Wishing for Wonderful (Serendipity #3)(14)
“If you need a new computer,” John said, “I could—”
“It’s not just the computer, it’s…” Lindsay gave another sigh, and this one stretched itself out like a clothesline. “It’s everything. It’s the emptiness of my life.”
“What’s wrong with your life?”
John had been a single father for almost ten years, and try as he might he’d never fully understood Lindsay. There seemed to be a secondary meaning behind the words she spoke, obviously a secret code fathers were not privy to. Bethany had somehow figured it out and could always come up with an answer to dry Lindsay’s tears. John had no such luck. The life she was dissatisfied with could mean anything from boyfriend problems to a dress lost at the dry cleaner.
He listened to the muffled sobs for a minute longer then said, “Lindsay, please stop that crying. Just tell me what’s wrong. Maybe I can help.”
She sniffled. “You can’t. Nobody can. My life is falling apart. I lost my job, lost my apartment and there’s this little dog—”
“Whoa,” John interrupted. “What’s this about losing your job and your apartment?”
“It’s true. They’re closing the store. Everybody got laid off. Then I got this letter saying the building was going condo, and I have to buy the apartment or be out of here by the end of next month.”
“How much are they asking for the apartment?”
“Two hundred and sixty-five thousand.”
John gave a long low whistle. “For that little place? Outrageous.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Lindsay said with a moan.
Circling back to address the practicalities of the situation, John asked, “Have you found another apartment yet?”
“No.” She started to sob again. “I haven’t even looked. This is New York. No building will rent to someone who doesn’t have a job. They ask for employment references.”
“Is there something I can help with?” John asked.
“There’s nothing anyone can do,” she repeated. “The job market is terrible. Sara had to leave New York and go live with her sister in Florida just because she couldn’t find work.”
“Why don’t you do the same thing?”
“Move to Florida?”
“No, come home. Take some time off and get your thoughts together. It’ll be easier to decide what you want to do if you’re not so pressured.”
“Oh Dad, I can’t possibly…”
“Sure you can. You’ve got no reason to stay in New York.”
“Yes, I do,” she answered, “I’ve got to look for a job, and then there’s all this furniture…”
Lindsay looked around the room and realized she actually had very little. A bed she’d ordered online, a dresser she’d gotten from the Salvation Army Thrift Store, a sofa that had been left by the previous tenant, two lamps, an on-again off-again television and a bunch of books. In truth there was nothing to keep her here. Everything she’d valued was now gone. She could even feel the person she once was disappearing bit by bit. If this were a month ago Lindsay would have refused such an offer. She would have explained that she had a life she loved right here in New York. Okay, maybe her life wasn’t perfect, but neither was it terrible. Of course that was a month ago. Since then everything had changed.
With a note of melancholy still threaded through her words, she asked, “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”
“Mind? Why, I’d be delighted. You can have your old room. We’ll give it a fresh coat of paint if you want. The weather’s still good, we can have a few cookouts…”
He painted a picture that Lindsay rapidly became part of. It would be as it had always been. She could already see each and every room of the house, her old car sitting in the garage, a flowered comforter covering her bed, the smell of hamburgers sizzling on the grill, friends, laughter. She even pictured the small white dog running beside her. A warm surge of a happiness rose in her heart, and she answered yes without pausing to consider that things never stay the same.
~
This is where it all starts to go wrong; I can already see it happening. Lindsay was supposed to go to Florida and visit Sara for a month. That’s where she was going to adopt the dog that would be her constant companion for the next three weeks. Then on a Saturday afternoon as she strolled along the sand at Saint Petersburg Beach, she’d meet the handsome young architect who is right now planning a Florida golf vacation. I had it worked out perfectly. But this all goes back to what I said earlier. Lindsay is totally unpredictable. Now with this new turn of events, I have to start scrambling around for another plan. It’s not as easy as you might think. Handsome human males with a pleasant disposition are not exactly falling off of trees, if you know what I mean.
The danger in this situation boils down to one simple fact: when humans are in love, everything is right with the world. If Lindsay had gone to Florida and fallen in love with the architect, she’d have no problem with her father marrying Eleanor. But she’s coming home brokenhearted and miserable, so all I can say is watch out!
~
The next morning Lindsay rose early and began packing. By noon she had emptied out the refrigerator, packed her laptop, two books and the clothes she’d be taking. Anything that didn’t fit in the large suitcase Lindsay left behind. After two years in New York, her life had become so small it could fit into one suitcase. When she wheeled the bulging bag into the hallway and closed the door behind her, there was no hesitation in her movement. She didn’t bother to look back or double-lock the apartment door.