FINDING ME - FIXING YOU SEQUEL

01

If Bonnie hadn't told my father that I needed help, who knows how long it would've been before he did decide to show up. I know he used to see our last name in all the tabloids and blogs. Or the paparizzi shots of me leaving clubs, parties, my apartment cleary in the wrong state of mind.

Those photos will haunt me for the rest of my life. But I know that he saw them and he never bothered to call me. He never showed up until that night.

Do I blame that on me or on him? Do I forgive him?

That decision might have been easier if he cared to show up today.

I said, "thank you for coming but if my father sent you to speak for him then you can tell him-"

"Oh no! No! No! Your father has no idea that I'm here!" Jackie insisted. "He believes I'm two towns away having tea with my sister this afternoon."

"Really?" I scrunched my face up, confused. "If Edward didn't send you here to apologize then why are you here?"

"First of all," Jackie cleared her throat. "Edward doesn't send me anywhere." Her eyes locked with mine giving off a stern, serious look. I nodded to show her that I understood. Her face softened and she continued. "But I am here because of him." My eyes met the back of my head and I quickly jumped up. "Will you please sit back down and listen?" I still stood, torn between walking away and staying to hear her out.

"I'm sorry," I collected myself and returned to my seat. "I just feel like you're about to tell me something bad and I don't know if I'm prepared to hear it." My eyes drifted across the cafe.

Where all our meals are eaten, it doesn't look anything like the typical cafeteria. The room was once used as a ball room. The floors are made up of beautifully stained hardwood. The same wood goes all the way up the wall until it reaches the high ceilings. In the very middle of it all a beautiful chandelier dangles high above the tables we sit and eat at.

"Oh," she frowned. "I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you this. I begged your father to come here himself but he refused. He won't talk about what happened to you that night." She paused for a second before continuing. "I assume he's still working through it all. He needs more time but we don't have much more of that."

"Yeah, well so I am." I reminded her reluctantly.

"He needs your help, Noah."

"My help?" I let out a laugh from deep inside my chest, truly amused. "What could I possibly help Edward The Great with?" I stared at her, awaiting an answer. "And why would I help him?"

"I think once you hear what I have to say your decision may change," Jackie seemed certain of it. "You can do a lot more than you think you can."

I made note of her inspiring comment and wondered, "does he need a kidney or something? Is he ill?" She did mention something about not having time.

"Oh," Jackie chuckled. "No, not a kidney. His health is well."

I was about to yell at her to just spit it out already. I felt like the entire visit was just dragging by. "Then what?"

"He's being accused of some thing's. Things that could destroy everything he's ever worked for." Jackie never looked so concerned about something before. The way her lips turned upside down and her head shook as she talked about it.

Something about her demeanor told me she wasn't lying about this yet I had to ask, "you're joking right now, aren't you?" I scooted closer to the edge of my seat.

Edward never made the best decisions with me in the past but he wouldn't ever do something illegal to risk losing Hotel Hayes. He's a crappy father but probably one of the best business man there is.