That night, I couldn’t sit still. Vanessa’s text had lodged itself in my mind like a splinter, refusing to be ignored. No matter how hard I tried to distract myself—reading, scrolling through my phone, pacing the length of my room—it was always there.
The words were like a warning, an omen of something looming just out of sight. By the time the sky turned dark, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to get out of the house, to do something—anything—to keep myself from spiraling.
I ended up at the bar.
It wasn’t like I’d been planning to come here. My feet just seemed to carry me there, like they were drawn to the one place I’d been trying to avoid. The bar was quiet, only a handful of customers scattered at the tables, nursing drinks and chatting softly.
Behind the counter stood Caleb’s father, his broad shoulders hunched as he cleaned glasses. The sight of him made my chest tighten, the guilt bubbling up before I even had the chance to think about what I was doing.
“Emma,” he said, his voice gruff as he looked up. His eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here?”
“I...” I hesitated, standing awkwardly near the entrance. “I just wanted to talk.”
He raised an eyebrow, setting the glass down on the counter. “Talk? About what?”
I swallowed hard, stepping closer. “About Caleb.”
The mention of his son’s name made his jaw tighten. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing up here after everything that’s happened.”
“I know,” I said quickly, my voice trembling. “I just... I need to say something.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the counter as he stared me down. “I’m listening.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “I’m sorry for everything. For what happened with Caleb, for what happened at school, for...” My voice broke, and I looked down at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. “For all of it.”
For a moment, there was only silence. When I finally looked up, his expression hadn’t softened.
“Sorry doesn’t change anything, Emma,” he said, his tone cold. “Do you have any idea what Caleb’s been through? What our family’s been through? You think coming here and saying you’re sorry is going to fix that?”
“No,” I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. “I just... I don’t know what else to do.”
He shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh. “You’ve already done enough. And I don’t need you here, stirring things up again.”
The weight of his words pressed down on me, but I couldn’t argue. He was right. I had done enough. Too much.
“So what now?” I asked quietly. “You’re just going to keep hating me?”
“I don’t hate you,” he said, though his tone made it hard to believe. “But I can’t have you here, Emma. You’re fired.”
The finality of the word hit me like a punch to the gut. I’d known it was coming, but hearing it out loud still felt like a blow.
Outside, the cool night air hit my face, but it didn’t do anything to stop the ache in my chest. I leaned against the wall of the building, staring up at the sky as tears streamed down my face.
The guilt was overwhelming. I’d lost everything—my job, my connection to Caleb, even my sense of who I was.
The picture, I thought bitterly. The hospital. The fight.
Everything was tangled together, an endless mess I couldn’t seem to untangle.
And Caleb... wherever he was, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d failed him too.