The Stupid Side of Practical

Chapter 11

"So, you think something happened between them?" Emily asked as she shifted through Gina's closet a second time. 

"No. Maybe. I don't know," Gina huffed as she looked up at the ceiling, her hands folded on her stomach. Did she want to think about Sheena and Josh right now? No. Was the idea of them together on an instant replay in her brain. Yes. Gina had absolutely no idea what to do. They hadn't talked about Sheena since that night in the car. Not that Gina was racing to know more information. She had a gut feeling the less she knew the better. Besides, whatever had happened between them, clearly, it hadn't worked out. Sheena had married Nick. "Nick wouldn't have married her." Gina chewed on her lip. "He probably would have killed Josh."

"You sure about that?" Emily asked, the sound of hangers scraping around followed. "I mean, love makes people do crazy things. I one time took back an ex-boyfriend who stole a credit card."

Gina made a face, "I thought he filed for one with your name?"

Emily groaned. "This is not about me, this is about you." She emerged from the closet with another dress. "If you're so sure nothing happened. What's the problem?"

Gina fell back onto the bed again. "He slept with me while thinking about her." 

"Everyone rebounds," Emily explained. "What does it matter about the first time. It was a crapshoot anyway. Isn't what really matters, everything that happened after that. Do you think he's still thinking about her?"

"No." Gina said with confidence. Of that, she was sure of. Things were changing between the two of them. She couldn't stop feeling this way. She couldn't stop falling. She was so in love with him, it hurt. She wanted to be the one who wanted him, and be the one he wanted, they way it should be. And it should be that easy.

So, why fight it?

Fine, Emily was right. Everyone rebounds. What did it matter about how all this started? A small twist of uncertainty turned in her gut. It mattered. "Thanks for helping me with this by the way," she said propping herself up onto her elbows.

"Oh, come on, you know it's no big deal," Emily said fingering the hem of a glittery black dress, "Besides what was I supposed to do when you started begging?"

Gina let out a laugh, "It's been such a week with all the Tokyo preparations, house hunting, packing, and just the thought of dressing up right now makes me want to throw myself at a wall. Seriously, what was I thinking of saying yes to a work thingy. Work thingys give me hives."

"It can't be all that bad," Emily said setting the dress aside and pulling out another dress in green. "What did your assistant say about subletting your apartment?"

"She's all for it," Fortunately enough Gina didn't need to worry about her lease not being up. Kelly had jumped at the chance to sublet it and move out of her sister's basement, which saved Gina a major headache. "Now, if only we had a house to move into."

"Well," Emily reached for her glass of wine. "What's the hold-up?"

"They don't feel like home," she shrugged. Emily shot her a look she knew all too well. Josh had given it to her when she said that about the last house they looked at.  And it was a beautiful house, glamourous in size and structure, the kind of home any little girl dreaming of being a perfect housewife would love to live in. Just not her.

Gina shifted so she was sitting up, "Is nesting really a thing?"

"Yes." Emily smirked as she glanced around Gina's messy loft. "Although with you?" She raised a brow. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Gee, thanks." Gina exhaled as she reached for her camera from the floor beside her bed and began tinkering with it.

"Well," Emily said as she leaned on the closet door frame, crossing her arms and simultaneously flicking away some lint. "What's holding you back?"