Can't Say No

Chapter Six- We need to talk girls.

~Echo's point of view~

~Two weeks later~

I did what Blake Kane asked me to do and changed my name. I did it the Wednesday after he asked me to. I am not doing this for him or Kelsea. I am doing this for Jerry and Jerry only; I haven't seen Blaze Kane much. We avoid each other, and I am good with that. His parents have had us come to dinner on Wednesdays.

Those are the only two times I have seen him. I did get my ass chewed by Rick for not going to file the paperwork. I told him there were reasons why I couldn't but couldn't go into detail. He wasn't happy with that and lost his shit on me. I just took it. I seem to be just taking a lot lately. I seem to have lost myself in this whole process.

The first week after wasn't so bad. I was home; I have been back to work this week. For me, it has been work and sleep. That is all I do work and sleep. I eat on my out the door and my way in the door. The most I do is shower. I don't have the energy to do anything else outside of work. That has nothing the situation I am in. I have just felt run down.

I guess it does affect mental things. I don't think they are related, though. Work is physically taking everything I have out of me. Kelsea said it's getting harder on her too. We have both been there for years and were both overweight. The biggest thing is she is extremely happy, and I am not. I'm not miserable. I just feel stuck.

It sounds stupid when my life really hasn't changed at all. That is the mental part of it. I am thankful that today is Friday; I can sleep all weekend. Before I can do that, we all have to go to the club. Rick texted all of us girls and said, "We need to talk, girls." I hesitated. He assured me that Chad wouldn't be there; I am trusting him on that.

Kelsea and I went straight there after work. When we got there, he pulls us into a room I don't think any of us have seen before. Even Jade was confused. We don't say anything, though. We just sit; he showed us the room then left. We all sat in silence. He comes back in and sits in a chair.

Rick: "I bet you are all wondering why you are all here."

Yep. We all are, but none of us say anything. Jade finally speaks up.

Jade: "What is going on?"

Rick: "Most people who know me know me for the club. This place isn't all that I am. I have other businesses, and that is why I have you four here."

Jade: "What do you mean?"

Rick: "I have three other businesses. Jade, I am not comfortable with you working here anymore. You and I both know that our relationship has progressed faster than it should have. There is nothing we can do about that now. This place is no longer a place you should be working. As for the rest of you, I have the same offer."

Jade: "What would that be?"

Rick: "I have am the owner of Zippots. I know you all know what Zippots is. I am taking over that company full-time. I would like the four of you to come work for me there. I am revamping that entire company. Ian is taking over here; I have issues over there. I need to get who is currently there out. I am doing that the legal way. When they are taken out, I am firing the others involved. I would like you four to help me run it."

Zippots is an online store. Its headquarters is here and is huge. I had no clue Rick owned it. I don't know how comfortable I am walking away from my job. I have worked there for a while. I stay for the health benefits, and it pays the bills.

Kelsea: "What would you have us do?"

That is what I am wondering. None of us have college degrees. Rick paid for Jade to go to bartending school. I do know that company has better benefits than any company in the county. They have been rated the best place to work for fifteen years.