One battle after another

 "We have to do something," Emmie decided about Macy's situation. L had told her all about Wade's stuff still at Macy's apartment. 

Emmie was happy that L could confide in her. She knew L cared about Macy. Yet Emmie found herself caring more about L.

Macy was just a crush, or so L kept insisting. Now Emmie sensed it was much more, because Emmie knew where L was coming from. After all, Emmie was fond of L these days. She didn't want to say anything about it. Not even to her close friend Diggs.

"I've got some boxes. We'll start packing his things." Emmie told L, who liked the idea. Emmie felt her best by doing something. Especially, doing things with L. It was a new sensation, and Emmie didn't think it would get old. She liked being with L.

"We should do it." L agreed. She just didn't know Emmie meant right now. Soon enough, they knocked on Macy's door, who was on the phone. 

Emmie thought she was talking to Jake, but it was her grandmother. "That's so sweet," Emmie said later when Macy realised what the two wanted to do.

"Oh, she can be, but usually she likes to tell me what I should be doing." Macy gritted a smile.

"Well, we want this move to happen," Emmie told her as she and L started getting the cardboard folded into boxes.

Macy looked at them funny, as if this was a surprise. Of course, Wade hadn't made an effort to get all his things. Emmie knew from that snicker of his at the dinner that he didn't have any intentions.

"Well, you two could always move out and find another place in the building," Emmie suggested if she wanted to leave Wade's stuff alone.

"Oh, right now we need every break we can get," Macy nodded. "Let's do it."

L went to open the closet. It was packed with Wade's wardrobe. Some of it looked like something from high school.

"I wonder if he's hiding anything," L looked to Emmie with a smile.

"Let's hope not," Emmie sighed, hoping this didn't mean trouble.

The two looked back at Macy, who was reading something on her phone. She looked almost distraught. Emmi winced while L's brows furrowed.

"What's wrong?" L asked.

"There's been a dust storm on the interstate in Colorado," Macy frowned. "I think I should just drive to Denver."

"NO." They said in unison. 

How am I gonna get through

 It felt so final, even if it was supposed to be a new chapter. Only, it would take a lot of thinking and doing before it could start. Macy had to admit she hated being alone. Oh, she knew Jake promised he would be back, but there were so many what-ifs.

"Don't do this to yourself," L said the day after Jake left at the airport to fly back to Denver to get his life in order. L made sure Macy knew where she was going. "Focus, you need this job."

This meant being present. This meant not being discouraged about not hearing from Jake every hour. He had a life, too.  But it was so overwhelming. Still, it helped to have friends. Even Winnie was on her side, and that helped.

"Look, it's so repetitive, you'll get this job down," Winnie looked at her wide-eyed. "I need you. I need you to be here, not in another world." It was as if Winnie knew everything about her, even if Macy didn't think that was possible. 

Of course, Winnie would go on a tangent about all the things she hated about Wade.

"Are you sure you want to marry him?" Macy wanted to let her know she had been listening. She wasn't being that selfish about Jake.

Winnie sighed back with a smile. "I know he's hard to like. He's a dufus when it comes to romance. Still, I have  my ways with him." The way she sounded, it wasn't romance; it was building a relationship that would last a lifetime.

Macy wasn't sure she understood her co-worker. Maybe she wasn't supposed to. It made her want to learn the ropes more. Still, it was hit-or-miss with the phones. It was so hard not to have a potty mouth. It felt as if she was back to tending to preschoolers. Of course, the ones on the phone always wanted to hurt her feelings as if she were the one who caused the problem. After a while, she understood she was only a receptionist, and she would be verbally abused. And no one really wanted to hear about her day, but Jake, who was doing his best to get back to Chicago.

I'll be there for you

 

"Are you insane?" Jonas screeched into the phone as soon as he got his brother's text about his move to Chicago.

"Quite possibly," Jake sighed back, thinking this was strange to hear such from a recluse who lived in their parents' basement. In fact, Jonas was his adopted brother, the blonde son his mother had always wanted. Although, seriously, they were all fascinated by his brain. He was a genius who was afraid of everything. "But it feels right." This much Jake knew.

"But...but what are you going to do?" His brother was his conscience most times whose usual mantra was, "Don't do that."

"Well, you tell me?" Jake sounded as if his brother were the fortune teller.

"You're not making that much, as it is." Jonas reminded him that Jake was barely getting by on twenty-five hours at the library. Jake did a side hustle at tutoring middle schoolers (at the library, no less, in English). "But you've been taking so many library classes. Don't you have a doctorate by now?"

Jake tensed at the thought. A degree, taking him nowhere, evidently. And now it would look bad to suddenly leave the library like this. They counted on him. It seemed everything was a tight squeeze these days when it came to making a living; no wonder everyone was on TikTok.

"I'll think of something." He winced, looking around Macy's cluttered apartment while she was in the shower. 

"Good luck."

Jake blew a breath, wishing he could call work, but it was late at night. Who knew he'd take the plunge this soon? Yet the timing felt right. Still, life was so unpredictable, and he hoped this worked out. Still, it worried him. Did anyone else dive off in the deep end without thinking?

He was a nervous wreck, thinking about how he was going to do this with Macy. After all, there was the courage to stay by her side. Still, was she ready to stay by his side? 

There was still the obstacle of public transportation to overcome. Yes, he wanted Macy to feel she could do anything. Even be the receptionist, she could be.

He tightened his fist, chin up. Yes, it was confidence. They both needed confidence to see this through. 

She came out of the bathroom with wet curls and wearing winter pajamas.

"Your turn." She smiled.

Jake nodded, playing up on his calmness. There was no turning back. "You pick the side of the bed you like best."

Decisions needed to be made. And sleep was an important one.