of America, and you know what our vacation policy is like here.”
“I thought you said you got two weeks of vacation time.”
“Girl, only one week is paid; the other week I don’t even get paid, and I don’t even make enough money to work for free.”
“You’re not working for free.”
“You know what I mean. I don’t make enough money to take off a week for vacation if I’m not getting paid for it.”
“Ugh, you need to come home.”
“I’ll be home soon.”
“I know.”
“Well, I’m really falling asleep, so I’m going to speak to you tomorrow, okay, Molly?”
“Okay. Love you.”
“Love you, and get some pepperoni and ham on that pizza. You live it up, girl.”
“Oh, I will be. Trust me,” I said and hung up the phone.
I re-read the letter one more time. I couldn’t believe it. I checked the closet and sure enough, all of Victoria’s clothes were gone. It was true. She was really and truly gone. I read the letter once again. She was going to Poland, Georgia, Ukraine, and Belarus. I had no idea why she was going and I really didn’t care. I just hoped that she wasn’t going to be back anytime soon.
Three months of freedom. Three months of having my own apartment on the Upper West Side. This was absolutely amazing. Maybe I would join a dating app. Maybe I would see what was out there. I wouldn’t be embarrassed to bring someone back now. Oh my gosh, this was amazing.
I started singing to myself. “I’m so happy. So, so happy!”
I made up a song and then started taking off my clothes and dropping them on the ground. It didn’t even matter that I was undressing in the middle of the apartment and not in the bathroom because there was no one going to walk in and see me. I could dance naked if I wanted! Actually, I was pretty sure that’s what I was going to do after I had my pizza and ice cream and watched some TV. I was going to blast music, and I was going to dance naked in my own apartment because I could.
I grinned to myself. Life was looking good. Everything was coming up roses. Finally, things were going my way. Now, all I needed was to get an audition and get a part. Then everything would be absolutely perfect.
Chapter 7
Ethan
Already, I felt like I was already living a new life.
I was taking the subway to my new apartment, hauling a backpack and a duffel bag with me. A guy to my right blew his nose into his shirt, and two teenagers were making out like tonight was their last night on earth. A waft of pure stench filled my nose, and I missed my Maserati very, very much.
I looked up and saw that we were in the Upper West Side and decided that I’d walk the rest of the way. I didn’t want to be on the subway any longer.
I got off and walked down the street, thinking to myself what a crazy life I led. This time last week, I’d been dining in the most exclusive restaurants, eating caviar while drinking champagne before the valet brought my Maserati back for me to drive to my penthouse.
I knew I was spoiled. I’d grown up rich and had made my own money on top of it. I’d never wanted for anything. And even though I told Harry that I could easily live without money, I wasn’t quite sure if that was true. I was making shit at this investigator job. But even more than that, I hadn’t had a roommate since college. How was I meant to bring girls back?
Oh well, I’d figure it out later.
I stopped at the building of my new abode and looked at it in disdain. It was pretty old and decrepit. No wonder the rent was so cheap. I walked inside and looked for the elevator or the doorman. There were neither. I sighed as I realized I was going to have to walk up the stairs. Not that I was out of shape, but who wanted to waste time walking up upstairs to their apartment?
I walked up the six flights of stairs and I found the door to the apartment. Behind it, I could hear what sounded like a screeching.
“Oh no, don’t tell me there’s a cat in there,” I muttered out loud. I hated cats and didn’t really want to live with one. I was about to knock on the door