Stopping, she turned, trying not to look panicked. “What?”
“Are you going in that?” He pointed at her outfit.
She looked down at her pink lounge pants and white T-shirt. She couldn’t care about her outfit when she was in crisis. “Um, yes. I won’t be long. Call if you need me.”
Once out of the apartment, she bound out the door and was almost across the street when she realized she had not put on a jacket or actual shoes. Her slippers were caked in wet, dirty snow, AKA snirt. But she made it to Ruth’s office door and pushed the door open. Or tried to since it was locked.
What now? Mia was at the restaurant full of people. Tess was at the bank, but it was two blocks away, and her slippers would never make that. Natalie and Hazel were both at the high school, which was even farther than the bank.
Reluctantly, she turned to go back home. She would have to deal with this herself. So much for always being there for her. Promises broken.
“Mandy? Is that you?” Ruth asked as she crossed the street, her feet incased in black knee-high boots, perfect for the conditions.
How bad must she look if she wasn’t even recognizable? And she was on Main Street! “Yes, Ruth, it is me! I need to talk to you. To someone. Please.”
Ruth walked past her and unlocked the office door as slowly as humanly possible. Amanda looked up to her apartment window to see if Hue was looking out, but she didn’t see him. Thank god!
Ruth had worked in the same office since high school, only recently moving from being a personal assistant of her now boyfriend, Anderson, to running her own rental office. As the owner of half the buildings on Main Street, she had a lot of rental property. But what mostly kept her busy was her true profession: writing romance novels.
Once Ruth was inside, Amanda pushed past her and grabbed the door out of her hand and pushed it shut again. Locking it, she pushed her friend into the inner office where Ruth did her writing, and nobody was actually allowed. She always came out to her old desk to talk. Once in the inner office, Amanda locked that door also. Why? Since nobody could get past the first door, anyway. But she did it.
Turning while leaning against the door, she looked at her friend, who was still in her white winter jacket. Then she shook her head and took it off. Amanda saw that she was way more pregnant than she had been before Noah was born. Though she had seen the woman in the last week, she hadn’t noticed how big she was until now.
“Wow, you’re really showing,” Amanda said, her eyes not leaving the woman’s midsection.
“Is that the reason for this visit? To tell me I’m fat?” Ruth sat down in her desk chair, arms crossed.
“No, of course not. Just saying. You are pregnant. I am fat. There is a big difference.” Amanda was still leaning against the door.
“Then why are you here?”
“You are the only one who doesn’t work. Well, you work, but you can have visitors.” Mandy kicked off her slippers that had snow melting off them. In her bare feet, the floor was freezing cold.
“You are just full of nice comments today.” Ruth sounded weary.
“I need help, Ruth. I need so much help.” Mandy let her head fall in defeat.
Perking up, Ruth said, “And you came to me with your problems. You chose me to confide in? What can I help you with?”
“This is so much worse than the whole Noah thing,” Amanda whispered, admitting it for the first time.
“Nothing is worse than that.” Ruth pulled out her phone and started to type. “I will see if anyone is available. Those uptown, at least.”
“I need help,” Amanda said again, staying leaning against the door.
“I am just happy you are willingly admitting it, Mandy. Now sit down, and I will unlock Fort Knox here.” Ruth got up and headed for the door.
In retreat, Mandy rushed to a chair on the other side of Ruth’s desk and sat. She wondered why it was there if nobody was allowed in the office. What was the point of the chair? And the one right next to it? Were they for sex? Hot office sex in uncomfortable chairs?
When Ruth had unlocked the door and went to unlock the outer door, Mandy put her head between her knees since now her head was spinning. She should not have come here. Of course, she was smart enough to get out of this by herself. She had done it before, and that almost worked out okay.
Before she lifted her head, she heard Mia rush in. Of course, Mia was across the street and two buildings down at the café. Mia was her favorite cousin; she would be able to figure this out.
Hearing Ruth close the door to the inner office, she sat up, but her head spun again, and she had to hold it. Ruth was there, as was Mia, and even Tess had made it in no time. All three were looking at her in concern.
“Okay, Mandy, spill. What do you need help with?” Mia sat on the corner of the desk.
“I have no idea what I should do.” She hoped she wasn’t crying, because she couldn’t tell right then.