Page 17 of Thanks for the Friendship
Gabby breathes a sigh of relief, and Theo’s shoulders relax.
“Anyway, tell me about the sushi. I’m famished.”
After dinner I head to my room to change. I actually had a nice chat with Theo, and I know it made Gabby happy to see us getting along so well. I guess time does heal everything.
As I finish washing my face, I get a text from my mother asking if I’m free tomorrow night. I guess my parents found the time to squeeze me in to their busy schedule. We plan to meet at Bella, a family favorite of ours.
I’m excited to see my parents. As an only child, we’ve always been close. Even when their expectations seemed unachievable at times, I knew they loved me and only wanted the best for me. And those expectations have led to a lot of success, so I’m grateful for that.
My mother said they had a lot to tell me. The last time we had one of these dinners, I asked them to hold off on selling the house for a while. They agreed, but I always knew the clock would be ticking.
I sit on the edge of my bed, while a wave of dread comes over me. I look around the massive master bedroom that used to belong to my parents. It’s probably time for me to let go of this house, I certainly didn’t give it a second thought while I was counting the minutes until I was out on my own. Somewhere along the line, something shifted in me. My career flourished, while my personal life has been mostly unsettled. I always wondered how it was possible to be surrounded by friends but still feel alone.
Maybe that’s why I felt the need to come home again. The safety of this house has always been a constant in my life, even when my parents weren’t here. Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoy having a busy social life, but as time has gone on, I’ve started to crave a more settled life in some respect.
A knock on my door pulls me out of my thoughts.
“Come in,” I call as I pull on a pair of sweatpants.
Gabby pops her head in. “Just checking on you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m totally fine.”
She sits on the edge of the bed.
“I know—but—”
“Is Theo still here?”
She nods. “He’s up cleaning the kitchen. He insisted.”
“Hah. Well, that definitely makes him a keeper.”
Her face turns bright red.
“By the way, Elizabeth posted the sales projections. You’re killin’ it again. Maybe you can transfer some of your good sales mojo to me?” She gives me a half smile, but I can see the concern on her face.
“Hey, don’t worry,” I tell her. “Business will pick up.”
She shrugs. “Haven’t we been saying that for months? I feel like every time I get a win, I end up taking three steps back again.”
“You had to start over. It takes time.”
She twists her mouth to the side. “I’m starting to wonder if it’s time for me to do something else,” she says. “I’ve been doing real estate for so long, and maybe it’s time for a change.”
“There’s nothing wrong with trying something new,” I tell her.
“It’s terrifying.”
“And kind of exciting.”
“Yeah, that’s what Theo says.”
I hold my hands up. “Well, if Theo and I are on the same page, then you know there’s something to it.”
She laughs. “I guess so.”
“Do you have any idea what you want to do?”
