Susie and Anne what had happened with Zeke.
“ It was awful,” I said, shaking my head. “He went for a run. It seemed like he was gone for hours and hours. Finally, I heard him come back and go into his apartment down the hall. I knocked on his door but he didn’t answer. The next day I saw him and it was like he looked right past me. He didn’t see me. I tried to talk to him but he just responded curtly without emotion. Was what I did the worst thing in the world or something?”
“ I think Zeke must just internalize things. Maybe he was lied to as a child,” Anne said.
“ Switching lifestyles has been so much fun for me,” Susie burbled. Then she caught the expression on my face. “I’m so sorry it worked out like this for you. I just never dreamed someone would be upset to find out that the person they loved wasn’t broke but had a lot of money!”
Anne grimaced. “I don’t think it would bother most people.”
“ He said that I was toying with him.” I felt sick as I remembered the look on Zeke’s face when he’d discovered I’d been lying to him. At first it was a look of shock, but then it was like he felt nothing at all...He didn’t see me in the same, loving way he had before.
“ Do you want to extend our lifestyle swap?” Susie asked eagerly. “You could try and make up with Zeke?”
I shook my head. “I…I think we’d better switch back. I don’t think continuing this lie will help anything,” I added miserably. “I’ve learned a lot living in your apartment and on your budget, Susie. I’ve taken a lot for granted and I won’t do that again. I’ve learned so much working here at Courtland’s, too. I recognized myself in some of the customers. Now I realize what a pain in the ass I could be at times.”
Anne patted me lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“ I deserve it. I realize what a bragging, presumptuous b-i-t-c-h I used to be.” God did I ever. My eyes had really been opened since working at Courtland’s and meeting all the customers that felt the world was just lucky to have them in it.
“ Janet, we love you. You are not a bitch,” Susie said firmly.
“ Yes, we care about you very much,” Anne added.
“ I know I’ve been hard to take at times. I appreciate you saying that.”
“ Anyway, I’ve thanked Sam for letting me work here.” Samantha Courtland was the owner of Courtland’s Gems. She had inherited the shop when her husband, Jon, passed away suddenly, leaving her with their two young children and a mountain of financial debt. The jewelry store had been doing better lately but it was still struggling.
“ Despite my complaining about some of the customers and the long hours,” I grimaced, “I enjoyed it and I think this is a fantastic business. Sam has been doing an awesome job, but unfortunately it’s overstretched financially.”
“ We know,” Anne said sadly. “Jon bought a lot of merchandise he shouldn’t have. But things have improved since Sam took over. Thankfully, Samantha has an eye for what will sell—he really didn’t.”
“ That’s true,” Susie said.
“ I just hope it’s been fast enough to keep the doors open,” Anne added. “I would hate to see Sam lose the business.”
“ Or us lose our jobs,” Susie grimaced, shaking her head.
“ That’s not going to happen,” I replied.
“ I hope not,” Susie said. “God, I’m living paycheck to paycheck as it is now.”
“ Today will officially be my last day on the floor.”
Aw that’s sad,” Susie said. “It’s been fun to work with you.”
“ I know we’ll still see you, since we’re all so close, but we’ll miss seeing you every day at work,” Anne added.
“ Oh, you’ll still be seeing me,” I smiled. Despite the pain of what happened with Zeke I had finally done something right, and I was eager to tell them.
“ You will both be getting pay raises and more hours.”
“ What?” Susie cried out.
“ How is that
“ It was awful,” I said, shaking my head. “He went for a run. It seemed like he was gone for hours and hours. Finally, I heard him come back and go into his apartment down the hall. I knocked on his door but he didn’t answer. The next day I saw him and it was like he looked right past me. He didn’t see me. I tried to talk to him but he just responded curtly without emotion. Was what I did the worst thing in the world or something?”
“ I think Zeke must just internalize things. Maybe he was lied to as a child,” Anne said.
“ Switching lifestyles has been so much fun for me,” Susie burbled. Then she caught the expression on my face. “I’m so sorry it worked out like this for you. I just never dreamed someone would be upset to find out that the person they loved wasn’t broke but had a lot of money!”
Anne grimaced. “I don’t think it would bother most people.”
“ He said that I was toying with him.” I felt sick as I remembered the look on Zeke’s face when he’d discovered I’d been lying to him. At first it was a look of shock, but then it was like he felt nothing at all...He didn’t see me in the same, loving way he had before.
“ Do you want to extend our lifestyle swap?” Susie asked eagerly. “You could try and make up with Zeke?”
I shook my head. “I…I think we’d better switch back. I don’t think continuing this lie will help anything,” I added miserably. “I’ve learned a lot living in your apartment and on your budget, Susie. I’ve taken a lot for granted and I won’t do that again. I’ve learned so much working here at Courtland’s, too. I recognized myself in some of the customers. Now I realize what a pain in the ass I could be at times.”
Anne patted me lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“ I deserve it. I realize what a bragging, presumptuous b-i-t-c-h I used to be.” God did I ever. My eyes had really been opened since working at Courtland’s and meeting all the customers that felt the world was just lucky to have them in it.
“ Janet, we love you. You are not a bitch,” Susie said firmly.
“ Yes, we care about you very much,” Anne added.
“ I know I’ve been hard to take at times. I appreciate you saying that.”
“ Anyway, I’ve thanked Sam for letting me work here.” Samantha Courtland was the owner of Courtland’s Gems. She had inherited the shop when her husband, Jon, passed away suddenly, leaving her with their two young children and a mountain of financial debt. The jewelry store had been doing better lately but it was still struggling.
“ Despite my complaining about some of the customers and the long hours,” I grimaced, “I enjoyed it and I think this is a fantastic business. Sam has been doing an awesome job, but unfortunately it’s overstretched financially.”
“ We know,” Anne said sadly. “Jon bought a lot of merchandise he shouldn’t have. But things have improved since Sam took over. Thankfully, Samantha has an eye for what will sell—he really didn’t.”
“ That’s true,” Susie said.
“ I just hope it’s been fast enough to keep the doors open,” Anne added. “I would hate to see Sam lose the business.”
“ Or us lose our jobs,” Susie grimaced, shaking her head.
“ That’s not going to happen,” I replied.
“ I hope not,” Susie said. “God, I’m living paycheck to paycheck as it is now.”
“ Today will officially be my last day on the floor.”
Aw that’s sad,” Susie said. “It’s been fun to work with you.”
“ I know we’ll still see you, since we’re all so close, but we’ll miss seeing you every day at work,” Anne added.
“ Oh, you’ll still be seeing me,” I smiled. Despite the pain of what happened with Zeke I had finally done something right, and I was eager to tell them.
“ You will both be getting pay raises and more hours.”
“ What?” Susie cried out.
“ How is that
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