New Year's comes and goes. The reception for the new McCartys is a fun-filled celebration for friends and family, and when all is said and done, we tell our friends about my decision a day before Edward is set to fly back to Virginia.
Not a single one of them is surprised.
Putting in my notice at work isn't difficult. I love my job, but it's clear that whatever reorganization the company is going through doesn't include me. I've come to terms with that, and I'm going to focus my energy into finding something new or the same thing in a new place.
Before he leaves, Edward and I finalize some plans about the move. Emmett and Rose are going to take a week off and drive out with me. Emmett is going to borrow Jasper's truck to move my furniture and larger boxes while Rose and I drive my car with the remainder of my belongings.
After emailing my landlord about my final decision, he's being extremely lenient with me. Even though Edward wasn't on the lease, and we aren't married, he's providing the military clause that comes with most rental agreements in cities where service members are stationed. I'm so grateful, but I know he'll have this place rented again in no time because of its location and how wonderful it is.
When Edward leaves on January 9th, I'm already in high-functioning panic mode. Even though most of my life is completely packed and just about ready to go, I only have four more days of work left, and I'm ready to pack up and leave, there's one last thing I want to do before I leave this life behind me.
I know we'll always have our friends here, and we'll be back to visit as often as we can, but there is one more loose end that I want to try to tie up, and even if it doesn't work out the way I want it to, I'm going to try.
I thought it would be a lot harder to track her down, but it isn't. A Facebook search, even without her last name, brings her up as the third result. The orange tan and fake boobs give her away immediately. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised about where she works, but even if I don't stereotype her, I still find it funny and appropriate.
Makenna has a group photo with what looks like some of her coworkers in front of her restaurant, Hooters, and just by the exterior, I can tell which location where she works. It's in an older part of town and familiar since it's located near a mall that I used to frequent as a teenager.
Do I think that going to confront her is going to do Edward or myself any favors? Not especially, but I kind of want to see her up close in person one more time, not just in passing in a chance meeting. I don't even know what I'm going to say to her, if anything. She certainly doesn't deserve anything from Edward, and I'm not interested in showing off to her.
Her actions inadvertently caused me a lot of grief, but it also worked out for me in the end. On my last day of work, I'm waffling on whether or not I'm going to see if she's at work, but once I'm in my car, I find myself fighting traffic not to my condo but down by the mall. Hooters isn't necessarily my scene even with a group of people, so walking in alone feels all kinds of uncomfortable.
The hostess seats me, passing me a menu before walking away. I told her I was waiting on a date, just so I wouldn't feel so awkward, but when I hear a voice greet me as I'm looking at the menu, I feel my cheeks redden.
"You're waiting on a guy who wanted to go to Hooters for a date?"
Looking up, I see Makenna staring down at me with a sympathetic smile. If she recognizes me, and why would she, she doesn't let on.
"I chose the last place, so it's his turn." I shrug, and she smiles.
"You're nicer than me, but that might explain why I'm single." She laughs as she slips into the booth opposite me. "What can I get you to drink? The margaritas are great."
"Um, I'll just have an iced tea. Maybe I'll get a marg later." I smile shyly.
She smiles as she gets up. "You got it. Lemon? You don't strike me as a sweet tea girl."
"Actually, just as it comes is fine with me, thanks." I watch her walk away, stopping to check on a four-top before grabbing my drink and coming back. Makenna tells me that she'll let me wait my date out for a bit, and I surreptitiously watch her as she works the early dinner service.
What I witness as I drink my tea and wait for the small order of wings that I finally agree to, I see Makenna basically being harassed endlessly. From my vantage point, I can see the servers's station where they can fill drinks and get sides. Every time she goes back there, her perky, upbeat, even flirty demeanor disappears completely. All I can see is a slightly haggard working woman who can't go ten minutes without some guy trying to touch her inappropriately.
A man comes by, introducing himself as the manager, Marcus, checking in to make sure I'm doing all right, and when I tell him that while I'm disappointed my "date" has obviously stood me up, I'm even more disappointed that he's letting his servers be harassed by the customers.
"Well, ma'am, I appreciate where you're coming from with your concern, but these girls know what they've signed up for, and none of them are complaining to me about it." He smiles and walks away briskly.
When Makenna comes by to check on me, I ask her point blank if she likes working here.
She glances around, a smile plastered on her face before she answers. "It pays really well, and I sort of figure this might be karmic repayment for some things I've done before in my life."
"Sexual harassment isn't karma; it's assault." I look pointedly at her, but she laughs me off.
"You seem like a nice girl." I snort because we're the same age, but she talks and acts as if she's years ahead of me. "But I've treated people like shit and done things I'm not proud of. I can't change them, and I can't take them back. If I have to deal with this for a while, then so be it."
I don't really know what else to say, so when she leaves my check, I throw plenty of cash down and leave my full can of pepper spray that's on my keychain. Maybe she needs it more than I do. It wasn't the confrontation I was looking for, but I can't kick someone when they're clearly down, and Makenna isn't my problem. Edward told me before that I can't fix everyone; it's time for me to take that to heart.