{"id":2408,"date":"2022-07-30T15:06:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-30T22:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/?p=2408"},"modified":"2022-08-06T14:58:14","modified_gmt":"2022-08-06T21:58:14","slug":"you-told-me-so","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/30\/you-told-me-so\/","title":{"rendered":"You Told Me So"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

prompt: Write about a character who discovers the grass isn’t actually greener on the other side.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

available at Reedsy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One week. It took one short week to shatter her entire world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most things are not binary but exist in degrees. For instance, there was want, desire, ache, obsession, and far above that, the degree to which Ty wished to move to the mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou what?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty flipped her short, bleached hair back. \u201cI quit the gym, and I have my ticket to the mainland. I leave tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lila covered her face in her hands, letting her warm brown hair fall around them. \u201cI know I said I\u2019ll always support your decisions, but I never said I wouldn\u2019t tell you if I thought they were foolish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMom, stop it. It\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you save enough for a return trip\u2026in case it doesn\u2019t work out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have my ticket, and enough money to hold me over until I get settled.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you have a job lined up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMother\u2026really. I\u2019m a personal trainer. There\u2019s work anywhere there are gyms, you know, like, everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really wish you\u2019d given it more time, found a job first<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty moved her mother\u2019s hands away from her face and lifted her chin. \u201cMom, I\u2019ll be fine. As soon as I get there, I\u2019ll call to let you know I landed safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll miss you, babygirl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m an adult.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, you are, but you\u2019re still my baby. No matter what happens, if you need me, you call. I promise I won\u2019t ever say \u2018told you so\u2019 about anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although she\u2019d called her mother on landing, she wondered how she would describe the place she was staying. It was the cheapest room available with weekly rather nightly rates, but it was still far too much money for what it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She could try to convince her mother that it wasn\u2019t a filthy hovel in a terrible neighborhood, but she\u2019d never been able to successfully lie to her. Might be best to not bring it up<\/em>, she thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty did her best to ignore the questionable brown stains on the carpet and wall, even though they looked a bit like dried blood\u2026ketchup maybe<\/em>, she tried to convince herself. Aside from her clothes, all of them workout wear, she had nothing worth stealing, so she wasn\u2019t concerned about leaving the room to go job hunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She took a bus to downtown, where she would find the higher-end gyms. Her workout wear was newish, and very much in style. She carried a folder, weight belt, gloves, exercise bands, water bottle, towel and change of clothes in a small gym bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As she approached the first gym, a man in a shiny suit and dark glasses stepped in front of her. \u201cWow, island girl, you are insanely fit. You looking for that mainland money, baby? I can give you lots.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty raised a fist and flexed; her delts, biceps, and pecs clearly defined. \u201cYou\u2019re not my type, and I\u2019m not your baby. Out of my way before I flatten your doughy ass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOhhh, yes, mistress,\u201d he said, holding out a business card. \u201cPlease, mistress, I\u2019ll do anything if you crush me with your thighs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty feigned vomiting and stepped around him. She noticed that the man at the front desk of the gym had been watching her exchange. That probably ruined my chance for a job here,<\/em> she thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She entered the gym and set her bag by her feet at the counter after removing the folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLooking for a membership?\u201d the young man asked. His name tag said \u201cBruno\u201d but she thought he looked more like a Colin or Caden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi. My name\u2019s Ty, and I\u2019m looking for work.\u201d She opened the folder to her credentials and turned it so Bruno could see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPersonal trainer and<\/em> professional masseuse, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope your interactions with clients are better than with Creeper Carl, out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty felt shame redden her cheeks. She took a deep breath and shook it off. \u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t handle that well at all. It was just so\u2026I\u2019ve not been propositioned quite like that before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me guess, he wanted you to crush him with your thighs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty nodded. \u201cYeah, but first he called me island girl and baby and tried to offer me mainland money<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a major creep, thus the name. Used to work out here until we booted him out and banned him for life.\u201d He leaned forward over the counter. \u201cYou looked like you were about to beat the crap out of him, but you controlled yourself better than I could have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe probably would\u2019ve enjoyed it, anyway,\u201d Ty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That elicited a laugh from the young man. \u201cI take it you were working as a trainer on the island?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMornings, masseuse in the evenings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf I could, I\u2019d offer you a job,\u201d he said, \u201cbut our trainers are hurting for clients as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s okay,\u201d Ty said, \u201cthere\u2019s a lot of gyms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood luck out there. Nice to meet you, Ty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks, Bruno. Nice meeting you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked down at the tag on his shirt and chuckled. \u201cThe name\u2019s Aiden, but whoever works the desk wears the Bruno tag.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty began working her way out from that gym in an ever-increasing spiral. Every gym, spa, and fitness center said the same thing: Not hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At one of the spas where she\u2019d been turned down, Ty couldn\u2019t help but flirt with the attractive young receptionist. When that flirtation was reciprocated, she gave the woman her number and left with a new bounce in her step. It was an hour later that she realized she hadn\u2019t gotten the woman\u2019s name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first week ended with no job, and no remaining gyms, spas or fitness centers she hadn\u2019t checked. She was looking for other jobs, any<\/em> jobs, when she got a call from an unknown number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Ty. I don\u2019t know if you remember me, but we talked at Lily Spa a few days ago and you gave me your number. I tried to text, but I kept getting an error.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, yeah. I had to switch to a voice-only plan to save some money. Hey\u2026uh\u2026I forgot to ask your name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiri.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi, Miri.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you doing anything tomorrow evening? If not, I\u2019d like to take you out for drinks and conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs that what they call it on the mainland?