Chapter I Whatever gets you trough today.

Roger was a good guy. For some people he was a little bit strange. But all in all he was a good guy. A good friend. A good brother. A good son. A good boyfriend.
But if you asked him he would say that he believed he was a lucky guy, lucky enough to get accepted in Seattle University and graduating with honors from English literature, he thought this degree would come in handy since he wanted to become a writer.
He knew that he had met his best friends out of mere luck 20 years ago in preschool. He was going to attend another preschool but since the headmaster had just cut the art program Roger’s mom, who was a professional artist, said that she will start experimenting with graffiti as an art before she let her children attend to a school that did not have a proper art program.
So first day of preschool he met Greg, Alex and Rose. The Gang as Sarah called them, when she became part of it 5 years ago when she moved in with her ill grandmother, Grandma Crystal neighbor and best friend of Grandma Lauren, Greg’s grandmother.
Greg was the prototype of the unconditional best friend, the kind of guy that would do and say anything for his friends.
He was an only child that lived with his grandmother since his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer when he was 12, so for him his friends were his family.
He was the first friend Roger ever made the fact that they both wore Mariners t-shirts was enough for the two young boys to realize they would be very good friends.
After graduation Greg moved in with Grandma Lauren. A place where everyone was always welcome to stay, have lunch, do laundry and get advice, and they all did from time to time.
Grandma Lauren loved having all of them there; she used to be a nurse, so she knew and liked to take care of people.
Now Greg was a psychologist and was working with Dr Samuel Weathers, a renowned psychologist and family counselor who had hired him to work and learn in his practice.
But all Greg had done so far was nothing more than answering phones, schedule patient’s appointments and get Dr Weathers his salad, everyday for the last two and a half years.
His grandmother was sure he was going to make a change in people because if Greg had something it was heart and advice from anyone who needed one.
Sadly all the work Dr Weathers had let Greg do for the last 6 months, when he decided he was sure he was ready to work with patients, was with only 3 patients. Mrs. Newly a 50 year old divorce with trust issues who believed she would die alone since her kids no longer lived with her; Mr. Helms 45 not married, still living with his mother and Sarah that really enjoyed spending time in Greg’s office, she liked the fish tank Greg had and Greg didn’t mind because he really liked Sarah, in the God-good-why-don’t-you-just-love-me-and-marry-me kind of way.
Rose and Alex were twins, and you could see they were related just at looking at them not as much as how they look alike but mostly at how they pick on each other.
The first time Roger saw Rose she was crying because she found her crayola washable markets dry, someone hadn’t put their caps back on. Roger felt so bad for her he gave her his yellow marker, since he didn’t really like the color. At that moment Rose decided she one day would marry Roger, but changed her mind 10 minutes later when she saw him and his new friend Greg made friends with his brother, whom was telling him not to mention to Rose he was the one that had accidentally dried her markers. She knew that if Alex made friends with him then it was a matter of time until they became like him, so she was ok with just being friends, and to her Greg looked kind of weird, but she was ok with it also.
Rose had always wanted to be a singer, so evidently she became a vet, she started appreciating animals because they did not complain about her singing like her brother and friends did.
Rose was a kind girl, charming, smart, clumsy, witty and sometimes bossy, she lived with her best friend, Sarah, and she was really proud of having a boyfriend that worked on a boat of Green Peace.
She worked in the Seattle Heart Animal Veterinary Practice where she worked on any kind of animal that needed her assistance as long as neither they nor their owners bite or question her methods; she also did house calls, and she had come to learn that in those cases it could be because the animal was bigger, meaner or pregnant, and sometimes, and those were the hardest cases, all of the above.
For the first time Mrs. Doyle saw his son Alex she knew he was going to be a heart breaker, and she couldn’t have been more right. Alex, Al, Alexander the great, or All-star, as he was often called, was what you would call a player.
He was never seen alone and never with the same girl for more than 2 months. He had the style, the personality, the face and the job for being the best wing man either Roger or Greg could ask for. After graduation Alex and Greg became roommates and Alex got a job at a music studio.
A year later Alex had been promoted from assistance to producer and a year later he had signed more new artists than any other producers in such a short period of time. By that time he decided to move in to his own place downtown, a place that show more of his personality as a single, successful, rich and afraid of commitment just like he was.
He moving out did not generate a problem to him and Roger, because by that time he was ready to move I with his girlfriend, but more on that later.
Meanwhile Sarah was living in Ohio, she was the youngest of eleven brothers and sisters, and alongside her mother she used to visit her grandmother a lot. It wasn’t until 5 years ago when Grandma Crystal got sick that she moved in with her and got a job in the Coffee-Book-Store-Shop.
Two years later Grandma Crystal died and left Sarah her house, and Rose became her roommate, her car, all of her stuff and a bunch of money that Sarah used to buy the Coffee-Book-Store-Shop and changes its name to Crystal’s-Coffee-Book-Store-Shop.
It was Sarah’s favorite place to be and it had a lot to do with it being right next to Rose’s work and across the street of Greg’s work place, and since Roger was a writer he used to do most of his writing there she liked having her friends close to her.
Currently Sarah was single; she and Joe never really sat down to say “it’s over, thanks for all and good luck” because on the moment of the breakup Joe was a little busy with another girl’s legs wrapped around his neck.
She was having a tough time with her breakup which she was working on by writing, meditation, going to base ball cages and since she was a member of the gun Club of Reaton in Seattle she also got her kicks out by spending time in the shooting ranges and hunting.
No matter how different all of them were, or what miss steps they had in their lives they always remained together, they were each other’s family; they were each other’s person, and for that Roger felt like the luckiest guy in the world.
He said his luck had helped him became chief editor of the university newspaper, and the get a job at the daily news just after graduating from college 3 years ago.
