The Next Best Thing: Part II

Twelve

"I called my dad's lawyer to ask if I was cut off. Apparently my mother had the decency to let me keep my money."

Min was determined to get her own place and from the tone of her voice, she was obviously looking forward to this new chapter in her young life.

"She wouldn't want me to be poor and homeless because that isn't acceptable for a Kanagawa. So I spoke to Lexi and he offered to show us some apartments tomorrow," she said, tackling a jar of Nutella she was spreading on cheesy Doritos. Only a month along and she was already having strange cravings.

"When are you planning on telling Rae and Tyler?" I asked.

"As soon as Tyler gets back and I find a place to stay. I was thinking I'd tell them about the pregnancy, the breakup and leaving school as well."

It was difficult keeping Min's pregnancy a secret, considering we spent most our time together and her eating habits were becoming weirder and weirder. She was also quite pleasant and eager to compliment - Min wasn't usually like that.

She kept her breakup a secret too in a bid to be considerate to my feelings and my state of mind, not wanting to be selfish.

"I hope Rae won't be appalled and freak out over the pregnancy. She isn't the most accepting person sometimes."

"I'll kick her ass if she is, Zoe. I'm still me, minus the profanity," she told me. Of course she would. I didn't expect any less from my lovely friend.

Our appointment with Lexi was scheduled for midday; he met us at his Manhattan office and immediately got to work, handing us guides to the neighbourhoods he thought Min would be comfortable in.

"I made sure I covered the cultural and social aspects of the places as well as security in terms of how safe you would be," he began.

Min then selected the places she would like to be shown and we set off to the first neighbourhood, the familiar Upper East Side.

"You've lived there so you kinda have a feel for the place," he said, leading us out of a cab and into a grand, doorman manned building Min and I were acquainted with. It was a stone's throw away from her parents' place - that meant her mother could visit whenever she pleased. This was going to be good.

"You will have round the clock security in the building and a fresh food delivery service if you're not keen on preparing your own meals," Lexi informed us.

We were then escorted to one of the midlevel floors where located was the first listing. The elevator opened into a rustic foyer, an international chef worthy kitchen to the right and the living room to the left.

From the onset I knew Min wouldn't like the apartment; the cherry on top was the central view overlooking her parents, their penthouse a few storeys above this one.

"It has three and a half bedroom suites, two bathrooms, the beautiful kitchen you saw when you walked in and-"

"And I don't really like it. I also want to be much further away from my parents, not the view from their dining room window," Min commented, finishing his sentence.

He completely understood as he didn't quite see Min prospering in such a home. "Now I can't get it either. Your parents being able to scrutinize me over breakfast muffins just puts me off the whole neighbourhood basically," he concurred.

Next up was Brooklyn: the apartment building was in the vicinity of a Korean bar with pungent smells. Min threw up twice in the bathroom, which left Lexi at a loss as to what she wanted.

"Let's try something else," he said as we were driven to Tribeca. On the Hudson river waterfront stood luxurious condos with tranquil views of the water and of the city.

The building had 24 hour protection, keycard entry, a choice of elevators or the stairs and a large parking garage. It consisted of ten separate condos, each spread out over two floors.

Lexi led us into a bright apartment with grand windows which brought in light from any and all directions. The wood panelled ceilings gave it an earthy, homey feel, as well as the layered brick fireplace in the living room.

The kitchen's black granite tabletops matched the black marbled floor, the monotony broken by the off white cupboards, shelves and drawers.

Adjacent to the kitchen was a warm dining room area Min would enjoy entertaining in. The view of the crisp yellow and auburn leaves preparing for autumn provided a scenic background to the empty room.

"It has three bedroom suites upstairs, one bedroom downstairs and two bathrooms," Lexi introduced. "There's a library, an office and a play area if you decide to have kids and still live here.

Over here is the balcony and there are some wicker chairs you most certainly can get rid of," he added. We moved outside onto the open balcony area one could set up garden plants, fairy lights could be hung on the railing and lamps or mason jars on the ceiling.

After a long deliberative silence from Min, she finally spoke up. "Can I move in tomorrow?"

Lexi quickly drew up the paperwork which Min signed professionally and gave out her credit card information. She looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, the weight being a squatter with anything to her name except the baby she secretly carried.

"We can tell the others now," she whispered to me on the way back to Manhattan.

...

I was anxious, my body ready to go, ready to run to the bathroom and check on Min.

We had chosen a new place to have dinner at, one that wasn't the easiest to find but boasted the best boneless ribs for Min and simple chickpea salad for my favourite sampler of all things different.

Min insisted we wait before we could order for everyone to arrive. Tyler had just landed in the city after her week absence - we didn't expect her for at least thirty minutes; and Rae was running late, probably because she was lost. She looked starved though and her eyes longed for the succulent sticky goodness all pregnant women had to make a staple.

I had the decency to order behind her back, the same kind gesture stalling me from checking on her. I was getting good at this kind gestures thing. I couldn't continue to burden my friends with my Mitchell situation. It was over between us, and I had to consider moving on. 

But he called me.

Twice.

And of course I didn't pick up. I didn't know where we stood and I had nothing to say to him. I would probably start to cry, or worse,  blurt out that I loved him still and I needed him back in my life. But we just couldn't go back there. Not anymore.

"Zo? Zoe? Hey Zo, are you okay?" Min was sitting in front of me,  snapping her fingers to get my attention. "You've been staring at your phone for a long time. Is everything alright, babe?"

Not really, but it would be.  Some day, hopefully soon.  "Yeah, sorry. I'm alright.  How are you?"