Yep
Hes okay with it?
Dont worry about him
I take another sip, trying to focus on the fruity taste of the wine. Darren hates lies, but he wouldn’t understand the truth.
Wow! Sorry but can’t talk rn. At work
I just told him I’m leaving my husband for him and that’s all I get?
Wait a second
I need u
Something happened
Boss calling me into his office, Darren replies.
Please!
But I can’t bring myself to say why I need help, because I know how Darren will react. There I am, asking for money again. I should have paid more attention. I should have been more careful. It’s my fault. A seven-thousand-dollar bag? What was I thinking? I’m a grown-up now. I need to sort myself out.
Sorry babe
Text me what time u arrive at the airport. Will try to come pick u up
I pour myself another glass of wine, waiting for more, but nothing comes.Fuck.
I gulp down my drink as I scroll through my recently called numbers.
“Hello?” Taylor says as soon as she picks up. “Cassie?”
Like earlier she sounds funny, awkward.
“I need your help.”
I’ll give Taylor that: shecanbe helpful. When we were younger, she’d do my homework better than I could do it myself, and so fast, too. One time, I got caught shoplifting at Walmart and the security guard held me hostage, saying I had to have a parent pick me up or else he’d call the police. I texted Taylor and she arrived fifteen minutes later, armed with a bunch of reasons why he should let me go. I’d never do it again; she’d make sure of it.
Of course I did it again.
“What’s going on?” she says.
There’s a forced breeziness to her tone. Taylor is all nerves, always watching her back, watchingme. From her point of view, I’m having the most fabulous time in Paris with my most fabulous husband, while she never got to come here. Never found her father. Never even learned what Mom told me about him. So why is she trying so hard to sound cheerful? What am I not getting? But I have more important things on my mind.
“I lost my credit card,” I say casually.
“Oh gosh, Cassie! I’m so sorry. What happened?”
“I was having too much fun. These French wines are good…” I take another sip, as if to prove my own point.
“I’m sure they’re amazing!” Her voice sounds shrill, like she’s drunk. Maybe that’s it. She’s seeing me, the amazing life I have now. And she’s drinking to numb the pain.
“Can you give me your credit card details? I need to book something.” There’s a pause at the other end. Maybe I was a little harsh with her earlier. I do that sometimes. “I’ll pay you back.”
Seeing the good times I was having with Olivier in the city, my friends assumed I’d hit the jackpot. It sure looked like it on the pictures I posted on social. Olivier was handsome, polished, and he was taking me to the greatest spots around the city. He had to be rich, right? I mean, that’s what I thought when I first met him; everything I wanted to do, he agreed to. In the end I didn’t need to correct my friends. I was coming home a brand-new person. Loved up and loaded. I liked that version so much better, that a man like Olivier wanted to take care of me. And then, when the money came through weeks later and I started spoiling myself, no one batted an eyelash.
“Right, you’ll pay me back,” Taylor says.