And even do he wanted to be a novelist he liked the stories he was covering now and those stories had helped him write many poems and short stories, some that had actually been published in the cultural magazine that the newspaper owned, still he said it was just luck, but actually he was really talented.
But most of all he believed he had hit the jackpot of luck the day he met Lucy.
He met her in a coffee shop near the newspaper, he was waiting for his coffee, which was taking way to long, and perhaps it was also the first day of the poor skinny little guy that was in charge of making the coffees that day.
Right after his name was called his large mocha cappuccino was taken away from him by her, brunette, long hair, and a face of an angel that always knew how to get what she wanted, and she did, she got Roger’s coffee whit just a smile, saying her name was Sally and that she would buy him another one in another day but that she had to leave because she was already late.
That was how Roger was late for his first day at work, where to his surprise he found out that Sally was actually Lucy and that she worked at the newspaper as a photographer.
Any other girl would have apologized and made some lame excuse, but not Lucy, still holding his coffee in her hands she walked to him and said “you can’t be a news reporter if you are going to let every charming quick girl take things from you”
And after that he was doomed, he was utterly in love with her. Too bad for him she already had a boyfriend, Vince an architect, too good for him he was not a monogamous guy and they broke up just 2 weeks after Roger met her.
A year after he met Lucy he got the courage to ask her out, he wanted to do it before but Rose had recommended he waited at least a year before he was the rebound guy and after she was done being angry at everything whit a Y chromosome.
A year after they started living together, and now it had been a year since they had been living together and Roger thought life couldn’t be better for him. But really who has ever heard life is always easy and trouble free?
Every Monday for the last year Roger woke up at exact 5:45 am so he could get a glimpse of Lucy’s last 15 minutes of sleep before she woke up at 6 am, she never knew he did this.
At exact 6:10 am Roger went out for a 40 minute run around the neighborhood. Even do he and Lucy had been living together for a year Roger still didn’t knew the area so well. Because Lucy’s apartment was bigger and Roger and Alex had given up their apartment the most reasonable thing to do when they decided to move in together it was for Roger to move into Lucy’s apartment.
The only thing Roger didn’t like there was Peanut the little, annoying-like-all-the-other-little-dogs terrier that Lucy had. Roger didn’t liked little dogs but he couldn’t have a regular size dog in an apartment, so for now he had to deal with Peanut.
He had tried to get attached to him and take him out when he went running, but apparently Peanut had a problem with people that didn’t liked little dogs, and he wasn’t afraid to show it.
After running would come back with muffins and juice for breakfast, eat the other half of breakfast that Lucy had just said she made, when what she actually did was order some breakfast from Mrs. Shearer’s Cafeteria from around the block.
Roger knew she did this but never said anything, and then he would get home take a shower and the two of them would be o their way to work at 7:30 am, so they wouldn’t be late and reprimand by Mrs. Belle the editor in chief of the daily news.
If there was something she hated more than a late deadline it was that her employees were late.
She was a successful woman, published author, renowned journalist, four time divorce, lactose intolerant and she liked frogs.
“Ok people gather around, you can either come get an assignment and try not to make yourselves look bad, because truly I’m not going to publish something not worth publishing that will in fact make me look bad, or go look for new assignments on the office of unemployment” she was tough.
This was the moment where Mrs. Belle would give away the stories of the week; the most important stories already were on the desks of the people that have been on the news paper the longest.
“If you already know your story then all you should be better working in not disappointing me, all the rest here is a new opportunity to demonstrate me I wasn’t over medicated when I hired you; Louie has the stories for this week now leave”.
What was all the fuss about? Being the boss, Mrs. Belle liked to remind people she was the boss.
“What you got?” Lucy was one of the best photographers on the newspaper so you could say she got all the stories.
“The retirement house over Marion St is having a show talent tomorrow, the inauguration of the new section of Yesler Park and the 20th anniversary of Jakle’s Dinner” said Roger while thinking which angle he could give to story so that Mrs. Belle would consider him for a bigger story.
“Jakle’s?” said Lucy.
“Jakle’s” simple answer.
“Is that the place we had free drinks because Alex was seeing the waitress?”
“No that was D’Onohi and he was seeing there the bar tender, she paid for our drinks. Jakle’s is the place where we never got a table because Alex was seeing the maitre de while seeing the bartender from D’Onohi”
“How did she ever figure it out?”
“They were roommates, that’s how she met the maitre de when he stopped by and instead of bartender he found maitre de”
“Bartender? Maitre de?”
“I know they are is entitled to a name, but they had it coming for ending up with a guy who’s deal breaker is wanting a second date and I can’t keep track of all his conque… wrong choice of companion”
“Nice save”
“Thanks, so want to come to lunch to Jakle’s? I think we both can get a free meal if you start taking photos and I interview the owner and ask maitre de girl if she has seen Alex’s Rolex”.
“Sure I’ll see you there, first I have to take some pics for some other stories… hold on” Lucy’s phone rang, Lucy in the sky with diamonds as a ringtone, she like the way that made a statement of some sort. Roger didn’t know what kind of statement, but he liked it.
She was gone for 10 minutes.
She came back.
“Everything ok Luce?”
“Hu? Yeah, no, it was nothing, no one… well sure it was someone, but not an important someone, it was kind of weird… wrong number situation” she looked a bit uncomfortable
“It’s nothing, gotta go, I’ll see you at 3 at Jakle’s”
“Are you sure? Don’t you want me to come with you?”
“No, no it’s ok, plus you got to go see Sarah, she called while you were getting your assignments she wants to know if you know the best way to melt a bowling trophy”
“Three ways come to mind’
“Get there before she burns the store, I’m ok”
“Ok I’ll see you at three”
“Bye Rog”
“Bye…honey?”
