Timing

There Was Abby (Pt.2)

   So, the year's went on. Carol had to find a way out. She was 17 at the time. She was meeting Abby for milkshakes one evening after school, when she ran into him. Hargess Aird. He was tall and a looker. Came from money, clearly.

   He came over to their table. He talked to Carol as if Abby wasn't even there. He sat down next to Abby, talking and talking, rudely cutting in on their night. Men always did that when the two of them were together. Two girls, must be looking for guys, right? Gag.

   Now, he wasn't a total ass... Abby had to give him credit for that. He just was... he was... a man. Presumptuous, rude, and entitled. Carol entertained him though, unlike all of the other times. Usually Carol would wave them off or excuse them but this time, she engaged herself into conversation with him.

   Abby smiled and masked through it. Carol knew what she was doing and who was Abby to split them apart? After the evening was over, Harge had given his number to Carol.

   "You seemed... sweet on him" Abby said, softly as they were walking Carol home. Carol just smiled. "Are you going to call him?" Abby asked. "Maybe" Carol laughed, kicking a rock down the road. "He clearly was sweet on you" Abby said.

   Carol looked at her. "You think?" She asked. Abby just smiled. "How couldn't he be?" She asked. Carol just blushed and went back to kicking the rock. "I think I might..." Carol said, quietly, waiting for Abby's reaction.

   "If it feels right, you should" Abby said. "Okay then" Carol said. "That's that" she smiled. "That's that" Abby mimicked back, sort of mocking her. Carol elbowed her. "This doesn't change anything for us... you know that right?" Carol asked.

   "Of course it does but I love your optimism" Abby smiled. Carol stopped in her tracks. "Abby Gerhard. It absolutely does not. You are my best friend. My soul mate. My compadre" Carol went on. "I get it I get it" Abby made a face and laughed.

   Carol threw her head back, laughing. "You're going to make me vomit" Abby teased. Carol grabbed her arm and they walked arm in arm to the orphanage. "All I'm saying" Abby started when they got there. "Is that thing's change when you are in a relationship. That's no reason for you to not do it or miss out but I'm trying to be realistic. Everyone else-" Carol cut her off.

   "We are not everyone else" Carol said. "Never have been. Never will be" Carol smiled lovingly. "You're never getting rid of me" Carol stuck her tongue out. "Okay" was all Abby said. She wanted to believe Carol but she also knew how things went and how when Carol does something, she does it all the way. She is all in.

   Up until this point, it was their friendship she was all in for... but things change. Nobody's fault, they just do. Abby could literally feel the shift. Every time she was with Carol from then on, she talked about Harge. Every time she spoke to her, she could tell Carol's mind was elsewhere... on Harge. With Harge.

   Slowly, the time Carol spent with Abby was replaced by dates with Harge. Abby only saw her once a week now, if she was lucky. She saw it coming but it still didn't hurt less. She didn't blame Carol or even Harge. She was just sad and missed Carol.

   Abby hadn't really thought about dating. She was content with Carol. Devoted. Carol was all she needed. Now? Carol was no longer a constant, more a memory. After graduation, they split ways. Time went on as it does. Nobody's fault.

   Abby eventually found herself making friends with another woman who came into her family's furniture store. Abby worked there for the time being. Soon she would take over the business but for now, she was learning the ropes.

   Her name was Lila. She was about 5 years older than Abby. Single, blonde hair, brown eyes, tall with a fair complexion. She was classy in the way she carried herself and reminded Abby a great deal of Carol. She became friends with her. They spent a good bit of time together but the longer she spent with her, the more she wished she was Carol.

   It wasn't fair to Lila but Abby missed Carol so much. One night when Lila and Abby were drinking, she had one too many and confessed her love for her. Abby didn't even realize she liked her in that way. Abby knew she wasn't attracted to men but she didn't know she was attracted to women necessarily.

   Lila never spoke to her after that. Understandably... because when Abby confessed her love for Lila, she said Carol's name. The issue wasn't that Abby liked her, it was that she didn't. She liked Carol. She loved Carol. It was always her. Every sidewalk in every city, every corner, every crowd. Carol was the one she looked for. In every face, every person. It was Carol. It would always be Carol.

   Abby laid face down in her bed and cried. She was a lesbian, in love with her estranged best friend who is married. Couldn't get any worse than that. Until it did. She found out through her aunt that Carol had a baby. She didn't even know she was pregnant. No one's fault, they just weren't really in touch. Why would she know what was going on in Carol's life?

   It was a girl. Rindy. She looked like Carol, around the eyes but had Harges everything else. Of course, that was only on the surface. Who knows how she was personality wise? She smiled to herself. She thought about Carol's quick wit and sass. "I hope she gets some of that" she thought to herself.

   She asked her aunt for Carol's address. Her aunts husband worked with Harge, so she had it. She sent a gift, for Rindy. A stuffed, pink bunny rabbit with her initials embroidered on its chest. She sent  a note with it.

Hey hot shot,
   Congratulations on your new baby girl. I was just thinking about you. I hope you are well. I was thinking about how I hope your daughter inherits that wit of yours. Anyways, I would love to meet for lunch sometime. I'm running the furniture store now, so you can stop by anytime. I Miss you.
                                                 Love always,
Abby