The Science of Growing Apart

40- Michael

"Shiloh took the deal. She really took him to the cleaners too, the Barkleys really don't want this story getting out. If you ask me though, it's a matter of time before another one of his victims or children come clean about the kind of piece of shit Silas Barkley is. I doubt he'll be able to muzzle every single one of them forever."

"I'm honestly kind of disappointed," Casey admitted to me, stabbing into the stuffed shells that Eleanor made for dinner. "I spent my entire life wanting nothing to do with the guy and I know that the story going public has a real potential to drag me into his mess, but he deserved to be called out. I'm glad Shiloh got her money, but doesn't it piss you guys off that he's just going to continue on like normal now?"

"Like Josie said, somebody else could come forward. You could come forward, if you really wanted to," Eleanor reminded him, begging Auden to take a bite of her pasta. She made the mistake of putting broccoli in the cheese stuffing and Auden, as perceptive as ever, spotted the green flecks right away.

This suggestion clearly didn't please Casey because he didn't want to come forward. He wanted Silas to be punished for all the shit he caused so many people without becoming known as a senator's love child. Not when he was building his own career, making a name for himself that was completely void of Silas Barkley. He was a top scientist, youngest of his ivy league class, winning awards and growing cool trees. He didn't want to be associated with it, so of course he couldn't come forward.

"At this point, we just have to hope that karma catches up to him," Eleanor said with a shrug. "There's no use in staying wound up about things we can't control. We don't focus on how unfair this has always been, we just focus on our own world and let that be enough."

"Yeah," Casey said with a sigh. "You're right."

"In better news, Boris got fired from Kripke," I said in an attempt to lighten the mood. I knew Casey would be a little bummed to hear that Shiloh took the money after her lawyer's meeting with Jay and Silas's legal team that morning. It was a lot of money and she even negotiated higher than their original offer, so she was happy with her decision. Still, it meant that the whole story would stay in the dark until another source would come forward.

"Boris, the other crime writer?"

I nodded in confirmation. "It was all very dramatic. Kim assigned me a murder trial to a case that he originally covered. Anyway, he got all pissy but then Kim told him flat out, in front of the entire office, that I was a better writer than him. I make the victims feel real, I make them personable and I do really good research. He's gotten too comfortable these passed couple of years and always underestimated me. So he freaked, told Kim to fuck off, and then stormed out."

The whole incident happened two days ago, but I'd been waiting until the meeting with Shiloh was over so that we could celebrate without her decision looming over our heads.

I could still picture the way Boris's face turned bright red, the tantrum he threw in front of the entire office. Kim remained calm, explained to him all of the ways I was a better writer than him. I was more creative, I had a better work ethic. All things that I'd known since I started working there, and it was about time Kim was catching up. Of course, I didn't say any of this. I hid behind my desk's divider until he stormed away.

After lunch, he came back and tried to start working again but by that time, Kim already had security box up his things and revoke his key card access to the writing floor. It was all very sudden, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't see it coming. Boris had all of the pride in the world and none of the talent to show for it.

"It means that I'll be taking on a lot more high profile cases, which is amazing. I have a meeting with my boss on Monday to negotiate a pay raise too. The downside is that we're down to one crime writer and until we find another one, I'll be doing twice the work," I explained to the table. It was Micah's turn to bargain with Auden to eat her stuffed shells across the table. His go-to method was bribery, offering her ice cream for dessert if she took some bites. (This did not work)