Free Got the Life (A Nicki Sosebee Novel) by Jade C. Jamison Page B

school girl.  If it was just some freak of nature thing that had happened and she wound up confessing her undying— whatever — to Sean, he’d cut off their friendship entirely , like he almost did after The Night That Must Never Be Mentioned Again .  Nicki just knew it.  So she needed a day or so to steel herself, and then she’d be ready to talk.   Calmly.  Rationally.  Like a man.
    She didn’t get anything done for the paper that day.  It’s not that she didn’t have plenty of time.  Between her mother’s phone call and agonizing over Sean, though, she was worthless.  In that sense, she was glad she didn’t have a nine-to-five with the Tribune .
    But she couldn’t stand it anymore.  Who to call?  Brandy or Jillian ?  The newly wedded lovebird who would likely see everything through rose-colored lenses with Gucci frames or the frazzled mother of three who would only hear half of what she said thanks to screaming kids in the background trying to light the house aflame but who would offer some great advice?
    She started pulling up Brandy’s number on her cell phone and began imagining the start of their conversation:  “Oh, hi, Nicki.  So glad you called.  Yes, Kevin and I have had sex every single night since we got married, some nights as many as three times.  Yes, I orgasm every time, sometimes experiencing multiple orgasms.  He holds me close until I go to sleep.  He brushes my hair.  He gives me killer backrubs.  So…Sean who?  Oh, Nicki.  Time to move on, don’t you think?”
    Uh, yeah.  Well, maybe not.  Jillian’s kids might block out a good three-fourths of what Nicki had to say, but Jillian would be able to read her facial expressions.   She would be able to empathize, even if she couldn’t give Nicki any advice.  And, really, that was all she needed.
    So she instead dialed Jillian’s number.  It rang one, two, three times.  C’mon, Jillian , pick up.   Nicki was ready to hang up when, at last, she heard a frantic Jillian on the other end.
    “Thank God you answered the phone.  I need some serious girl time.”
    “That sounds fantastic.  I have one little boy I could take shopping with me, and —for your girl time—y ou can babysit these two little girls before I pull my hair out.”
    Maybe today was a bad day.  “Ooh, sorry to hear that.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me to say no to Nate when he proposed ?”
    Nicki smiled.  “Because, Jill , that’s not what friends do.  You’d be living with me now, laying on my couch, eating Ben and Jerry’s, and only bathing when I forced you to.”
    Jillian snickered.  “That’s pretty much what I do now.  Nathan , stop playing in the water!”
    Nicki winced as Jillian yelled in her ear.   “Ouch.”
    “Oh.  Sorry about that.  So when do you wanna come over?”
    “Well, I have to be to work at four, so how about now?”
    “Sounds great.  I’ll save some macaroni and cheese and apple juice for you.”  Oh, would you please?  “By the way, nice front page, girl.  You’re movin’ up.”
    Nicki felt better already.  “Thanks, girlfriend.  See you in a bit.”
    * * *
    She was glad she’d worn shorts and a t-shirt, because just inside the yard she got sprayed with the hose.  “Thanks, Nathan .”  The little bugger giggled and ran around the back.  Good thing.  Nicki was stronger than the little shit and would have no qualms about holding the hose down his shirt until it puffed up, full of water.  Then again, spraying the hose in his face might get his attention better.
    Good thing she wasn’t a mom.
    She got to the screen door and shouted inside.  Apparently, Jillian wasn’t running her cooler and was instead letting the breez e through the windows.  News flash.  Ninety-five degree breezes will not cool the house down, no matter what the wind speed.  Well, she supposed Jillian had to be able to hear the kids when they were outside.  “Hey, Jillian , it’s me.”  She started to open the