Chapter 3

“The house is ready but now we have to decorate it and you know I have no style.  Eric is busy at work trying to get into the swing of things, and he’s picked up golfing so he’s gone every other weekend.  The people up here, sure they’re nice, but they’re like too nice you know?  Like hello—I’m a stranger, why are you inviting me to your kids’ birthday party?  I could be a serial killer that you’re letting me in your home!”

“Nicole—”

“No.  It’s been almost two months in this god forsaken country and I’ve had enough.  I don’t want to be here anymore Jasmine.  Come get me, now!”

There was a long pause over the phone.  “Are you done?”

Nicole sighed heavily into the phone, a nonverbal surrender.

“Nicky… I know leaving Boston was a big step for you—the longest you’ve ever been gone is a week for senior beach week after we graduated college.  You called home two times a day and packed up to leave three days in before we stopped you.  I know it’s a whole new start—but that’s just how you have to look at it,” Jasmine tried to calm her down.  “New jobs, new home, new town, it’s like a fresh start.”

“But I liked everything how it was,” Nicole whined.

Jasmine nodded her head even though Nicole couldn’t see, “I know.  But can you imagine how Eric is feeling?  He’s in the same boat as you, at home and work.  Talk to him about it.  You just need to pick up a hobby, keep busy, something,”

“OHH.  MMM.  GEE,” Nicole squealed so loud Jasmine had to pull her phone from her ear.  “You know what would help?  You could come visit me for a couple weeks!”

Oh no, Jasmine thought.

“Oh we could go shopping and go out to the lake.  You could stay in our old apartment—we haven’t sold it yet—”

“Nicole—”

“You’ll get to see the house—OH MY GOD THE HOUSE—you could help me decorate it!  Didn’t you say business was slow anyway?  Ahhh! I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before, I mean my best friend is an interior designer!”

Jasmine hung her head as she blabbered on and on about all the fun that they were going to have, as if she had already told her yes.

“You don’t know how much this means to me Jazz!”

“Nicole I don’t know if that’s a good idea, if I can even do it,” she tried arguing, but Nicole didn’t hear a thing.

“I can’t wait!  Text me your flight details, I'm going to go tell Eric!” 

And the line went dead.

What the hell just happened?!

--

“I can’t believe she talked you into this,” Eric grinned as Jasmine walked up to him at the airport and gave him a hug.

She rolled her eyes, “Trust me, I can’t either,” Jasmine looked Eric around for such friend who guilt tripped her into flying to Ontario.

When she came looked back at Eric, she just laughed.  “And she didn't even have the decency to pick me up,”

Eric reached for her luggage and Jasmine followed him out to the parking lot.  When he put her suitcase in the back of a truck she couldn’t help but laugh.

“A pickup?  Canada really does change people,” she winked.

The two played catch up as they drove into town with the windows down.  Jasmine hadn’t realized how much she had missed him, only knowing that seeing Nicole would be even better.

When they got into town, Eric pulled up in front of an old firehouse.  He put the truck in park and hopped out to get her luggage out of the bed.

Jasmine slowly climbed out of the truck.  “You’re shitting me?”

Erin just smiled, as he led her through the door.  She gasped walking through the threshold. 

Where fire engines were once parked idly ready to help save lives, it was converted into a spacious family room that opened to a contemporary kitchen.  The mix-matched furniture gave it a hobo feel that Jasmine adored.  The red spiral staircase in the far back corner led to the bedroom loft that looked out over the floor below.

She noticed a petite blonde come running to the railing up above.  “Jazz!” Nicole screamed.

Jasmine ran past Eric and met her at the bottom of the stairs.

“You’re here!”

“I missed you!”

“How was the flight?”

“This place is amazing!”

The girls giggled before falling onto the nearby couch.  Eric was smart—he just carried Jasmine’s things upstairs and disappeared, leaving them to catch up on the past two months.

The sun was setting and the converted firehouse glowed inside.

“I suppose I should let you get some sleep,” Nicole finally said.  “Things are about to get busy around here,” she grinned before calling out to Eric, wherever he was.

Jasmine laughed, “I have no idea what I’m getting myself into, do I?”

“Nope!” Nicole sang before her and Eric closed the front door behind them.

Instantly, silence filled Jasmine’s new home.  She headed upstairs to unpack and make the place feel like home, though she didn’t have to do much though—Nicole knew her well.

Changing out of her jeans and tee and into PJ’s, Jasmine turned out the lights before she slipped under the covers of the queen size bed. 

I have a good feeling about this, she thought.  Brampton, Ontario—it can’t be too bad.


Two minutes after head hit the pillow she was out cold for the night.