Shay
“What do you mean you aren’t coming with me? I thought you wanted to meet my family?”
“Your family? They aren’t really your family, are they?” Carson asked.
“They are, they’ve been my family for years, Carson. They took me in when my parents died, you know this.”
“Shay, we need to talk. We’ve been together for three years now and in the beginning it was great, but things have
changed.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I love you, I do, I’m just not ready to commit.”
“What. The. F*ck? You aren’t ready to commit? You asked me to move in with you. I lied to my family and told them I was interning at Bosa when, in reality, I’ve been helping you look good to the big bosses by doing your work for you. And now you’ve made it to manager, and you’re what? Dumping me? Is there someone else?”
He looked at me and I could see the guilt in his eyes.
“There is, isn’t there? Who?”
“Harriet.”
“Harriet Woods? Our CFO! You’re f*cking the CFO of the company? Are you insane? She’s married to the CEO!”
“Well, she’s not happy, or she wouldn’t be f*cking me, now would she. She says I’m different and that I make her feel special. She says I make her feel young.”
“Of course you do, you’re five years younger than she is. You’re just a fling for her, Carson.”
“F*ck off, Shay. You don’t know what you’re talking about. You need to pack up your stuff, be out of here soon.”
“Oh, don’t you f*cking worry. I won’t be back, not even if you f*cking beg. You’re nothing without me, Carson.”
“Whatever Shay, you think I can’t do my job without you?”
“I know you can’t.”
He flipped me off and slammed out of the apartment. Thank God, I am leaving here tomorrow. I pulled out my phone and
called Callie Rolston. She was head of HR at Bosa Incorporated and my friend.
“Shay? What’s up?”
“I’m leaving Callie, and I’m not coming back.”
“What? Are you finally leaving that jackass?”
“He broke up with me. He’s f*cking Harriet.”
“NO!” she exclaimed. Callie loved gossip. “We need proof so we can get him fired and her caught!”
“I don’t have any. But I’m telling you, so you do what you need to do with that information.”
“I will do my best. So, you’re going back home and not just for vaycay?”
“Yeah, a family member of mine is getting married. Dawson, do you remember me telling you about him?”
“Yeah, he’s like your adoptive brother, right?”
1/3
Shav
Well, I’m not adopted, his parents were just my guardians. But, anyway, he’s getting married. I can’t wait to meet her. I hope she’s awesome. I won’t have any friends that are girls in Colorado, I could really use one.”
Well, he wouldn’t be marrying her if she wasn’t great, right?”
“I don’t know. They’re filthy rich. Who knows what kind of girl she is? I just hope she isn’t some snobby rich b*tch.”
“Girl, you’re rich,” she said.
“Not like them, my parents’ life insurance was only a quarter of a million. I only have seventy-five thousand of that left in my savings. I’ve paid basically for everything these last three years with Carson, and he has expensive taste, not to mention the management courses I paid for to help him advance. If it wasn’t for the Becks paying for my college and giving me a quarterly allowance, I’d have nothing much left.”
“Man, he really had your number, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. I’ve lost myself being with him. I used to be more outgoing.”
“That’s what happens when you end up with a selfish b*stard. Well, Colorado is a lot different from Maine. I hope you find
your way out there.”
“Thanks Callie. I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too, girl. Maybe I’ll visit one day.’
“No you won’t, Dalyn would never allow that.”
“You’re right. He likes to keep me pregnant and around.”
“He loves you.”
“He really does. One day you’ll find love too, Shay.”
“Yeah, maybe. I better go. I need to pack all my stuff now. Luckily, it’s not much.”
She said goodbye. I looked around the apartment and realized there was nothing I wanted. My bags were already packed for the trip. I just grabbed one of Carson’s suitcases and put the rest of my clothes in it, plus the little bit of jewelry my mother had, an old watch of my dad’s and a family picture. Three years with Carson and I had nothing to show for it. My flight wasn’t until tomorrow, but I wasn’t staying here one more night. I grabbed everything, left the apartment keys and the spare keys to his truck on the table, called an Uber and got a hotel room by the airport.
My alarm woke me three hours before my flight. I checked my phone and saw there wasn’t one call or text from Carson, but there was one from Dawson. I opened it and I squealed. There was a black and white picture with two little alien-like creatures that said Baby A and Baby B. My friend was having babies. That’s awesome. I wonder what the three musketeers think of their best friend having a baby. I know how close they all are. A tear escaped my right eye. I brushed my fingers across the photo. Maybe one day this will be me.
I showered and checked out. I took an Uber to the airport and waited for my flight. The whole time, I checked my phone
and nothing. He really was finished with me. That f*cking a*shole and I’m the dumbsh*t that fell for him. At least all this
happened before things went further. I shuddered, thank God we weren’t married, or thank f*ck I’m not pregnant. Thank
you birth control.
I got into my contacts and deleted Carson from my phone. Then I opened up all my socials and deleted every picture and video of us. I erased every memory. Even if he begged on his hands and knees, I would never come back to his user, cheating ass. I am going to find myself again. I used to have a take-no-prisoners kick-ass attitude. I need that girl again.
My phone pinged. It was a message from Callie.
Callie: Gathering my evidence. I’ll have him fired within two weeks, hopefully both of them, but most likely she’ll just get
2/3
Shay
reprimanded. Her husband is the CEO.
Maybe he’ll divorce her?
Callie: From your lips to God’s ears. She’s a viper. I could never stand her.
(picture of Carson and her standing really close.) It looked like they were about to kiss
You’ll need more than that.
Callie: I know, but it’s a start. Just call me Nancy Drew.
You aren’t solving a mystery, you’re more like a P.I.
Callie: Don’t burst my bubble
Okay, Nancy.
Callie: That’s more like it.
I laughed and told her I was boarding. She told me good luck and to keep her in the loop. I wish she and I were closer. I might have stayed for her. But we were work friends. We ate lunch together. I watched her two kids so she and her
husband could go on a date. She was just a regular friend.
I looked at the picture of the babies as I took my seat. I was happy for Dawson. I really hoped this girl was good for him.
I texted back with a thumbs-up emoji and a heart emoji. I’d pass my judgment when I met her. The plane started to move.
I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. My life was sh*t right now, hopefully I could find a job fast and start a new
beginning in Colorado, or else I didn’t know what I was going to do.
