Max and Eric should be here by now, I don’t think they’ll go inside the club without me. They said they’ll meet me here, I think. As I walk, I look at every corner. There they are! “Tanner, hi, you’re here finally!” Eric says.“Good to see you bro.” Max says.I laugh.“Guys I’ve been walking in circles;you both have been behind the building the entire time.” I say.I greet my friends, but when I turn my head around, I cannot believe my eyes. Wait, is that Jack?“What are you looking at dude?” Eric says.“Look, guys, isn't that Jack sitting on the pave over there?” I say.We all look at each other then stare at Jack. He’s alone and crying. I wonder if he misses Carol. I don’t care how sorry he is. That dude broke my sister down to pieces and left her when she was pregnant.“You want me to go over there and talk to him?” Max says.“No bro, it’s okay, I’ll do it. You guys go inside, I'll catch up with y’all in a bit.” I say.“Alright, see ya Tanner.” Eric says.“Okay be careful.” Max
Staying strong, holding it all together and standing up for my son, Leland is all that’s important to me at this point. It’s now been four months since Jack, and I are apart from each other. It was challenging at first, I was heartbroken and felt betrayed by him. But I realized I need to put it all behind me, I have to think about my son and his future. All my life I never imagined what life would be like as a single mom. It’s harder than anyone could even imagine, but when I hold him in my arms, it’s like I have light in my life that showers me with happiness. It’s all worth it in the end. My sister Hannah, brother Tanner and his fiancée Chelsea, have all been beyond helpful. They never left my side ever since I gave birth. Hannah and I moved in with Tanner and Chelsea since I came back to LA after giving birth to Leland. Now I’m sitting on the couch watching TV and feeding Leland. Chelsea really wants me to go out with her to one of the frat house parties. I love going, for some
“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening. A beautiful sight. We're happy tonight. Walking in a winter wonderland.” I sing as I place ornaments on the Christmas tree. I’ve been having so much fun with little Leland all night, he’s so cool, he just looks at me and laughs at everything I do. I’m so happy that I’m able to entertain him. He understands fashion, decorating, and most importantly how to work it! Unlike the rest of us in the family. Leland is still small but extremely smart, he knows good style incredibly well. I hear knocking on the door, it’s already 10:00 p.m. Maybe they decided to come home earlier from the party. I really hope they had a good time. “Carol, you’re back early.” I say.“Well, yes of course I had to come home early, remember I have a little one now too you know.” She says. She looks very happy, I’m glad she’s smiling. It’s a good sign I guess, she probably enjoyed the party. “How was the party tonight sis?” I ask.“It was gr
As I rub my eyes to roll myself out of bed, I see so many decorations around the room. It’s so organized and lovely. So much Christmas garland and lights wrapped around it. Hannah must have done all this last night when I was at the party. Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something, oh crap! Gabriel. I think I promised I’d have dinner with him tonight, I just feel so weird going alone. I would really love it if Hannah and Max came as well. “Morning sunshine.” Hannah’s say, while entering my room and bringing me a cup of coffee. “Morning sis, wow, what a crazy night for us!” I say.“Not us. Correction Carol, you mean yourself and your new friend Gabriel.” She says and laughs at me.“I just feel weird sis. I don’t know, well, I promised I’d meet him tonight for dinner.” I say. “We’ll go! That’s wonderful Carol, so it’s kind of like a date.” She says.“I just don’t want to go alone and then I thought about you and Max.” “Oh no.”“Please.” “Carol, I warned you about Max!” “He likes
I don’t usually like keeping secrets from Carol. Well, I take that back, I guess it really depends on what it is. How should I begin telling Carol about Jack? He still cares about Carol I can tell from the conversation we had. I wonder if he even has a plan to win her back? Anyway, I need to stay focused on the main idea here. Telling Carol I saw Jack. I wash my face and walk out the bathroom and see Carol waiting to go inside.“Ahhhhhhhhh.” I scream.“What? I know, I know I’m that scary, my date already made it super clear.” She says and begins to cry.She goes into the bathroom and locks the door.“What did you say to her?” Chelsea asks.“Can you keep a secret?” I ask.“Babe, yes of course. Tell me, what’s up?” She says.“I ran into Jack a few days ago.” “You ran into Jack!”“Shhhhh, keep your voice down, dang woman.” I say.“Sorry. Okay, now tell me. You ran into Jack?” She says, whispering it this time. “Yes.” I say nodding my head.I freeze for a second hearing the sink water
I’m furious with him. How could he be so selfish? All this time he spoke with Jack, and he’s been keeping it a secret, ugh. “Waaaaaaa.”I pick up Leland from the crib and hold him in my arms.I pat his back softly and he slowly stops crying. “Shhh my precious. Mommy’s here now.” I say to him. He’s such a good baby, he’s so calm, smart, and most importantly he listens to me. I rock Leland in my arms, and he begins to fall asleep again. RING, RING! I can hear my cell phone ringing from my dresser. I gently place Leland into his crib and walk over to my dresser and pick up my phone. Oh my god. I throw my phone on my bed. It’s Gabriel. What should I say? Shit, maybe he’s calling me for another date. Should I answer? Okay Carol just stay calm you got this. I walk over to my bed and just before I answer, my phone stops ringing. Well, everything happens for a reason right. Maybe it’s good I didn’t answer, maybe he’ll just forget about me. My hands are so sweaty holding my phone. Gos
Lights flashing, loud music blasting, and people laughing, talking so loudly to one another. It’s like I cannot even hear the sound of my own voice. Gabriel and I make our way into the club and have a seat. He gets us both drinks and comes back to meet me by the table. I know I should be having fun but being with him makes me feel I cannot act like myself; I feel if I do something dumb then he’ll probably laugh or think I’m clumsy. Well, I am, it’s just I want to make a good impression, I never had this problem before with Jack. He accepted me for the way I was. “This is really good!” I say, screaming at him. “Glad you like it.” He says.The club is so loud I’m practically screaming while talking to Gabriel. “Like it, woah it’s like I’m on an island, I love it. Haha, get me another!” I say.As I continue drinking, I just start to feel so wacky in my head. “Carol, you’re so funny when you're drunk.” He says.“I’m not drunk, I just feel hot, do you feel it’s hot in here!” Gabriel
“Carolina, Carol, answer me! Hello, hello!” I say screaming into the phone.She’s drunk, wasted, is she out of her mind? Why would she go to a club? Carol never goes to clubs. I’m so confused. Where could she be?Tanner, I should call Tanner!I pick up my phone and start scrolling through my contacts for Tanner then call him. The phone begins to ring. “Hello.” Tanner says.“Tanner, hi, it’s me Jack.”“Hi Jack.” “I need to know where Carol is, she called me and she’s completely wasted.” “She is? Maybe she’s on a date.”“I know she’s on a date, I’m not so stupid!” I say screaming at him.“I think she’s some guy.” Tanner says.“Gabriel, I know okay. Now tell me, where is she, Tanner.” “How do you know Gabriel?” “That’s not the stupid question. Oh my god, can you just tell me where she is?” “Alright, alright, I think she’s at The Reserve in downtown LA.” Tanner says.“Oh, thank you, thank you so much Tanner.” I say, then hang up the phone. I get out into my car and start driving s