Page 7 of Crazy Love

“I know I can be overbearing, but this guy made judgement calls on my life. He’s a bit of a wanker.” I kick the sand beneath my feet, remembering his comments about my fear of commitment.

“Hush Kalina, your language. What would Baba say if he could hear you?”

I chuckle. “Baba used to smoke weed with me and let me say the ‘f’ word. He wouldn’t be mad at me.”

My grandmother tuts under her breath again. “How is Hazel?”

“Madly in love. A heartbeat away from having your grandbabies.”

I hear Mimi gasp with excitement. “That makes me happy.”

“Hazel’s offspring is the closest you’re getting to grandchildren any time soon. I’m too busy enjoying my life to get caught up in that life.”

My grandmother’s voice softens. “Kalina. I don’t care about grandbabies. I care about you and your happiness. You should use the money you have to do something for yourself. Spend it on something for you. Invest in your future.”

She always brings up the goddamn money.“I know, Mimi.”

“Think about it, Kalina. You’re nearly thirty. Now’s the time to make a plan. Promise me you’ll think about it.”

We both know I’m not touching the goddamn money.“Sure.”

I hear my grandmother sigh as I reach the footpath that will lead me home. “Kali, don’t spend your life floating through it.”

“I’m not,” I groan. “I’ve travelled. I’ve been to university, albeit briefly, but I gave it a crack. I try everything once. I’m not floating through life. I’mexperiencingit.”

“You’ve experienced so much. Youfeelso much,” she replies. “But sometimes your passion gets in the way of you experiencing other emotions. I worry your passion will be your downfall.”

It’s my turn to sigh. I know what Mimi’s about to say before the words leave her lips. “Don’t ever stop being passionate, but don’t let it get in the way of experiencing real joy.”

I end the conversation quickly after that and hang up with a sigh, continuing towards home in a much darker mood than when I left.

Why?Why does she have to always mention the money?

It’s as if Mimi has a quota to hit or something. Every second conversation lately has been about me making plans with the money, investing the money,doing something with THE MONEY.

My phone buzzes with my friend Rocco’s face appearing on the screen. A call from him is almost certain to cheer me up, even if it’s unexpected. The fact Rocco is calling me before nine o’clock on a Sunday morning is nothing short of surprising. He’s usually hungover and in bed with his latest conquest after a Saturday night.

“Hey.”

“Thank God you answered. I am freaking out!”

I roll my eyes. “What’s happened this time? Your boyfriends caught onto each other, didn’t they? I told you; you need to be smarter about how you date.”

“I ran into Weird Michelle last night!” Rocco cries. “Ow! My head. Ugh, anyway I totally forgot until now. She told me the gym’s been bought out by new owners. They signed a deal at the close of business on Friday.”

A sinking sensation settles in my stomach, my pace slowing on the footpath. “Are you sure? Are you sure she wasn’t just being Weird Michelle?”

Rocco lets out an exasperated sigh. “She was wasted, but there’sno wayshe was lying. She said she was out drinking her sorrows away and said everyone’s getting let gotomorrow. They’re bringing in new staff and rebranding everything! Kali, can they do that?”

I struggle to find the words to respond as I register what Rocco’s saying. The gym that’s been my home for three years, the place where I’ve come into my own as a Pilates instructor, is about to kick me out with less than a day’s notice.

“I don’t know, Rocco,” I finally say. “Did you call Andrew?”

“As if that coward’s going to answer my calls,” Rocco spits. “If he wasn’t going to give us a bit of goddamn notice, he sure as shit ain’t going to answer the day before this big announcement. He’s probably halfway to Mexico by now.”

If what Rocco is saying is true, I’m going to be an unemployed, commitment-phobe in twenty-four hours’ time. Not that the commitment-phobe part bothers me, but it’s another label I don’t need that keeps popping into my head.

“I’m going to make some more calls,” Rocco says. “Keep your phone on you. I’ll let you know what I find out.”

---