And she was off. Roger was used to Lucy’s ramble and they way her mind could be in two places at the same time, but something told him this behavior wasn’t part of Lucy’s charm and wit.
Either way, she didn’t seem so stressed about the phone call. It was probably nothing and if it was she would tell him later, he convinced himself he wasn’t in need to be worried; little did he know he probably should.
Crystal’s-Coffee-Book-Store-Shop, Sarah’s workplace, was Roger’s favorite place to write.
It was a two floor store; the first floor had a couple of tables where people would sit on to eat, drink (coffee of course), read, chat and for people like Roger write.
There were also some couches, cushions and a little stage that Sarah had installed for Saturday open mic, which actually was open-whoever-wants-to-perform-any-day-of-the-week-mic.
Everywhere you look there where bookshelves lots of them, lots of book, of all sorts of kinds and genres that where perfectly organized.
Sarah was what you would have called a people person; she liked people and people liked her. She was always welcoming people with a smile and a batch of cookies or freshly made coffee; she dedicated her day to make sure people find what they were looking for either if it was a book, coffee, a place to work or some advice.
Well that was before Joe cheated on her, Sarah said she wouldn’t let her breakup interfere with her work but sometimes things turn out differently than what we want and sometimes feelings get the best of us.
It had been just two weeks since her breakup and since it had not being a civilized breakup Sarah was torn between been angry and been sad and that was a bad combo, especially for the people on the store.
Now people could find a weeping depressed Sarah or an angry biter one, either way that was not good for business. So whenever
Sarah felt she was about to lose it she would let someone else in charge of the store, most of the times Eliza or Sandra whom had been working there the longest, and either go to Greg’s office or Rose’s practice, right now she needed her friends and other people’s pets, that cheer her up.
Her friends where worried about her, but they would be more worried if she was not showing sing of heartbreak, it would take time for them to see the old Sarah back, right now they all were fixed in been there for her.
Grandma Lauren used to visit the store more often this days to check on Sarah, she was concerned about her but she also was optimistic and she knew things were going to be ok.
Sarah wasn’t at the store. Eliza was in charge.
“Hey Roger, Monday morning right on time” a reason for Eliza being in charge were her people skills, plus she could anticipate when a cup of coffee was about to go empty.
“Just like any other Monday Eli” but it really wasn’t going to be, or at least for a couple of hours.
“Sarah not here? Lucy said she called, wanted to see me” he asked even do he already knew the answer just in hope he could be wrong.
“She did but no she’s not here anymore she went to see Greg but he wasn’t at the office, Dr. Weathers…”
“Had a craving for a pretentious, early overpriced salad again?” Greg’s friends were not fans of Dr. Weathers.
“Monday morning right on time, anyway Greg wasn’t there so Sarah went to see Rose that was having some problems with a patient or patient’s owner I really didn’t get it right”
“What kind of day is she having today?”
“Mixed day, not entirely sad that could bring our customers to tears but she wasn’t showing signs that indicated we would be looking for new mugs to replace the ones she could break”
“Better than before I guess, well I’ll be here if she calls or needs me, could I get my…”
“Chocolate chip warm muffin and coffee are already in your table” Eliza was always one step ahead.
“Thanks Eli”
It was easy to work there, Roger felt really comfortable surrounded by other people reading and working, he liked looking at them, to think about whom they were, where they came from and what was on their minds. This helped him not as much with the assignment form the paper, which most of the time easy to do, as much as it helped him with his work as a novelist.
So far Roger had no complains of this day, Greg however wasn’t having such a great day. He overslept on the morning and bolt out to avoid getting late at work.
With no breakfast on him, a tie that did not match and his cell phone left at home he barely got in time at work, it would have been good if Dr Weathers had been early also, but he wasn’t, actually he was one hour late and since Greg left his cell phone at home there wasn’t a way he could get in touch with him.
Greg had a good system to organize the appointments of the day, not that they were followed by Dr Weathers, either way Greg managed. At least he knew Mr. Helms had an appointment this morning which meant he was getting a chance to really practice what he had learned.
But just as Mr. Helms was bringing his mother issues and unfulfilled dreams to the office dear Dr. Weathers felt the need for a salad, so Greg had to go get it as soon as possible which also meant he missed Sarah’s visit, which he treasured a lot.
“Greg? I’m not calling you honey but if you don’t answer I will and may leave with your cell and with your lunch” Even do she was retired Grandma Lauren had never stopped taking care of people and there wasn’t anyone else in the world she would rather take care off than her only grandson.
“Mrs. Huber what a delightful having you here” Dr. Weathers was always liked when Grandma Lauren visited Greg at the office, too bad for Lauren that she had to see him whenever she visited her grandson, she couldn’t stand British men when she served with the red cross and she wasn’t going to start now.
“It’s nurse Huber Dr.”
“Of course it is you and me know the importance of our work with people be recognized, what can we do for you this morning” Grandma Lauren didn’t understood why even do she was always rude and distant to Dr. Weathers he insisted on always compliment her and try to get her to have some tee with him, she found him annoying.
“I was just looking for Greg, where did you send my grandson now Dr.?”
“A your grandson, that boy has big potential, he is headed for great things I tell you, he is getting places”
“That is good to hear doctor, but will he ever get to other places that are not the deli salad shop 3 blocks from here, that is great potential gone to waste doctor” Rude and distant.
“You are so insightful nurse Huber, I see where he gets his potential, I’m terribly sorry but I have to be excused, next patient is waiting, always a pleasure to talk to such a well read woman”
“Yes doctor, I’m glad it is for at least one of us, please tell my grandson I’ll be next door in the clinic”
“I’ll do you don’t worry about a thing”
“I’ll worry alright goodbye”
Grandma Lauren rushed out of the office and into Rose’s workplace the Seattle Heart Animal Veterinary Practice. She liked it there, it remind her about her days of serving patients.
