Hope is a bitch!

Part 8:

Hope went home to take a nap, which was rare, but obviously much needed to grant her some more patience. She was looking forward to seeing Linda and Thor that night and fell asleep to those thoughts with Abby next to her head.
To be continued…AGAIN!

Hope woke up sweating and noticed she had kicked every pillow off the couch. Abby was staring at her and looked disheveled. “What’s wrong baby girl?” Abby didn’t respond. Hope had a dream Oprah was interviewing her as to why her writing in a book was all over the place. “Don’t you know the difference between first, third and second person?” Oprah said.

“Yes, I know the difference but I don’t care. If someone can’t follow it then they shouldn’t read it. As I continue to write it will work itself out and if not then feel free to edit it yourself. I just want to write.”

“We will be back after this message.” Oprah said to the cameras.

Hope shook her head. Why in the hell was she dreaming she was on Oprah? The television was on while she was sleeping and sure enough it was on Channel 11 but a commercial was playing. When it ended Oprah was back and interviewing an author. “Well that makes sense.” Hope said to Abby. “I need to go shower and get ready for tonight, be a good girl.” Abby didn’t respond.

Hope, Linda and Thor had been spending a lot of time together. They would do all kinds of things from dinner, laying around on the couch to festivals. Hope knew the two of them as friends from the time before when she worked as a bartender some ten years ago. She was attending college for the second time. Since Hope was single she was always their third wheel but no one was counting. They got along effortlessly and were embarking on the heat of the Texas summer. 

Tia and Rusty’s home had a pool so they often had pool parties. They were becoming known for being the root of some bad ass Sunday Funday’s. A mass text would go out around 10 a.m. and whoever showed that was fine, and those who missed it well, too bad. It was a good time complete with games, food, plenty of alcohol and the occasional ‘what the fuck happened last night.’ Those were far and few between and never really involved the same person twice. It was a healthy group of friends of all ages and it was entertaining to say the least.

As Hope sat at dinner she said “I am going to meet some new people at the gay bar tonight. I think someone is trying to set me up and I am not sure I am going to go. You know how I feel about that crap.”

Linda looked at her with her eyebrows raised “Go out on a limb, you never know what will happen.”

“I might, but if I text you something gay it’s simply my way of getting out of there. Ignore it. Oh and George wants to show me a house he is insisting I will be interested in tomorrow. You should be my roommate if I move.” Hope said with some laughter. “Oh and did you hear about Lynn’s grocery store experience after she left the bar the other night?

Linda and Thor said “No, what happened?’

“Apparently the entire time she was at the bar she was supposed to be shopping for groceries. I think she had like 6 drinks and who knows where she went after. She was in Kroger and decided she was hungry. She had some cereal in her cart so she went down the aisle with bowls and opened a package of silverware and some Tupperware things. Then proceeded to the dairy section, grabbed some milk and sat down to eat her Cheerios. The manager found her half asleep and called her husband to come get her.”

“Ha, are you fucking kidding me?” Linda said while Thor laughed.

“Nope, it’s a true story.”

“Holy crap that is funny. By the way, I could totally live with you. I know you are clean and not crazy. My lease is ending in a couple of months.” Linda said in passing.

“Come with me tomorrow to look at it then.”

“Okay, I will meet you at the bar.”

“Cool. Well I am out of here.” Hope said as she got up from the table. “Don’t even wish me good luck or any of that shit. I am not going to be interested in anyone.”

Linda and Thor laughed and said “Goodbye.”

Hope sat in her car for a few extra minutes while a song finished not really wanting to go in the bar. If she was right and they were trying to set her up it was going to be weird. Even though she had been single and technically ready to maybe date someone she still had some stuff to work out in her heart. It proved difficult to explain and was simply easier to be alone. She was also getting set in her ways and didn’t really want to waver from them to make room for anyone else. If truth be told, she would know immediately when it was the right person. There was no in the middles and keeping her occupied for anything less would be impossible. Honestly, Hope was a bitch when it came to dating.

She walked in the bar and sure enough there was a girl she wasn’t familiar with sitting at the table. Crap, I knew it she thought but smiled anyway and greeted everyone else. A friend of hers said 

“Hope, this is Donna.”

“Hey how are you?” Hope said and then walked to the bar to get a beer. 

