Page 91 of Playing Pretend

My Mother looked down.

“I want you to leave.”

She nodded but didn’t say anything. I knew I would forgive her, that I would see where she thought she was doing the right thing, but at the moment I couldn’t see past the lies.

Aaliyah.

Macy.

Caleb.

And now my Mother.

I was tired of deceit. Tired of trying to tell the wood from the trees.

My Mother stood up, and took her purse from the coffee table. She stopped in front of me.

“You have every right to hate me right now, but I need you to know that I really thought I was doing the right thing. I did the best I could, and all because I love you.” Her lips met the crown of my head, and it broke me to send her away. But I had to. For my sake.

“I’m in town for a few more days, and I’m staying at the Marriott hotel. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and consider coming home with me.”

Leaving New York suddenly sounded like a great idea, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave with my Mother just yet.

“I love you,” she whispered. “And that will never change. You are by far my greatest achievement, regardless of how you feel about me right now.”

I met my Mother’s teary gaze with my own, my heart laying limp with exhaustion.

“I love you too,” I replied honestly. “But I need to find a way to move past this.”

“I understand,” she swallowed. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

My Mother walked out, and the events of the last forty-eight hours ran through my mind. I walked to my bedroom, and crawled under the covers. For the time being I needed to hide, be alone, and then maybe, just maybe, I would be ready to start again.

I had no idea how I was going to rebuild my life – or the life I thought was mine – but I wasn’t going to allow any of this to define me.

I defined me.

No one else.

ON MONDAY MORNING I shook off the after-effects of a weekend filled with moping, puffy eyes, and dirty pajamas. I gave myself two days to cry, yell, and break things, and once I’d cleaned my apartment for the thousandth time, it was time to clean myself up, and hand in my resignation at Callahan Industries. Today.

Sure, I had to face Caleb, and probably Aaliyah too, but the person I wanted to be after all of this, was worth more than dwelling on the dishonesty of the people I thought I could trust. I walked into the office and headed straight for my desk to grab the few personal items I’d left behind.

I started towards Caleb’s office, and just like my first day at Callahan Industries, I stared at his name on the door, wondering if he was there. Only this time the butterflies were silent. I had my hand raised, ready to knock, when it swung open and I came face-to-face with Caleb. The first thing I noticed was that the weekend had been just as unkind to him as it had been to me. He looked tired, with purple bags under his eyes, and his face looked drawn. The worst was his eyes though. That vibrant blue I loved so much was now dulled to a bluish-grey. Lifeless.

“Kadence.” He breathed my name as he’d been starved for the way it sounded on his lips. I cleared my throat.

“Cal – Mr. Callahan.” The shift in his stance was imperceptible to the naked eye, but I felt it as keenly as I felt the hitch in my breath. He stepped aside, and motioned for me to come inside. I walked past him, and stopped in front of his desk.

“I take it you got my letter of resignation.”

“I did.” He reached for an envelope on his desk, and handed it to me. “This is your last check, and your bonus.” I frowned.

“I haven’t been here long enough for a bonus.”

“Just take it, Kadence.” Caleb’s tone brooked no argument.

“I don’t need a hand out,” I replied. “My last check will be fine.” Caleb blew out a breath, and rubbed the back of his neck.

“It’s not a hand out. It’s your commission from the launch party.”

“Oh. Well in that case, thank you. If there’s nothing else…”