It was a neither small or big clinic, Rose worked with other 3 veterinarians, 2 staff nurses and Justin who did the work of receptionist and helped with the heavy, angrier patients; he was kind of a hunk, the time he didn’t spent in the clinic he spent it at the gym plus he was a charming guy, a nice welcome to some owners.
“Welcome Nurse Huber, have you decided to come work with us or are you here to help Rose with her patients”
“I told you to call me Lauren dear, I’m just passing by to check on the girls” she already knew Sarah must be here.
“We would be lucky to have you on staff, yesterday one patient almost ate another and today a patient gave birth after conceiving with another patient right here on the waiting area” Anyone on their right mind would be concerned Justin didn’t used an specific specie when saying that story and just used the word “patient”, but it just made Rose’s work a little more interesting.
“You would be surprised to hear the things I’ve seen in my days, being a nurse, and I still find it difficult to believe that I did this for a living, is the greatest thing I could have done with my life; you are there to help the patient trough the most difficult time of their lives and you give and do all you have to make them better. Taking care of someone is the most venerable work you can do” No wonder everyone likes this lady.
“But those are a bunch of stories for another time dear, I told you I’m just passing by, going to see my friend Crystal before it’s too late”
“You are always welcome to come here, and I’ll be happy to hear your stories nurs…Lauren”
“Nice save boy”
In the first office at the right after you passed the receptionist desk Dr. Danielle Allen was working with Steve Laswell’s collie Saul that had eaten the gift of Steve to his wife Audrey for their anniversary, a box of her favorite chocolate, macaroons and a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Steve had given Audrey Saul as an anniversary gift last year and it looked liked the bill would be this year’s gift.
On the next office Dr. Rebecca Barkley was dealing with Stanley Gomez’s worries about which was the best way to teach his cat, still unnamed, to use the expensive French sandbox he had bought. Too bad unnamed cat didn’t like the box or Stanley.
Dr. Adam Keys was trying to work, emphasize on the trying because he was hang over from her sister’s wedding. He also was trying to remember how he had twisted his ankle which was swollen and hurt like hell, he hoped this wasn’t a dance related injury because he knew he didn’t knew how to dance.
At the end of the hall there was a door that said with shiny words Dr. Rose Doyle. Inside Rose was dealing Cynthia Morrison whom was concerned that her Basset Hound Boris had a bipolar disorder.
This woman was weird and poor Boris just had a slow vowel, Rose hadn’t time for this because Sarah was sitting in her chair waiting for Cynthia to go home and hoping Boris was smart enough to run away so that Rose could spent some quality time with her and her on going issues.
“Are you sure we don’t need to start Boris on some Prozac?” Cynthia really should get out more or read more.
“Seriously why hasn’t this dog run away already?” Luckily Sarah didn’t say it out loud and luckily Cynthia wasn’t even hearing what she was saying.
“Boris doesn’t have depression Mrs. Morrison he just needs a change of diet and walk it off” Rose felt a little bad for poor Boris.
“Ok, ok its ok....anyway I have your cell right, you have it always near you right?”
“Right always near me” Rose was going to have a serious talk to Justin for giving away her cell phone to anyone that asked for it”
“55370389?”
“Hum no 55370839” So close to have Cynthia leave with a wrong number, but no, Rose’s mouth was faster than common sense.
“Are you sure? I am certainly sure it is 55370389?” This woman was never going to leave Rose alone.
“Yes I’m sure 55370839” Two times in a row.
“55370839?”
“55370839” No turn back now.
“55370839 got it, thank you Dr. Doyle”
“You’re welcome, I’ll see you…”
“Please good God never” Sarah had been quiet for a while.
“Next time Mrs. Morrison, you take care of Boris”
“I’ll do, I’ll keep an eye on him, goodbye” Finally she was going. Boris was glad to go his vowel had started moving and now he really had to go. As soon as they were outside Sarah couldn’t shut it any more.
“Oh my God! Poor dog!” That really summed it all.
“Sarah!”
“What?! You were thinking it too! I mean this poor dog will need some Prozac soon”
“She could hear you and take her many pets to another clinic; her projected hypocondrism is going to pay for our new swing porch”
“Swing porch? Are we old already?”
“No, but I never had one and I always wanted one”
“You really are simple girl aren’t you?”
“I don’t ask for much, but I have more patients to see Sarah couldn’t we do the I-hate-Joe-group-session later?”
“Come on we can do it while you check on them, but if you are going to stick a thermometer in a poor animal I’m out of here”
“I’m not going to talk about your ex-boyfriend in front of the owners of my patients”
“Owners of my patients; if you weren’t a vet that would be so wrong”
“Sarah please focus”
“Or a pediatrician; in that case scenario it would be also correct, in a way”
“Sarah, please listen. I know you are still hurting and I want to be there with you, but I can’t do it right now and I can’t be there for you if you are only interested in talk dirt of him. You have to start to move on get rid of this funk”
“So what you want me to be on cloud nine? Move on to la-la land?”
“No Sarah come on, please I’m trying to help you; you know that”
“I know, I’m sorry. Maybe just this one please?”
“Fine, he was a hog and I didn’t liked his cologne”
“Thanks for making it rime”
Still Sarah would have liked Rose to take the day off so they could go together vandalized Joe’s car or eat cookie dough. She was a little disappointed but she knew she couldn’t have her way all the time.
“Hi girls!” Grandma Lauren entered Rose’s office.
“Lauren! Good to see you”
“Hey Laur! Justin kept you waiting?” Poor guy he was in enough trouble already.
“Oh no, I was just with Dr. Keys helping him with his ankle, sprained; and BTW don’t ever go dancing with him” no matter who was the patient Grandma Lauren was always willing to lend in a hand.