She didn’t even know if she responded. She was horrid at this dating crap and not sure if she even wanted to entertain the idea. With a big sigh she walked back over to the table and sat down. After a few more drinks they made some small talk and it was time to go. They exchanged numbers outside and Hope went home. There was no telling if they would even see each other again.

Hope went to sleep thinking of going to see that house tomorrow and wondered how her ex was holding up after her Mom’s hip surgery. They were supposed to have lunch in a couple of days and she was nervous. She had not seen her in almost two years after Hope ended their 9 year relationship with a simple note that said “I can’t do this anymore. I have moved out.” It was all she knew how to do at the time. Shelly confronted her a couple days after she moved out and said “when are you coming home?” Hope simply replied, “I guess when my heart stops breaking.” 

She didn't think it would and she was never going back despite how much she loved her. Shelly had moved on and Hope knew it was for the best. Regardless, it was still nerve racking to think about being in each others presence. The tension in a phone call was immense. Being face to face was going to suck.

Hope got up early because she had a ton to do before work. Linda was meeting her and George at the bar to go look at that house, she had some things to post to her blog and needed to talk to Rusty and Tia about this house thing. Unfortunately when she went downstairs no one was there to talk with. Oh well, she thought. I will talk to them when I make a decision.

Linda was at the bar when she got there and George pulled in behind her. They went and looked at the house and Hope told George she was interested in it. Upon returning to the bar Tia had come by and one of Hope’s friends told her that they went to go look at a house. It was not the way Tia wanted to learn of Hope’s plans on moving out and many feelings were hurt. Hope spoke to Rusty later on the phone and said “I am 38 and I don’t own a couch. I need my own damned couch. I didn’t plan on finding a house this soon but it has fallen in my lap. I need to do this for me. I want it.” 

After the necessary time it worked itself out and Hope was moving in her new home. Linda moved in shortly after and they shared many laughs, house parties and a regular Tuesday night dinner with all of their friends complete with small children. Their schedules were opposite so it worked out well.

Donna and Hope had been seeing each other for over a month. It was a record for Hope. She felt close to her and shared many personal secrets and had a devoted trust in Donna. Unfortunately, Hope knew she should be feeling a little bit like she was falling in love. Her heart was still so jaded and protected not even the kindest soul of Donna’s could penetrate it. Hope was trying though. 

Linda and Thor came in to see Hope at work and eat dinner. 

"Hey Linda, is it against some rule to tell someone in a text you don't want to date them?"

"Of course it is. Don't do that Hope. Go and talk to her and explain it."

"Ugh, I am so not good at this. I really enjoy her but I know she deserves better. I will never be able to provide the love, passion and desire she so deserves." Hope said with a sigh. 

"That is what you should say then."

"A text is easier."

"Don't you dare. I really like Donna and she deserves more than a text and you know it." Linda said in a manner of fact way.

"I know, I know. I will be back that lady is bitching at Allen about something. She comes in at least twice a week and always sends her food back. I am sick of her treating the staff like shit.

" I don't know what her problem is. The food here is always good." Linda said while looking across the room at the lady yelling at poor Allen.

"Hey Allen, what's going on?"

He was angry and that rarely happened. Allen was calm, always smiling and having fun at work. Especially when he and Hope worked together. 

"I don't like these wings." A little red headed woman said to Hope. 

"Ma'am, with all do respect, you don't like anything you eat here. Last week you sent your burger back. Two days before that you wanted different fries. Why do you keep coming back and harassing the staff?"

"I just don't like these wings."

Hope set down the water she was holding and stared down at the ladies wings. "Are they cooked all the way through?"

"Yeah."

"Are they crispy on the outside?"

"Yes"

"And they came to your plate hot, is that correct?" Hope questioned the little sawed off bitch.

"Uh huh, they did."

"Then you need to call Tyson because we didn't pluck those chickens. We threw some frozen wings in a fryer, our job was done correctly. Now go ahead and get out of here."

"You can't talk to me like that. Where is that owner guy?" She gasped.

"You don't want to talk with him. I am the nice one."

"I will go find that out for myself."

Hope threw the wings in the trash and went over and comped the meal on the computer system. She knew that lady was about to be thrown out when she got within 5 feet of George. He didn't put up with that shit and belittling the staff is something Hope didn't put up with. Some people simply exist to try and make others miserable and it wasn't going to happen in front of Hope.

To be continued...Oh yeah, yet again!