33. 7 Years Ago #2
Moments later, when she returned, she sat down and leaned forward in her chair. “I have to be honest with you,” she began.
Uh-oh. I took a breath. Okay. It’s like Matt said. Just a practice interview. I reviewed my answers in my head, wondering where I went wrong.
“This is not something I would typically do,” Gabby went on. “But I just feel a connection to you somehow. Like a gut instinct thing. Does that ever happen to you?”
Unsure of what was coming next, I nodded.
“I think you’d be a really good fit here at Trinity. I’d like to offer you the job, Taylor. The salary is $60,000 dollars a year to start with full health benefits.”
“Really?” My eyes went wide.
“Yes,” Gabby said.
“Don’t you have a selection committee?”
“We do, but I’m in charge of it,” Gabby replied.
“Here’s the thing. I’m moving to D.C. My husband left to set up our house about a month ago.
He’s a teacher, and his whole family is down there.
He’s been waiting on me, but I promised the board here that I wouldn’t leave until I found someone to take over for me. ”
“Oh,” I replied, swallowing, trying to take in the whirlwind of information coming at me.
“I grew up here, and I feel a responsibility to give back to the community that raised me. I didn’t want to just leave them high and dry.
And the search has been—well, challenging.
But I think you’re a really good fit. So, if you’re interested, I’d like you to have the job,” she repeated.
“Your next step would be to complete a bunch of paperwork and meet the board of directors. And I’d stick around for a week or two to help you transition into the role. ”
“I’m sorry.” I gulped. “I wasn’t expecting this. I don’t even have a place to live. I’m still living at camp.” I laughed sheepishly.
“Well, I can offer you the apartment over the laundromat if you’re interested.
I would have to talk to my parents, but I’m sure it would be fine.
They’re looking to rent it out after I leave.
Most of my stuff is gone—Danny took it down to D.C.
with him. But the furniture that’s in there would stay.
There’s a bed, a couch, a dresser, and a table and chairs. ”
My head was spinning. Is this really happening? “How much would the rent be?”
“I don’t know. But I’m sure my parents would be fair with you. They know how much I want to find the right person for this job. And right now they make zero dollars a month in rent from me,” she laughed. “So anything would be an improvement.”
“I’m flattered, and super grateful,” I replied.
“It’s a one-bedroom, one-bath. It’s clean, but small. And it always smells like fabric softener.”
Mix that with a little cigarette smoke and some Old Spice deodorant, and it might smell like home. “I just need some time to think about it. It’s a lot to consider.”
“That’s fair. How about this? Can you take the weekend, and let me know by Monday? I know that’s Labor Day, but I’ll be here anyway. And in the meantime, I’ll take a few pictures of the apartment and e-mail them to you. And I’ll talk to my parents and get you a number about the rent.”
“Sure. That works. I’m sorry. Your offer is so generous. I don’t want you to think I’m not grateful.”
“No, I completely understand. You walked in with an interview, and left with a job offer and an apartment,” Gabby noted. “That’s a lot for one afternoon.”
“Seriously! But thank you,” I replied. We stood, shook hands, and Gabby walked me back to the lobby.
“You have my contact info if you have any questions. I’ll be in touch with those pictures later tonight,” Gabby promised.
“Sounds good,” I agreed. “Thank you again.” I waved to the lady at the front desk. Miss Lamont, I remembered.
Back at my car, I marveled at just how appealing the thought of sleeping over a laundromat that I used to frequent with my mom might be.
It wasn’t ideal, since it wasn’t with Matt, but I could certainly think of worse scenarios.
I smiled as I put the key in the ignition, feeling something in my stomach that was unfamiliar.
It took me a minute to realize what it was.
Hope.
~
I spent the ride back to camp turning thoughts over in my mind. I needed to talk to someone. Anyone—except Matt.
Instinct told me to call Jess. I punched the numbers into the phone as I got on the highway. It rang four times, then went to voicemail.
I hung up.
When I returned to camp, instead of heading straight to Green Pines or the Gate House, I went to the Lodge. I was famished, and Dottie was good about always leaving out some kind of fresh-baked treats, even if Pat was usually the only one who ate them.