“Not me, I still have the funk over that guy”
“And not me, I already have a boyfriend” Rose was proud to say she had a boyfriend, because it was hard for her to have them and because he was off on some boat saving whales and baby seals.
“Honey you can’t call it a relationship when the guy is three thousand miles away. How much can you build by only phone calls?”
“How much is three thousand miles Laur? Is that how far he is Rose? How is Matt by the way?”
“Ok, ok girls I get you are concerned but me and Luke are fine, it’s only been two months, and it’s only going to be another three until he comes back; I’m ok, we are ok, it’s just a temporary thing”
“And where do we stand on the three thousand miles?” Sarah said.
“I don’t know, plus they move a lot it’s a boat. Anyway don’t get fixed on the number, I’m fine we talk almost every day we are ok, he is ok… it’s all good” they were ok but Rose couldn’t hide the fact that she really missed him.
“Ok girls you are getting off the track, just remember no tango with Dr. Keys and please Sarah could you give Greg his cell phone by now Dr. Weathers must have send him for a coffee from your store, can’t argue whit him there Sandra does make a nice coffee”
“Actually I don’t think I’m going back to the store; I’m thinking of going to the gun club, spend some quality time at the shooting ranges and picture a certain someone in front of me”
“Sarah come on that’s not healthy or safe” No need to say Rose was against guns.
“Ok sweaty come here” If someone was going to put Sarah back together it was Grandma Lauren. “It’s time you deal with this in the proper way, now listen”
“But Rose said no guns”
“And she is right to say it”
“Thank you” Rose liked having the reason, she used to have it but people would almost never agree with her.
“And I can’t tell you all the GSW tragic stories I have seen in my days, people get dumber when having a gun in their hands”
“GSW?” Sarah asked.
“Gun shoot wound dear”
“Makes sense, I never saw that”
“Sarah focus Lauren is trying to tell you something, pay attention to her” Whenever Rose was given the reason she would turn a bit bossy. From time to time Rose like to tell her friends what to do and how to do it, she could get a little hyper sometimes.
“Sorry, please go on”
“Before your grandmother passed I promised her I was going to keep an eye on you. So come by tonight to my house and we will get your groove back; we’ll talk, laugh, cry and have some tea”
“By tea you mean mojitos right?”
“Of course I do honey; you to Rose even do you have him he isn’t here and that must be hard”
“It’s is, thanks grams”
“Ok I’m going now, I’ll take and early nap and you girls swing by later; now hug me goodbye” The three of them hugged and each of them kept on going with their days.
Rose had more patients to see; Sarah had a lot of thinking to do and a business to attend and Lauren was going to visit Crystal’s grave and get home to have lunch with Greg, they always did.
When working at Sarah’s store Roger would always lose track of time. Whenever Roger got inspiration going he would automatically shut down from the world. He would focus on his work and trying to get every idea he had put on paper and wouldn’t pay attention to anything or anyone who would pass by, that’s how he didn’t noticed Greg sitting next to him for the last ten minutes.
“Seriously man I’ve been here for ten minutes and I know you are working but it looks like you just zone out… and not in the good way”
“How would a zone out be a bad way? That gives me an idea, who said…? Hey Greg! Just got here?”
“It’s my idea; if you publish something with it I want to be at least recognized for it, unless it’s not a successful publish” If someone was a big fan of Roger’s work it was Greg. He was always the first one to read the drafts Roger wrote.
“Never mind, so what kind of errand are you running for Dr. Weathers sitting here with me?” Roger knew that if Greg wasn’t at work it was because he was running all over the city to get Dr. Weathers dry cleaning, grocery shopping, walking his dog or picking up his old cranky mother from the airport.
“Not now, there’s a new patient recently divorced woman, 39 going on 40 Dr. Weathers will be busy for the rest of the afternoon and so will I for that matter” Greg knew that whenever a new patient came to the office that Dr. Weathers would spend hours with that person in order for the patient to feel like Dr. Weathers was the best doctor that could help them.
“So day off and you come here to be with me?”
“Well…”
“Too bad she isn’t here” Roger knew exactly whom had Greg had come here to see.
“Don’t get me wrong it’s nice to see you but….”
“I’m not Sarah; I know, no hard feelings, no pressure even, well just the usual: when are you going to come clean to her and ask her out?” An everyday question for Greg from all of his friends.
“Seriously? Right now she doesn’t want to be with any guy, Joe really messed her up” Greg couldn’t help but felt angry whenever he had to mention Joe’s name.
“Ok first of all you aren’t just any guy, you are her friend, you two have been through a lot together; remember when Crystal died you were the one that held her hand and helped her with everything all the way, you wouldn’t be some random guy she just met on a bar”
“Thanks, I think…”
“I’m not done yet! And second of all whose fault it was Sarah started dating Joe?”
“Kind of mine”
“Kind off is an over statement; you introduced them!”
“Not so they could date or anything! It was all a misunderstanding, Sarah said she needed a contractor and I happened to knew one”
“And when Sarah asked you if you would be ok if she went out with him what did you said?”
“What was I supposed to say?”
“How about a No? Followed by a: would you go out with me?”
“And that would have worked out?”
“Charlie would be planning a bachelor party right now, Rose would be trying on awful bridesmaid dresses and I would be feeling the pressure that two of my best friends were getting married”
“And why didn’t you say something before?”
“I’ve been telling you this every day since you broke up with Allison because it was me who told you that you were in love with Sarah, because you hadn’t even realized that”
“See you are the one that knows what I should do before o do it, so please tell me what to do”
“I already did Greg, well maybe you should wait until she is ready and mentally stable to date again”
“You are full of wisdom”
“I know, makes me feel older”
“You do look a bit older actually”
“Ok we’ll argue about that later, because right now Sarah just walked in and I’m meeting Lucy for lunch” It was almost 3 o clock, Roger and Lucy where meeting at Jakle’s, well that was the plan.
