Stepping Up To Love (Lakeside Porches 1) by Katie O'Boyle Page B

and I’m doing okay. But thanks for asking.”
    “How long have you been sober?”
    “Must be two weeks,” Manda said in surprise.
    “Has it been hard?”
    “Life’s been a little hard, but staying sober has not been too bad. When I think about a drink, I remember where it took me. Or I pray, which is what this old guy Charlie told me to do. It works every time. And to be honest, life’s a lot less hard now than it was a month ago.”
    “Good; that attitude of gratitude will really help you. For my money, the best burgers are at Ralph’s. Know where that is?” Manda shook her head. “Follow me,” she suggested.
    Manda laughed, “That’s about all I am able to do lately—follow people in AA and do what they tell me.”
    Carol winked. “Good thinking. It works better that way.”
    Fifteen minutes later Manda was glad she had come with them. “This is the best burger I’ve had in my whole life!” she said. Her hands were dripping with juice, and she was pretty sure she had ketchup on her nose.
    “I live for these fries every week,” the twenty-something woman with the half glasses said. Manda thought her name was Annette. She saw the woman looking at her ring finger. “No husband?” she remarked. Manda wondered what was coming. Not more gossip, she hoped. Annette went on, “I think it’s easier to get sober when you’re single. I feel so bad for the girls whose husbands are still drinking or who give them a hard time about coming to meetings.”
    “Guess I’m lucky,” Manda said.
    “You looking?” Annette asked her.
    “I am off men for life.” Manda declared.
    The table erupted with laughter. Suddenly she felt like one of them. Even though they were all different ages and were leading very different lives, they were all trying to stay sober. She had that in common with them. She felt connected with these women, almost the way she had as a freshman with the other Presidential Scholars.
    Manda realized how much she missed spending time with friends and having fun together and supporting each other. It had been too long, and that isolation had cost her.
    Carol gave her a wise look. “Good idea to steer clear of relationships for a while. But you might want to rethink that in about a year.”
    “Why a year?”
    “You’ll change a lot in your first year of sobriety. Things will look different. You’ll be able to handle things you couldn’t. And you’ll be better at relationships. Barb is dying to tell you about her picker.”
    The woman her age with the edgy haircut set down her burger and grabbed a handful of napkins. Manda laughed. Maybe she’d tell them the napkin story later.
    “My picker!” Barb prefaced. “When I got to AA I could really pick 'em,” she said. “If there was a loser in the pack, I’d pick him. And date him. And be miserable. And get rid of him. And pick another one. And another one. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Got sober. Traded in the defective picker.” Barb picked up her burger again and turned it around for the best bite. “Got me a good picker now.” She bit into the burger and smiled.
    Annette told Manda, “She got married last summer to a really good guy.” Barb was nodding and chewing. “So keep an open mind, but we do advise staying out of relationships the first year. Get into the Twelve Steps.”
    “Isn’t that the poster that hangs on the wall at the meeting? The Twelve Steps. We admitted we were powerless and yada yada.”
    “Exactly. The steps are designed to be done in order, and they’re a proven way to clean up the mess you made as an active alcoholic and change the bad habits and ways of thinking that could lead you right back to a drink. You’ll want a sponsor—a woman who’s experienced in AA—to work with you on the steps.”
    Carol added, “Use this first year to get to know yourself and develop a relationship with your God or your Higher Power.”
    Manda still had no idea what a Higher