I'm not worried about where you are

 

Of course, Gabby knew who he was, she was just expecting someone else. "Oh sorry," she began. "I thought Mildred still lived here."

She found herself dancing about as if she somehow got turned around. Actually, she just lived around the corner from him. Hardly an apartment or two away. She sighed as if she could just back out from this situation.

"Gabby?" He laughed. She needed that. She hadn't really been herself in a good long time, not since Jared left. "Don't you remember me? It's me, Oliver."

"Oh," she smiled, thinking he must have thought she was a goofball. He said he didn't know who used to live here, but he invited her in. Of course, he had a little one at his hip. He got Gabby a bottle of cold water. 

"So what are you doing now?" He wanted to know. She sat down on the couch and he plopped the little one next to her. He told Gabby that she was Carrie.

"Oh, well..." She pulled a lock of red hair behind her ear. "I'm..I'm working at City now." She was in the Parks and Recreation Department.

"Nice," he nodded. He told her he was hoping to get on at the Child Care Center on base. He was just a teacher's aid now. "I don't know if I'm really cut out to be a teacher, but no matter what, I keep doing online classes."

He sounded as if it was never-ending.

"But..but you're a dad now," Gabby told him she was proud of him. She left it open to let him fill in the blank of his significant other. Finally, he sputtered the news of his ex leaving him for Europe.

Suddenly, she felt the emotion in her throat. Oh, she hated to be so emotional. But she did truly feel bad for him. He'd always been such a good listener. If only she'd paid him more mind then. He was a comfort to be around. 

"I want you two to come over sometime, I'll make you dinner," she found herself saying.

"Oh, you don't have to."

"No, I want to." She didn't even cook for one these days. She was never hungry, but now she felt like being domestic even if Jared did all the cooking when they were together. Oh, she felt far from home, even if her parents and sister were right here in town. She didn't want to bother them. After all, she'd never listened to them when she should have.