“Wait. What? Where? Now? Can I go with you?” No need to say Greg would become a little nervous to be left alone with Sarah.
“Stay. Breathe. Relax. I’ll see you later” And he was on his way. Roger packed his things and checked his cell to see if Lucy had called or texted while he was in la-la land. No calls. No text.
Greg stayed still and saw Roger meting Sarah, and while the two of the talked he tried to come up with a cool story or something interesting to tell Sarah.
Roger was gone, Sarah was getting closer and Greg was getting more nervous by the second.
It was surprising that it had been five years since Sarah had became an official part of the gang and still Greg had a hard time to be alone with her. He wouldn’t knew what to say to her or how to act and whenever they were left alone he used to babble and make weird excuses to suddenly leave.
“Hey Greg before you suddenly leave take your cell, apparently you left it at home”
“I wasn’t going to suddenly leave” said him nervous and ashamed his cover was caught.
“Just kidding well you might leave soon Alex just called he wants you to meet him for lunch, it sounds like a wing man situation, so you can leave to do that or stay here with me” Ever since Roger started dating Lucy Greg was the one that had to play wing man with Alex.
“So I must be going then” Never had Sarah ever given him the reason to leave, this was a bit confusing to Greg because he didn’t felt Sarah wanted him to go or stay, she was playing with him and this just made him more nervous and confused.
“Or stay, I already had lunch but you haven’t so you should go and get some; remember Alex called so go with him”
“Ok so I’m going to go call him and go see him then if that is what you want isn’t it?” He was still very confused trying to figure out what Sarah was actually saying without saying it out loud.
“Oh no, it’s not a matter of what I want it has more to do with what you want and what you are going to do next” This was the much fun Sarah had had in the last two weeks.
“Well I need to have lunch” Maybe if he explained it step by step he would try to understand better what was going on.
“Yes, food is very important”
“And you already had lunch” Another step.
“Chinese, Rose wanted Tai but we had Tai food yesterday” Sarah had a quick answer for everything Greg was saying.
“So I guess I’m going then” Finally a final conclusion.
“Ok I’ll see you later, I’m having tee with your grandma later”
“And by tee you mean drinks right”
“Of course”
“Ok well I’ll see you later then”
“Say hi to Alex for me”
And without knowing it Greg was already on the door confused and dialing Alex’s number. He was trying to figure out what had just happened. Did Sarah wanted him to stay or leave? Or was she just playing him? Either way he was outside and the phone was ringing.
“What was that all about?” Eli was always all aware of everything that went on in the store, she couldn’t help but noticed a confused Greg and a witty Sarah and the chemistry of what had happened.
“What do you mean?” Now Sarah was the one that did not know what the situation was about.
“You and Greg I think I saw something there” Eli was way much direct that Sarah could be.
“Greg? No, Oh no nothing like that. He is just a friend, a good friend, one of my best. I was just messing with his head I like it” Now who was nervous.
“Well I don’t go around telling that my friends are just friends, if a friend of mine it’s just a friend I only say that it’s my friend”
“Ok Greg is my friend, happy? Nothing going on there, he is sweet, kind, generous, he is everything you want for… the kind of person that will always be there for you” Sarah was drifting away and suddenly she was smiling, but she wasn’t ready to figure that out.
“And…” Eli was exited of what she was hearing.
“And we have costumers waiting, so lest get to it Eli” Back to reality.
“Right on it boss” Eli knew Sarah wasn’t ready, but she was happy to know that in time she would be.
Meanwhile Roger was already in downtown sitting in Jakle’s best table and telling Mr. Parks, the owner, that he would eat as soon as Lucy arrived. Mr. Parks was all prepared to tell Roger the story of how he started his business with the money he had won one lucky Saturday in Las Vegas.
Not an inspiring story since the only thing he had to do was picking a number and bet all of his money on it. A reckless decision that pay up.
The impressive and inspiring part of the story was that Jakle’s had been open for 20 years and that it was the first of 15 other businesses that Mr. Parks had opened ever since.
This was a family business and very important to the community since Mr. Parks had helped generate a lot of jobs and he was also a very generous man when it came to charity.
Everything was ready, Mr. Parks had all the important dates on cards, his best cook was preparing a great meal for Roger and Lucy, the place was impeccable, Roger knew exactly how to start his article, everything was in order except for Lucy.
At first Roger wasn’t worried, ten or fifteen minutes late are not such a big deal. But when the clock marked half an hour late and no call or text from her Roger started to feel a little uneasy.
She wasn’t answering either. Not in her cell, not at home, not at work.
Fifty minutes late.
No answer.
No text.
No Lucy.
Roger tried not to lose focus, he did Mr. Parks interview and took the food with him, since his appetite just like Lucy had suddenly left him there.
A part of Roger’s mind was telling him not to worry, that there must be a perfectly good explanation that would make him feel ridiculous for worrying, but there was a small voice inside his head that was bothering him telling him there was something wrong.
He knew Lucy was ok, and that was a good thing, but he didn’t know how much of a good thing that was.
He tried not to think about it so much. But as the minutes became hours he was worrying even more.
Roger wasn’t the only one how was having a bad lunch. Greg had called Alex who needed a wing man for a double date. Of course Greg’s date was the unattractive, boring, vegan friend of the attractive, charming, blonde, peppy new assistant of Alex’s office.
Alex and Cameron really got chemistry and both of them were having a wonderful time. The same couldn’t be said about Greg or Leila, every time Greg tried to break the ice or start a conversation he was shut down by Leila’s bad mood and same answer for everything “not going to happen”.
