She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (gxg)

Part 30

A week after my birthday, Dani and Chloe broke up.

Colby and I were hanging out at her house, watching TV. It was 11 PM, we had both just gotten off work not too long before.

Her phone vibrated, and she looked at it. She read the text.
"Dani and Chloe broke up." she said, looking at her phone.
"Is it bad that I'm not surprised?" I said.
Colby looked at me, "I'm not either. At all. I think Dani was just kind of into fucking her to be honest. And Chloe was probably just into that too."
I felt oddly relieved that they broke up.
"Is Dani okay?" I asked Colby.
"Mind if I call her?
"Not at all."

Colby sat up and called Dani. She put the phone on speaker.
Dani answered after the second ring. "Just to answer what I'm sure you're about to ask, I'm fine."
"Yes, I was going to ask that- by the way you're on speaker. Jane is next to me."
"Hey, Jane!" Dani said.
"So like, what happened?" Colby asked.
"Chloe brought up moving in together- like next month. And I told her that I wasn't ready for it. And she got mad. And from there it just kind of fell apart. I've just realized she isn't right for me. And I'm fine with that, honestly. Pretty sure she hates me though." Dani said.
"You're going to find someone right for you." Colby said, "I think breaking up with her was smart."
I nodded my head in agreement.
"Jane agrees." Colby said.
Dani chuckled, "I'm good just doing me for now. I know the right woman will come along...sooner than later I hope."
"She will." I said to Dani.

We chatted to Dani a bit more, and then we got off the phone.
Colby turned and looked at me, "I'm really lucky to have you."
I smiled at her, "I'm lucky to have you."
She then kissed me. Which lead to us taking our shirts off. Which then lead to Colby moving her hand down toward my underwear.
"You in the mood for this?" she asked me, kissing my neck.
All I could do was nod.
Her using her hand then led to her using her tongue.
"How about the strap?" she asked me after I finished.
All I could do was nod- breathless.
Even if Colby and I had our issues- sex was not one of them.

I went home the next morning. When I got to my house, Charlotte was talking on the phone.
"I'll see how Jane feels about it. No promises." she said, and I looked at her, curious.
She held up her finger to indicate she would be off the phone in a minute.
"Okay. Bye." she said, and then put her cell phone down.
"Who was that?" I asked her.
"Dad." she said, "Apparently Natalie wants us to come meet Emily."
I was taken aback. "Are you serious?"
"Believe me, I'm just as shocked as you." Charlotte said, "What do you think?"
"I mean, yeah. I'd love to meet my niece." I said, "I just don't want to see mom."
"Dad asked if we could come Wednesday night. Mom is with her Church group then."
"I'm in." I said.
I wondered why Natalie had a change of heart.

On Wednesday before I was about to leave with Charlotte to go to my parents, I got a text from Colby saying: Everything will be fine- call me if you need me. With a heart emoji.
It was nice that she took what I said to heart, about being able to rely on her.

"You ready?" Charlotte asked me as we got in her car.
"No. But I kind of have to try to be." I said.
"I feel the same."
As we drove, I asked Charlotte, "How is Chloe doing?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Fine. She's already talking to her ex-boyfriend. Maybe don't tell Dani that."
"I don't think she would care." I said.
"Chloe can't stay single. I wish she would."

I was sweating when we pulled up to our parents house.
"Let's get this over with." Charlotte said.

My dad greeted us at the door. He gave us quick hugs. He was in scrubs. Sometimes I forget that he is a top Nephrologist, and actually helps tons of people.

"Your mom is at Church group. She will be until 8 PM." he said.
"Okay." Charlotte nodded, "Where is Natalie?"
"In the nursery. I'll show you the way. It's your old room, Jane."
Of course.
"Is Cameron here?" I asked.
"He's with your grandmother." my dad said, "She's watching him."

