Chapter 2 #2
“I figured you’d say that, and I know how expensive everything is here, but Luke has a cottage he rents.
Two of them now that he and Sofia have moved into a bigger house after having their son, Dean.
I can call him now and see if either of them is available.
” Luke and Sofia were Vicky’s friends who I’d met at her wedding, and if it were true that they’d rent me a cottage, that would be amazing.
San Diego. A whole month there would be a dream.
When I visited her for her wedding, it was only for four days because of the villa remodel. I scowled, thinking about everything I gave up for that project, only to be blamed by my ridiculous boss.
“What do you think?” she asked, her voice high with excitement.
Long walks on beautiful beaches. Blue water. Great food. Time with Vicky when she wasn’t working. A chance to breathe again, not to mention a reprieve from this crushing loneliness that was getting worse by the week.
“Yes,” I said firmly, making up my mind. “If Luke has a cottage available, I’ll come.”
I had to pull the phone away from my ear when she shrieked. Her poor husband, Miles, and their daughter, MJ, had no idea the chaos that was coming their way for this extended visit.
“I’m going to call him now. I’ll text you what I find out. And Ren, this is God. I just feel it,” she said, her smile evident in her voice.
“I’ll be waiting. Love you, amica, and thank you.”
“Love you more, my friend.”
We hung up, and I took off again toward home. The hum of the AC and the tires on the road lulled me into a peaceful state. She was telling the truth. Something felt very right about this. I breathed easier for the first time since leaving that horrible meeting.
Vicky and I were more like sisters than friends. Our shared faith and love of design made us kindred spirits. Both fiercely focused on our careers, we were the consummate young career women. But when we were together, we were reduced to high schoolers, laughing at the silliest things.
She and I had been dreaming of opening our own design firm since we met in college years ago.
We never imagined she would move from Rome to California for an incredible opportunity with her mentor, Elena Salas, and that her first job would be in San Diego.
Nor could we have guessed that her first design project was at the home of a handsome single dad tech nerd who would later become her husband.
And now they were talking about having a baby.
I was sure it was because that dream of working together was far off in our future, and I couldn’t blame her. Neither of us knew how we could make that dream come true anytime soon.
Just as I pulled onto my street, the text came through with so many exclamation points, it was comical.
Vicky: Cottage is urs as long as u need!!!!!!!
A smile grew across my face. When I parked the car, I texted back that I’d send her my flight information. Nothing could’ve prepared me for the way this day had gone, yet an excitement was building.
Rushing inside, I tossed my bag on the kitchen table and sat down at it, phone in hand. Twenty minutes later, my ticket was bought, and a text was sent to Vicky, who answered with gifs of weird people celebrating, bringing a smile to my face.
Looking around my house, I made a mental list of all I had to do.
Because I didn’t want to waste any time, I had purchased a flight leaving in two days.
It cost me all the miles I’d accumulated and more, but it was worth it.
Or at least I hoped so. Somehow, I felt like Vicky was right.
More was happening here, but I had no idea what.
God, what are You up to?
As I made a simple pasta dish, grateful I hadn’t gone grocery shopping yet that week, I sat at the table, trying to make sense of everything that had happened.
The fact was, when I was there, I had fallen in love with San Diego. It was the strangest, most unexpected feeling. I adored living in Italy, but when I passed under the arches near Balboa Park, the thought that came to my mind and heart was… home.
I never told Vicky or anyone else about it, but I had mentioned it in my prayers since my visit, trying to understand this unfamiliar feeling and asking God to make it clear. How could San Diego feel like home after only a short visit?
As I twirled my pasta, forcing myself to eat even though my stomach was still upset from the meeting, I let my mind wander about what it would be like to actually live there.
“That’s not even possible, I don’t think.
” I grabbed my phone and looked up what it would take to live in the U.S.
The options were pretty much what I expected.
Work visas, green card applications, years of waiting, mountains of paperwork, and lawyer fees.
It was overwhelming. Then I nearly choked on my carbonara when I glanced down at the last possibility.
Marriage.
If I were married to a US citizen, things would be somewhat easier.
Thinking of Vicky and her recent announcement that she was well on her way to citizenship since marrying Miles, I ran my fingers through my hair.
Then a smile crossed my face, and I shook my head at the silly thought, making my curls bounce.
I laughed as I took a sip of my Pellegrino. “That’s the last thing I would ever do.”