Bridesmaid Lotto (USA Today bestselling author)

Chapter 16

"Oh my God Josie! What are you going to do?" Calla asked when she came home from work and found out about my day.

"I don't know. I have a little money left from my trip. And I got a month's severance. That can get me by for a couple of months, I think. The wedding is only a week away. I'm thinking maybe I'll just get that over with and then worry about finding another job."

Calla nodded.

"I don't think I'd do so hot in a job interview right now anyway."

"Yeah, but you worked so hard to save all that money," she said.

"I know, but I'm hoping I'll still get to go on the trip."

Calla looked worried, or maybe it was doubtful. "I'm guessing your mother's a little pissed right now?"

"I'm sure she is, but on top of all of it, I've been avoiding her. She doesn't know I've lost my job yet. I'm guessing the paper will be kind enough to announce that tomorrow though. Well, unless 'Entertainment News' gets to it first."

She just nodded again.

I'd been walking around all day with that feeling that I'd done something horrendously wrong, even though I couldn't figure out what I could have done differently. It might have been nice to have had some encouraging words from my best friend, but instead I just got that horrible pity look that I hated so much.

"Well, this calls for some Häagen Dazs," she said pulling her coat on. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

As soon as she shut the door behind her, the phone rang. Of course. I decided I had to stop hiding from the world at some point and answered it.

I didn't even get to say 'Hello.'

"Josie." I recognized my mother's voice, but had never heard that particular tone before. "What are you doing to me?" She sounded lost and depressed.

"Mom," I said, not sure how to handle her in this state. "I swear, the newspaper article is complete bullshit." I normally didn't swear around my mother, but I thought now was a good time for as much impact as possible.

"Of course I know that dear," she said. "But the rest of the world doesn't know you like I do. And now, I don't know what to do."

"Believe me Mom, I don't either." My eyes began to tear again. Her compassion was taking me by surprise.

"Have you talked to Jake Hall about all this?" she asked.

"No, he's out of town right now."

"Good. It's probably best not to see him again before the wedding," she said.

"Mom, there's something else," I said.

"Oh God."

"I was fired today."

"What! Why?"

"Basically because of the article," I said.

"Well that's nonsense," she said, finding a bit of her spunk. "They can't fire you for lies like that!"

"I've been doing a lot of work for this Christian account, and they threatened to pull their account from our firm if the company didn't let me go."

"So? Doesn't your company stand by their employees?" she said.

"Apparently not. It's a really big account, the biggest one the company has I think."

"Well, they can't do this to my daughter," she said.