The unEXpected Plan

by Harper, Leddy

  Bridge: Just wanted to check in on that date you’re scheduling.

  I quickly typed out a reply.

  Me: I’m meeting with BB (aka: Blonde Bombshell) on Thursday for drinks. Should have info for you by Friday. TTYL

  That should hold her off for a bit, and I still had plenty of time to find this Heather person and ask her out. I could even use work as the reason for such a meeting. It would be easy.

  Bridge: Thank you for your support. You’re a great friend!

  That made me feel like shit. I’d lied and received a heartfelt compliment for it. But I still planned to act on it. Before I could respond, she sent another text.

  Bridge: Maybe we should meet on Friday to chat after your rendezvous?

  Me: LOL Sure, that’s fine.

  Bridge: Same place?

  Me: Works for me.

  Bridge: Perfect, see you then.

  And it was settled.

  Now all I had to do was find Heather.

  I didn’t even have a chance to finish my thought before Peter barged into my office and demanded answers regarding his dismissal. My assistant followed him in all flustered. “I asked him to wait, Mr. Fields.” The use of my last name depicted how bleak this conversation would be.

  “It’s all right, Emily. Can you close the door and stay for a minute?” I wanted her to bear witness to what I had to say to Peter, since emotional people had a way of turning things around later on when their memory failed them.

  By the time Emily escorted Peter from my office, it was past five o’clock, and most of the employees had started to head home. I was tired and still had two reports to finish, not to mention, I’d started my morning at six. I was done. I’d scope out this chick tomorrow.

  It could wait one more day.

  * * *

  Bridge: Just wanted to wish you luck on your date later.

  It was Thursday morning, and I still hadn’t taken the time to find Heather. In my defense, I’d been assigned two more accounts since Peter’s departure. And who knew how long it would take human resources to find someone to replace him. So, in the meantime, it was my job to pick up the slack. It’s not like I minded, though. Working under pressure was how I thrived. It gave me energy, and driving myself at such a fast pace provided a boost of adrenaline. Addicting and rewarding were the final results.

  If it weren’t for Brooke’s text, I would’ve forgotten all about the date I had yet to schedule. I’d had every intention of going down and scoping this chick out. Time just hadn’t been on my side this week.

  At ten in the morning, I got off my ass and hoofed it downstairs. We had two floors in a skyscraper downtown; my office was housed on the top, and I always took the stairs. Elevators were for old people and the gas they passed. I swear, they always smelled like stale farts.

  I made it downstairs, and what usually happened, happened. People flagged me down to say a quick hi, to find out how I’d been, to ask a random question about God only knew what project. And that’s why I stayed holed up in my office and never ventured down to this floor. It’s not that I was a loner; I enjoyed people. But I couldn’t get my job done if my day wasn’t focused without mindless interruptions. I just didn’t have the time for it.

  I discretely asked one of the employees to point out Chase, since AdCorp had more employees than I could keep track of, and I’d never met half of them. When Brooklyn had mentioned that he worked here, there was no way to know if I’d even seen him before.

  “How’s it going, buddy?” He greeted me with a firm handshake.

  Being in my position meant everyone knew me, regardless if I’d never laid eyes on them before. It’d taken a while to get used to it. For the longest time, I questioned my sanity, wondering if I was suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s or something, because even though they spoke to me like I’d known them for years, I couldn’t recall a single time I’d even passed them in the hallway. It seemed this Chase character was no different.

  This business was more about who you acted like you knew instead of who you actually knew.

  “Great.” I smiled and gripped his hand as if I were tightening a bolt, establishing dominance. “How are things with you, Chase?” I found great pleasure in watching his eyes widen, likely wondering how I knew his name.

  “Oh, you know. The job has its ups and downs. But that’s to be expected. What brings you down to this floor?”

  “Well, I recently had to let go of an advertiser from my team, and HR seems to be taking forever to find me a replacement, so I thought I’d meander down here to see if I could offer them a few names to help speed things along. Do you by chance have anyone in mind who might want to transition to the big corporation level?”

  “Follow me, and I’ll see if I’ve got anyone to give you.” As if this had been my plan all along, he led me to his office, which would give me the opportunity I needed to scope out my prey.

  When I rounded the corner, I spotted his administrative assistant’s desk perched outside a solid oak door with an engraved nameplate in the center that read Chase Kramer. It made me laugh, imagining the guy from Seinfeld being Brooke’s ex.

  There was just one problem—the desk out front was empty.

  “Where’s your assistant? Give her the day off?” I asked. With a wink, I nudged him with my elbow and played up the friendly banter. “You must not be busy enough down here, huh? Hopefully that means you’ll have several names to offer.”

  “Oh, she took an early lunch to run errands or something.” He waved his hand as if it were unimportant and continued to give me a tour of his space. It was grandiose, but not as nice as mine. He still hadn’t made it all the way to the top of the ladder—that would be a while.

  Or never, if he keeps dipping his pen in the company ink.

