CAMARADERIE

3.Old friends

The last five days

that I'be been home were not exactly busy but still time consuming, considering that I met up with literally every family member I know and have somewhat of a relationship with. Now we've got three different pies a stupid amount of muffins and two cheese cakes in our fridge, which were all brought by my aunts or cousins. Something that makes someone generally happy, so my mood is quite alright as I drive to Linda's house in my mums Fiat.
Linda was one of my highschool friends and is now occupied with two little kiddies, plus one on the way and an impressive amount of knitted socks, made by herself. I saw that on Facebook and wonder if I could get some too.

I step out of the red car my mother bought when she started working again and walk towards the very neat and... Purple looking house my friend lives in.
I ring the doorbell and wait only a very short moment until the door opens and a grinning Linda stands on the opposit of me.
"Come in big city girl, come in!" I cringe at the nickname she gave me but hug her nevertheless and say "hi Linda, how have you been?"
My friend leads me towards the kitchen as she tells me all that's going on, "Rendall is in school now, thank god. And Tyler attends the nursery three times a Weekend aus well, so I am able to have a little me time." Linda sits down at the dining table, where she already placed two tea mugs and then says "although, me time is debatable. This little bubble in here is even more active than its brothers, I hope that it will start to go easy on me, cause I'm not getting any sleep." The pregnant lady, sitting diagonal in front of me, gives me a tired look but then continues to caress her big belly, lovingly.
"How far are you?" I ask curiously, trying to imagine that there is a human being growing inside of my friend. She looks so wonderful and glowing, her hair looks shiny and her skin looks flawlessly smooth. Her eyes tell me that she is honestly excited, if I couldn't have told by the big smile that is on her lips, that is.
"I am in the third trimester, just started the 33th week." My eyes widen at the information that I was just given.
"Shit you are far!" I exclaime and then smile at Linda, who just nods and strokes her belly. When she looks up, she has a curious look on her face.
"I want to know everything! Tell me from the beginning till the end!"

Looking at my friend, I can't understand how she wonders where her kids get all that energy. As far as I am concerned she is the biggest (right now, literally) energy ball I've ever met.

I start telling Linda how I thought I wanted to be someone important in a publishing office and how I thought I would read books all day and make writers dreams come true. I told her how different the reality looked and how everyone was an emotionless machine, working under time pressure.
I tell her how I felt alone and isolated by the anonymousness of the huge buildings and blank faced people.
I also mentioned that I found good friends that would always be in my heart, but that not even their kindness and love could make me stay.
Linda listens carefully and when I am finished she nods slowly.
"That's okay."
She then says and after I ask her what she means by that, she continues,
"You have seen so much, you learned so much and you've done so much more than other people. You went away, knowing the risk of failing and still not caring about it. And now that you didn't succeed how you thought you would, you still keep your head high. That's some self respect right there."

"Thank you" I say and give Linda my purest, most genuine smile I can muster. "But where do you think I succeed?"

She gives me a smug grin "A new start with everyone here. A second chance in general. By the way, do you still have Jacks number? I can give it to you if not."

"Oh my god, no." I exhale while shaking my head.
"This isn't even rudimentarily about Jackson."

"But it can be, I still can't believe you two broke up. I thought you'd end up together."

I just shrug "you also thought India was its own continent." I wink at my high school friend where talking feels as if I was never gone.
While Linda tries to defend herself with a tomato red head, I just grin, maybe this isn't gonna be bad at all.