Shampoo by Karina Almeroth Read Free Book Online Page A

nobody. I just
want the love of my life to hold me in these moments.
    Instead, I’m ALWAYS ALONE.
    Always fucking alone.
     
     
     
     
    Monday 26 June 2000
    7.54pm

    The highlight of my days are talking to Daryl
Agnew, and mucking around with Benny.
    Faye gives me big hugs every time I walk into
the warehouse, and asks me when I’m marrying her son, Nick (the one
that’s chasing me).
    Mum’s a bit better, her docs say. Her counts
back up to 3, but doc says that still leaves her at high risk of
kidney and heart failure.
    Ever hasn’t called. I hate how he takes this
casual shit so seriously!!
    It’s raining at the moment. It’s
beautiful.
    I love the sound of rain. I can’t wait to move
to Astoria!!
     
    (I have $26 in my bank account)
     
     
    Tuesday 27 June 2000
    8.34pm

    Still a bit sick, I think. Cause I am feeling
it right now, after work.
    And the phone keeps ringing, and I refuse to
answer it. I don’t want to talk to anyone.
    Plus it could be Sharon from
downstairs.
    None of the calls are from Evvy, of
course.

    Oops. Just checked. That was Evvy.
    Makes my heart swell! I’m not in love, but I
care already, and I’m pissed off at myself about that.
    I open my heart way too easily, GIVE it far too
easily.
    I honestly think that’s my problem, my ENTIRE
problem. I care too much about everyone, and everything, and end up
devastated and all alone.
    But I’d hate not to feel.
    I’m so not ringing Ever back, though. I want
him to chase me, go wild, send flowers, want me more than
anything.
    I want that SO BAD.
    But Evvy’s the wrong guy then, cause he is SO
the opposite. He has a problem OPENING his heart. He doesn’t do
things unless there’s something in it for him! Which really bugs me
for some reason. I hate selfish people!
    But I’m not sure he’s really selfish, or just
hiding a great big heart under all that crap.
    Like that Sunday night a week ago, when I went
and got us Red Rooster, because he wanted it. We were laying about
in his bed, and he went, “I would KILL for some Red
Rooter

    (him and Dan and their ‘Red Rooter’)
     
    right now.”
    “ So let’s go get it,” I
said.
    And stupid, uptight Everard was all, “Nah, it’s
a Sunday. I don’t go out on a Sunday, remember?”
    “ But it’s two minutes up the road!”
I cried.
    “ Egg-ZACTLY!”
    “ How about I go get it for you,
Special?”
    Everard, shocked: “You’d do that? For
me?”

    (oh my God, he’s so strange)

    “ Yes. It’s no big deal.”

    (except for your weirdness)

    Everard, with glowing lovebeam eyes: “I can’t
believe you would DO this for me. No one has ever done this kind of
thing for me before.”
    Me, high on his lovebeams: “Not even Tom? Your
boyfriend?”
    “ ESPECIALLY not Tom.”
    “ I will even – OH MY GOD!! – pay for
it, Everard.”
    Evvy just started clutching his heart, like his
chest was hurting. “You’re so fucking SWEET and good, woman.”
Pause. “It’s almost disturbing. I thought you’d be just like Nat.
And in some ways, you freakishly are. Like your looks, for example.
And the way you both pull those faces, hahaha. But in others…you
two are a world apart.”
    “ I’m pretty sure my sister has
bought Dan Red Rooster before, Everard.”
    He was all extra affectionate and loving that
afternoon. High on me getting him Red Rooster.
     
     
    Thursday 29 June 2000
    9.08pm

    Watching ‘Dawson’s’ in bed. Trying to recover
my body from being back at work.
     
    (still, two months later – but I’ve had a lot
of time off for whooping)
    It’s not used to this, being back at work
full-time. I’m starting to really feel it.
    Arrived home from work to a pink envelope from
Richard. Inside, was this letter:

    Dear Karina,
    Well, I’m coming home soon, and I wanted to
tell you how I feel. I’ve wanted you forever; I came home once
before, and felt pushed away by you.
    I shouldn’t have left. I shouldn’t have let you
push me away. I should’ve stayed.
    But I’m coming home