Chapter 102

Pearl stopped by the book shop the next morning to see how things were going. She and Rhys decided to keep the name so Frank would always be a part of it but they were working on having a new sign made out front.

"Hey guys! I brought muffins. How are things going?"

"Oh hello there, Miss Pearl. We are well." Frank said. Iris introduced her to the new young man they had hired to work part time. He was a first year college student majoring in English Lit and was extremely thankful for the job. "I'm Tyler. It's nice to meet you. I've never met anyone famous before", He said, blushing.

"I'm not famous.", Pearl said. She welcomed him and walked around. She looked down the aisle where she had me Rhys and smiled. This was still her favorite place in the world, not that she had seen much of the world.

She met the band back at the studio and they worked on a few more songs. By the way things were going, they would be done with the album in another week. That would put them a week ahead of schedule to send to Jax to mix. They planned to wrap their work at the home studio that Friday.

It was the middle of January and Pearl was ready for Rhys to be home in a week. She had been practicing making sushi with Martha and wanted to surprise him with dinner his first night back. "You are getting good at the rolling.", Martha told her the next evening.

"I feel I'm meant to be a sushi maker." Pearl said, holding up her rolling bamboo mat. Martha rolled her eyes and laughed. Jim walked in and made some tea. "It smells like a fishes ass in here.", he said, making a face. Her sister Mary was there. She had been by the house a few times and Pearl could see some chemistry between she and Jim.

"Hey there, Jimbo. Are you gaining some muscle? You look ... bigger.", Pearl said, winking.

Jim ignored her completely and asked Mary if she wanted some tea.

Pearl's phone rang and she was thinking it might be Rhys. She ran to the sink and washed her hands and answered without looking at the number.

"Hey there.", she answered.

"Um, hello. Pearl? It's Paul."

"Paul... ", Pearl's breath caught in her throat mid sentence. What would make her ex husband think it was ok to call her?

"I'm sorry to call. I just, I saw you online. I almost didn't believe it at first. You're engaged? To an actor from Hollywood? And you have a record contract?" Pearl wasn't sure if he was asking her or just saying these things out loud to convince himself.

"What can I do for you, Paul?", she asked, sounding as morose as she felt.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm happy for you."

She knew something was up. He wasn't a nice guy. He wasn't a "happy for you" kind of guy. She thanked him and started to end the call when he continued with his purpose for it.

"I was wondering if you'd like to buy your car back. You loved that car and you seem to be in a good place to buy it now, so I thought I would offer it to you.", he sounded like he was doing her a favor. She knew he wasn't.

"I have a driver now. And several cars, including a Jeep I paid for. I don't need a 6 year old sedan.", she said.

"I lost my job. And I'm close to losing the house. I am in bad shape. I need help, Pearl." She almost dropped the phone. This selfish asshole who made her feel like she had no worth all these years had the nerve to ask her for help. This man that looked her in the eyes, while she lay sobbing on the floor, begging him not to leave with the girl he was cheating with, and told her she "really didn't do anything for him anymore." She took a breath before she responded. Then a thought hit her.

"I appreciate your circumstance and I feel you are the kind of man that wouldn't want any handouts. You are way too proud for that. I do, however, have a job opportunity for you.", she tried to stifle a laugh. She wasn't lying. They had a part time position at the bookshop. It was three days a week and it paid 15 dollars an hour.

"I don't know how I feel about that.", he replied.

"Well, I guess it appears your situation isn't as terrible as it seems." And she said goodbye, hanging up.

That was pure joy. Pure awesomeness. Pure karma.