Friends with Consequences Ch. 21-26

"Me?! But I don't know how to..."

"I'll teach you!" Linda quickly responded, interrupting her friend. "I know it's a bit of a drive, but it would really help them out! They don't have any money to pay you, but I can pay you what they were paying me... well, once my overtime money comes in..."

Jesse looked up at the ceiling as if she were pondering her options for a moment. Then, as her legs started swinging again, she looked at Linda and smiled. "I'll just do it for free."

Linda did a double-take, completely shocked by her friend's answer. "You'll do it for free?!"

"Yeah... you're doing it for free... Why can't I?"

"I just didn't expect..."

"Me to be so awesome?!" Jesse interrupted in a joking manner. "I've always been awesome... I'm just disappointed that you forgot!"

With tears forming in her eyes, Linda wrapped her arms around Jesse and squeezed as tightly as she could. "I can't tell you how much I owe you..."

"I owe Patricia for taking care of you, anyway. And besides, you're my best friend... I'd do anything for you..."

"You're my best friend too... You mean everything to me."

As the women let go of their embrace, Jesse jumped off the bed with a determined look of her own. "So, let's get started! Tell me what to do, so I'll have a leg up when I get there."

"You want me to teach you right now?"

"Yeah, why not? The sooner I can work at the coffee shop, the sooner you can spend more time with Max!"

Unfortunately, Linda was suddenly overcome with guilt after the heartfelt moment with her best friend. A daunting memory flashed through her mind, making her feel the need to get something off her chest.

"Hey Jesse... Speaking of Max... there's something I need to clear from my conscious."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember when I left him for Jake, and I said you can't be his new partner... because of girl code...? That was really messed up of me. I was just jealous and I didn't want him with anyone else, even though I left him for someone else... That was wrong of me to stop you from pursuing him... I'm really sorry..."

Several seconds went by as Jesse stared into her best friend's remorseful eyes. Quietly, she began explaining, "It's okay... I know why you did that..."

Linda raised her eyebrows, intrigued to find out what her best friend had to say.

"You did it because... you love him!" Jesse cheered, poking Linda in the stomach again. "You loooooove him! You want him all to yourself!"

"Jesse!" Linda squealed, trying to fight through her laughs. "I don't know where you got this tickling thing from, but I am NOT a fan!"

***

Chapter 25

"What made you want to end your life?"

"I... ummm... I just felt like I had nowhere to run... I already hurt everyone I cared about. There was nowhere left for me to escape."

"Have you thought about doing it since?"

"No... I haven't felt that low since... that day... Therapy has helped a lot, too."

"How has therapy helped you?"

"It's good for me to talk about my problems. Sometimes, I need an outside perspective to make me realize I'm not as helpless as I think."

"Do you feel better?"

"Yes... I mean, it's a work in progress... but I definitely feel better than I did that day."

"When did you start feeling better?"

"When my friend Jesse kicked my door open and helped me... It meant a lot to see how much she cared. But most importantly, she forced me to admit I had a problem. Once I started accepting help, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders because I didn't have to hide it anymore."

"What exactly were you hiding?"

"The fact that I was spiraling out of control. It was just hard to admit I was wrong, and things kept getting worse and worse. I thought I was convincing others that I was okay, but I was really just trying to convince myself."

"Why was it so hard to admit you were wrong?"

"I guess I felt like my decisions were part of who I was as a person. I became so afraid of disappointing anyone that I let myself suffer. And in the end, I ended up disappointing everyone."

"If Jesse hadn't stopped you, do you think you would have actually done it?"

"I don't know what would have happened... I was just thinking about it..."

"Do you think you would have those same thoughts if you saw your ex again?"

"I'm not sure... Seeing him might trigger a lot of bad memories... I don't know how I'd react, so I'm not ready to see him."

"How about the other guy?"

"What other guy?"

"The one that was your neighbor."

"Oh, umm... What about him?"

"Would seeing him bring up any bad memories?"

"Oh, no... I um... I've been helping him out, actually... He got into a car accident recently... so I had to do some stuff for him... I think we're on good terms."

"Is he still dating that other girl?"

