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My eyebrows rise. “Really?”
“I found it today. One of my Mom’s friends has a son who’s moving to Shanghai for work. He needs to sublet his place. So I don’t have to show credit…or lack thereof.”
“You have credit cards with your name on them.” Our cards.
“Yeah but no rental references though. People want previous landlords. And I don’t have that. I didn’t want to ask you to… But I don’t need it with this guy.”
“How long is he gone for?”
“One year, with the potential for extension.”
“Huh.” I nod. “Sounds good. What neighborhood?”
“West Midtown.”
“Nice. That’s where Lexi, Sam and Zoe lived.”
“I know.”
“Right.”
“Oh Ben, I wanted to show my mom the place!”
“I’m so sorry, Shelby.” I reach over and take her hand. “But you know what, this new start really is brand new. You get to keep this house or sell it and you don’t have to decide what to do first.”
“I think I’ll sell it. Don’t need the memories. Then I’ll have enough where I can take some time to do nothing but heal. I think I’m going to see a therapist, too.”
My eyebrows rise. “Oh?”
“After my breakdown at our house…your house…I’ve been thinking a lot and I don’t like me very much.”
“If it helps at all, I think you’re more likable now.”
“That’s something I guess.”
“It’s more a breakthrough than a breakdown.”
Looking at me from the side, she moves her blonde curls from her red eyes. “Willow leaves tomorrow.”
“How’d you know… oh.”
“Yeah, I bought the retreat trip, too.” After a pause she says, “So crazy. I don’t know what I was thinking. But you know what? I might go on an actual retreat. Get away and heal a bit.” Fresh tears falls down her cheeks. “Mom!” She covers her face and I scoot closer, put my arm around her.
“You know what I think you had?”
“What?”
“You didn’t have a breakdown. You had a breakthrough.”
She snuggles into my comfort. “Thank you, Ben. I hope we can be friends.”
Willow’s friendship with Brady, and her philosophy sprints to my mind and colors my tone as I gently tell my own Ex, “We’re going to be in each other’s lives until the end, so let’s try to be that.”
She sniffles and whispers, “I’d like that.” Pulling away she looks at me, rubs one eye and drops her hand. “Will you do me a favor?”
“Maybe.”
“Fair enough.”
