“I wouldn’t change a thing,” the seamstress says.“It was made for you.”
“Even with the hair?”I tease, and Mari rolls her eyes.
“Don’t push it.”
It feels like a girl squad moment.We’re bonding, and it’s good.
“Hey, Nova.Is this the design firm you work at?”Chloe holds up her phone.
I finish changing out of the dress and back into my street clothes before glancing over.“Yeah.Why?”
“Mari said there was a nice picture of you and your boyfriend since she hasn’t seen any pics lately.”
My stomach tightens.“Oh.They might have taken it down.”
She clicks around on her screen, then frowns.“You're not listed on the staff page.Neither is he.”
The pain in my chest is my heart thudding against my ribs.
I cross to Chloe, the fabric of the dress sliding over my skin, and look over her shoulder.They’ve deleted me from the page altogether.
“Nova?”Mari asks.There’s a note of dread in her voice, and it makes me feel worse.
I don’t want to do this here, in front of everyone, but they’re all looking at me.
“I’m on leave from work,” I say.
Mari inhales sharply.“And Brad?”
I shake my head.“He’s gone.”
“From the firm?”
“From everywhere.I haven’t seen him in two months.”
Three pairs of shocked eyes lock on me.
Mari’s mouth works.She sinks onto the chaise, blinking.“You lost your job?”
“I didn’t lose it.They put me on leave pending an investigation.”
“What did you do, Nova?”
A ball of shame rises up my throat, and the backs of my eyes burn.“I don’t… I can’t.”
I turn and run for the door.
At a coffee shop a few blocks away, I order a cappuccino to soothe my stomach.
When it comes to Mari, I always feel like a little kid.She has her shit figured out, and I’m the joke.
I was trying to avoid talking about Brad and work, but by keeping it from her, it's made things worse.
Even though I can’t hide out forever, right now I need the space.I pull open my sketchbook and pick up drawing where I left off.
My cell rings a few minutes in.
It’s not Mari.
