It doesnt make a difference either way to me. My statement goes unanswered as Julie sets a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns in front of me.

Im sorry if you dont like your eggs scrambled, but Im not a very good cook and I dont know how to make them any other way.

Thats okay, scrambled is fine. I pick up the fork she placed on my napkin and dig in. The eggs are a little salty and the hash browns are overdone. Let me guessKarens the chef.

Is it THAT bad? She asks defensively.

The bacons good, I answer.

Karen made it.

I know, I tell her laughing.

Not you too. I get enough of it from Karen.

Im sorryIll stop, I say taking another bite of the bacon, a smile plastered across my face.

We finish our breakfastif thats what you can call it, and go out back to sit in the warm sun. We sit on a brick patio area and look at each other for a long moment.

This is a pretty nice condo, I say, trying to break the silence.

Thank you, but I cant take credit, she explains. Karen lived here with her partner for a whileshortly after they split up, I needed a place to stay so Karen asked if I wanted to move in. Now, I just pay my half of the rent.

So, she was living with someone?

Yeah, it was a pretty bad breakup too, she says quietly.

I have a couple of friends that are going through a hard time right now.

The tough thing about it is that they were both my friends. I didnt want to take sides, but they both expected me to.

I know what you mean about it being tough. Fortunately, my friends understand and dont pull any of us into it. They dont try to pit us against each other.

After a long morning of sitting in the sunthen the shade I conclude that Julie is very easy to talk to. I dont think Ive had a deeper conversation with the girls. Id like to stick around for a whileand see where this leads. Who knowsmaybe Ill get lucky later.

To Be Continued