days?”
That snapped me back to attention. “Ohhhh,” I said. “Sure. I mean, of course, she can stay with me.”
“It will just be for a few days … just until we can get her to Boston.”
“Yeah, that’s no problem.”
“But, Allie,” she said conspiratorially. “We have to keep this on the down low. If this gets out, it could jeopardize the whole program.”
“I totally understand.”
“All right,” she said. Her tone had changed and was now all business again. “Has anything changed with your living situation? According to my notes, we screened you four years ago.”
“Yeah,” I said slowly. “I’ve actually been meaning to call you. My boyfriend moved in a month ago. Lizzie doesn’t come over much, but he’s gone out with us a few times. I was thinking that you might need to screen him or something. I promise, I really was going to call you.”
Marlene let out a long exhale. “This isn’t going to work, Alexis. Under normal circumstances, we would need to interview him and run a background check. I’m sure he’s fine, but that’ll take weeks. I need to put Lizzie somewhere today. I’m sure she’s used to staying by herself, but I can’t knowingly leave her there in her condition.” She was getting more and more frantic with every syllable. “I guess I have no choice. I have to call Child Protective Services.”
“Don’t do that!” I blurted. “Adam still has his own place. He can move out for a few days.”
“Really? Are you sure he won’t mind?”
“Positive.” I wasn’t entirely positive, but Adam loved Lizzie. He wouldn’t want her in CPS any more than I did. It would just be for a few days anyway.
“Okay, that would be great. I’m going to go over there this evening and help her pack some things. I will bring her to your house tonight. Will eight o’clock work?”
“Yes. I’ll be there.”
“Oh, Alexis, one more thing! How many bedrooms do you have?” she asked.
“Just one, but she can stay on the couch. It pulls out.”
“Oh dear. I know in foster situations, the child has to have his or her own room.” She paused. I imagined she was trying to find a way out of this. “Oh, hell, this isn’t a foster situation. And it’s just for a couple of nights. It will be fine.”
“I’ll sleep on the couch. She can have my room.”
“That’ll work. I’m sorry for putting you out like this.”
“You aren’t. Lizzie is like family to me.”
“I know she is. I knew I could count on you. Okay, we’ll see you tonight at eight,” she said.
I had no more than hung up when my phone rang for the third time. It was the damn trumpets again. “For the love of God and all that is holy,” I said looking at it. I knew he was in the building somewhere, but, after last night, I wasn’t anxious to speak with him.
I looked up and found Ethan sitting in the chair opposite my desk. He smirked at me. “Big mistake not to answer that call.”
I sighed. “I can’t talk to him right now.”
“You can’t avoid him forever, A-lister. He’s going to come after you.”
“He did,” I said. “Last night, in fact. He showed up at the apartment. It was awful.”
Ethan shook his head and whistled under his breath. “I bet it was. Did they get into it?”
“Yes. It got pretty ugly. Hey, can we talk about something else?” I was worried about my dad, but it wasn’t my first concern at the moment. I had to figure out how to kick a man out of his home right after he said he would never leave.
“Sure,” Ethan said, eyeing me warily. “Are you hungry? Let’s go grab some lunch.”
My secretary breezed in before I could answer him. “I believe your lunch just arrived, Ms. Harper.” In her arms, Constance cradled a huge wooden serving tray shaped like a boat. The wood glistened … not unlike the deck of an actual boat. What was more impressive, however, was what covered its surface. There was enough sushi, rolls, and sashimi to feed a party of eight. I
That snapped me back to attention. “Ohhhh,” I said. “Sure. I mean, of course, she can stay with me.”
“It will just be for a few days … just until we can get her to Boston.”
“Yeah, that’s no problem.”
“But, Allie,” she said conspiratorially. “We have to keep this on the down low. If this gets out, it could jeopardize the whole program.”
“I totally understand.”
“All right,” she said. Her tone had changed and was now all business again. “Has anything changed with your living situation? According to my notes, we screened you four years ago.”
“Yeah,” I said slowly. “I’ve actually been meaning to call you. My boyfriend moved in a month ago. Lizzie doesn’t come over much, but he’s gone out with us a few times. I was thinking that you might need to screen him or something. I promise, I really was going to call you.”
Marlene let out a long exhale. “This isn’t going to work, Alexis. Under normal circumstances, we would need to interview him and run a background check. I’m sure he’s fine, but that’ll take weeks. I need to put Lizzie somewhere today. I’m sure she’s used to staying by herself, but I can’t knowingly leave her there in her condition.” She was getting more and more frantic with every syllable. “I guess I have no choice. I have to call Child Protective Services.”
“Don’t do that!” I blurted. “Adam still has his own place. He can move out for a few days.”
“Really? Are you sure he won’t mind?”
“Positive.” I wasn’t entirely positive, but Adam loved Lizzie. He wouldn’t want her in CPS any more than I did. It would just be for a few days anyway.
“Okay, that would be great. I’m going to go over there this evening and help her pack some things. I will bring her to your house tonight. Will eight o’clock work?”
“Yes. I’ll be there.”
“Oh, Alexis, one more thing! How many bedrooms do you have?” she asked.
“Just one, but she can stay on the couch. It pulls out.”
“Oh dear. I know in foster situations, the child has to have his or her own room.” She paused. I imagined she was trying to find a way out of this. “Oh, hell, this isn’t a foster situation. And it’s just for a couple of nights. It will be fine.”
“I’ll sleep on the couch. She can have my room.”
“That’ll work. I’m sorry for putting you out like this.”
“You aren’t. Lizzie is like family to me.”
“I know she is. I knew I could count on you. Okay, we’ll see you tonight at eight,” she said.
I had no more than hung up when my phone rang for the third time. It was the damn trumpets again. “For the love of God and all that is holy,” I said looking at it. I knew he was in the building somewhere, but, after last night, I wasn’t anxious to speak with him.
I looked up and found Ethan sitting in the chair opposite my desk. He smirked at me. “Big mistake not to answer that call.”
I sighed. “I can’t talk to him right now.”
“You can’t avoid him forever, A-lister. He’s going to come after you.”
“He did,” I said. “Last night, in fact. He showed up at the apartment. It was awful.”
Ethan shook his head and whistled under his breath. “I bet it was. Did they get into it?”
“Yes. It got pretty ugly. Hey, can we talk about something else?” I was worried about my dad, but it wasn’t my first concern at the moment. I had to figure out how to kick a man out of his home right after he said he would never leave.
“Sure,” Ethan said, eyeing me warily. “Are you hungry? Let’s go grab some lunch.”
My secretary breezed in before I could answer him. “I believe your lunch just arrived, Ms. Harper.” In her arms, Constance cradled a huge wooden serving tray shaped like a boat. The wood glistened … not unlike the deck of an actual boat. What was more impressive, however, was what covered its surface. There was enough sushi, rolls, and sashimi to feed a party of eight. I
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