Page 117 of Until I Have You

Moriah sighs.“Yeah, it’s fucked.So, his position with the research team here was eliminated, I mean, there’s just no good keeping someone on when they have allegations like that.They moved one of the research assistants up to lead, and we were just going to get by with one less person on the team, but then…” Moriah claps her hands together to emphasize.“Some anonymous donor, out of the blue, sends us money specifically to subsidize staffing!So, we were able to bring on a full-time member of the team!”

“A grant?”

“Yes!And like the timing was impeccable when you sent in your resume again.”

Hold up.“My…Iwhat?”

Moriah blinks.“Your resume?You sent it in again with that research position you took in Ireland.Smart girl, trying to leverage yourself and your work.”

“Yeah.I…yeah, I guess.”I didn’t send in my resume.I’m not going to tell her that, though.

“So, now here you are!”

My mind is racing.One of these occurrences is unremarkable.Two is a coincidence.Three?A pattern.I need to disentangle this.“Well, thanks so much, Moriah, but I’ve got to run and–yes, I’ve got to run!”

I rush out without waiting for her goodbye and don’t stop rushing until I’m out on the street.

I walk without a destination, trying to sort through my thoughts.

It’s one thing for Professor Ridley to be ousted.With a month to go from my fellowship, I can’t shake the feeling the timing is impeccable, though.Too neat and tidy.But I can chalk that up to the way the universe works some time.

My resume, though.

That’s no accident.

My first thought is my dad.Perhaps this is his roundabout way of apologizing or trying to help me out.He wants me to stay close.So maybe we can work things out, eventually?I don’t know, I’m all turned around I’m not sure what makes sense and what doesn’t.

I need to know, though.I need answers.

So, I call him.

He picks up on the first ring, a breathless and surprised, “Abigail,” from his mouth.“I’m glad you called.”

“Did you send my resume to NYCMLC?”

“I…what?”

I nearly walk into traffic I’m so turned around.

A honking car jerks me out of my jumble of thoughts before I’m hit, and I step back into the sidewalk.“I just–someone sent my resume to the aquarium.Was it you?”

“Um, no, that wasn’t me, Abigail.”

“Did you send them grant money to subsidize their staffing?Or a donation?Or–”

“Abigail, no, I haven’t done anything with the aquarium.”

On the one hand, the information is good.On the other, I sort of wish he had.To know he was thinking about me.“Oh.”

“I’m glad you called, though, I’ve been so worried about you and…well, I’m just glad you called.”

I bite my tongue.He lives straight across Central Park from Theo’s apartment.If he was worried, he could walk his ass over and check on me.

“Is everything all right?Are you okay?”

“Why do you ask that like I’m being kept hostage?”

He scoffs.“That isnothow I asked it.”

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