A New Beginning
Copyright 1999 Ginger Johnson
All Rights Reserved

"I tell you Barbara, that bar sees more of him than I do." Carol settled carefully in the kitchen chair. Conscious of its slender legs and her overpacked frame. "I swear he would forget where he lives if he could."

Barbara sighed.

This was a conversation that they had covered many times and Carol hated mentioning it again, but she had no one but Barbara to talk to.

"Carol honey. What do I tell you every time you bring this up?" She continued kneading the whole-wheat dough spread out on the Italian marble counter.

With a deep breath, Carol looked down at her hands, noticing how dry and wrinkled they had become. "He lived at the bar when we met and I should have known he wasn't going to change." She minced Barbara perfectly.

"So why do you keep thinking he's going to change?" Barbara brushed a hand across her forehead, leaving a pale streak behind.

"Because I love him," Carol hated the whiney pitch in her voice, " and he promised me he'd change."

"And has he?" Barbara pounded hard on the dough.

"No, but I haven't kept up my end of the bargain." She admitted.

"What bargain?" Barbara stopped mid-swing and eyed her friend.

"I have to lose this weight." Carol felt the tears begin to flow. "I know he doesn't think I can do it and so he won't have to quit."

"Oh honey," Barbara came around from the counter, hugging her friend. "The question is do you think you can?"

"I don't know... but what if I do and he still won't stop?"

"Carol Ann Yoder! You have got to stop this. He's not worth it, where is the girl that I grew up with? The one that bloodied Keith's nose in third grade? Let the bar have him, you deserve so much more."

"Brian says no one else will have me." Carol's voice trembled. "No one wants an elephant."

"Then prove him wrong. Starting tomorrow, we'll start walking together. I'll help you."

"I don't know..." Carol's voice trailed off.

"Carol, who had all the boyfriends in college, hmmm? You are a beautiful woman and you've let that creep defeat you mentally. Take up the challenge he threw down. Lose the weight and then find someone who'll treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

"But..."

"No, buts. You can do it and I'll help you, sweetie. We start tomorrow, right?" Barbara eyed her friend sternly.

Carol swallowed hard. "Tomorrow." Feeling the weight lift off her shoulder she smiled.

"You be here at 7 am and no breakfast. I'll fix it after our walk, okay?"

"Okay."

Barbara squeezed her friend's shoulders gently and went back to pounding the bread dough. "We'll show him."

"We'll show him. " Carol echoed her friend weakly, enthused and frightened.