Page 7 of Where We Fall

"I wish! It's Chicago. But it's good, cuz I'll get to visit my mom."

"Oh, yeah. How's she doing?"

A knot forms in the pit of my stomach. "She's alright, I guess. Has good days and bad days. I'm just trying to enjoy the good days and not focus on the bad ones."

"I'm sorry. I hate that she can't remember things sometimes. It must be so tough."

"It is," I say as my eyes get misty. "She's only sixty-five. I just didn't expect to lose her this early. Not that she's gone. Although, sometimes, it feels like she is."

As much as my mother has filled me with bitterness and resentment, I still love her. She raised me on her own. She showered me with love and affection. She's only trying to protect me. I know there's good intentions behind all her craziness.

It hurts like hell to see her withering away at such a young age. I know sixty-five isn't thirty, but it isn't eighty either. I thought we would have more time. Young-Onset Dementia is an evil disease that slowly takes its victims away from their loved ones.

"Just tell me if you need anything. If you're tied up at work, I could always fly to Chicago to visit her."

This is why Zoe is so amazing. She is so selfless, always offering her time and resources to help someone she cares about. She's one of the best, and I'm lucky enough to have met her.

"Thanks. That means a lot. Let's hope it never comes to that. Work has been really good so far about letting me work remotely if I need to get back home for a couple of days."

"So, the boss man is hot and a good guy. Hmmm."

I roll my eyes as I walk to my kitchen to get a glass of water before bed. This girl needs to focus on her own love life and let me worry about my own.

"On that note, I'm going to bed."

She laughs. "I love how worked up you get. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sounds good. Goodnight."

"Night, girl."

I can't help but smile as I walk down the hallway and into my bathroom.

I take off my glasses and wash my face. I have always made an effort to keep a good skincare routine.

As I look in the mirror, I try to see what my friends see. I'm wearing black pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Nothing sexy at all. I notice the shine of my skin. I guess I do have good skin. I don't need to wear much foundation, and my eyelashes are naturally long. I'm sure if I used makeup, I could make some of my features pop. I've also been told I have nice lips.

I wonder what it would be like to be the object of someone like Marcus' desires. My body tingles just thinking about it.

For someone who always puts their career before men, I find myself reaching for my vibrator in my nightstand regularly. I have a big appetite for enjoying a good release; I just like to do it on my own.

What would it be like to have someone like Marcus give me a release? I bet he's someone who knows exactly what to do to drive a girl crazy.

I somehow managed to finish the rest of the week without seeing or talking to anybody in the office.

Correction. I avoided everybody like it was the damn plague, then spent the weekend hiding away from reality in my apartment. I think I ate my feelings away with cheesecake and pasta. Well, I tried to eat away my feelings. Come Sunday morning, I felt like complete junk, so I went outside for a long run and then forced myself to do fifty burpees.

It's now Monday morning, and we leave this Friday for the event on Saturday.

I'm seriously starting to doubt that we can pull this off.

I look at my screen for what feels like the hundredth time without progressing in my current task. I can't seem to focus.

A knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts.

Crap! I guess I can only hide from everybody for so long.

"Come in!" I shout.

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