friend.
“Yes. Keith’s sounds great,” Kim replied, leaning on the table, “but I need to talk to you first.”
A small twinge of alarm sounded in Elly’s mind. Kim sounded serious.
“Um, what’s up? You seem concerned.” She straightened her papers.
Kim sat up straight and took a deep breath and pushed her long hair behind her shoulders. “There is no easy way to say this, so I’m just going say it. I have to leave Posies.”
“What do you mean you have to leave?” Elly stammered, “Like on vacation?”
“I mean, not work here anymore.”
Elly looked at Kim, slack jawed.
“I knew you were going to be upset and I don’t want this to affect our friendship,” Kim rushed on, “but I needed to tell you. I’m quitting.”
Elly felt her stomach drop. Kim reached across the table and grabbed her hand.
“Please don’t be mad at me. This isn’t about you. I can’t imagine my life without you in it every day. But I need to move on from here. Sean and I have reached this decision together. This is the best decision for our family, and designing is not thrilling me like it used to.” She paused and looked into Elly’s face. “Are you okay?”
Elly was silent. Hurt, she lashed out at Kim. “How could you do this to me? It’s right before wedding season!”
Kim nodded, “I’ll work for you until you find a replacement, but I’m hoping to be done around June 1 st .”
Elly snapped. “Well that’s a huge help. I need you. You are the only one who knows how to really design besides me! Why are you quitting? Are you unhappy? How long have you been unhappy?” Her voice caught awkwardly in her throat. Kim pursed her lips. Elly could see she was trying not to get snarky in return and told herself to calm down. She reached for a tissue. “I’m sorry. I’m just taken off guard.”
Kim smiled at her. “I knew you would be. I should have told you sooner. I put it off because I knew it would rough. For both of us.”
“Are you unhappy here?”
“I love the shop. I do. But I need to do other things now. C’mon,” she shrugged and looked like she wanted to say more. “You know I don’t have to work. I choose to work. But Sean needs me home more. I will probably stop in everyday, you know. I go crazy in my house. You understand.”
Elly did not understand. Kim lived in a huge house on Magdalyne Drive, which was just up the street. The community was gated, a lush park full of flowers and large stone houses, all of which were paid off with old money. Clayton was full of old money. Families that had made their fortunes during the time of the 1904 World’s Fair passed it down through generations, leaving many a young couple with more money than they ever dreamed. Kim’s husband Sean was a urological surgeon and made a pretty good living, but the house had been bought by his mother, who was the heir to the famous Creeden fortune. Their home was amazing. It was a combination of exquisite stones, rich fabrics and cutting edge art, picked by Kim’s eclectic eye, and old world furnishings, worth thousands of dollars. Elly loved going to Kim’s house. She was there practically every other day.
“No, I don’t understand. You don’t have to do anything . Are you just going to lay by the pool all day and drink mai tais? Why are you quitting? Is there a real reason?”
Kim’s face, even though Elly had just insulted her, stayed unruffled. “No. And I know that will upset you. I don’t have to justify myself to you…can’t you understand? Sometimes you just need to do what’s best for you.” She looked straight at Elly. “I would think you of all people would understand that.”
Elly sat back like she had been slapped. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Kim leaned forward. “I didn’t mean anything.”
“No, what did you mean? TELL me. I mean, you obviously have no problem inconveniencing me.” Elly stood quickly. Kim stood as well.
“Okay. Fine. You left everything behind in
“Yes. Keith’s sounds great,” Kim replied, leaning on the table, “but I need to talk to you first.”
A small twinge of alarm sounded in Elly’s mind. Kim sounded serious.
“Um, what’s up? You seem concerned.” She straightened her papers.
Kim sat up straight and took a deep breath and pushed her long hair behind her shoulders. “There is no easy way to say this, so I’m just going say it. I have to leave Posies.”
“What do you mean you have to leave?” Elly stammered, “Like on vacation?”
“I mean, not work here anymore.”
Elly looked at Kim, slack jawed.
“I knew you were going to be upset and I don’t want this to affect our friendship,” Kim rushed on, “but I needed to tell you. I’m quitting.”
Elly felt her stomach drop. Kim reached across the table and grabbed her hand.
“Please don’t be mad at me. This isn’t about you. I can’t imagine my life without you in it every day. But I need to move on from here. Sean and I have reached this decision together. This is the best decision for our family, and designing is not thrilling me like it used to.” She paused and looked into Elly’s face. “Are you okay?”
Elly was silent. Hurt, she lashed out at Kim. “How could you do this to me? It’s right before wedding season!”
Kim nodded, “I’ll work for you until you find a replacement, but I’m hoping to be done around June 1 st .”
Elly snapped. “Well that’s a huge help. I need you. You are the only one who knows how to really design besides me! Why are you quitting? Are you unhappy? How long have you been unhappy?” Her voice caught awkwardly in her throat. Kim pursed her lips. Elly could see she was trying not to get snarky in return and told herself to calm down. She reached for a tissue. “I’m sorry. I’m just taken off guard.”
Kim smiled at her. “I knew you would be. I should have told you sooner. I put it off because I knew it would rough. For both of us.”
“Are you unhappy here?”
“I love the shop. I do. But I need to do other things now. C’mon,” she shrugged and looked like she wanted to say more. “You know I don’t have to work. I choose to work. But Sean needs me home more. I will probably stop in everyday, you know. I go crazy in my house. You understand.”
Elly did not understand. Kim lived in a huge house on Magdalyne Drive, which was just up the street. The community was gated, a lush park full of flowers and large stone houses, all of which were paid off with old money. Clayton was full of old money. Families that had made their fortunes during the time of the 1904 World’s Fair passed it down through generations, leaving many a young couple with more money than they ever dreamed. Kim’s husband Sean was a urological surgeon and made a pretty good living, but the house had been bought by his mother, who was the heir to the famous Creeden fortune. Their home was amazing. It was a combination of exquisite stones, rich fabrics and cutting edge art, picked by Kim’s eclectic eye, and old world furnishings, worth thousands of dollars. Elly loved going to Kim’s house. She was there practically every other day.
“No, I don’t understand. You don’t have to do anything . Are you just going to lay by the pool all day and drink mai tais? Why are you quitting? Is there a real reason?”
Kim’s face, even though Elly had just insulted her, stayed unruffled. “No. And I know that will upset you. I don’t have to justify myself to you…can’t you understand? Sometimes you just need to do what’s best for you.” She looked straight at Elly. “I would think you of all people would understand that.”
Elly sat back like she had been slapped. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Kim leaned forward. “I didn’t mean anything.”
“No, what did you mean? TELL me. I mean, you obviously have no problem inconveniencing me.” Elly stood quickly. Kim stood as well.
“Okay. Fine. You left everything behind in
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