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My finger hadbeen hovering over Jake’s contact in my phone for what seemed like an hour. I was debating on whether or not I should call him, wondering if he’d even be able to answer. Deciding it was best to let him heal and rest, I did the next best thing.
“Meryl, hi, it’s Lucy,” I fumbled. “I know it’s been a hot minute but I was just calling to see how Jake is doing?”
There was a pause and I was ready to ask if she was still there when she finally spoke. “He’s fine, why do you ask?” Meryl sounded salty and she probably was because I did Jake so dirty. I couldn’t blame her loyalty one bit.
“Well, I was wondering if he’s still in the hospital? Could you tell me which one; I’d really like to see him.” I began pacing, unsure of how this conversation was going to go. Meryl was good at what she did, and when it came to keeping proprietary information away from people, she excelled like a rocket.
“Hospital? What are you talking about?” There was genuine confusion in her voice.
“I heard he got injured during his audition yesterday…he was, wasn’t he?” Now, doubt was forming in the pit of my stomach and I didn’t like it at all.
Meryl had the audacity to laugh at me. “No dear, he didn’t get hurt. But the character he was auditioning for did. It was in the script. Maybe somebody got their wires crossed…” she chirped with another laugh.
I knew just who that would be. It looked like the score had been settled between E and myself. But I’d have to deal with her and Liam later.
Meryl cleared her voice and I waited for the lecture. “Lucy, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened? Between you two.”
I told her everything from my parents to my epiphany the night in San Antonio to the realization E sneakily helped me come to yesterday. I was verbalizing it all, my words becoming a flood gate that just kept going. But the more I spoke it aloud, the better I felt.
Finally, when I was done, she let out a low whistle. “You poor dears. Both heartbroken and miserable,” she pointed out.
I sighed in agreement.
Then, as if someone flipped a switch, the no-nonsense Meryl filled my ear. “So, how are you going to fix it?” The question was curt and clipped.
The change in demeanor startled me, but I answered nonetheless. “I’m not sure, but I won’t sleep until I have it figured out.”
I just hope I could.
“Oh,Ethel…I’mhoooome!” I sang out, closing the door behind me with my ass while juggling various shopping bags in my arms. “Ethel, where are you?”
With a force like a scorned Mother Nature, E’s bedroom door opened, the handle hitting the stopping plate on the wall in the process. “Lucy, what the actual fuck? Three times in a year?!” When she saw the bags hanging off my arms and a smile on my face that could rival Reba’s, curiosity trumped her annoyance and she caved. “What’s all that?”
Depositing my findings on the couch, I clapped my hands together triumphantly. “Well, dear sister, since you decidedto lie to me,” I punctuated loudly, “I’m enlisting you to help me with my Win-Jake-Back plan. For all intents and purposes, we shall henceforth refer to said plan as WJB. ’Kay?”
Her eyes grew wide and I was undecided if she was amused or pissed off. Most definitely both.
“Following along, are you?” I snickered.
After racking my brain all night on the perfect way to make the grandest of apologies to Jake, it all fell into place when I began googling random things. An ad popped up for an upcoming con in Vegas; upon further investigation Jake was one of the headlining guests. And even though it was a much smaller scale than San Diego Comic-Con, they still offered all of the same vendors, panels and entertainment.
“Sorry, I’m not following,” E spat, crossing her arms. “What is all this? How are you going to win Jake back with whatever is in there?”
“You are going to take me to the con in Vegas at the end of the month,” I stated.
“Oh, I am, am I? You realize that’s in two weeks and I have very low hopes that you’ll complete whatever it is you think you’re doing in time.”
I tsk’d. “Such a naysayer…I’ll explain in a minute,” I promised, starting to unpack the contents of the bags. “Now, get your sewing machine. We’ve got work to do.”
Chapter 32
Jake
Las Vegas
After having coffeewith E, I called Chet and asked him to book me for whatever was available. It could’ve been an interview, an audition, it didn’t matter. If I were to wait it out, like suggested, then I needed to stay busy.
The Vegas con was last minute but the blocked-out days on my calendar were a relief. I hoped the familiar atmosphere would be comforting.
