Free Waiting for Jo by srbrdshaw

offices, it
has a nice quiet atmosphere, and the food is always good. This is
the first time that I’ve been back since the breakup.
    “We’ve both just been crazy busy with work,
but it’s good to see you again, Lorraine,” I say. I’m pretty sure
it would make us all uncomfortable if I told her that the reason
we’ve been MIA is because James kicked me to the curb.
    “Well, don’t be strangers anymore. I’ve
missed having you two in here. Now what can I get you to
drink?”
    We order our drinks and Lorraine leaves. I
try to think of something to talk about to fill the uncomfortable
silence that has ensued.
    “So, how’s your mom doing?” I finally
ask.
    “She’s good. Busy. You know how she is. She
never slows down.”
    “Your mom always seemed to have a full social
calendar. I think I’d have a hard time keeping up with her.”
    “Yep. She’s an active lady. I did get to talk
to her last weekend though. She asked about you and said that she
misses you.”
    The truth is that I miss his mom too. Helen
and I became pretty close while James and I were dating. James is
one of five boys, and I think Helen had always wanted a daughter.
We’d go shopping together and get pedicures. I could talk to her
about almost anything too. Now, we only text each other every once
in a while. It’s like I lost a really good friend when my
relationship with James ended.
    I do my best to put a smile on my face, but I
can’t hide that I’m sad. “Tell her that I miss her too.”
    James reaches across the table and grabs a
hold of my hand. “Everyone misses you, Jo,” he says. His gesture
lightens my mood. James can be so sweet sometimes. I’d bet anything
that by “everyone” he means himself.
    “Here are your iced teas,” Lorraine says.
James lets go of my hand as she sets the drinks down on the
table.
    Lorraine takes our orders and then quickly
serves us our lunch. As I eat my poached salmon salad with dill
dressing and James downs his lobster ravioli, I think about how I’m
glad that I decided to take this job. Maybe things will work out
for the two of us.
     
    ***
     
    After finishing up the motion and a few other
things, I leave the office for the evening. Before pulling out of
the parking lot, I take out my phone and text Will.
     
    Me: First day went well. How are you?
     
    I keep my phone in the center console while I
drive so that I can see if Will responds, but by the time I get
home I still haven’t heard from him.
    Malcolm’s sweet, happy face is peeking
through the blinds as I pull up in my driveway. He runs to the door
to greet me when I enter and then jumps up on me when I get
inside.
    “Hi, puppy,” I say. “Wanna go outside?”
Malcolm runs to the back door and waits impatiently for me to let
him out. Once Malcolm is outside, I pull my phone out of my purse.
Still no return text from Will. He must be working or
something.
    I feel restless, and I don’t know what to do
with myself. There are dishes to be put away and laundry to fold,
but I’m just not in the mood for that. I’m full of energy, and I
need to release it. Preferably by doing something that doesn’t
involve housework. And then I realize that I haven’t run with
Malcolm in a long time. The sun won’t be setting for a while and
Malcolm would probably love a trip to the park.

     
     
     
    Chapter 1 2

    I pull into the lot of Grant Park and let
Malcolm out of the car. He’s so excited, that I’m having a hard
time getting him to sit while I put my keys in the zipper pocket of
my running shorts.
    “Stay, Malcolm. Stay!” I say. But Malcolm
refuses to listen, and he pulls away from me with all of his
strength. I lose my grip on him, and he takes off running toward
the center of the park.
    “Malcolm, get back here!” I run after him as
fast as I can. I chase him for about two hundred yards, but he’s a
fast, little dog, and the distance between us grows longer and
longer. I finally see him stop at a blanket where a man and