"Uh... no..."

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

"Uh..."

"Okay class... I think we're getting a little off topic now. Let's just have one more question for our special guest, and we'll wrap it up from there."

"Uhh... Thank you, Michelle... I'm okay though... Ask me whatever you'd like for the last question."

"If you don't mind me asking, how often do you think about that night?"

"All the time..."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

"No, it's okay... I think about it because... I've recently run into some issues... where people I cared about really needed my help... Even though it doesn't make amends for the bad I've done in the past... I'm glad I can at least be there when they need me. I now realize I wouldn't have been able to do that if I went through with it that night."

****

"I hope I answered the questions well enough," Linda said to her therapist, as they sat together in a little coffee shop.

Michelle smiled at the young brunette, eager to tell her how pleased she was with her courageous effort. "Linda... you were amazing!"

The young client's eyes lit up, shocked to hear such a response. "What? Really?"

"Absolutely. It couldn't have gone better."

"I was a bit surprised at how tough the questions were. Your students really don't hold back, do they?"

"They're studying to be therapists themselves," Michelle explained, still unable to keep the satisfying grin from her face. "But you were open and honest, and you did an excellent job of processing through all your feelings and emotions. It's unbelievable how much better you are at that than you used to be."

"I guess you're right," Linda said with a little chuckle, thinking back to the day she first met her sweet therapist. "It took a lot of time to be able to talk about it... but now, since I've already admitted I have a problem, it's not that hard anymore."

"Well, you've provided great insight for my students, and I really owe you one. Next time you're in town, I'll take you out for lunch or something. I actually wish you had more time today so I could get you a meal right now, but I understand you have a busy work schedule."

"Yeah... it's like I was telling you earlier; I wish I had more time to see you, but with Patricia's coffee shop going through such a tough time, I spend most of my free time helping her."

Michelle stared at the physically exhausted client for a moment before speaking up. "And... you're also helping Max?"

"Oh, yeah... I guess you heard that in class... He got into a pretty bad car accident and his family was out of the country on vacation. He had a severe concussion and a couple of fractured bones. I've just been helping him get back on his feet..."

Several seconds went by, which felt like an eternity in Linda's anxiety filled mind. Michelle was just staring at her, making her feel she needed to defend herself. Eventually, she spoke up in a defensive tone. "What? I'm not back with him or anything... I'm just helping him get his life back together because he helped me so much when..."

"That's not what I'm worried about," the or a therapist interrupted with a hesitant tone. "You're working two jobs... you're helping him... and you're taking care of a dog... That's a lot... I mean, do you have any time left for yourself?"

After hearing her life outlined by her therapist, Linda paused, realizing how busy it sounded from an outside perspective. Thinking about how much free time she spent with Max and Patricia, she finally answered, "I guess I don't have any time for myself..."

"You also have bags under your eyes and you look exhausted. Are you even getting any sleep?"

Images popped into the young woman's head of her spending all night at her apartment, studying Max's work materials. Almost scared of the response, Linda nervously admitted, "I've been getting about two hours of sleep..." Noticing Michelle's face drop as if she were disappointed, Linda sunk into her shoulders and added, "Sorry..."

"You don't have to apologize... I'm just worried you're going to wear yourself out. This all sounds not only physically exhausting, but mentally exhausting as well. I understand you wanting to help your friends but you have to think about yourself too. I mean... how long can you keep this up?"

As Linda sat there for a moment, thinking about all the battles she was facing simultaneously, a smile slowly grew on her face. She realized she was no longer the same girl who was lying on the carpet in misery as the world witnessed her damaging herself. She was now a woman who felt compelled to move when others needed her.

With a sparkle in her eye, she looked up at Michelle and answered, "I don't know how long I can keep this up... but you know what? For some reason... this is the happiest I've been in a very long time."

*****

It's been a few weeks

And I still haven't made a sale.

Can I get myself together?

Or am I just destined to fail?

They said I'm doing better

But I don't know if that's true

The times I know what I'm doing

Are just too far and too few.

Physically I look really damaged

But it's my brain that's upside down

The only time I really feel normal

Is when... she comes around.

