Page 10 of Our Little Cliche
Snow.
“It’s winter there right now, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it sure is. I hope you have snow clothes. You’re going to need it here, honey.”
“I don’t have any at all, actually. Except for a beanie, and I’ve already packed that,” I say dejectedly—freezing my ass off isn’t a thing here. More like, sweating and melting.
“What else do you see, Holly?”
I scroll down a few more emails, including the ones the removalist showed me on his phone.Oh. “I see one to my current real estate agent… wait what’s this? Oh… shit.”
“What is it?”
My brain implodes. I really put in a lot of effort to this wholefresh startthing, didn’t I? “It’s a vacancy letter…” I slide my finger to skip to the next email, “as well as a resignation letter to my boss at the magazine firm I work at.”
Scratch that.
Workedat.
Susan lulls my woe, telling me that things will work out, and for a second, I believe her. The next email a little further down is from Qantas, the airline. “Thanks Susan. Uhm, I’ve opened up another email. Three flight tickets. One for a flight to Sydney, then to Los Angeles, then to Calgary.” I narrow my eyes to the dates and gasp, “Shit, that’s in a few hours!”
I’m actually flying away…
Today.
I know the guy said I was leaving soon, but I didn’t expectthissoon. My heart dances with anxiety. How did I even planthis while DRUNK? Did intoxicated me forget that I’m terrified of planes?
“Oh. Are you packed?” she asks.
“If you count a few books, a passport, a stack of the closest thing to winter clothes I own and a laptop aspacked, then yeah.”
“Well, that’s all you can do, sweetheart. Do your best in this scenario. Take it on the chin, and make this a great, extra long Christmas holiday.”
“I guess so.”
“I hope that helped with finding out a little more information,”
“I wish it did, but I think it only brought on more embarrassment. I’m so stupid,” I admit defeatedly.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Consider it a new start. You sound like you needed one, anyway. And hey, it might be a little early for a New Year’s resolution, but Christmas in Banff, what could be better? Nothing in my opinion, you’ll love it here. I do need to go, though. Let me know before your arrival here and I’ll meet you to hand over the keys. But please text, email or call me if you need me, okay?” Susan’s mother-like voice once again softens my nerves.
“I will. Hey, Susan?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for making this less traumatic than it already is. Really, I think I would have had another breakdown if it wasn’t for you,”
“Oh, sweet pea. Anytime. Bye, Holly.”
“Uroo.” I hang up the phone and slouch into my chair. Fair dinkum, that call flew by, it was over an hour.That reminds me… what time is my flight?I look at the ticket once more seeing that my flight to Sydney is at 10.50 A.M.
That’s in less than two hours.
Chapter Five
HOLLY
My stomach sinksas I walk through the house. I don’t even recognize it. The once beach, cozy chic style home is completely gutted. The removalist’s truck is stacked full with my belongings.
