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