BooksBarbecue
Back When We Were Friends
Chapters (52)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Dedication
  4. About the Author
  5. 31
  6. 14
  7. 31
  8. 14
  9. 31
  10. 14
  11. 31
  12. 14
  13. 31
  14. 15
  15. 31
  16. 16
  17. 32
  18. 16
  19. 32
  20. 17
  21. 32
  22. 17
  23. 32
  24. 17
  25. 32
  26. 17
  27. 32
  28. 18
  29. 32
  30. 18
  31. 32
  32. 18
  33. 32
  34. 18
  35. 32
  36. 18
  37. 32
  38. 18
  39. 32
  40. 18
  41. 32
  42. 18
  43. 32
  44. 18
  45. 32
  46. 32
  47. 33
  48. 33
  49. 33
  50. Acknowledgments
  51. Discussion Questions
  52. Booklist

He boom laughed down the phone. “Anyway, I’m ringing to give you a heads-up that I’m letting Publicity and Marketing come to the meeting too, so we can really shape it. That all right?”

I nodded vigorously into the phone. “That’s brilliant. I need to double-check the college don’t mind me writing it. It should be OK if I don’t talk about any of the other students.”

“Yeah yeah, we’ll figure it out.”

“And...” I hesitated. “Do you think maybe Gah! will be able to cover the expenses for my course fees?”

“Probably. How much is it? A few hundred...?”

I swallowed. “A few grand.”

“Jeez! OK, we definitely need a meeting. But I think we can make it worth the money. You’ll be getting loads of copy—we’ll save a fortune on freelancers. Maybe the college will give us a discount? As we’re technically giving them free advertising... Hang on. I’m being dragged into a meeting. Congratulations, Fern, speak Monday.”

He hung up just as the train announcement boomed out, and I squealed like an excited mouse and hugged my phone to my chest. I’d pitched the idea for The Other Side of the Tissue Box a month or so ago: a series of articles exploring my journey from mental health patient to counselor, and everything I learned about therapy from “the other side.”

Fern: Guess what? Derek loves the counseling course series idea, and Gah! may even PAY FOR THE COURSE?!!

Ben must’ve been between lessons because he replied right away.

Ben: Oh my God, Fern! Congratulations!!! Of course they loved it! It’s a beyond brilliant idea. I’m so proud of you. Celebrate tonight?

Fern: I’ve got dinner at Heather’s tonight, remember? I haven’t seen her in bloody ages. Maybe we can go crazy at brunch tomorrow or something? Thank you! Couldn’t have done it without you, as always. xxx

Ben: Brunch it is! Let’s get hammered on Mimosas, whatever they are.

I seeped back into my itchy train seat and profound bliss nestled into all my limbs again. I whispered, “I love you, I love you so much,” to my phone. It had taken a few days to shake off my weird feelings toward Ben after seeing Jessica. A smell of suspicion lingered around him as her words tainted me, “There’s no such thing as ‘good men’ or ‘bad men.’ They are the same men.” But, his wonderful Ben-ness soon dislodged my paranoia. With every kiss, every hand squeeze, every lovely dinner chatting over our tiny table, just the two of us, the real Ben came into focus. He was a good man. Jessica was just in a bad place.