a hope like that

Candy wasn't certain of anything anymore, but when she saw Ollie at the coffee shop, she knew it was a good omen. The last few months had been miserable and she'd left Simon.

"But, I thought it was magical," Ollie grinned as if he'd always be her old friend, nothing more..nothing less. While in her heart she'd always hoped they would somehow find each other again and be as one.

Only he was with Maddie now and that was evidently gold. He showed her pics of himself and Maddie together during lockdown. They'd cooked together, cleaned together, even garden together.

"Such togetherness," she sighed over the pics on his phone. Sure, things started off with a bang with Simon. Instant sex, that wasn't romance after all. It happened too fast. She'd moved in with him before she realized who he exactly was. He was a slob. He was a Momma's boy even if he fussed with her daily on the phone. He was a poor little rich boy who had no intention to find out what he wanted to do with his life.

"What happened?" Ollie wanted to know. He told her he knew she was good for Simon.

"He wasn't good for me," She was straight lipped, thinking he wasn't some kid she wanted to raise. Especially, when he wouldn't listen, playing his video games. Always on the phone texting that buddy of his, Steve. She couldn't help but snarl her nose a little, thinking something fishy was going on.

"What do you mean?" Ollie tilted his head as if Candy needed to give details.

"Maybe..maybe he's gay..or something." She winced, thinking on how Simon really was good in bed, but that didn't mean it was meant to be. Candy was at the boarding house now. All on her own, without Simon's money.

Yes, even she thought that might be enough, but it wasn't. The guy didn't even know how to wash clothes. God forbid he could clean out the fridge. He wouldn't even take out the trash. He was a mess. Candy didn't need a mess to clean up.

"I know..he thought he was good to me. And yeah, I've been with worse," she hated to remember some of the guys she'd been with over the years. It definitely made her feel she was more forty than just her early twenties. "Maybe, maybe I'm just meant to be alone."

Still, it made her sad. She'd always wanted a family and she knew Simon could never be ready for that sort of thing.

Ollie nodded as if that was not a completely bad thing. "I think guys need a partner more than women. I dunno, maybe we were just too babied."

"Well, you weren't." Ollie grew up from one foster home to another.

"Some people are just blind. They only see what they want to see," he looked at her blankly. "Just try not to think it was your fault. Because it wasn't. You really know your shit," he grinned. "I know you'll be OK. This just might be your year to fly, even during a pandemic."