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Quinn had desperately wanted to raise her siblings, but it would have never happened. Working two to three jobs and moving around as much as she was, she’d never get custody. She could barely care for herself, and having three younger kids with her without the means for childcare wouldn’t have worked.
“I did,” Quinn said. “But Max told me to let it go. I did the best I could and things happen for a reason. You’re going to be fine. Brett is hanging in there with Annie and his kids. Karl, well, he’s trying.”
“No one blames you for anything,” she said. “Just remember that. We thank you all the time for the help you’ve given us.”
Lilian knew that Quinn helped her two brothers out for years too. In some aspects, she was luckier than a lot of people with her past.
“I don’t want thanks. I just want everyone happy.”
“And I am,” Lily said. “I’ll be even happier when I can find a career that I’ve been dreaming of. It will happen, but it’s not meant to happen here.”
“No,” Quinn said. “I selfishly wanted you to stay, but I knew at some point I’d have to let you go. You won’t be far and Max’s parents will be close by if you need anything. They expect you to stay in touch.”
She sighed. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she would if she had no choice in the matter.
“I will,” she said. “Now let me help you with dinner. The kids will be home soon with Max.”
Max had taken them skiing for the day. All but Carson who was taking his afternoon nap.
“That I will let you do,” Quinn said. “I’m going to soak it all up while I can because I know you’re going to find exactly what you’re looking for and it will be soon.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said, laughing.
1
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
Eight Months Later
Lilian wasn’t thinking anything about that conversation with her sister, Quinn, eight months later as she got ready for work in her little four-hundred-square-foot studio apartment that she could barely afford. Living on yogurt and ramen noodles helped. So did walking the six blocks to work each day saving her any transportation costs. Come winter though, she wasn’t so sure that was going to be an option on the really cold days.
She’d deal with it then. The three months she’d lived here had been somewhat wonderful.
Not the job part that turned out to be too good to be true.
Yep, she was putting her communication degree to work. Little did she know being an Assistant Communications Manager actually meant being anassistantto the Communications Manager. Who was still notches under the Communications Director and the VP of Communications. There were others in between, but she’d lost track at this point.
So the truth was she spent most of her time running errands, taking notes, assisting in writing policies and procedures for the insurance firm she worked for and getting all the grunt work handed over.
In her mind, it was nothing more than what an intern would do.
But the salary drew her in and she found it just cost so much more to live here that of course the salary would be higher.
She was considering a second job on the weekends because during the week was out of the question with her having to work late all the time with no notice.
Lilian finished with her makeup in the small bathroom, packed up her supplies in the little cosmetic bag and put it under the sink. There was no room to leave anything on the counter more than her toothbrush.
She walked over behind the wardrobe unit that held her clothing, shoes, towels, pantry items and even spare sheets and blankets. That was the only thing separating her bed from the couch and the TV she had on the wall.
She found the shoes she wanted to wear in the bin where they were all neatly stored. It was the only way everything fit.
Her bed was made, the doors were shut on the unit and she moved to the living room to check everything was picked up there. The last thing she wanted to do was come home to clutter.
She packed her lunch in the little galley kitchen, then grabbed her laptop and purse and walked out the door. No elevator in her building, so she went down the two flights of stairs.
Ten minutes later, she was turning the corner in downtown Manhattan toward the high-rise building she worked in, and pulling the fake diamond out of her purse and slipping it on her finger. There was a little coffee shop she had to stop at today like she did every Monday and get her boss and staff members their coffee. They allowed her to get one for herself too. Yay her. It was her splurge of the week.
She put her order in and went to sit off to the side while she waited. One of the drinks was always complicated and took forever. She felt like a fool even giving it and had to read it off the text they all sent her the night before. Some texted her this morning, but they knew it had to be before seven as she was getting the order to be in her office by seven thirty.
