“If I claim I’m talking to you, and talking to plants is supposed to be good for them, then what I’m doing is actually altruistic!”
I’m not sure if Vee agrees, but it makes me feel better.
I head to the bathroom to straighten up my hair and makeup. I stare into the mirror at the auburn-haired, freckled face staring back at me. I poke at the bags under my eyes. I know I haven’t slept well since Aunt Ginny passed, and it’s starting to show. Spending so much time on my own hasn’t helped either. I need to go out and meet some people.
“Where to start?”
I consider asking Jessie if she’d like to share a bottle of wine with me, but I’m not sure I’m prepared for her kind of energy right now. I could check out the club she mentioned—I could at least get a drink there—but that’s just another version of drinking alone.
Growing up in a very small town, finding friends was never an issue for me. Everyone knew each other or at least someone in the same family. Effort wasn’t required. However, despite small-town attitudes and relationships, I was never good at forming lasting relationships. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I knew my classmates and the girls from my Girl Scout troop but nobody I’d consider more than an acquaintance. Acquaintances were all well and good for casual conversation and hanging out during the school basketball games, but I never felt like I connected with anyone on a deeper level. True friendships evaded me, but I’d always been content being with my aunt most of the time.
“At least there isn’t anyone back at home I miss.” I look out the window at the darkening sky. “That certainly made it easier to leave the only home I’ve ever had and move to a new town, but now I feel completely lost.”
How does one go out and find new friends in a new place?
“Walk into a club where you know no one, all by yourself.” When I say it out loud, it doesn’t sound like fun at all. I remember Jessie saying her nephew worked there, but I don’t remember his name. Walking up to a perfect stranger and saying “Hey, I know your aunt!” seems beyond bizarre and not an action I’d consider.
I pull out my phone and search for things to do in Cascade Falls. The club, Big O, is one of the first things to come up. My other options include a bowling alley, a pottery store where you can paint your own bowls, and a place you can go to throw axes.
An advertisement for the Winter Lodge pops up, and I click on it. Jessie was right about the holiday season—they do go all out—but all of that ended just a couple of months ago and no major events are scheduled until March. However, the lodge does boast about having the largest indoor water park in the Midwest, an arcade, and an escape room, which is available year-round.
The escape room actually interests me, but again, I’d need someone to go with me.
“The dilemma continues.”
As if in response, my phone chimes. It’s a notification from a dating app I signed up for months ago at the encouragement of one of Aunt Ginny’s recently divorced friends. I’d gone out on a couple disastrous dates and stopped using it. Every once in a while, I’d look, just to see what was out there. I’d start chatting with a few people, get a weird vibe from someone, become intimidated, and quickly close it out.
“Why are you sending me notifications now? Oh, I see. Phone update. Love it when updating my phone also means changing the settings.”
I pause, wondering if I should just delete the app altogether or actually respond to a message from “BigBen69.” According to his profile picture, he does catch a nice fish.
“It’s like none of them know anything about women.” I roll my eyes.
I notice the app has added some new features, including looking at people who are both online now and close to your location. Tentatively, I scroll through a few of them. I skip all the ones with pictures containing other women, not enough clothing, or too many fish.
A red exclamation point pops up at the bottom of my screen. BigBen69 has sent me another message. Out of curiosity, I read it.
BigBen69: how u doin beautiful
And then when I didn’t reply in the first ten minutes,
BigBen69: just don’t respond then bitch
“Seriously?” I consider throwing the phone, but it’s not the phone’s fault, so I don’t. “What an ass!”
I’m about to turn the phone off when another message appears. The tiny picture in the corner shows a relatively handsome man with dark hair and a nice smile. His user name is simply TommyFlynnW. I take a deep breath and open the message.
TommyFlynnW: Hi there! Are you new in town or just passing thru? You don’t look familiar, but you do look nice!
Well, that’s certainly a better introduction than the last one. At least this guy uses punctuation and a reasonable level of spelling accuracy, assuming I can get over “thru.”
AccidentalC99: Thank you, Tommy. I’m new in town. Just moved here a few days ago.
TommyFlynnW: Nice! I’ve lived here my whole life. How’s that for small town lol
AccidentalC99: I thought this was a big city! I come from a much smaller town.
TommyFlynnW: oh yeah? Where?