Page 9 of If This Was a Movie

JULES

“So, unfortunately, it looks like you won’t be able to live here for at least a few days, probably longer,” the fire chief says, looking genuinely reluctant to give me this news. “The pipe breaking means we can’t turn on the water access until it’s repaired. My guess is that it’ll take a week since they can’t do too much until this cold snap breaks. You’ll need to do some repairs from this incident. Water can weaken structural integrity, and, again, with the cold, it can get into wood, expand, and cause instabilities. Not to mention, of course, mold.”

The dripping on my face earlier was water from a burst pipe in my kitchen that flooded my apartment and then seeped down into my studio, making both unusable for the foreseeable future. I’m staring up at the all-brick corner building in downtown Evergreen Park I once thought was my dream come true.

“You know, when it’s this cold for this long, you’re supposed to drip your water lines so they don’t freeze,” he tells me, giving me a look I’ve seen many times before, most often when I’m at the hardware store and some idiot man comes over to ask if I need to be shown the paint section.

I try not to glare at him because, no, I did not know that, obviously. I mean, why would I? It’s not like it’s some kind ofcommonly taught knowledge. I need one person on this planet to explain to me why we don’t have classes in high school to teach us about the important things in life, like how to do your taxes, assemble IKEA furniture, or, apparently, drip your water lines during a cold snap.

I’m a wiz with Google, but I have to actually know what shit to Google, first.

“Yeah, I’ll remember that next time,” I mutter under my breath before someone calls him over to ask a question and he gives me anI’ll be right back.

“What’s the verdict?” Claire asks, walking over after waving goodbye to the last kid whose parents we were waiting on.

“I can’t stay here for at least a few days,” I say, still in shock.

“A few days?” she asks, shocked.

I cringe and nod. “At best. He mentioned that the place will need some work that will probably make it longer.” I sigh, watching the money I set aside for the final renovations drift away. “I’ll probably have to find a hotel for the next few days then figure things out from there.”

Claire shakes her head at me. “You can’t stay in a hotel, Jules. With the town lighting coming up, the hotels are all overbooked or they will cost an arm and a leg.” I groan, knowing that’s the truth. “What about…” She pauses, cringing because she already knows how I’ll feel about the idea. “How about your mom?”

“And have her spend the next month telling me she was right? Absolutely not. I won’t tell her about any of this if I can get away with it.” Evergreen Park is a small town, but she lives a few over in TK, so one can hope news won’t travel too much.

“Ava?” I shake my head.

“She’s in California with Jaime while they wait for their place to be done.” They bought the most gorgeous old Victorian a few months back, and with Jaime being Jaime, he wants to makesure his fiancée has everything she could ever want, resulting in a near complete gut while they finish off the house.”

“Harper?”

I give her a look.

“And stay on the couch while Jeremy grumbles about how her friends are all leeches, again?” I ask, then shake my head. “I love Harper, but I’d rather stay with my mom than with Jeremy.”

“Honestly, that’s so fair,” she says, tapping her finger on her chin and trying to think. I see it before she says anything, some idea I don’t think I’m going to like clicking into place. “You know…”

“I feel like I should preemptively say no,” I say and she shakes her head.

“No! No, seriously, it’s actually a really good idea. You know I was staying in the in-law cottage behind my brother’s house?”

“No, Claire.”

“It’s a good idea! It’s going to be empty. You don’t even have to talk to him if you don’t want to!”

“I can’t move in with a stranger. That’s insane, and even you have to know that makes no sense.” I shake my head.

“It’s not even in his house,” she assures me. “It’sbehindhis house, fully detached. I usually nanny for him, but since I’m leaving, he’s in a bit of a lurch. You could even help him out with his daughter, so you don’t have to feel like you’re taking advantage of him. I know he’d really appreciate it.”

The downside of working so closely with Claire is she knows me really fucking well. She knows exactly what obstacles I’ll use to argue and how to tug at my heartstrings. A single dad with no one helping to watch his daughter, who Claire is constantly going on and on about how sweet she is? Definitely a weakness.

“I don’t know, I?—”

She cuts me off, giving me a serious face, one she very rarely pulls out with her light and bubbly personality.

“What’s your other option, Jules? You need somewhere safe to stay that won’t cost you a million dollars. I’m leaving you with this mess, let me at least try and help.” I can see it in her eyes—the urge for me to accept her help, so I sigh, not wanting to let her down. “Exactly,” she says, that pout turning into a smile. “Let me go call him, see if it's even an option. If not, we’ll figure something else out, okay? My mom knows, like, everyone in Evergreen Park.”

Before I can further argue, she turns and begins walking to a quiet area, her phone already to her ear.

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