fight like a girl

Jesse: to donate your left kidney...

Jesse: you got the appointment tomorrow at 5 to go over the plan

Jesse: don't back out now

Jo: you're full of shit, Jesse

Callan: I can't go see this movie by myself. I'd look weird

Callan: And I'm paying for your food and ticket

Jo: what movie again?

Jesse: creative comeback

Jesse: I've got a better one

Jesse: you didn't have to give me your number if you didn't want to do this.

Jo: that's such bullshit and you know it

Jesse: drunken regrets

Jesse: I remember a pinky promise between all that alcohol

Jesse: and that is the sanitary spit swear

Jo: god, I hate you

Jo: tell me again why I agreed to this?

“Ah, yeah, I do. I don’t speak to them on a daily basis or anything, but we talk fairly often. I don’t know, I’ve sort of pushed my family away a bit, but I think that’s natural as you grow older. Who the hell knows anymore.”

“I like to play video games, which most people do not know about me. I enjoy working, which is such a snore, I know, but it’s what I like to do. The brewery is my life, and sometimes I have a hard time letting go of the fact that I need to go out and be more social instead of investing my everything into the place I call home.” 

“I try to not have regrets, because all they do is harbor resentment. You wouldn’t believe how many people have asked me if I regret my time in the military, or if I regret serving my country and having my leg blown off in the process, and no, I don’t. I don’t regret it, even if the pain and suffering endured is enough to make it okay to regret it. Maybe I would say I’m disappointed in myself for how I had to check out of life for a bit during recovery, how I should’ve kept in touch with people, but I don’t have regrets.”

⏤ june 1st at the nest with @jo-lancaster.

The brewery would not have been her first choice for a venue, but it wasn’t her promotion that was being celebrated, so Sloane swallowed her criticisms with each sip of her cocktail and tried to make the most of the social gathering, following along with the conversation as best she could. There were limits to her optimism, however, and she was running out of the social energy required to engage in performative sisterhood. It wasn’t that she disliked the group of women gathered around her, it was just that they were so boring and predictability never boded well for her attention span. Conversation cycled around a few main topics ⏤ work, if they had a job, and the ones that did were in fields that were impressively uninteresting; their children, if they had them, and all of the supposedly ‘fascinating’ things they were learning from their six-digit-a-year preschool; and sex, if they were having it. Most weren’t, but boy did they do everything in their power to make everyone at the table believe that they were. The latter was the only conversation of interest to Sloane but there was little she wanted to share. Things had been tepid in the bedroom since a discussion of starting a family had turned into a fight and under no circumstances was she prepared to open up to the viper’s nest about her affair or the numerous flings that had preceded it. 

Excusing herself, Sloane made her way from the private seating area through the crowded bar area to the restroom. She had been adamant about having never visited the brewery but as she navigated the hallway it was difficult to deny the wave of near-distant familiarity that washed over her. Once tucked away in the ladies room, she would have a moment to herself, to breathe, spot check her make-up and scan through her messages. But just as soon as she’d ensconced herself in the dimly-lit room, the door was opening once more to admit a pretty brunette. Sloane glanced over at the woman as she reapplied her lipstick, slowly beginning to piece together why The Nest was one continous callback to another night. Capping the blush nude YSL lipstick, she tucked it back into her clutch and turned toward the other woman. “Do I know you?”

The Nest had been her pride and joy since the day it was opened with her close friend and co-owner, and honestly Jo couldn’t imagine her life without the brewery in it. Her days in the military seemed like a lifetime before, but opening this second home was a way to heal, despite the hassle it often was. Which was exactly the reason she threw her all into the business; if this place was somewhat of a sanctuary to her, she could only assume it was the same saving grace for others, too. There’d been far too many nights where she had stayed at the brewery until last call and had depressing conversations at the bar, but in those same moments she saw the best in people.  Although, tonight was a different story. When she came into the brewery and saw the rather large group, there was no doubt in her mind that it would be a late night. After a disastrous conversation with a drunken man at the bar, and desperately needing a moment to herself, Jo slipped off towards the one place she wouldn’t be bothered by anyone: the restroom. Dressed in a mid-thigh black romper, Jo stepped inside the ladies room and sighed once the door was closed behind her, only to discover there was another woman in the room with her. And damn, did she look familiar. In the matter of seconds, the pieces fell into place as she remembered opening night of The Nest, in this very same bathroom, the door locked and Jo perched on the countertop. Just thinking of the eventful night brought a smirk to her lips. “It’s Sloane, right?”