Prologue

Lily parked her red 2008 Mustang in front of her new home . She sat there staring ahead for a few moments, while she waited for the moving truck to arrive with her belongings. How did things get to this point. She hadn’t a clue . Her husband of 11 years  walked out on her , not for another woman but a man. How could he ? Where were the signs ? Shouldn’t she had been able to tell if he was gay or not ? Or was she not woman enough to keep him satisfied he had to switch sexes ?  God she was so damned hurt and confused!

She stepped out of her car with her keys and her packet of information the complex supplied her with in hand, then walked the short distance to her building, climbed up the stairs and unlocked the door. This was the nicest of all the apartments she had looked at over the past few months. It was a upstairs two bedroom, two bath with screened in porch . 

While waiting for her stuff to arrive , she surveyed the apartment , making notes as she was instructed to do , of any damages she spotted. 

Claire glanced up from her book as she heard the beeping of the large truck in the parking lot, wondering if she would get a new neighbor. Everyone who lived near her was either ancient or crazy, and she prayed for one normal person to move in. She stood up and crossed the room, peeking out from behind the curtains. Yep, there was a moving truck parked outside, right next to her forest green Explorer. On the other side was a gorgeous red Mustang that she had never seen before.[i] Hot guys drive Mustangs,she thought to herself, smiling, or women with really great taste.

As much as a good looking guy would be nice, she hoped it was someone she could be friends with. She had lived in Charleston for almost 20 years now, and really didn’t have anyone she could call anything more than an acquaintance. Yeah, there were girls she had met in college that she still had lunch with once in a while, but that wasn’t what she wanted. 

Just as she was about to close the curtain and go back to her book, Claire spotted a woman coming down the stairs, who looked about the same age as she was. She smiled to herself, forming a plan. Why not be the friendly neighbor?

Lily bounded down the stairs to meet the moving truck .  “ This way guys thank you “ she flashed a smile and even though hurt was hidden behind that smile , she was determined to survive and move on with her life.  

For a brief moment she glanced around , taking in her new surroundings . It really was a nice place and with a smile she followed the men upstairs  to begin her new life . 

A few hours later with the moving truck gone , her eye’s darted around “ Where do I start ? “ she said with a sigh with her slight southern drawl. 

Claire balanced the pizza box and bottle of wine in one arm, and swept her messy red curls out of her face one more time before she reached down and rang the doorbell of the apartment right above her own. 

Lily arched an eyebrow inquisitively  “Who could be at my door ? “  she wondered out loud before walking towards the door, then gazed through the peephole. The woman looked friendly enough , so she opened the door . “ May I help you ? “ 

Claire plastered on her friendliest smile, “Hey, neighbor! I’m Claire from right below you. Thought you might need some dinner and a break from moving day,” she said, motioning to the food and drink in her arms. 

“Why you must have read my mind , thank you .  Please c’mon in . Ignore the mess . Why don’t we take this out onto the porch I do have that set up “ Lily winked and backed away from the door to let the woman in . Then led her through the maze of stacked boxes , to the screened porch “ Pull up a chair “ 

“Ah, I remember this day,” Claire remarked as she made her way towards the door, “if you need help unloading let me know.” She set the pizza and bottle of wine down on the patio table, and pulled the bottle opener out of her back pocket. “Do you by any chance know where your glasses are? If not, I can run downstairs and grab a couple of mine.”

She thought for a moment “I think I do , be right back “ Lily answered and dashed off to the kitchen and after a few moments of ripping open taped boxes, she pulled out two wine glasses . After a quick rinse, she returned “Here we go “ she handed one to Claire  then sat down opposite of her.  “Oh I am such an idiot , I’m Lily by the way “ 

Claire smiled as she poured the wine, “It’s alright, you’ve had a busy day. That’s what this is for,” she said as she handed Lily a glass of white wine. “Hope you’re okay with Pinot Grigio,” she added, “that’s all I ever buy.”

“Yes ma’am it is . It’s all I ever drink “ Lily smiled then held up her glass “Here’s to new friendships “ 

Claire beamed and clinked her glass against Lily’s, thrilled at how well this was going, “To new friendships!” she replied.

The women sat and talked til the wee hours of the morning , the bottle of wine long gone as well as the pizza .  They found they had many things in common both divulging secrets they hadn’t told their closest of friends or family. Whether it was the wine talking or the fact they were so comfortable with each other, neither of them knew just that they found each other when they both needed it most.

And this is how their Saturday night tradition of pizza and wine started, as well as the long journey towards healing that they would come to find together.