Page 15 of Dirty Fortune

Julie

I wake up with the sun burning my eyes. What time is it? I check my phone, which is on the bedside table and it's almost noon. Keith is definitely wearing me out. I get up to start fixing lunch and see a note on the dining room table. Oh my God! Keith has gone to talk to Mike.

I hurry back, grab my phone, and message my besties in our group chat.

Me: 911 Emergency Meeting!

Hailey: What's going on?

Amber: I can't. I'm still in Vegas

Meghan: Is everything alright? I can be there in half an hour

Alice: Will there be food? I'm starving

Gemma: I'm on my way, hang tight

Me: Just come to my apartment ASAP! I'll order some food for us. Amber, we can do a videoconference with you.

Knowing my besties will be here soon floods me with relief. They've got my back and can help me figure things out. I just got Keith back, and I don't want anything to interfere with that. I order some Thai food – my favorite – and get myself ready to brainstorm with my girls. Pretty soon, they start arriving one by one. I bring my laptop to the living room so we can include Amber, and then I busy myself arranging the food buffet style so everyone can pick what they want.

When everyone is sitting around my living room, I stand before them, wringing my hands in front of me. Their faces have questioning and eager looks because they know I'm not one to panic easily.

"So, Vegas, right?"

"Just spill it, Julie" Amber's voice comes out of the laptop.

"Remember that one night stand that I've never gotten over even though nine years have passed?"

Everyone is nodding. They've known about this for years because I had trouble letting go of Keith to start dating. Who am I kidding? Keith is it for me, and all this time, though hurtful, was worth the wait.

"Well, I saw him in Vegas, and we hooked up."

"Great, another nine years of misery. He's worse than a mirror." Amber says.

"Keep going, Julie. Let us know how we can help." Gemma, always kind, says.

"It's my brother's best friend, Keith. And Mike walked in on us yesterday and broke his nose. I want us to do an intervention for Mike so he understands I want a life with Keith. I'm just too chicken to talk to him myself. Keith left me a note saying he was going to see Mike this morning, and he hasn't come back.

"Well, first, I think it's great you two have been reunited, Julie. Now you can finally move forward with your life." Hailey says.

Everyone nods in agreement, and I relax slightly. I plop down on a chair, and now I am the one with an eager and hopeful look on my face.

"Now that you've told us the problem, I can get some food to prepare myself for the brainstorming session," Alice says while getting up to go to the table where the food awaits them.

Meghan surprises me with a comment. "Are you sure you want to go to war over this man, Julie? He hurt you badly the first time." She hesitates. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again. You don't shake these things off like a normal person would."

"I understand your concern, Meghan. But Keith and I have discussed where we are and where we are going. It's all good."

Meghan gets up, comes towards me, gives me a hug, and then moves to the table. Everyone seems to be hungry. I've been so worried about Keith that I've forgotten it's lunchtime.

"I'm just pissed I can't be there to kick Mike's ass. He's always bossing you around, Julie. You need to shake him off." Amber adds from the laptop.

I patiently wait until everyone is back in their seats, eating their food, when I get a message from Keith.

Keith: I'm on my way back to the apartment. Things went well, I think, but he's still resisting

I tell my besties about the message.

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