Mandy didn't have much time to lament and whine over her failed marriage in the month that followed the divorce. Between doctors' appointments for Samantha and fretting about said appointments beforehand, she had close to no time to think about Harrison.
Her cheating husband, who had been a constant in her life for so long, was now but a memory and a haunting dream she sometimes got at night.
She could dismiss the despicable glacier from her thoughts during the day. Come nighttime, however, she wasn't fully responsible for what her subconscious mind yearned for.
She both hated and loved the dreams.
They would often remind her of what she had with him, of the dull life of a trophy wife who loved her husband but whose feelings weren't reciprocated.
As she woke up that day, after a wet dream this time around, she groaned into the pillow.
She was still staying at Samantha's, not for lack of better accommodation, since she had the penthouse, but rather for the comfort both women needed.
Mandy had never needed a job, though she had wished for one at some point.
Harrison, being Harrison, had wanted her to rely on him to be the provider of the house. She had accepted like the foolish and naïve woman she could be.
Now, she wanted to experience all work life had to offer.
She left the bed and went to shower at once, mind set on doing her damnest to get a job.
No matter if she was a lawyer or not, she told herself, as the hot water hit her back, that she could grow in an environment that was better suited for her. She wasn't outspoken or assertive enough to hold her own in a court. She knew as much, but had still respected her father's and went to law school.
And thus, when she emerged from the bathroom, feeling refreshed and oozing off energy like never before, she grabbed her laptop, and the search for a personal assistant job opening began.
Mandy was so lost into her search, she forgot to have breakfast.
Her best friend soon enough barged into the guest room she occupied, whining almost childishly, "I cannot wait for breakfast any longer."
"Oh," Mandy blushed sheepishly. "Sorry?"
"Sorry won't cut it," Samantha told her with a mock glare. "You made a pregnant woman wait."
"How can I ever make amends to you?"
"Cheesecake at the nearby café? Your treat?" Her best friend shrugged.
"You could do without cheesecake, love," Mandy giggled.
"Are you saying I am fat?" Samantha's eyes bulged at that in mock horror as she spun around to look at herself in the mirror.
"No, but you had brownies yesterday," she countered as she rose off the bed.
"Call these the cravings of a pregnant woman," Samantha smiled at her through the mirror.
"Do you wish to have diabetes?" Mandy raised an eyebrow.
"You should know that I have the metabolism of a horse," Samantha then stuck her tongue out.
"One slice, no more," Mandy bargained.
"Fair enough," her best friend smiled. Then, patting her tummy, she said, "we'll be getting some cheese cake!"
Before long, they were on their way out of the building.
Samantha had but one slice of cheesecake whereas Mandy enjoyed some pear pie.
Both women barely talked as they ate, as per usual not the most talkative pair.
It was Sunday, a blissfully warm day, and there were no clouds in the horizon… But unbeknown to Mandy, a storm was brewing.
When she and Samantha emerged from the café, she came face to face with Anthony – one of the city's most influent lawyers and, admittedly, Harrison's best friend.
"Mandy," he acknowledged her with a nod. "Fancy seeing you on this side of city."
She looked at him, and repressing a sigh, she smiled. Her fake and commercial smile wasn't lost on her best friend, it would seem, for this latter might have regarded the man in some manner that didn't sit well with him.
"While I may have drafted the papers, I wasn't the one filing for a divorce," he said matter-of-factly, almost as if he was trying to get a rise out of her. And Mandy could only giggle nervously. "Ergo, why the animosity?"
His last sentence was obviously addressed to Samantha.
"So, you're Anthony, I take it?" The latter hissed at him.
"The one," he smiled at her amiably. "And you are?"
"Samantha," the woman told him curtly.
"I shouldn't feel so aggravated by the sight of you," Mandy agreed with him on a nod. "But you are still that devil's best friend. And you know what they say about those who stick together," she shrugged.
"What did he do to you, Mandy?" He then asked in a tone that sounded like that of a genuinely concerned man.
"Surely, you know," she rolled her eyes at him. "I'm sure the whole damned city knows."
He didn't utter a word in response.
She sighed, even as she tried to hold back angry tears, averted her eyes, and then said, "Have a great day, Anthony."
"You and your friend as well, Mandy," he smiled at her.
The two women left the premises at a hurried pace, almost as if Mandy feared that Harrison would be close by.
"Let's stop for a moment," Samantha said in between pants, pointing at a vacant bench.
"Let's," Mandy agreed with her, her mind a jumbled mess of thoughts.
Upon sitting to take rest, she couldn't help but wonder about how this came to be.
Why did it feel like they had taken a sudden interest in the neighborhood?
She had met Harrison that other day when buying the pregnancy tests. And today, over a month later, she met Anthony.
What were the odds?
Well, they all lived in the same damned city, but still it was one hell of a coincidence.
Samantha rested her head on Mandy's shoulder, and then asked in a soft tone, "Are you okay?"
"No," Mandy had to hold back a sob. "But I will be. I have to believe that it'll all be okay soon."
"It will be," her friend assured her, though her own tone of voice wasn't the most reassuring if Mandy were to be honest.