64. Birdie

Confession: I want to live on my own.

I sat at the kitchen table, filling out a tenth job application. I knew because I was keeping track. I had a spreadsheet with the company website, application date, the best contact to follow up with, and the results of my efforts.

Most of these applications took for-freaking-ever. A resume wasn't enough. You had to enter all of your past experience in the stupid website and then add all the information from your past employers. My chest ached every time I had to advise the employer against contacting Emerson Academy. They had already done more harm to my career than good.

Mara came into the kitchen, heading straight to the coffee pot. Now that we were both home all day, we went through way more than I cared to admit.

"Any bites?" she asked.

I shook my head. "But I have it on my list to follow up with Seaton High today. I'm going to drive over there and drop off my resume."

"Nice," she said, taking a sip of her coffee. "I think I'm going to head to a coffee shop to write this afternoon. I need to get out of the house. Do you think your grandpa could give me a pep talk too?"

I laughed. "Head by the diner and ask. I bet he'd oblige."

"I might just do that."

"Have fun," I said, looking back to my computer. I wanted to fill out at least a couple more applications before going to the print shop to get a few resumes printed out.

She left with her cup of coffee, and I giggled, realizing she was taking a to-go cup of coffee on her way to get more coffee. Living with Mara as an adult was different than living with her when we were two twenty-year-olds treating LA like our personal playground. But some things never changed.

I spent the rest of the morning on the job hunt. I dressed nicely in one of my demurer dresses, printed resumes on the fancy paper, and dropped them by the office at Seaton High. The woman behind the desk said the principal was busy and they weren't looking for a counselor, but she would pass on my information.

"I'll do any role I'm qualified for," I said. "Even substitute teaching."

"Great," she said with a smile. "I'll pass it on."

Feeling a little dejected but trying to keep up hope, I left the school and began driving back to Mara's place. Like she'd said, there were a million jobs in the world. I just had to find one that would take me, even if it meant working my way up to a position I loved or waiting patiently for something to open up. Heck, maybe someone from another school would take my job, and I could fill their empty position.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a vacancy sign in front of an apartment building not too far from Mara's house. It wasn't in the best part of Emerson, and the paint was peeling, but it wasn't as scary as the place I'd toured in Seaton.

On a whim, I pulled into the parking lot and drove through the complex until I found a sign for the main office. Immediately, doubts started whipping through my brain. What if I couldn't afford it? What if I couldn't find a job? What if they wouldn't want me?

But I took a breath and listened to Grandpa's words in my ears. One step at a time.

When I walked into the main office area, a woman behind the desk smiled at me warmly. "Hi there, how can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you had any one-bedrooms available?"

"A few, actually, would you like to see one?"

I hesitated, then stepped forward. "What are your screening criteria?"

"All we ask for is your last two pay stubs and a credit score."

That was it? I could show them my last two pay stubs. And I promised myself I would get whatever job I needed to pay the rent. Speaking of rent... "How much is it per month?"

Her answer took me aback. It was actually in budget, even if I found a job making less than I had at the Academy.

"Would you like to take a tour?" she asked.

I nodded. "Very much so."

She hung a sign at the desk and walked around the counter to me. "I'm Henrietta, by the way, but all my friends call me Hen."

"That has to be a sign," I said, absolutely giddy. "My name's Birdie."

"See?" She clapped her hands together happily. "Match made in heaven."

As we walked toward one of the open units, she showed me around. There was a small gym on-site with a few treadmills, laundry in the basement of every building, and even a small pool. I pictured all the hours I could spend with Mara, laid out on folding chairs, getting even better tans.

And best of all, it would be mine. Something I had gotten for myself, by myself, even in the darkest of times.

Hen led me into the building and walked me up to the third floor. I wasn't crazy about all the steps, but it would be good exercise, right?

She opened the door to the unit, saying, "This one's available at the end of the month. I never asked you when you were looking?"

"As soon as possible," I said honestly. Before my past could bite me in the butt again and keep me from a place like this.

It was simple, with carpeted floors, a small kitchen, and a decent-sized bedroom.

"There's no bathtub," she said, "But we do have excellent water pressure."

"That's fine." I wasn't particularly fond of baths anyway. Why would anyone like sitting in their own dirt water?

"Do you have any pets?" she asked.

I smiled. "A bird named Ralphie."

"Great. There are no rules against caged animals like birds or even spiders. We don't allow cats, but we do allow small dogs."

My eyes lit up. Everything about this place was perfect. "Can I fill out an application?"

She grinned. "Of course. The best unit comes open in a week. Come with me."