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“You’d start in May, once the semester’s over. It’d look great on your applications to med school.”
Wally grimaced. “You really shouldn’t have, Dad.”
“Anything to give you a leg up. Trust me, it’s not what you know, but whoyou know.”
“No, I mean youreallyshouldn’t have, Dad. I already have plans for the summer.”
I set my jaw. “Doing what?”
He scratched behind his ear. “Well, there’s actually this program in Paris that I really want to attend.”
I smiled, pride rising in my chest. “That’s great.”
“It is?”
“Yes, of course. I’m glad you’re finally taking some initiative with regards to your career. What hospital is it with? I guess nothing beats field training—”
“It’s not for med school,” Wally snapped, exasperated. “It’s for a culinary program.”
“A culinary program?” I echoed. Disbelief washed over me. This was coming out of left field and I wasn’t prepared to make the catch. “Why would you want to attend a culinary program? That wouldn’t benefit your resume in the slightest. I’m not paying for you to goof off.”
“Oh my God, Dad,” he grumbled.
“What?”
“You neverlisten.”
“What are you talking about? I’m listening right now, and what I’m hearing is that you don’t want to apply yourself and do something beneficial for your future.”
“No, you’re not—” Wally huffed. “Never mind. Forget it.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“To bed. I’m tired.”
He stomped down the hall and slammed his bedroom door shut behind him. It was the last I saw of him all evening.
Chapter 5
Vivian
When I walked into work on Monday, I was startled to find that Molly’s cubicle was cleaned out. Empty. Not even so much as a bright neon pink Post-It Note left. Her computer had been reset to the company’s default profile, and all her drawers were empty.
I discreetly pulled out my phone and tried texting her. I normally didn’t condone phone use while on the clock, but this was important. An entire chain of my unanswered messages from the weekend filled the screen.
Hey, where were you last night?
Did you get lost somewhere?
I’m at work. Where’s all your stuff?
Hellllooooooooooo Is everything alright?
No response.
A sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach crept up on me, slowly but surely, dragging me under. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my bones, but I had no words to describe it properly.
I peeked over the edge of my cubicle, peering at my co-workers. Everyone had their heads down, focused on work, staring at their computer screens. The distant ring of office phones, the low murmur of conversation from the water coolers, the click-clack of people typing furiously to meet deadlines… it all seemed so ordinary.
