James and I had planned to get married for the longest time. It seemed to take forever for him to find the romantic moment for him to kneel and ask me to be his bride.
The ring was perfect. I said YES!
I was so excited to finally plan my wedding. I had been imagining every detail since I was seven or eight. I knew the kind of dress I'd wear, the church we would have it in, the way I would look as I walked down the aisle to become Mrs. James Hook. It would be beautiful. I would be beautiful. It would be perfect and would be etched into the memory of every girl in the room. They would aspire to match it in their own weddings.
The day of the wedding came and it was everything I could have hoped for. Everything was perfect and I remember every single moment: getting up, getting dressed, frantically looking for a missing bridesmaid, walking down the aisle, James slipping the ring on my finger, the thrill as he lifted my veil, the smell of Angie's perfume as he kissed me.
I didn't make the connection to that scent until much later. The honeymoon was romantic and moving into our condo overlooking the river was just another part of my dream.
I settled into my married life. But, unlike in my dreams, James did not.
Not only was he carrying on with my friend Angie but I learned that he had been cheating with Marie, and he had gotten some stripper pregnant. I was livid.
James ruined my dream of perfection and didn't seem to care. I kicked him out, filed for divorce, and moved on. I wasn't going to let his low life ways ruin my happiness. I moved on. Sure, I still wore the ring because it was pretty and I was keeping it and the other crap he had left behind as a reminder not to let anyone get under my skin again. Ever again.
My life would move on and he would have to deal with his baby mammas and whatever else on his own.
A few months passed and I was meandering through the quaint shops that line a section of town that everyone calls the "Alleys". Really they were just a couple side streets that got blocked off to become a hipster open air mall. It wasn't much but sometimes I could find some good deals.
I was looking at some locally made pottery when I heard a familiar voice calling my name.
"Hey Audrey!" It was Lena. Lena wasn't an ugly girl by any means. She just had a bad habit of picking unattractive trends. This was exactly the type of place she would spend time in. "I haven't seen you since... in a while." I tried not to focus on her uneven eyebrows as she clumsily referenced the farce my once perfect wedding had become.
"Hi Lena," I said and she pulled me in for a hug and I relented. Simultaneously I tried to be friendly but not have her mess up my hair or pass the smell of whatever she had stepped in on to me. She was the type who liked to touch.
"How have you been?" she asked insisting to hold my hands. I could tell by her voice she was mocking the failure of my short, doomed marriage to James. I could feel her fingers fiddling with the ring on my finger. I tried to ignore the feeling that she might try to pull it off. She looked at my hand and then back to my face. "Did you get married again?" Already, so soon, even though you couldn't keep a man interested... She didn't say those last things but I felt them.
I shook my head. "I like the ring. It would be a waste to keep it packed away," I said what should have been obvious. She tilted her head and nodded quickly. She squeezed my hands.
"I heard that you were looking for a roommate for your apartment," she blurted out. I assumed she was done trying to humiliate me about my failed marriage. Or perhaps she was trying a different tactic.
"Condo," I corrected her. I ignored the fact that she had clearly been gossiping about me to someone. I had long since realized that people delighted in talking about me regardless of circumstance. But I was above this kind of pettiness. "I have the space and it could help a little with fees and utilities. Nothing major." It wasn't like I needed someone to pay to keep it but the utilities had been a shock when I got the first bill in my name.
Lena nodded and continued holding my hands. "I have a friend that is looking for a place to live. She's sweet. She's been sleeping on her aunt's sofa since she moved back to town." She didn't sound sweet. "Let me introduce you to her. Maybe..." She didn't bother to finish her thought but started looking around down the row of shops for her friend. She started flailing about with one hand while keeping me anchored next to her with the other. People were beginning to stare at her but thankfully she stopped.
A girl who looked like she should still be in high school walked towards us.
"Audrey this is Megan. Megan this is Audrey," Lena said trying to sound regal. "Megan, Audrey has a condo and needs a roommate. It is a gorgeous place with a view of the river." I was about to correct the "needs a roommate" part but Megan jumped in first.
"Oh? That sounds interesting. If you're serious about a roomie, I'd like to talk. I don't want to impose on anyone," Megan was a little taller than me. She had long black hair that she wore fairly plainly. If she put in some loose curls it would be pretty. Actually she looked quite pretty even if her hair wasn't perfect. She was beautiful even though she wasn't wearing much makeup. Big blue eyes, long lashes, full sexy lips, a cute nose, and a few freckles on her cheeks. To top it off her eyebrows were perfect unlike Lena's. She reached out her hand to shake mine. Her nails were clean and well kept.
Her hands confused me. I was expecting very soft hands but hers felt slightly rough. A bit boyish but not in a bad way.
I shook her hand and smiled. I could feel her looking me over so I looked her over as well. She was dressed casually in jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt, and some practical boots. I imagined she attracted quite a few lingering gazes at the pool or dressed for a night on the town.
If I let her move in I would have to lay down the law about boyfriends and such.
"Sure. We can talk about it if you want," I said and she nodded while shaking my hand. Lena of course was delighted.
We exchanged numbers and we agreed that she would come by at the end of the week. I showed her the condo. She was excited to see that her room had its own bathroom and balcony. I told her what I expected from a roommate: rent, food, cleaning, and guests. She agreed to everything and moved in just a week after we met. She didn't have much, just a few bags of clothing, a computer, and little else. She had no furniture, which I was thankful for as I had personally decorated every room in the condo, including the guest room. She didn't have a car but bought a motorcycle from a friend not long after moving in.
