Page 39 of Corporate Escapades

Stepping forward, he pulled her into his arms and held her tight as she sobbed into his t-shirt. Despite her conflicting feelings, his arms felt safe and warm, and she preferred the woodsy scent of his cologne to that of the sterile waiting room.

“I think this is a wake-up call,” he whispered to her. “We need to move forward with our

lives. Brody and Alli would be heartbroken by how we’ve been acting.”

Paris pulled back and looked up at him. His eyes were glossy and she could see a year’s worth of sadness in them. She knew he was right.

“We’ve pushed enough people away, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to lose Mya like I lost Alli,” she replied honestly.

“No, and I’m growing quite fond of Chase, so losing him would be a pity as well,” he said quietly so only she could hear.

“He’s a pretty great guy.” Wiggling out of his arms, Paris took a step back and dried her eyes. A nurse came into the room and called Chase’s name.

“I’ll see you two in a bit,” he said as he headed toward the nurse.

“Should we take a seat?” asked Jack. “We still have about forty-five minutes until we can see Mya.”

Vic nodded. “Let’s. I’m tired, and I don’t feel like standing around while we wait.”

Jack led them over to some reclining chairs and a couch where they made themselves comfortable. Vic looked over at Paris. She was already reclined back in her chair and, from the looks of it, nearly asleep. He didn’t know what had come over him. Holding her in his arms had felt too good. Was he developing a soft spot for her? Or even worse, feelings? Shaking his head, he brushed the idea aside and settled in on the couch for a nap. The feeling would pass. No need to make something out of nothing. It had, after all, been a high-stress evening.

Chapter nine

The hospital released Mya on Saturday afternoon. Paris borrowed Jack’s car and saw to her retrieval. The look on Mya’s face was pure shock when the nurse wheeled her out, and she saw not Jack but Paris in the driver’s seat.

“Hi,” said Paris. “How are you feeling?”

“Awful,” she moaned. My whole body hurts. My left arm looks like it has a baseball in it, it’s so bruised. I can’t even turn my wrist. I have to keep it in a sling for a week or two. My nose was also broken, but I won’t be needing surgery. It hurt like a mother when they set it. I also have two bruised ribs. I’m gonna be sore for a while, but on the plus side, I’m alive.”

Paris’s lip quivered, though she managed not to cry. “Thank God you’re okay.”

“I’m surprised to see you,” admitted Mya. “I thought for sure Jack was picking me up.” She could see the fear in her friend’s eyes. She wondered what was going through her head?

“Jack had an assignment to deal with, and besides, I wanted to do it,” she replied with an awkward smile.

The majority of the ride was quiet. Paris had a determined look on her face as she drove through downtown and back to the ADG complex. Mya let her concentrate since she knew Paris had barely driven in the past few years. She wondered what her motivation was in coming to her aid? Perhaps she wanted something? She sat quietly and pondered.

As their drive ended, Mya turned to Paris. “Why’d you decide to pick me up?” She watched Paris as she maneuvered Jack’s green Volkswagen into its designated parking space.

Unbuckling her belt, Paris turned her body to face Mya. “I owe you an apology,” she said, her voice trembling. “When I heard you’d been in an accident, it took me back to the night of Alli’s death. I couldn’t breathe. I know I’ve been terrible to you, and not just recently, but for an entire year. You never deserved that. It’s my fault that I never made-up with Alli before she went out that night. It was never your fault. I want us to be friends again if you accept my apology. I need you, Mya. I know we don’t share blood, but you’re my other sister.”

“Paris, you need to know. I spoke to Alli earlier that day after she left the festival. She was upset, but she knew the two of you would work it out. She would have forgiven you. You have to let it go. You girls had many arguments over the years, but you always made amends. That day would have been no different than any other. You would have made-up, and things would have been fine.”

“You don’t know that for certain,” she replied sadly.

“Yes, I do. She told me that she knew you meant well. She said she would forgive you.”

Paris once again could feel tears welling in her eyes.

“If it helps, I forgive you for Alli.” Leaning forward, she wrapped Paris in a hug, and Paris hugged her back. “I’ve alwaysbeen here. Even when things were tough, and you pushed me away. I knew you’d pull through the pain at some point.”

“I wish it had been sooner,” she replied. Pulling away, she looked at Mya and said, “Thank you for never giving up on me.”

“No, thank you,” replied Mya. “All I care about is that I have my friend back. Now,” she said, “can we please order some food? I’m famished. And we need to have a girl’s night. It’s long overdue.”

“The food or the girl’s night?” asked Paris. This time her smile was more natural.

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