Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
My stomach gets tight when I pull open the driver’s door and see her sitting there, looking down at the papers in front of her. “I need to call my work,” she whispers as I start the car. “I have to.” Her voice trails off as she flips the papers to the second page and then the third.
“I think you need to contact a lawyer,” I suggest, pulling from the parking lot. “Can I?” I ask her, and she holds out her hand to me with the papers in her hands. The minute I see the top of the paper, the blood in my veins boils. I read the name of Penelope and then her grandparents’ names and then I see Julia’s name and my hand wants to fist the papers in it. They are suing her for reckless endangerment. “Oh my God.” I don’t mean to say the words, they just slip from my mouth.
“Ten million dollars,” she says, almost in a whisper. “Emotional distress of a minor.” The two tears roll down her cheeks. “Ten million dollars. I will never, ever be able to pay that. Not even if I spend my whole life working for it.” She closes her eyes and she puts her hand on top of her head. “I can’t believe this.” She puts her head back on the headrest. “All I’ve ever wanted was to make a difference.” She wipes away a tear from her face. “After all the shit I’ve put up with over the years, all I’ve cared about is making a difference.”
My heart breaks for her as I throw the papers down and take her in my arms. “We are going to get through this,” I say and she just shakes her head.
“All I’ve ever wanted,” she repeats again as she wipes the tears off her cheek, “was for Monica to be better. Was for Penelope to have the life she deserves. That is all I’ve ever wanted for her. That is all I’ve ever tried to do for her.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” I grab her hand in mine. “I know all you ever want to do is help people.”
She looks at me. “It’s why I do this job. It’s not for anything else, but if I can make a difference in one person’s life.” She turns and looks out the window. “If I just help one person, that is all that matters.” Her voice trails off. “And now they are saying all these lies about me.” She rests her head on her fist as she looks out the window. “My whole career is going to be picked apart.” I don’t say a word, instead I just make my way over to my house as fast as I can. “In the blink of an eye, everything is gone.” Her voice is but a whisper. “Everything is gone.”
CHAPTER 17
Julia
I can’t even breathe properly as I look at Chase, who again is here for me when I’m at my worst.
I look at him. “It’s why I do this job.” I swallow down the lump in my throat. “It’s not for anything else, but if I can make a difference in one person’s life.” I turn and look out the window, watching the world go by me. “If I just help one person, that is all that matters.” My voice trails off. “And now they are saying all these lies about me.” I put my elbow on the door, making a fist with my hand and leaning my head on it. “My whole career is going to be picked apart.” I close my eyes and the only thing I can see is the amount of money they are suing me for. I will never be able to pay off a debt like that. “In the blink of an eye, everything is gone.” My voice is but a whisper. “Everything is gone.”
He pulls into the underground parking lot and I don’t even know what is going on. He holds my hand as he walks to the elevator, never once letting it go until he unlocks his door. “What are we doing here?” I ask him as he tosses his keys on the table.
“Waiting for the cavalry,” he says, and I have no idea what he means. Instead of asking him another question, I walk into the apartment. I walk straight to the kitchen and open the cabinet Michael used to keep the booze in. I grab the bottle of scotch and walk over to grab a crystal glass.
I open the bottle and pour myself a shot, ignoring that the tears are just pouring out of me. I don’t think I can stop them if I wanted to. “I shouldn’t drink this,” I mumble, “I have to go to the office.”
I look at him as he stands there in the middle of the living room, looking at me. “I have to call the union,” I finally say. I swear, it feels as if I’m on the highest roller coaster ever built, sitting at the top—then suddenly dropped—except I’m not wearing anything to protect me from flying out.