The Patchwork Hearts

Chapter EIGHT

Maya

"I heard you sent in the application for the apartment on Lou Lane," Nella says into my ear, that evening.

After I filled out the information that Marcus needed, he said he'd give me a call as soon as he heard anything. I had to know if it would be one day or five - or somewhere in between - so he told me it would likely be forty-eight hours. I was staying in the hotel until Friday, and had no plan of where I would go after that. George drove me back to the hotel after the application was sent off, and that was that.

I hadn't turned on my old phone again. I had been preoccupied enough that morning that I hadn't thought about it, but once I was back in that quiet hotel room, the worried thoughts filled my mind again.

"Yeah," I tell Nella, and wait for her next sentence. I know what she's going to say.

"It's a good area," she says, which is beating around the bush and we both know it.

"Right," I agree.

Finally she sighs. I hear Willow shriek in the background, and some water splashing. "Okay, I know it's likely  not where you thought you'd end up. But George said it's a nice place."

"It is."

"Can you afford it?" she wants to know.

"I have some money saved and I applied to some jobs today," I tell her.

"Where?" she asks, because she must know everything, obviously.

"The pet store," I deadpan.

"Wow, thrilling," she says and laughs. "I'll see if the art store is hiring."

I smile because I'm glad that Nella remembers that I loved art, when we were younger. As a teenager, I hung out at this particular art store a lot. Nella's friend Kayleigh worked there and gave me a discount on supplies.

"Kayleigh still work there?" I ask.

"She's the manager," Nella says proudly. "She just got back from her honeymoon, actually."

"Oh, that's exciting. Let me know if she's hiring, then?"

"I will."

"So, George... he's pretty great," I say, though I'm sure she already knows this.

Nella lets out a quick laugh. "He is."

"He knew that I was unsure about the area, too," I admit.

"Well, yeah. He knows about... you know. The shit that happened to us." Nella says this as if she's uncomfortable.

"I figured."

"Maya, I met George exactly when I needed him. It was random but perfectly timed and... he's a good one. I'm really lucky," she explains.

I think she adds the part about being lucky just to emphasize that she knows she has something special. She knows not everyone ends up with a sweet husband who would do anything for her, as well as her sister who shows up out of the blue.  I'm grateful for George in a big way.

"Yes, you are lucky," I repeat. "Is it weird that I miss you and Willow already?"

She snorts. "Little missy is just getting out of the bath and will be in bed in a few minutes. But we can hang out tomorrow?"

"Sounds good."

"So... what did you think of Marcus?" Nella goes on, even though it feels like our phone conversation is almost finished for the night.