Sure enough, there were muffins on the counter, covered in plastic wrap. I grabbed one, neatly returning the plastic as I’d found it.
“They’re really good,” a gruff sounding voice said.
I turned around to find Pat sitting at a table in the far corner of the room. “Hey, Pat. Whatcha doing over there?”
“Just thinking,” he replied. His jolly demeanor had been replaced with a solemn face.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Sure.” He gestured at the nine empty chairs at the table. “Plenty of room.”
I sat down and split my muffin in half on a napkin. I handed half to Pat.
“I shouldn’t. I had three already.” But he took it anyway.
“What’s on your mind? Are you sad that it’s over?”
He nodded, taking a bite.
“What will you do?”
“Same thing everyone else will.” He chewed. “I’ll move on.”
“How? When you love it here so much?”
“That’s the thing. I’m not sure. All I know is that it’s time.”
“How do you know?”
He sighed. “Life plays tricks. Things happen that you don’t expect. And then, one day you just know.”
The words cut deep. I felt them from my throat through my chest, all the way down to my abdomen.
“But how can you be certain?”
He shook his head. “You can’t, really. You’ve just got to trust your gut.”
I chewed a bite of the muffin, its chocolate chips melting on my tongue. I wanted to spill the beans, to tell him everything about the whole sordid affair so I could ask for genuine adult advice. But it wasn’t my news to share. So instead, I just listened as Pat went on.
“You know what I think?” He didn’t stop to wait for an answer.
“I think there’s a plan for all of us. We’re too busy fighting fate all the time.
If we could just go with the flow, we might come to terms with the fact that the universe knows better than all of us combined.
” Pat chuckled. “But, who am I to talk? I’d be the last one to give in to a will that’s not my own. ”
“Nah. I’m right there with you,” I agreed.
“Well then, take it from me, kiddo. Time marches on, whether we like it or not. Things change and ultimately, what’s meant to be is just going to be. We’ve got zero control. So, don’t waste your energy fighting life. Let life lead you, not the other way around.”
I took another bite, hanging onto his words.
“But what if life leads me away from Sound Hollow?”
“Then go! See what’s out there. This place isn’t going anywhere. And if you’re meant to come back, you’ll find yourself back here someday. Probably eating muffins with the likes of me,” he chortled.
“Pat?”
“Hm?”
“Thank you for hiring me. It was an honor to work with you this summer.”
“Pleasure was all mine, kid. All mine.”
~
I found Matt at home, folding a clean load of wash.
“Hey,” he said, sitting on the living room floor. “How’d it go?”
“It went well,” I began. Then, out of nowhere, my lip started to tremble.
“What is it?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”
You’re doing laundry. I swallowed. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.” He stopped folding. “What is it?”
“They offered me the job.”
“Really?” he asked, surprised. “Like, on the spot?”
I nodded.
“Well, that’s cool, right?” he continued.
“I think I want to take it.”
“Oh.” He paused. “It’s pretty far. That’s like a two-hour commute every day. Each way.”
“Not if I move.”
“Move where?”
“Back to Queens?” I asked, as if it was a question instead of a choice.
“Do you really want to do that?”
“It’s my home. It’s where I’m from.”
“Sound Hollow is your home too, though. What about Pat’s job?”
I shook my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I don’t think I can stay here.”
“Why not?”
I took a deep breath and held it, counting to five in my head before exhaling slowly. “Because you’re having a baby with someone else,” I admitted.
“Taylor.” He sighed.
“And the only thing holding you back from maybe making some room for that baby in your heart is me.”
He shook his head.
“I can’t do that to a child. Especially not to your child, Matt. I know you had it easy with your parents. But I didn’t. And I know from personal experience—”
“Stop, Taylor.” He wrapped his hands around mine.
“But—”
“You’re right,” he mumbled.
“What?”
“You’re right,” he repeated. “I talked to my parents today.”
“Oh. How’d that go?”
“Exactly the way you said it would.”
I nodded silently.
“My father even cried.”
“Really?”
“He had a big heart to heart with me. We talked about what it means to be a man, and what it means to be a father.”
“And?”
“You were right. I couldn’t stay out of that child’s life and live with myself.”
I wiped a tear from my cheek.
“But I don’t know how to not be with you.”
“Same.” I nodded.