Poor Leila little did she know Greg wasn’t even interested in her. He was there for his friend and he was having a lousy time.
Greg figured that since he was there to help Alex with his date he was better off agreeing with every story, fake or not, that he was telling Cameron in order to impress her.
“OMG He really took care of you every day for 3 weeks after you broke your leg?” Cameron was the perfect type of girl to Alex; she would believe everything she was told if it was told in a heartwarming story and if someone else cleared the story for her.
“Not only did he took me to the ER after I tripped and feel in my way to the asylum were we read to the elderly, but he was the one that took care of me all those days, running errands, helping me at home, driving me all around the city, making me dinner, everything, I don’t know how I would have gone through it if it weren’t for him” Greg had used the broken leg story way to many times.
“I was just doing the right thing to do; you would have done the same thing for me, I know I can count on you” Alex knew for a fact that a bromance was something girls found appealing from a guy.
“Oh-My-God! You guys are like the best friends right? Just like Lei and me! Talk about meant to be” Who was this girl kidding?
Alex was having a great time, he really liked Cameron as much as the next girl and everything was going according to plan until his phone rang, and it was Roger looking for Lucy.
Alex had seen Lucy that day, he hadn’t spoken to her but he had seen her across the street. At the time he was telling Cameron about his friend Greg that would be a perfect match for Leila so he didn’t noticed worry in Lucy’s face, or anguish, he just saw her rushing.
After telling Roger that he in fact had seen Lucy they made plans to go for drinks like they used to do whenever the girls had a girl’s night out. Alex knew nothing was going to happen with Cameron tonight since Leila had specifically said that they already had plans for later, so he had time to shot some drinks with his buds.
Roger was feeling better and calmer after talking to Alex, which was odd because every time he talked to him Alex always had a crazy wing man plan that he knew would backfire.
Roger didn’t had to talk to Lucy just now, he was ok with knowing she was still around and kicking, maybe she had lost her cell phone, or it had run out off battery either way they would talk about it later on, they were ok, or at least je thought they were.
The rest of the afternoon went like any other day, Roger went back to work at the coffee-book-store-shop, Greg received Mr. Helms since Dr. Weathers was spending the hole afternoon with the new patient, Alex went to spend some time with Cameron, Rose saw more patients and went home early to prepare for her phone date with Matt, Sarah spend her time at the store and went to buy some Vodka for the girl’s night out and Grandma Lauren visited Crystal’s grave, got home, put on an alarm for 10 pm and went to take a nap before the girls arrived. They all went with their regular activities unaware of what was coming. Roger still had no news from Lucy.
Before going out with the guys Roger decided to go home first. He told the guys he wanted to leave his laptop safe at home but he really wanted to see Lucy first, he hadn’t heard from her after Alex told him he saw her. He wasn’t angry or worried, he just wanted to hear his girlfriend’s voice and tell her about his day, the kind of things couples do.
Sarah liked vodka, Lauren liked gin and Rose liked red wine but tonight they were having mojitos which meant that Sarah had to ask what she needed to make them and then go get the ingredients.
Roger got home. It was dark; no one was there but Peanut Lucy’s annoying dog that was happy to see Roger just because he was hungry, Peanut and Roger knew this was a truce. Roger feed Peanut and watched him eat while he reheated some frozen pizza. He checked the messages, Lucy hadn’t called.
Sarah had it all she needed. This was good; she had spent the whole afternoon not thinking about Joe and her pain. That was until she was in line to pay where she started thinking why they were having a girl’s night out/ intervention. And for the first time she smiled with her situation.
Because she was going to have fun with her friends not because she had been cheated on and dumped but because her friends loved her and cared for her, no matter the problem she could be in or what she was going trough she knew she had love in her life. And that made her smile.
Roger lay down in the coach and tried not to fall asleep, but even Peanut knew that would be hard. For the first time Roger and Peanut shared a moment together falling asleep in the coach, both of the waiting for Lucy.
He didn’t even noticed when Lucy got home and rushed quickly to the bedroom, so quickly that she didn’t even saw him on the coach. Peanut did, and he could have said something to either one of them.
Sarah was suddenly in such a good mood that she stopped to the video store for some old classic movies and went back to the super market to get candy, cookie dough and some apples but just because she forgot she had run out.
Roger woke up. He noticed Peanut wasn’t with him anymore and saw the light of the bedroom on. He heard Lucy’s voice, she wasn’t talking to him, and she was mumbling fast and making no sense. He stood up and went to his bedroom unaware of what was going on inside. He knocked on the open door and got in.
“Rog! What are you doing here?” she was holding some clothes and a pair off half-full suitcases was laying on the bed.
Sarah was really excited about the evening. She rushed inside her house to change into her pajamas; she had decided this would be a sleep over. She was coming out of her room with her sushi pajamas just as Rose was coming out of hers all dressed up.
“To fancy for mojitos and candy but I appreciate you dressing up for me” Sarah was starting to sound like her old self again.
“My phone date just became a video date, Matt got a cam and an stable internet connection” Rose was excited also, which made her wear a big smile that made her look more beautiful.
“Nice! Sexy video call then?” Only Sarah could have suggested that.
“Nothing like that, I’ll catch up with you girls later” Rose was a lady.
“Take your time hon, I’ll see you there” The two friends hugged not because they were saying goodbye, but because it appeared that things were changing favorable for them.
Still Roger was waiting for another explanation even do things were as clear as water.
“What’s going on? Are we going somewhere” he smiled hopping she had a secret surprise trip planned for the both of them.
“I didn’t thought you would be here” Lucy was uncomfortable with the situation because she really was in a hurry.
“Where else would I be? This is out home. Is something wrong? Are your parent ok? You need me to pack? I can get a suitcase done in just a jiff” still thinking things would be alright.
