Gut Feeling...

** Thanks for your patience!! I tried to have some pre done for posting while I was in my conference, but work and life took over.  So here it is...and I will get a post up for tomorrow too!!**


I didn’t expect to hear back from Joel right away so I walked back inside the loft and decided that Michelle and I needed a night out.  I didn’t even care if my boss saw me, I wasn’t staying there anyway.  I wanted to thank Michelle for being the person to come running when I was about to turn into the ugly green monster, and for being there while crazy and crazier invaded my home.

Me: “Got plans tonight?”

Michelle: “I was just going to go home and make dinner for me and Ian.  Why what’s up?”

Me: “How about we all go out for dinner?  Call Courtney and Stacey and see what they say.  I am going to call Duane.”

Michelle nodded and made the phone calls while I called my brother.  I moved into my bedroom make the call, while I was in talking to him my phone chimed that I had a text waiting.  Duane always agreed to come out for dinner, but I didn’t tell him what just happened...yet.  I looked at the time and noted it was 6pm; I walked out to the living room where Michelle had just finished up calling everyone. 

Michelle: “Ok it’s all set; we will meet up at Copa Cabana and have dinner together.  I made a reservation for 8pm.  Late dinner but enough time for us all to shower and get ready, do you mind if I get ready here?  Can I borrow something to wear?”

Me: “Of course you can!  Go ahead and shower and pick something to wear.  You might have to go through some of the bins; I didn’t leave much out since I am leaving soon.”

Michelle smiled and headed to the bedroom and started going through the bins, she picked out a summer dress and a pair of wedged flip flops.  I heard the shower start up and I decided to check the text that was waiting for me.

What do you mean they are working together?  What the hell happened??  I would move anywhere to be with you, but I have to find a job somewhere else before we do that.  Can you just come here until I find something else?  I will totally understand if you say no, but please call me and let me know what just happened...do I need to come back up?  Are you safe?  I love you and am worried!

Hey, Yea I am safe.  If I have to I will get Duane to stay here with me until I leave.  I totally understand you not being able to just up and leave, I really want to come there, but it makes me nervous that you will be at work and I am left alone in your house.  I will seriously think about it before you come back here.  I will call you later tonight.  I am going out for dinner with the gang.  I love you too, don’t worry about me, I will be fine!!

I heard the shower stop just as I finished up my text to Joel.  I am going to discuss with Duane about him staying with me until Joel gets back.  Then I will have to figure out what my next step is.  Clearly nothing is going to stop these two.  When Michelle got out of the shower she moved into the spare room to get changed while I got into the shower.  When I came out I found another summer dress that Michelle had left out for me to wear along with some cork wedged sandals.  I laughed to myself, but dried myself off and slid it on.  When I came out towel drying my hair I saw Michelle sitting at the table with a small mirror fixing her make-up.  I checked my phone and Joel had texted back a very long message...

How can you say don’t worry?!  I am very worried now.  Candice is clearly hell bent on getting me back (for whatever reason), and now has Craig working with her?!  This just keeps getting worse and worse.  I completely understand that you need to think this through, and I honestly wish you weren’t dealing with the brunt of this on your own.  This is absolutely crazy!  I want to just quit my job, sell my house and move us away to a remote island away from the craziness that has now become reality. 

Baby I love how strong you are being through all of this.  And I am deeply sorry for you to have to deal with this!  It is just showing me how strong you are.  Please let me know if Duane can’t stay there with you, and I will be on the first flight out.  I don’t care about my job, I care about you!!  I need to know for absolute certain that you are safe.  Have fun tonight with the gang, and be safe!  I love you please call me when you get home, I don’t care what time it is! Xoxo

I instantly smiled at his message, and I knew if Duane couldn’t stay that he would be on the next flight out; job or no job.  I finished towel drying my hair and tied it back into a messy bun.  Michelle was drinking a fresh beer when I had moved to the mirror and put on some light make-up.

We headed out shortly afterwards to Copa Cabana.  We got to the restaurant and saw the group waiting outside.  Michelle walked in and we were seated about 10 minutes after we arrived.  I was absolutely starving, and couldn’t wait to eat. We ordered a few drinks and then headed up to the buffet to grab our sides.  Duane and I were the first to return when I turned to ask him...

Me: “Duane I need to ask you a huge favour, but before I ask I am going to give you a brief run down as to what happened.”

As I gave him the run down I noticed his face getting red and his body was getting rigid.  I knew he was seething with anger.  I put my hand on his arm and continued but before I could even as him...

Duane: “YOU ARE NOT staying there alone.  Either you come to my place or I stay with you.  I don’t even want you moving now; I can’t get to you quickly if you are in danger...”

Me: “I was going to ask you to stay.  Joel doesn’t want me alone, and he won’t be back for another few days...as for me moving, well he and I will have to talk about it when he gets back.  I share the same concerns as you do.”

He nodded before the rest of the table returned and then the waiters started appearing with various meets on skewers.  We were all eating and laughing together, but I know that Duane is conflicted inside.  He is putting up a good front, but I know he won’t let me out of his sight until Friday.  Which now put me in more of a predicament; I had to finish out my schedule at work.

After we had all had our fill of various meats and sides, we were all relaxing at the table.  I started to get emotional, this would be one of the last times I would have a big dinner like this with all of my friends.  I grabbed the bill for Michelle, Duane and myself, despite their protests.  We all slowly got up from table and groaned as we had really pigged out.  Outside the restaurant we hugged goodbye and everyone confirmed that we would see each other on Saturday for dinner.  I hadn’t expressed to anyone but Duane my new hesitation about moving now.

Duane and I grabbed a cab and went by his place to grab some clothes for him.  He packed one large duffel bag, even though it was only going to be a few days at most before Joel was back.  I sat on his couch while he packed and checked my phone.  I had no new messages; but I knew Joel was waiting for me to call him so I figured I would do it now.  I was pacing around the room as I waited for him to answer.  He didn’t so I just left him a simple message Hey it’s me, Duane is going to stay with me until you get back.  Don’t worry I won’t be alone.  We are heading for the loft in a few minutes.  I love you!

Duane and I departed shortly after I had hung up.  I wanted to walk, since we didn’t really live that far apart.  We stopped for tea and coffee, and then continued out walk to the loft.  It wasn’t long before we got to the loft, but I had a funny feeling again.  We got into the elevator and I still couldn’t shake this feeling, it was uneasy and there was only one other time I felt like this....

When we got to my floor we looked through the slats of the wooden frame that led to the apartment and my gut feeling was right....