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miri laughed. \u201cNo, but seriously, I\u2019d like to sit over drinks and talk to you for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019d like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cButterfly Bar at nine. See you there.\u201d She hung up before Ty could respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following morning, she went to the front desk to pay for the next week. She\u2019d planned on having enough money for at least a month, then she discovered what room rates and food prices were like. If she spent nothing<\/em> else, she had enough for two weeks; one payable that day, the other a week later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She laid out the payment for the next week, and the manager wrote her a receipt. \u201cAny luck on the job hunt?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. And I\u2019ve checked every gym everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh? What do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m a personal trainer and professional masseuse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, it ain\u2019t exactly a gym, but it\u2019s a workout\u2026,\u201d he pointed at the Help Wanted sign on the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She read it over. \u201cHousekeeping, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEarly mornings, until you finish for the day. No clocking in or out, but you got<\/em> to finish your work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She looked at the bottom of the flyer. \u201cThat\u2019s all it pays?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it. Paid weekly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty sighed. It would cover her room, and, if she was careful, possibly keep her fed. She\u2019d have to give up her phone, though. \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026not really enough to live on, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man shrugged. \u201cThat\u2019s what it pays. Of course, a pretty, little island girl like you could make a lot more in one night out there.\u201d He pointed out to the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty knew what the women out there were doing after dark, and she would have none of it. \u201cNo. Not happening. Especially not with guys.\u201d She heaved a sigh. \u201cCan I start tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure.\u201d He pushed a form across the desk to her. \u201cJust sign there, and don\u2019t worry about what the night manager says, I\u2019m your boss. He gives you any grief, tell him Al said, \u2018Stuff it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks\u2026Al.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Butterfly Bar was on the edge of the neighborhood, straddling the boundary between the gentrified area and the seedy part where her hotel room lay. It was a short walk, but filled with whistles, catcalls, and inebriated men asking, \u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was quieter than she\u2019d expected in the bar. Booths provided semi-privacy for conversation by low light, while a swinging door at the end led to a dance floor. Except for when the doors opened and the music poured through the bar in a tsunami of aural assault, only the low thump of the bass, more felt than heard, made itself known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miri was there waiting for her and motioned her to a booth. Ty sat to find a pitcher of beer and two glasses waiting for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope you don\u2019t mind,\u201d Miri said, \u201cbut I took the liberty of ordering. If you don\u2019t like beer, that\u2019s fine, I\u2019m sure I can finish it myself, if you promise to stuff me in a cab later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeer\u2019s fine,\u201d Ty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miri poured her a glass with a practiced hand, resulting in the perfect head without overtopping the glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLooks like you have practice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCollege,\u201d she said. \u201cWorked as a bartender my freshman and sophomore year, then the spa while I was finishing my undergrad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your major?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExercise Science.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh! I have an Associates in Massage Therapy, and a Bachelor\u2019s in Kinesiology. I was<\/em> going to go into physical therapy but fell in love with training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation meandered through trivialities for a while, until the second pitcher appeared. \u201cTy, tell me about the island. What do I need to know to get by there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh\u2026it\u2019s not\u2026um\u2026well.\u201d Ty found herself struggling to come up with something coherent to say. \u201cMaybe, if you tell me why, I can figure out what you need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, basic stuff. What to wear when I show up for work, how to not piss people off unintentionally, where the gay bars are\u2026the basics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe gay\u2026what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGay bars. You were<\/em> flirting with me, right? Or did I read that entirely wrong? If so, I am so<\/em> sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was flirting. I think you\u2019re attractive, and interesting, and I\u2019d like to get to know you better. But\u2026gay bars?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook around,\u201d Miri said, \u201cwhat do you think this<\/em> is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking the time to notice her surroundings for the first time, she realized that most of the couples in the bar were same-sex couples. It was odd to her, since that sort of segregation was not something she was used to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiri,\u201d she said, \u201cthis is weird. All the bars on the island are the same. Do you mean that I can\u2019t go to just any<\/em> bar I want?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can, but it can be dangerous. So, if two guys were making out in one of the bars on the island, what would happen?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomeone might tease them, tell them to get a room, but nothing else. Same for any couple doing that in public.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow! I am so<\/em> in love with the island\u2026I can\u2019t wait!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA\u2014are you moving to the island?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah! I got a personal trainer position at a gym close to the beach. It doesn\u2019t pay as much as it would here, but it\u2019s so much cheaper to live there.\u201d Miri stretched with a contented sigh. \u201cAnd<\/em>, I can go to any bar, anywhere, and be myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWha\u2014what gym?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBlack Sands Fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty felt her heart drop. The one good thing she thought she\u2019d found, was leaving, and taking\u2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my old job,\u201d she said, barely above a whisper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re here to explore the mainland and have an adventure, right? How\u2019s the search?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHousekeeping at the Overview. Pays just enough for rent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, hey.\u201d Miri took her hands. \u201cChin up, island beauty. You\u2019ll find something better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ty didn\u2019t want Miri to see her crying, so she excused herself and instead of going to the washroom walked out the front door. There was no end of men offering to help her \u201cget over it\u201d or ignoring her tears entirely while trying to buy her body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stopped in front of her room in the hotel and stared in shock. Did Al do it? The night manager? Someone who saw her going into the Butterfly Bar? Someone who couldn\u2019t spell, anyway. Scrawled in red spray paint on her door in huge, capital letters, were the words \u201cdyke\u201d and \u201ciland lezbain\u201d. The paint was still wet, and she rushed into the room, bolted the door and collapsed in front of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two hours later, Ty held the phone in shaking hands. When her mother answered, she broke down into deep, gut-felt sobs. \u201cMommy, I\u2019m so sorry. You told me so.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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