Page 93 of Empowered
“Oh, I’m not snarking on you. If I were you, I’d definitely lay low for a while.”
“I just gave my two-week’s notice.”
“Damn. Really? Shit. Now what?” Alisha laughed. “This is what happens when a girl changes up her look. Everything goes to hell.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“Hey,” Alisha said, before Sarah had the chance to make her grand escape from Monroe Tower. “Go kick some ass for me, would you?”
Sarah – or was that the enigmatic Angel beneath the wig? – spared her a wicked smile. “Way ahead of you. I’ve got shit to do today.”
“Kill the world, girl.”
How prophetic.
***
Sarah took a cab from the curb to her next destination. This was the first Friday in a long time in which she didn’t have to drop some folders off at a crusty lawyer’s townhouse, yet she found herself in that neighborhood again.
But just because she wasn’t going to the lawyer’s didn’t mean she didn’t have business there. And! It would be the first time she intentionally bumped into Jill Blackbourne.
She opened the door with nothing but disdain on her face.
“What the hell do you want? Dressed like this…”
Sarah pushed her boyfriend’s ex-wife aside and helped herself into the house.So this is what Lucas’s money can buy?He had insinuated more than once that he helped Jill’s family pay their bills so they could stay in the house her parents bought years ago. As the area grew trendier and the taxes continued to climb, however, things changed. Lucas didn’t want his son moved out to the Delawarean countryside where it be more difficult to see him.
All of the electronics were brand new. Some of the furniture was recent as well. Either that or Jill’s mother spent her whole day watching HGTV and doing her own design updates. Unlikely, if she was born into privilege and refused to come to terms with losing it.Even my mother willingly walked away from a life of privilege so she could be with my middle-class father.Not every woman was willing to make that sacrifice, however.
“You need to leave!”
“Is your son here?”
Jill gasped. “Absolutely not! You think I’m hiding him from Lucas?”
“No. Just making sure before I rip you a new asshole. Wouldn’t be good for your little boy to hear what I need to say to you.”
Jill remained by the opened front door, flabbergasted.What a pathetic person.Before, Sarah had regarded Jill Blackbourne as a woman who tried to make best of her shitty situation she kept throwing herself into like a sacrificial lamb with a scent for slaughter.
Her long black hair had no luster. Her summery maxi-dress was last season. Her makeup had greasy splotches that were more unfortunate than disgusting. Her dark eyes were so dim that Sarah wondered if it was from staying in this big townhouse by herself or from those years of self-abuse. What kind of things did a woman see in rehab, anyway?
“You need to give Lucas custody of Victor.”
“How dare you!” Jill took one large step forward, nearly barreling Sarah over where she stood. “How dare you tell me what to do with my son? Don’t you think I’m looking out for his best interests? Lucas… Lucas wants to take him back to Denmark, for fuck’s sake! And what? What are you going to do?” She scoffed. “Be his new mother?”
The beads rattled around Sarah’s wrist. “As a fellow mother, nobody knows more than I do that I could never replace you. I have no intention of doing that, anyway.”
“You… you don’t have kids. That wasn’t in the report at all.”
“Because he’s dead.”
Jill’s mouth remained open. “I’m… sorry? Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you? Make me change my mind? Because your kid’s dead, I’ve gotta give up mine?”
“You make it sound like I want anything to do with your son. Like I’ve got some personal stake in that race other than wanting Luke to be happy and do what’s best for his kid.” Sarah couldn’t hold back the laughter cracking her ribs. “As if! I’ve already broken up with him. Pretty soon I’ll be far away from here. From him. Fromyou,Jill. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to tell you to do the right thing for your son.”
“Get the fuck out!” Jill pointed out the doorway. “I’m going to call the fucking police if you’re not out of here in two minutes. I swear to God if Lucas put you up to this…”
“I’m the morally bankrupt degenerate, Jill, not your ex-husband.” Sarah showed herself out. “This degenerate has one more stop to make before skipping town.”
