Learn To Love Again

Chapter 2

Two years later...

"Hey, are you still here?" my friend Erika asked with a giggle, while waving her hand in front of my face.

I brought my attention back to her and the conversation we were having.  Getting lost in thought and staring deeply at nothing had become my new thing ever since my husband's death.

If I said it didn't still hurt, I'd be lying. But, unlike the first few months of his death, I felt like I was alive and life goes on. I'd moved out of our old Mansion in West Gate Hills, Montego Bay, Jamaica, to a smaller, more cozy house in Bogue village. I'd also quit my veterinarian job at the hospital and opened my own office at Fairview Shopping Center. I still missed Patrick dearly but life goes on and so did I.

Presently, Erica and I were in a gift shop, trying to pick out the perfect gifts for our friend Monique's surprise baby shower that was taking place that night.

"Yeah, that looks really pretty," I told her, referring to a necklace she was pointing at in the showcase. It had a gold chain and a lapis lazuli stone pendant in the shape of a star.

Her eyes lit up. "Great," she said with a smile. "So what are you going to get her?"

"I think I'll get her one if those life-sized Teddy bears over there," I said pointing across the room. "She's always taking about wanting one of those."

We made our way past some other customers and over to the teddy bears. My eyes skimmed over each bear and stopped when it landed on a bright navy blue one with its arms outstretched.

"What about that one?" I asked Erica, pointing to the blue bear.

She looked in awe at it for a few seconds before nodding.

"Yup. That's the one," she said.

I picked up the bear and we went over to cashier. Ericka showed her the necklace and she took it from the showcase them handed it to her. After examining it for a short while, we paid the cashier and left the store.

*****

"Remind me again of where we're going?" Monique said as we were driving along the highway in my blue Audi. "I don't see why you have me all dressed up like this if we aren't going anywhere."

And by "all dressed up" she meant jeans a T-shirt that read "Yes, it's all mine", referring to her big afro. The shirts were originally ours (Erika, Monique, and I). We got them made ourselves for a natural hair campaign we were doing.

I smiled. "Chill, okay? We're going somewhere nice. I just forgot my purse." I turned into the road that lead to Bogue Village.

"Then why didn't you get it before you picked me up?"

"I didn't notice until I got to your place," I told her.

"Oh. Well, hurry. My makeup is getting stale."

I laughed and floored the accelerator. We breezed past the buildings and few vegetation until we approached my house. I slowed the car and turned into the driveway, then used the remote control I kept in my car to open the garage and parked inside. I looked at my watch and saw it was 6:28pm.

I exited the car and straightened the red knee-length dress I was wearing. I then checked to ensure that my bun was still intact. It was.

Monique stepped out behind me.

"Let's hurry," she said, holding her protruding stomach and walking ahead of me.

That was easy.