  I made a few more pleasantries and then finally escaped back to my office—without any names of employees to offer HR, not that I really cared. That guy dripped sleaziness, and I fought the urge to call Bridge to tell her she was better off without him. Seriously, even after touching him, I felt like I needed to wash my hand.

  Maybe seeing Brooklyn again after all these years had done something to me. That thought escaped my mind before I could reel it back in and allow it to make me stop and think. Brooklyn Bridge. She’d been a cute kid with the sprinkle of freckles across her upturned nose.

  Nell was the ringleader and head troublemaker in their dynamic duo, but Brooklyn didn’t just go along with Nell for the hell of it. They truly cared for one another in a way I’d never felt for anyone. Well, I loved my sister, but she was family. You sort of had to love your family. Bridge and Nell weren’t family, yet they were closer than most siblings I knew. In fact, I didn’t know any sisters closer than they were. Their bond was unbreakable.

  It made me curious as to why I hadn’t found someone like that. I’d had buddies growing up, and sure, we’d had each other’s backs. When I made the move on Jill Shackle in tenth grade in hopes of giving up my V-card, Scott had covered for me. In eleventh grade, when I had pulled a prank on Mrs. Peabody, the dreaded chemistry teacher everyone hated, Frank had given me an alibi. But it wasn’t the same.

  What was I missing?

  I made a decision in that moment to hunt down Heather and have at least one drink with her…for Brooklyn’s sake. Then, I shot Brooke a text to thank her for wishing me luck on the current non-existent date.

  Me: What time are we meeting for drinks tomorrow?

  Bridge: How does 6 sound?

  Her response was immediate, as if she were sitting impatiently by the phone, which made me feel bad for making her wait. I texted her that I’d be there and made a mental note to be on time.

  For some reason, I didn’t want to keep her waiting for anything else.

  Chapter 4

  Brooklyn

  Bone tired didn’t come close to how I felt.

  Teaching first grade wasn’t my favorite, but it had definitely opened my heart. These kids were precious and just ate u
p attention. I’d only started my student-teaching gig six weeks ago, and it had taken mere moments for me to fall in love with each and every child.

  The school where I’d been placed had been the perfect start. Since I’d gotten behind in my schooling, I’d taken a couple of accelerated classes in order to finish my program early and wasn’t even slated to begin my internship until the fall. This had been the only position left; it was as if it had been set aside for me because no one else wanted it. I was twenty-five years old and considered the ancient one.

  In our school district, this site held the spot for highest poverty rate, and every child in attendance qualified for the free lunch program, which meant money was scarce. But what they lacked in monetary means meant they were worth ten-fold in my eyes. Their sweet smiles greeted me every morning, which made my day. And when their grateful gazes locked on mine at lunchtime—I always ensured they each got a little something to take home for a snack later on—it filled my heart to the brim.

  Chase hadn’t ever understood my compassion for these kids. I’d tried numerous times to explain it, but he couldn’t grasp the agony of going to bed hungry or scrimping enough money to buy the bare necessities.

  A little boy named Johnny had confided in me one day after his stomach began to growl so loudly that the class erupted in laughter, forcing him to run from the room in tears. I followed him while the other teacher stayed behind. After a few questions and gentle prodding, I’d learned he didn’t get to eat dinner. Ever. I couldn’t even begin to imagine going to bed hungry every day. I’d struggled financially, especially after Mom had fallen ill and I’d taken over her care, but things were never that bad. And for a child to have to deal with a burden of that magnitude was hard for me to fathom.

  Even after explaining to Chase all the changes I’d implemented and how the excited faces had melted my heart, he still didn’t get it. I’d taken it upon myself to talk to the lunch lady, and she started ordering extra food from the district. Not much, just an apple or an extra package of crackers. But at least I’d made a difference, only I continuously wished I could do more.

  There was Sarah, who had holes in her shoes and didn’t own a pair of socks. Little Greg couldn’t brush his teeth until he came to school, because toothbrushes and paste were a luxury his family couldn’t afford. I’d procured donations from a local dentist for them, and it was now part of our morning hygiene routine.

  All of that made days like today worth it—days when I had to meet someone after work with green paint in my hair and the remnants of permanent marker on my cheek. I’d practically scrubbed my cheek raw before giving up. I really wished I could’ve gone home to clean up before meeting Corbin for drinks, but time hadn’t allowed for that, and I feared that if I asked for more time, he would decide to reschedule. It’d already been a week since I last saw him; I didn’t desire to wait even longer.

  My only desire at the moment was to sit down and put my feet up. If I could rub them, that would be heaven. In fact, I would totally pay someone for a five-minute foot massage. They were beyond sore. I had been chasing, running, standing, and kneeling all day long. However, regardless of how tired I was or how badly my feet hurt, I still couldn’t wipe the huge smile off my face.

  Because I was about to see Corbin again.

  Actually, I was both nervous and excited about that. I was about to find out information regarding his first meet-up with Heather. I wondered if he’d found her as attractive as Chase obviously had. A stab of regret coursed through my gut. Why did Chase have to be so stupid and cheat on me? It had ruined everything.