Why does she still come over?

Is there something I don't see?

And what if I suddenly get better?

Will she decide to just leave me be?

I know we have a rocky past.

We're both fighting our own ghosts.

But despite everything she's been through

She was there... when I needed her the most.

******

As they entered the house, Linda immediately collapsed onto the couch, where she normally liked to relax before heading to the coffee shop. "So... how does it feel?"

"It feels so much better to be out of that cast," Max answered, moving his arm slowly. "Thanks for driving me to my appointment."

"Oh, no problem," the woman responded nonchalantly. "I can't believe you wanted to take an Uber."

"Well... I didn't want you to have to take time off work just to drive me... You already do enough by taking me to my showings."

"Hey, it's no big deal. Luckily, Jesse covers for me whenever I can't make it to the shop... Speaking of which, I should probably start heading over there. It's a bit early, but I'd like to relieve her as soon as I can."

"Okay... I'll walk you out then..."

Max followed hesitantly behind Linda, staring at her petite frame from behind. Several times, he tried to speak, but for some reason, the words just wouldn't come out of his mouth.

Noticing a strange look on Max's face, Linda asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Umm... Yeah..."

"You look like you have something on your mind..."

"It's just... I don't know if I've said this enough... but I wanted to thank you... for everything..."

Linda looked down for a moment, a bit nervous to make eye contact with her former partner. "Yeah, no problem... But that reminds me..."

"Reminds you of what?"

"I heard the doctor say you were cleared to drive... and it seems like you have a good handle on everything... I guess that means you don't really need me anymore... Would you rather me not come over as much?"

Shaking his head, the young man scoffed at the idea of Linda not being welcomed any longer. "I'm clear to drive, but it'll be awhile before I get another car... I mean, I could get a rental, but... the insurance is kind of confusing... and you've been helping me with a lot of other stuff as well."

Looking up, the brunette twiddled her fingers behind her back and asked, "So... you still need my help?"

"Yeah... I mean... If you don't mind helping me..."

"I don't mind!" she responded before realizing how eager she sounded. "I mean... you know... I'm always here to help if you need it."

"Thanks..." Max responded, letting out a little sigh of relief. But then, as Linda tried to walk out again, he placed his hand on her shoulder and spoke up. "By the way..."

"Yeah?"

"Since you've been helping me so much... is there anything... like anything at all I can do for you?"

"Ummm... no, it's fine."

"I know I don't have to do anything for you, but if there's anything that would make your life more convenient... just let me know."

Linda stood there scratching her chin as she tried to think about what she needed. After a moment, a light bulb went off in her cute noggin. "Oh, I know... I noticed you have a laundry machine and a dryer... My apartment doesn't have one and it's kind of inconvenient to go to a laundromat with my schedule... Do you mind if I do my laundry here, every once in a while?"

With a little smile, Max nodded his head. "Yeah, of course... Anytime."

Looking down at the floor again, Linda began bouncing her leg as another favor came across her mind. "There is one more thing..."

"Yeah?"

"Umm... with all the overtime I'm working... I've been leaving Duke at a daycare. Well, it's starting to get kind of expensive.... So, uh... would you mind if I left him here sometimes instead?"

Max stared at the exhausted woman who had been working so hard to take care of him. Feeling guilt in his heart as he focused on the bags under her eyes, he let out what had been on his mind the entire time. "Why don't you both just stay here...?"

With her eyebrows raised and her eyes now wide open, Linda took a second to decipher whether she really heard what she thought she thought she had heard. "You mean like... live with you?"

"Ummm, yeah... Or you can just... spend the night when you need to... But you can move in for a while... if you'd like..."

There was a weird feeling in Linda's stomach as adrenaline rushed through her entire body. She was unable to talk because she still couldn't believe it was really happening.

"I just thought it might help you out," Max further explained, scratching his head while avoiding eye contact. "I don't mean to pry, but I figured you might be low on cash... so I thought it might help for you to not have to pay rent for a little while... Besides, you're never even at your apartment... You're always here, helping me out, or at one of your jobs... And you seem exhausted! You're always falling asleep on my couch until you have to leave for the coffee shop... I just thought it would be more convenient for you... at least for a while..."

