster and ending worse. But I did have the best friends in the whole world. And that meant a lot.
By Saturday, I was slightly more put together, even without Nora coaxing me into putting on makeup. And I hadn’t tried to get a bearded dragon, or any other pets. The hamster hadn’t bit me again, even when I’d opened the enclosure to give him a little pet on the head. And the cat was warming up to me. I’d decided to name her Maddie.