  Doubt creased my brow as I thought of all the ways I’d fallen short. I hadn’t been enough for him. Part of me wanted to move on, but the other part knew I’d never find someone better. He’d been the one for me. It was Chase who I’d planned my future in its entirety around.

  The second I spotted Corbin sitting in the booth, every thought of Chase drifted away, and surprise faltered my steps momentarily. Nellie always joked that he was habitually late. And I wasn’t. Not today. Which meant he was downright early. By, like, ten minutes.

  He met my gaze, and his lips burst into a genuine smile. My aching cheeks alerted me to the fact that I sported one that matched. However, something felt off as I gave him a quick, awkward hug when he stood to greet me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, so I took a seat across the small high-top table and perused the menu while he made the appropriate small talk.

  Once we placed our drink order, we sat there for a few silent seconds. Realistically, it was less than a minute, but it dragged on and on, feeling more like forever.

  “Well, don’t keep me in suspense. How was it?” I nervously cleared my throat and messed with the small square napkin the server had left as a placeholder for my glass. I suddenly felt desperate for that drink. Anxiety bubbled in my stomach and threatened to burst through my abdominal lining.

  I scooted forward on the stool to get closer to him until I was on the edge of my seat. Literally.

  “It was okay.” Corbin shrugged.

  That’s it?

  “Dude, I’m going to need more than that.” I chuckled to make my tone sound lighthearted, because apprehension continued to gnaw at my insides. At least the trepidation kept me from feeling silly for calling him dude.

  It was at that moment the waitress decided to serve our drinks.

  “Cheers. Happy Friday.” He held up his glass and awaited my clank. “How was work today?”

  “It was good.” I couldn’t keep the smile from taking over my face. I loved talking about my job, loved it so much I hadn’t even realized he’d completely changed the subject. “Those kids have completely stolen my heart. I’m going to hate leaving them.”

  He took a sip of his beer. “I’m confused…by kids, you mean your students, right?”

  “Yes, but they’re so much more to me than that. Each one has made an imprint on me that I will carry with me forever. I’m the one who’s supposed to be educating them, but instead, I feel like they’re the ones teaching me.” I shook my head in disbelief, because it was true. Little people weren’t meant to educate adults. But they did. Some of them were wise beyond their years due to the experiences they’d been subjected to.

  “If they’re your students, why would you have to leave them?”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean right now. I’ll have to leave them in June because my internship will be over. This is the last class I need to obtain my credential. I’m beyond excited for all the studying to be over, but it’s bittersweet.”

  “I get that. I just can’t imagine kids having that much of an impact. I think of them more as little shits.”

  I laughed out loud. “I know. In fact, I thought that exact same thing. You’d have to experience it to believe it, I guess.”

  “Well, I’m intrigued. Give me an example.”

  “Okay. Let me see…” There were so many stories I could draw from. I wanted to find the right one, yet nothing came to me. My brain was tired; it had been a treacherous day. “Well, the school I currently teach in has a very low poverty rate. And those kids deal with so many daily struggles. They’ve been through so much already in their short little lives. Way more than I have, that’s for sure. It’s inspirational to see how they navigate through. I don’t know.”

  “I think I understand. It’s just that I have nothing to compare it to. My life definitely hasn’t been a struggle. I mean, there’s the normal stuff—it hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies.”

  Laughter filled the air; his words brought a memory to the surface. “Remember when Nellie and I persuaded you to help us find the end of the rainbow so we could locate that pot of gold? We wholeheartedly believed we’d find it and be rich.”

  “You didn’t convince me. I knew there was no pot of anything at the end.” His eyes danced with amusement as he continued. “That was another scheme where I should’ve dug my heels in and said no. I’ve now learned that no is a complete sentence.”

&
nbsp; “Except when it comes to Nellie.”

  “Yeah, that’s true.” He appeared almost wistful as he played with his napkin beneath his drink. “We only had each other. The entire time we were growing up, our parents weren’t really there. They both had their careers, and it was well-known that they always came first—we came second.” He let out a grunt, but I waited through the silence, not wanting him to lose his train of thought. “I guess if I think about it, that’s why I am the way I am.”

  “What do you mean? You’re nothing like your parents.” That was preposterous. His parents were stuck up; all they cared about was financial worth and social standing. That had never been important to him, at least it hadn’t been when we were younger.

  “Not in the sense you’re probably thinking, but I am. Work always comes first and my relationships second. All relationships…including friendships.” Deep lines formed across his brow, and his lips practically flattened when he pressed his mouth into a straight line. “It started to get to me yesterday when you texted. And it seems like I can’t let it go.”

  “How did my text get to you?” Until last week, I hadn’t seen Corbin in years. I didn’t understand how I could’ve somehow unearthed emotion of this magnitude.

  Our conversation had suddenly switched to a deeper level, but it didn’t seem odd. I just wasn’t sure how to handle it. We’d been friends through Nellie; talked through Nellie; seen each other with Nellie. All without ever engaging in meaningful conversation. It was weird that so many of my early memories of Nellie were laced with Corbin, and yet he’d remained such a small part of my life.