Linda stared at her feet nervously for several seconds before looking back up at the young man. "Ummm... that would actually solve a lot of problems for me... but... are you sure you're okay with me... living with you?"

"Uhh... yeah... I mean, if you're okay with it... I have a spare room... We could move your bed in there..."

"I actually don't have a bed. I've been using a futon, but... it's not that comfortable."

"Oh... uh... I know! You can sleep in my bed, and I'll just sleep on the couch."

A little smile grew over Linda's face as she realized the sincerity in Max's efforts. Nodding her head, she responded, "Okay... We can work the details out later..."

"Yeah, sure... I was just throwing out ideas... but we can discuss it later..."

"Um... yeah... Well, thanks... I should get going now, but I guess I'll see you later... Roomy..."

After a little chuckle, Max was left with a smile of his own. "Yeah, I'll see you later... Roomy."

***

When Linda walked through the doors of the coffee shop, she saw her friends, Patricia and Jesse, giggling and whispering into each other's ears. "What's going on?" she asked, approaching the counter.

"Oh, nothing," Jesse innocently answered. "We weren't talking about you at all..."

Patricia then leaned over the counter and began poking Linda in the stomach. "And we definitely weren't talking about Max."

Linda jumped before taking a step back to avoid being tickled any further. "Okay, did Jesse tell you to tickle me?" she asked in a joking manner. "I should have never let you two become friends!"

"Don't say that!" Patricia responded, giggling as she hugged her new buddy. "She's been a great help, and the customers love her."

Linda rolled her eyes and laughed. "I know... Everyone loves her, unfortunately."

Jesse then popped up and sat on the counter as she faced her best friend. Resting her chin on top of her fist, she said, "I noticed you smiling while you were walking up to the door."

"Uhh... I was?"

"You definitely were," the girls both responded, giggling. "What were you and Max up to before you came here?"

"It's not like that!" Linda responded, growing even more red. "We're just friends... who happen to live together..."

"WHAT?!"

********

Chapter 26

February 3rd

"I love this neighborhood," Linda expressed, looking around at all the small houses. "Everything is so cute here."

Walking right beside her, Max held on to Duke's leash and replied, "I like it too. I always knew this was a quiet neighborhood, so when I saw the house for sale, I had to make an offer."

"I think you made a really good choice. And Duke seems to love it here too."

"How about you? How are you adjusting the living here?"

"It's only been a few days but I feel really comfortable... Thanks for sleeping on the couch and letting me have the bed... You can have the bed back whenever you want."

"I don't mind sharing the bed with you," Max said before noticing a red hue appearing on Linda's face. After realizing how inappropriate his innocent statement sounded, he quickly corrected himself. "I meant... we have different sleep schedules so I can use it when you're not using it!"

"I know what you meant," the petite brunette replied before trying to change the subject. "How is your hip doing, by the way? Do you want to rest a little?"

"My hip feels okay. Taking Duke on walks has been really good for me, actually."

"It's been a big help to have you take care of him when I'm at work. And I enjoy our little morning walks too..."

Staring at the cute woman, bundled up from head to toe in her peacoat, beanie, gloves, and long boots, Max couldn't help but smile. He struggled to believe this was the same girl he grew up with. It was even harder to believe she was the same woman that was having a mental breakdown only a short time ago.

"I enjoy our walks too, Linda..."

"And now to my favorite house of the entire neighborhood!" Linda cheered as they got back to their home.

Walking towards the front door, Max pointed out, "I bet it'll feel even more like home once we get the rest of your stuff."

"It already feels like home," Linda responded underneath her breath as she stared at her childhood friend and her dog standing on the front porch. She quickly pulled out her phone and asked, "Hey, do you mind if I take a picture of you and Duke?"

"Sure..." Max answered, coming to a complete stop. Then, after some instruction, he sat on the front step with his arm around the big rottweiler.

With a smile, Linda took several pictures of the two posing in front of the house she now called her home. But before she could wrap the session up, an older woman who was walking along the sidewalk approached her from behind.

"Excuse me, young lady."