“No. They are fine. Still I’m going alone. I was going to leave you a note” That would have been an interesting piece of paper for him to read.
“And in that note did you mentioned why you didn’t answer your cell all day, and more important where are you going and when are you getting back” Roger started to feel a lot uncomfortable with the situation he wanted answers right away but was afraid of what he could find out.
“I couldn’t talk to you, I was waiting to…” she was done, she had to come clean now.
“Leave me a note for me to find here? What’s going on Lucy” he was done with it, he needed answers now.
“I’m getting married” talk about coming clean.
Sarah let herself in. Grandma Lauren wasn’t the kind of person to leave her spare hey under the mat, but she was the kind of person to give her family a copy of the key of her house.
“Hey Laur! I decided we should have a sleep over so I’m wearing my sushi pj’s and Rose promised not to wear her kitty pj’s; so put on your best ones and come help me with the mojitos so I can show you all the cool stuff I got for tonight”
Roger was used to Lucy’s rare sense of humor, some people didn’t get it and even didn’t like it but Roger did. Sadly Lucy didn’t had her ha-ha-gotcha face. She was dead serious this time. And Roger was paying a hard price because he knew her so well.
“Married? What do you mean married? Don’t you need me to ask you first? Or is this a new twenty first century way of proposing I don’t know about” now he was mad.
“Vince asked me” this was the point of no return, all hell had broke loose.
Sarah was having fun with the mojitos. The recipe was easy and every now and then she would take a little sip to see if she was doing it alright. She had arranged the eight different kinds of candies in eight different bowls, she had decided which movie they would watch first and she had a little speech prepared to thank them for their support, but that could be the rum talking. She had everything except for her company.
“Wait! What? How is that possible? And why are you leaving me just because he happened to propose to you today”
“He didn’t proposed to me today” Lucy was trapped, still she was having a hard time facing Roger mainly because she thought she wouldn’t have to, but things in life rarely go as planned.
“Lucy please, for the sake of my mental health please tell me what the hell is going on, every answer you give me just brings more questions. Just come clean for once and for all”
“Vince called two months ago, we had lunch. I thought he just wanted to apologize but he said he missed me that he wanted to be with me, marry me. He said he is ready”
“Two months ago?” another answer another slap to his face.
“We started seen each other ever since” She was having no mercy with him, truth was out there and it hurt.
“Did you two?. I mean… I thought you wouldn’t but…. Did the two of you… Did you sleep with him?” point of no return.
“I still love him” That said it all.
Sarah was having a great time, even do Rose was still having her video date and Lauren was still upstairs she was having fun with herself, which she hadn’t in a long time. Everything was settled all Sarah needed now were her friends. Rose had called and said she was running late apparently Matt wanted all the crew members to meet her lovely girlfriend back home. Grandma Lauren’s alarm clock went off, she would be up and in five minutes their reunion, party, sleep over would start.
What was Roger supposed to do now? How was he supposed to react? Was it worth it to fight for her? Even do she had been lying to him for the last two months, he didn’t know.
“So you are leaving now? Just like that, just a note, just…gone?”
“I’m sorry” She really was sorry, she was more confused than sorry and being impulsive like this felt good at the moment but she was truly deeply sorry.
“Oh you are sorry? No I’m sorry to be here and make your exit inconvenient and uncomfortable….So that’s it? Just sorry? No but?”
“I’m sorry; I really am but please try to understand. I just found out I still love him and he loves me too and he’s ready to give me everything, to commit, to be with me, I owe that much to myself, I know I can be happy with him” tears had started to gather in Lucy’s eyes.
“So that’s it? Thanks for everything but I’m getting back with my cheating ex?” he wasn’t trying Lucy to change her mind; he knew this was over but he wanted her to understand what she was getting into.
The alarm clock was still going, Grandma Lauren wasn’t up yet. Sarah decided to go upstairs and check on her, if not there would be no mojitos left for the rest of the night. As she went upstairs she stopped to look at a picture of her grandmother Crystal and Granma Lauren that looked like it was taken when they were in their early twenties. She smiled and thought of her and Rose and imagined how they would be friends for a long time no matter what happened. The alarm was still going.

“You know how I feel about you, I do love you… You have to be the best thing”
“No! save it. I don’t want to know what you think off me I don’t know that would make me feel better, I know you think it will make you feel better but I don’t want you to feel better because this is a mistake and this will come back to haunt you and when you turn I won’t be there anymore I’m done, you are leaving me that’s that” another way of saying please leave and I don’t want to see you again.
Lucy closed her suitcases, she picked up Peanut and stood right in front or Roger trying to tell him something that would make this easier, while tears where falling down her face. She was staring at Roger right into his eyes, neither one of them said anything, she tried to kiss him goodbye but he took a step back.
“Never again” he said, and that was the last thing she heard from him.
“Come on Lauren Rose will be here soon and I have the hole evening planned” Sarah was at Grandma Lauren’s bedroom door. The lights were out; she turned them on and saw her still in bed, the alarm still going.
Lucy sobbed and walked out of the room, she opened the door and froze there for a second, and she took a last look at Roger who wasn’t looking back at her. She whispered “I love you” and she was gone, she closed the door behind her and left Roger standing in a dark apartment alone and heartbroken.
“Laur? Lauren? Come on girl’s night out! Well girl’s night in, but still girl’s night”
The alarm was still going.
“Lauren?” Sarah took a step forward, her smile faded.
No answer.
“Grandma?”
She was laying, still, non responsive, quiet, cold, death.
The unexpected always haunts us, changes us. In a second everything falls to pieces and we are let alone not knowing what just happened and how it happened. The truth is that there is a thin line between the expected and the un expected the thing is that we don’t always pay attention to the subtle simple signs that are trying to tell us to prepare, to get ready because everything we know it’s about to change.