Her friend appreciated what she was saying. Making this change would require a lot of soul-searching on Lindy’s part. Her head was full of Christmas, and if she’d admit it, her budding relationship with Billy, too. Once the holidays were over and she was back in Seattle, that would be the time to weigh this decision. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, before then.
“You have time,” Peggy said, once again interrupting Lindy’s meandering thoughts. “I’m bringing it up now so you’ll consider the possibilities.”
Lindy nodded. “I will, I promise.” And she would give it serious thought, especially if the Ferguson Group went with their competitors. More than one company had put in a bid for this major account, and getting it would be a coup for Media Blast and for her future with the company.
“I have a couple more little incentives for you to think about while you’re at it.”
“Incentives? Such as?”
“Do you remember when we first met?”
That was a silly question if ever there was one. “Of course. Grade school.”
“I mean the very first day.”
Searching her memory, Lindy came up blank and shook her head.
“My family had moved to Wenatchee from Tennessee, and we were one of only a handful of Black families in the neighborhood. My first day of school, I didn’t see a single other person who looked like me. I felt like the odd girl out. I’d never felt more alone or out of place.
“At lunch, I sat at a table by myself. Then you slid your tray down next to me and asked if I had a pair of Rollerblades. When I said I did, you invited me to come to your house. You were my very first real friend here.”
“I did?” Lindy didn’t remember that, but then it’d been years ago. Lindy had loved hearing Peggy’s southern accent, which over the years had completely disappeared. “All I remember is what fun we had and how quickly you became my best friend.”
“And mine,” Peggy echoed. “Now it’s time for me to repay the favor.”
Lindy wasn’t sure she understood. The question must have shown on her expression, because Peggy went on to explain.
“It’s my turn to be your friend when you need one. I see how much you’ve opened up and become freer since you’ve been here. I hate to see you go back and get sucked into the machine that stole your joy.”
Lindy knew that was true. She’d asked Santa for a best friend, and then right after she’d written it down, she’d run into Peggy. Immediately it was like old times. It felt as if they’d never been apart. The evenings she’d spent with Peggy’s other friends, Chloe and Jayne, had been just the tonic she’d needed. Chloe and Jayne had welcomed her as if Lindy had always been a part of their small group.
“Even if I did move back to town…” Lindy said, thinking out loud. While it was understood she could live with her parents for as long as needed, doing that didn’t feel right. It would be a giant step backward, living in her childhood home.
“Even if what?” Peggy pried, unwilling to allow Lindy to drop the thought.
“Where would I live? Yes, I could move back in with my parents, but that’s the last thing I want. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. They’re great, but I’m closer to thirty than twenty-five. The last thing I expected when I graduated from college was needing to move home.”
“That’s the best part of my plan.”
“Oh, how’s that?”
“I was saving this until last,” Peggy announced. “I need a roommate.”
Lindy had been to Peggy’s spacious apartment, which was nearly double the size of hers in Seattle. Additionally, it had two bedrooms and was in an excellent neighborhood, above a retail section in the renovated part of town. The restaurant, grocery, and shopping center below made it possible to collect essentials without having to drive. An ideal location and situation. Because the complex was new, Lindy wasn’t sure she could even afford half the rent.
“What’s your rent?” she asked.
Peggy told her, and it was half of what Lindy paid in Seattle. If she were to share it, that meant it would be half again as much. A quarter of what she paid for housing in the Seattle area.
“That’s reasonable,” she was forced to admit. “But there’s no guarantee I’d get enough work to support myself for a few months. I have savings but—”
Peggy stopped her. “Trust me, between Greg and me, we can get you enough work for the next six months, and that’s without trying. This area is clamoring for someone to help with social media and website management. You’d be filling a real need.”