Catch My Fall Read Online Free PDF Page B

knew he was there. Sure, he had a mullet, but otherwise he was the greatest man I’d ever known. Still, his text wasn’t what I wanted.
    I opened the text from Cole and stared at it.
    …I miss you too. I responded.
    Two weeks went by. Cole didn’t respond.

 
     
     
    CHAPTER THREE
     
     
    S chool started up in mid-September, pulling Meghan away for a good amount of the time. At the age of thirty one, Meghan had decided to return to school to become a nurse, and she was halfway through her studies at the local Community College. Her life was entirely dictated by the pursuit, and she’d often suggested I follow in her footsteps whenever we discussed my futile job hunt. After that text incident, and not hearing from Cole again, I spent a bit more time with Jackie. I was ready to go out of the house and despite Stellan being my closest friend, he worked every chance he got – and watching Stellan programming in his basement, be it iPhone apps or for work, was not as exciting as it sounds. When he wasn’t working, he was ensconced in the newest installment of Fallout, and I was still too depressed to play video games. I needed more distraction than watching him play while swearing in Swedish.
    Jackie was married to an old fashioned guy who was content to be the lone breadwinner while his ‘little woman’ stayed at home and baked cookies all day. He didn’t require a housewife by any means, he loved his ‘strong, independent woman.’ He just also loved baked goods, and Jackie’s last job had caused her such crippling depression, Kevin finally one day grabbed her car keys and refused to let her leave the house. After a couple hours of argument, tears, and Kevin himself calling in to work, Jackie agreed to quit her job. She’d been unemployed – and happy – ever since. That was enough for him.
    She liked that just fine. That’s right, a feminist who enjoyed being a housewife. Eat that, Gertrude Stein!
    I rolled into Jackie’s driveway for lunch and found her fully ensconced in a recipe for lemon cake with raspberry mousse. Despite my new life decision of becoming a svelte and gorgeous version of myself, I was fully prepared to eat that whole cake.
    “So you haven’t heard back from him?”
    “No. Nothing.”
    Unlike anyone else in my life, I felt safe telling Jackie I’d responded. Jackie had more patience for love inspired action, given that she actually had the castle and the prince, and she’d gone through hell to get it.
    Let’s just say, Kevin was a miracle compared to the men that came before him.
    “How do you feel about that?” She asked.
    “Miserable!”
    She nodded.
    “I mean, did he text me just to see if I’d respond? What the hell?”
    She pursed her lips. Jackie didn’t always speak her mind. Probably because when she did, you usually spewed truth, and you usually hated her for it.
    “I think you’re doing the right thing,” she said, spooning lumps of cookie dough onto a sheet of parchment.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Well, you’re taking care of yourself now. You haven’t texted again, have you?”
    “No.”
    “Good. Just focus on you, what makes you happy. You sign up for a gym yet?” Jackie asked.
    “No. I’ve just been exercising at home. Going for walks.” I was lying.
    “That’s great! How are you doing otherwise?”
    This was the moment of truth. I didn’t feel ashamed to tell Jackie exactly what I was thinking. I was so grateful to have her, despite secretly hating her for having the kind of love I’d yet to find. Well okay, I admit it wasn’t so secret. I actively told her I hated her. She seemed to appreciate it.
    I paused. There were words poised to be said that I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear, let alone say. I’d spent every waking moment regurgitating thoughts of Cole over and over until I was sick to death. Perhaps if I said them out loud, I could purge them. Perhaps.
    “Well, I guess I’m scared I won’t find someone else who -” I