Page 49 of Mister Daddy

“That asshole,” Caitlyn says. “I have half a mind to march onto that ship of his and kick his ass back to the Bahamas.”

This at least makes me laugh.

“I’m so sorry, Abby. I thought what you had was different.”

“So did I,” I say, finding my voice. “He told me he loves me. You don’t just go around telling people that. If he’d said he just wanted sex, I would’ve been hurt, but I could have gotten over it. He led me on, acted like he wanted to meet up next weekend…”

“He’s an asshole,” Caitlyn repeats. I sob into her shoulder. “You’re better than him, Abby. So much better. You don’t deserve this.”

I wipe my eyes even though the tears don’t want to stop. “Thank you for not telling me you told me so.”

“Oh, sweetie, we never wanted to be right about him. Not once we realized how much you care about him.”

“But you were.”

“I’m sorry we were.”

The girls continue to hold me on the couch until I’m all cried out. They flip through the channels on my TV until they find something that isn’t romantic at all for us to watch. We end up with an action movie that none of us care about, but it’s better than feeling sorry for myself.

“Thank you for coming over even though you both wanted to sleep all weekend. You’re always there for me. I can’t believe I ever ditched you for some guy.”

“We all do stupid things for the people we think we love,” Jessica says. “Just know that we love you, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Her statement rings true because long after I fall asleep, Jessica and Caitlyn fix themselves makeshift beds in my apartment and stay the night.

I wake up a few times, feeling sad all over again, but even though I feel lonely without Carter’s love, I know I’m not alone. And that almost makes my heart whole again.

19

Abby

Eight weeks have passed since we got home from the cruise, and things are looking up for me. I only think about Carter every other thought now, which is an improvement.

And I’m working on my scuba teacher’s certificate. I already have my license to dive, but teaching is a different accreditation. It took a while, but after I realized the guy I loved was a flake, I threw myself into the process. I have most of the qualifications already completed because I love the water so much that I’ve collected certifications over the years. The only thing left is to finish one hundred open water dives and take a course on diving. I’m at seventy-six, including the two I went on with that guy from the cruise, so I only have a few more to go.

“Did you do it?” Jessica asks, looking over my shoulder.

“Not yet. Geez!”

She’s referring to the IDC, the instructor development course I have to take in order to become a scuba instructor. I’ve scheduled my remaining dives to take place over the next four months, so I’m about to finalize my scheduling of the first IDC session. There are two sessions, then a test, and then I can quit my job and become an instructor.

At least one good thing has come from this horrible stuff with Carter. I probably wouldn’t have gone through with the certification if it weren’t for him.

I click the button, saving my spot in the IDC class. “Done.”

“It’s done?” Caitlyn echoes, joining our party at my desk. Any minute now, our boss is going to tell us to get back to our numbers, but I’m too happy to care about that right now.

“It’s done!” I confirm. “Can we go out and celebrate tonight?”

“Of course!”

My stomach rumbles, and not in an “I’m hungry” way. More like an “I’m about to be sick” way.

“Hey, you okay? You look green.”

“I’m fine,” I say. “Just my stomach.”

“Nervous about the course?” Caitlyn asks.