Bridget Jones âsmug marriedâ: being lonely and miserable was not too distant a memory for me, and Iâd never shove marriage in the face of someone single, since I myself could have easily missed Josh by minutes the night we met, and been freaking just like Leigh. She dated a ton but never met the right guy, and she was starting to get depressed. So she did the big no-no and started effing her boss.
âSo,â I started cautiously, as she knew damn well where I stood on her relationship, âhowâs Craig?â
Exhale. âUgh. Totally in denial,â she replied, shaking her head. âAt first I thought the secret work fling was hot and it was totally sexy to have this clandestine affair, banging in the staircase, et cetera. Now I think itâs just creepy,â Leigh said, sipping her cocktail. âI feel like timeâs a-ticking, I mean what the fuck am I doing? Iâm thirty-one. Cobwebs will start forming in my uterus in exactly five years.â
âNo they wonât. Itâs 2005, and that woman had twins at fifty-three. I donât think you should worry about that. But I do think youâve got to get out of this Craig thing, Leigh. This is bad. You deserve someone who will worship you and want to shout it from the rooftops, not this sneaky shit.â
âI know, I know.â She looked out the window at the twinkling lights.
âHannah?â
âYeah?â
âYouâre in New York!â
I laughed as she leaned in to give me a huge hug and we cackled like giddy winners on the
Price Is Right
showcase showdown.
âI mean, have we not been dreaming of this for years?â she said, glowing. âI am so happy youâre here I canât even tell you. And little Violet. I have missed her so much, precious lamb.â
âShe missed you, too.â
Leigh looked at me, fully scanning my insides, Robocop-style.
âHannah, I know itâs hard to move. And Iâm sorry to wig about your problems with everything. Of course youâre entitled to have issues. I know itâs all relative.â
âNo, youâre right. I canât complain.â
âSo? Are you okay?â
I exhaled, not wanted to go into everything that was haunting me. But Leigh was already a New York expert and I still felt overwhelmed. âI just feel like thereâs such a scene hereââ
âHereâs what you have to learn, right now,â said Leigh sternly. âThere is no âscene.â The scene is in your head. I mean, it is there, of course, but it is one of a trillion scenes. Itâs not like Seattle, where your mom knows everyone. You can do anything hereâlearn trapeze, take Finnish, start a sewing circle, anything! There are infinite ways to find new pockets of eccentrics and meet new people.â
âI canât meet new people,â I said lazily. âThe friendship vault is closed.â
âWhat?â she laughed, almost spitting out the olive sheâd popped in her mouth. âWhat
friendship vault
?â
âThereâs no room. Iâm closed for business, shut down,â I said, shrugging. âI have no time! Iâm exhausted and mushy-brained and also so notâ¦myself. Iâm such a zombie. How could I ever make new friends?â
âWell I know at least one person who will want to see youâ¦â she taunted with a raised eyebrow.
âWho?â
âYou know who,â she said, giving me a sly look. âProfessor Hayes.â
Just hearing the name gave me chills.
âLeigh. I am a married woman. Iâm in love with Josh, remember?â
âYouâre married, youâre not dead! Itâs not like anything really ever happened with him! Plus heâs married with two kids now, so itâs likeâ¦safe to call him.â
âNo,â I said, shaking my head. â
No way
would I call him.â
âWhy? I told you, when I bumped into