Never Bargain with the Boss (Never Say Never, #5)

by Lauren Landish

there’s no use in trying to live with a plan etched in stone because the only things for sure are death, taxes, and change, three things I’m all too familiar with.

“Sometimes, now is all we get, so let’s make the most of it.”

People often don’t know what to say in the wake of a loss, whether it’s fresh or long past. They want to sidestep it, or minimize it in some way, spouting platitudes like ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ and ‘Everything happens for a reason’, or the worst, ‘They’re in a better place now.’

“There are good things, bad things, and in-the-middle things. You’ve gotta take them all, enjoy them or do your best to get through them, and in the end, try to focus on the good ones as much as you can. Even if you have to create those good things for yourself. That’s what I try to do every day.”

“A girl’s girl is the best kind of friend. One who will celebrate your successes, offer support during a down time, right your crown when it goes a little crooked, and have your back even when you’re not in the room. They build you up, lift you up, and want you to be your best.

life can be fun, and amazing, and full of joy, even after a bad thing happens, and that it’s okay to live after loss. Especially after a loss, when it might be more important than ever.

but grief doesn’t follow a scheduled timeline.

“Sometimes, bad things happen. But they don’t define us. They don’t make us stronger, or better, or any other cliché thing. They just… happen.” It’s a cold, hard truth of life I think she can relate to more than most children her age. “And sometimes, the bad things put us on an entirely different path than we ever thought we’d be on. That’s not good or bad, it’s just… different, and that’s okay too.”

bad things just happen sometimes, and they put us on a new and different path than we thought we’d be on, and that’s okay.

“But I want a forever with you, or however long we get. I want all my days and all my nights to be with you, whether there’s only one or a million.”