By Next Thursday

Chapter Eighteen

Much to Jay's relief, I agreed to stop at McDonalds on our way to West Chester. He hadn't eaten all day and, mixed with losing Meredith, he was starting to look sick. I was surprised to find myself worried about his pale complexion and the dark bags under his eyes.

It was a new feeling, caring about someone else's wellbeing even more than my own. Because despite the ever growing ache in my stomach and head, I couldn't stop worrying about Jay.

Frustrated, I slumped into the leather interior of Jay's car as he ate. The GPS said that 24 Bernard Street was only a few miles away from the diner we had ate at last time we followed Rory. Jay couldn't stop grumbling about how the address sounded familiar but he'd only ever been to West Chester for street fighting.

"How often did you fight in West Chester?" I asked. I had assumed he only stayed locally, in Hudson. An hour drive to West Chester seemed like a stretch, especially since he tried to be home every night to read Dr. Seuss to his little siblings. It still struck me as funny that the first time he rushed home I'd thought he had a curfew.

"I dunno, maybe once or twice a week. Usually only weekends," he mumbled through his fries.

My eyes bulged. "This drive has got to get annoying."

"Actually, it's not that bad. From experience, I know you can get used to it pretty quick. Which is why I would imagine Rory probably spends more time out here than we think..."

We lapsed into a thoughtful silence, pondering yet again. I felt like all we did was think for the last seven days. Since the moment I fell through Sean the previous Thursday, I'd been practically trapped inside my head.

Considering I am a woman of action, you can imagine my frustration.

I growled and dragged my hands down my face. Why couldn't I do anything to save myself? I had to rely on everyone else and if anything, I'd made things worse. I had snatched the security of an innocent girl, stressed out the most emotionally-detached guy I knew, and shattered my father's image of his only daughter.

Was I even worth saving? I had a knack for destroying things and people for my own benefit while I was alive and walking, and here I was again; ruining the lives of other's in order to save my own.

In fact, I was even the key to the looming downfall of my father's career.

Our odd coffee shop expedition had essentially confirmed I was going to be the undoing of my own dad. Despite his flirty looks exchanged with the barista, Jay had actually paid attention to the conversation between Karen and my dad. Turned out, Karen was trying to get my father to make her his partner of his firm.

According to Jay, Karen had brought it up as if it was an ongoing discussion. As if she had to be pestering him about it for awhile. However, this time seemed different because my dad started discussing it like an actual possibility. When Karen asked him what made him change his mind, his response nearly broke me.

"Honestly, Karen I'd been writing up a plan with my board of directors for awhile now, before I met you actually. I always wanted Diamond Law to be a family thing that I passed on. I never had a son, but I knew Kelly was an equal, if not better, option to any son I could've had. She's been incredibly smart since she was three and singing full songs purely from memory. I was going to hire her after graduation and then declare her my partner when she finished her degree. It was no offense to you, obviously, she is family and it was already approved by the board.

"It was my plan, that is, up until yesterday. Last week Kelly told me she had gone to Paris, which isn't new. But yesterday she sent me a formal email explaining that she's never coming back. She's genuinely gone, Karen. I've never been more confused or humiliated in my life. What do I tell my parents? My coworkers?? Kelly just threw her life for some low rate job and probably a boy."