As we walked up the steps I saw a picture of my sisters and I.
Charlotte was 11. Callie was 9, I was 8, and Natalie was 6.
I remembered posing for the photo, my mom making sure everything was perfect.
I looked at Callie. Her blonde tresses long and wavy. Her big toothy grin.
I felt a lump forming in my throat.
Keep it down.
I took a deep breath, and continued up the steps.

When we walked into the pink nursery, Natalie was in a rocking chair, feeding Emily her bottle.
She looked at us when we walked in. "Hello." she said, "Thanks for coming."
"Not going to miss out on a chance to meet my niece." Charlotte smiled, and walked right toward Natalie and Emily. "Oh, shes precious."
"I agree." Natalie smiled. She then looked at me, "Jane. Want to see her?"
"Oh. Yeah." I said, surprised. I walked over to Natalie and looked down at my niece. She had dark hair and what looked to be green eyes. She looked a lot like Natalie.
"She looks just like you." I said to Natalie.
"Yeah, she does." Natalie smiled down at Emily.

"Are you not breast feeding?" Charlotte asked Natalie.
Natalie shook her head, "It was too painful."
"That's okay." Charlotte said, "It's not for everyone."
"Mom really wanted me to. But I just couldn't." Natalie said,
"I understand." Charlotte nodded, "I also understand that mom wanted you to put her up for adoption? What changed?"
Charlotte was asking the question I wanted to know.
"Well, it was right after I had her. They were stitching me up since a tore a bit. And mom came over and looked at Emily, I was holding her. And she said to me that we were keeping her. I've never been so relieved." Natalie said, "I love being a mom."
"I can tell." I said.
"How are you both doing? Charlotte, when is the wedding?"
"October." Charlotte said, "So in about 4 months."
"Have you found a dress?"
"I have. It's really pretty. Want to see?" Charlotte pulled out her phone.
"Of course." Natalie said.
Charlotte showed her the photos, and Natalie said, "You look stunning."
"Thank you." Charlotte said, "Of course you're invited to the wedding. If you want to come."
"I'll think about it." Natalie said, and I saw Charlotte's face drop a bit.
"Up to you." she said.
Natalie then looked at me. "Jane. Are you back in school?"
Why must you ask me this, Natalie?
"No. Not yet. I'd like to go back in the fall." I said.
"Well, you better look into that soon." Natalie said.
I was getting annoyed.
"How about you? I assume you're not doing anything either." I said.
Charlotte glanced at me.
Natalie looked at me, "I'm being a mom. I'll decide that when she's a little older." she said, sharply.
"Gotcha." I nodded. Trying to suppress my annoyance.

We hung out for a little bit longer, and then left. Charlotte basically carried the whole conversation.
"Natalie seemed tired." she said when we were going home.
"Mom and dad have turned her into a little robot. It's weird." I said.
"Agreed. She used to be so...fun. And friendly." Charlotte said, "Now she doesn't even want to come to my wedding."
"Don't take it personal. Or at least try to not." I gave Charlotte a small smile.
"Callie would've loved having a niece. She always wanted to have a baby girl after Cameron." Charlotte smiled sadly.
"I remember her saying she would name her daughter Jasmine if she had one." I said.
"I wish she got that chance." Charlotte said.
"Same." I sighed.

I wished that more than anything.

I sat in my room later on, scrolling on my laptop. Calvin was sitting right next to me on my bed.
I decided to look up the local community college. I knew they had a lot of programs- some of them programs where you could get a job right after, some where you could transfer for college.
I saw they had an Associate's degree and certificates in addiction specialist.
But as I really thought about it- it hit a little too close to home.
I scrolled through the programs where you didn't have to transfer after.
I landed on one that looked interesting.
X-Ray Tech. Radiology, to be exact.

I looked at the program, it was a year and a half long, and I would get to intern at a hospital.
It looked interesting. I got this feeling that it could be right for me.

I looked at the application process. It said only 23 people got into the program, and there was a process.

I started filling out the application. I didn't want to be a server forever.

It was time for me to go back to college.