Week 90 - Jenny
I’m in love with Dave. I know he doesn’t have much money, but he is a real man, and I fulfill his needs. Last year, I was convinced my chance with a man was over, and I would be a fat single mom, forever doomed to a single life, without much more than occasional drunk guys fucking me and leaving. Dave is the real deal. Since he moved in, Dave has become very down on Liz, and he finds her annoying in almost every interaction. He is constantly telling me “your so-called friend, the fat, smokey whore Liz does not belong in our home." BTW - Dave proposed! We are getting married in a few months! So, I need Liz out asap. I do feel very guilty, but Dave is making it a “her or me” situation. Every time I peer down on my forearm, and see our “friendship tattoo”, that Liz paid for, and did it with the utmost wholesome intention. I did too at the time. Dave asked about it once, and I wisely didn’t really say who the tattoo was for. If he knew it was Liz, he’d want it removed or redone into something else immediately. I never fully understood why he hates her so much, but It may have something to do with his ego, and her rejecting him when they first met. My only issue with Liz, besides Dave’s feeling for here, is that Liz is broke and filed for bankruptcy, so no landlord is letting her rent on her own. I could vouch for her, loan her money, but I’m really trying to avoid all my financial connection to her, and besides, Dave would forbid it. Part of me thinks he’s like to see her homeless. She is unfortunately just a mess, and a girl like me doesn’t have enough going for her to risk the little I have. I like her, but she isn’t good for me. Since I decided to distance myself, and I met Dave, I lost 40lbs, almost quit smoking, and got a great job. Michael likes Liz, but he isn’t that attached to her either, at least, that is what I tell myself to feel better. Dave always jokes with me that he dodged a bullet with Liz, and said the luckiest moment of his life is when I came over after she dumped him in the bar for the douchebag sales guy. Obviously he did never get over her rejection. Anyway, he asked me for marriage, and I need to focus on what he likes, not his past or things that upset him. The few times I have upset him, I learned to never do that again. He has a temper, and he is very clear with me who is the boss of the household. That is taking a while to get used to since it was just my house, but once we get married, it is our house, but he has more say than me. He doesn’t appear to have much money, but hopefully he is just being cheap now in case he mistakenly thinks I could be a gold-digger.
Other good news is that Liz has been working full time at McDonalds for two months. She can walk there, so I find myself rarely giving her rides. When she does go places, she is with her friend Tessie. Fortunately Tessie has stepped in and allowed me to step out of Liz’s clingy friendship. I am a bit jealous because I would like to jon them, but Dave won’t let me. Tessie seems to like her, but she is actually going off to college soon. While I was asking Jane about apartments for Liz, Jane lit up with an idea. She could rent Tessie’s room, and she’d be thrilled to have Liz in her house. I was going to warn her, but then I realize I’d be kicking a gift horse in the mouth. I told Jane, “OMG, that is such a wonderful idea!” Jane told me, “it is perfect. With all the little ones, Liz can babysit, and I really will miss having an older daughter around to dote on, and have as company. You know, I like my different boyfriends, but I prefer female company more at home. I am not looking to ever get married again, or disrupt my life for a man. To me, men are there for my enjoyment when I feel like it.” Wow, I wish I was like Jane more, but unfortunately I need a man for much more. Dave is that for me.
Week 94 - Liz
This is a sad week for me. My best friend Tessie is moving off to college to complete her senior year in person. I am very happy for her, but I can’t stop crying. I am moving out of Jenny house, a few hundred feet away to Jane’s house. I will get Tessie’s bedroom, and Tessie will need to use the guest room when she comes home for visits. I was shocked when I saw the room. Jane is seriously handy. She repainted it and re-outfitted it will all new stuff, including a new bed, a medium refrigerator, and furniture. She made it thematic for unicorns, although that isn’t a theme I would have selected. She quickly said, “I thought you would love the pinks and purples, and unicorn theme.” I lied and said it was amazing - she smiled and hugged me. I looked around and noticed she stocked the fridge with soda, pudding, and dips, and ice cream in the very small freezer part. There was an armoire, but it served as a pantry stocked fully with chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, bread, peanut butter, and donuts. She quickly said, "just eat what you want, but you will probably not want to be always coming out of your room with the 3 little ones all the time bugging you. I realize a young lady like you will want her privacy." That sounded so nice. My room in Jenny’s house was so much smaller, grungier, and my food was stuffed under the bed and jammed into the same drawers as my clothes. Jane outfitted the room with a brand new 65 inch TV mounted to the wall, with full internet. Jane said, “I bought this nice desk and super cute computer for me to surf the web to my hearts content.” The computer was powder pink, with a powder pink mouse, keyboard and monitor. I did like how she put the room together, but it felt like the room of a 12yo girl, not the 27yo woman I am.
That evening, taking stock of the room while enjoying some chips and onion dip, it truly is very girly. Does Jane see me that way? When I asked her, she laughed and told me I went through a lot in my life, and I needed a reboot. She said her intuition tells her I am in dire need of safety and love. She told me to enjoy my food, work hard at McDonalds, and just allow myself to relax and let my life take me in a new direction. I did tell her I want a man, and she said, “Liz, I hate to tell you, the last thing you need in your life is a man at this point. Your self esteem is way too low, and guys read that like a dog salivates over a slab of fresh red meat. They will get what they want, and you will be left wondering what happened, and have zero prospect for them to call you back. You may not be strong enough for a man. Unfortunately Tessie has the same problem, but luckily I’ve kept her from it. Hopefully she doesn’t do anything stupid at college. Now sweet Lizzie, let me make you a nice place of dessert and you come out to the living room and watch a Hallmark movie with me.” What she said made sense on some level, and the dessert and movie were the most fun I had in a while.