A DOG PARK IN RIDGEVIEW HEIGHTS - AFTERNOON @charlottexmiller & @coreyjensen
It had admittedly taken her a few weeks before she worked up the courage to send Corey and Charlie a group text message asking if they could meet up to talk. Despite everything that had happened at Blackstone Brews, Sara was usually a non-confrontational person. The first time she'd been put in the middle of Corey and Charlie had been accidental, and the second time was her being stupid, opinionated and unfair. Both times were a mistake, but she had nobody else to blame but herself for what happened between her and Charlie at the café. They deserved an apology. Contrary to her behavior, and Charlie saying that she was all about high school drama, Sara could identify when she was wrong, and would own up to her shit and apologize.
They agreed to meet at one of the dog parks in Ridgeview Heights - Sara seeing on Instagram that Corey had ended up adopting a Doberman named Bruin from the shelter a week or so after they'd been there to see her adopt Greg. Sara walked her tiny French Bulldog puppy on the lead to the park, then let him loose for the first time; his final puppy vaccine having been given over a fortnight ago. He had an ocean-themed harness on, something she'd bought with Corey at PetSmart after his adoption. Sara rolled his matching lead and waste bag up and tossed them into her velvet green crossbody bag. She was fully stocked this time: a water bottle for her and a dog one for Greg, her medication pouch, puppy treats. She spotted Corey and Charlie standing off to one side, close to the fence, and Sara sucked in a breath before approaching.
She made sure to keep a short distance between them; space, if they needed it. "Hey." Sara greeted, holding her own hand so they wouldn't see how much her skin was shaking with anxiety. "Is it okay if I talk first?" She asked. They could both chew her out still after the fact, Sara just wanted to get her overexplaining out of the way first. "I'm really sorry. Genuinely. To the both of you. But especially to you, Charlie." Sara looked the other woman directly in the eye, so she could see her sincerity. "It was well and truly none of my business. I'm not trying to make excuses, either, but I think it just... triggered me, I guess. I got out of a relationship a few months ago where I wasn't treated very well, and I was never prioritized, and it fucked with my self-esteem. I was coming from a place of wanting to protect Corey from that, because that was what I thought your relationship was, but I know now that I was wrong for that." She talked fast, needing them to understand and not hate her. If they did, they were entitled to that, but Sara still needed to explain herself.
"I was projecting. Big time. And it was really unfair to the both of you. You didn't ask me to do that for you, and you don't need me to do it for you, either." Sara said this part directly to Corey. "So, I'm really sorry. I take full accountability for fucking things up. I... I messed up, and stuck my nose where I shouldn't - where it didn't need to be." She corrected her use of the word should, like always. Deeply inhaled and exhaled, cheeks pinked up from all her talking. "The ball's in your court." She said, hoping they'd both somehow enjoy the sports metaphor. It was their turn now - she steeled herself for whatever it was that they had to say to her in return.