wanted to sleep on it, but it sounded like exactly what she needed. And London would be a nice change from living with the ghosts in her apartment.
She talked to Sam about it that night, and he reluctantly agreed with her. His preference was that she go back to school, but if she wasn’t going to, then getting out of town might be good for her, in case Ed showed up again. A year after her parents’ death, she was in better shape now and could take a job for a while until she went back to school.
“Just promise me one thing, that you’ll go back to college at some point. You’ve only got two semesters left to do. You should finish and get your diploma,” Sam said, in his older brother role.
“I will, at some point,” was all she would commit to.
She called John Campbell the next day, and told him she wanted the internship in London. He was delighted.
“Give us a few weeks to get your visa in order. Why don’t you plan on starting mid-August.” That gave her a month to get organized and pack. She’d have to find a place to live when she got to London. It sounded exciting, and she called Sam at work and told him she had accepted, and would be leaving in a month.
Much to her surprise, a week later, she got a call from Ed. She didn’t dare not take it, since he was still her trustee, and the call might be about the estate. She took the call cautiously, and sounded cool when she answered. It had been five weeks since their unpleasant scene when they ended their affair. He sounded surprisingly friendly in the circumstances, and as though nothing had happened.
“How are you, Coco?”
“Fine, thank you. What’s up?” She cut to the chase and didn’t want to chat with him or play games.
“Nothing, I just wanted to check in and see how you’re feeling. Things got a little out of hand the last time we saw each other. I’m sorry about that.” He made it sound like she’d been drunk or in a bad mood.
“It’s fine. We needed to clear things up.” She didn’t tell him that she still felt like an idiot and thought he was a bastard. She was just grateful that no one knew about them, except Sam.
“I hope you’re feeling better. I was wondering if we could get together. Marielle is in Greece, and I’m leaving for Italy in two weeks. I’d love to see you.” He was incredible. He wanted to start where they’d left off, with nothing different in his situation, except that his wife was on vacation so he was free.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m leaving too. I’m going to London.”
“How about dinner tonight?” He sounded faintly desperate. He didn’t like rejection. And she didn’t like liars and cheaters. She remembered everything Sam had said while she hadn’t listened to him.
“Sorry, Ed. I can’t make it.” Then she couldn’t help adding, “You’re still married.” Even if he weren’t now, she wouldn’t have gone to dinner with him. He had used her to add spice to his life. He was a bad guy. Sam was right.
“Well, maybe when you get back,” he said hopefully.
“I don’t think so. And when I get back, let’s talk about a successor trustee. I think that would be a good idea.”
“If you think so,” he said, sounding vaguely annoyed. He wasn’t going to argue the point with her. He knew she was right to ask for a new trustee, given what had happened between them. She hung up after that, and didn’t hear from him again.
She spent the rest of her time in New York packing. She closed the house in Southampton, and left the apartment in the city as it was. She didn’t know when she’d be back, a few months, longer, maybe even a year. It all depended on what would happen in London. John Campbell was giving her a new lease on life. After a year of deep mourning, she needed it, and couldn’t wait to start the job. Sam needed to pursue his own life too, and not just babysit for her, although he never complained, and loved seeing her almost every night.
He drove her to the airport when she left. They clung to each other for a long time before she had to go through security.
“Take care of yourself,” he admonished her. “Don’t do anything crazy, and watch out