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Caren explained the events of the day to Wilder since she’d been the one taking the lead on the investigation so far, which was just fine with Kayleigh. She wasn’t sure she could get it all out without crying.
It frustrated Kayleigh that her emotions were hovering so close to the surface. She wasn’t someone who cried easily, even in her private life. However, she was just so tired of the situation and so hurt by what Liz had said and done. But any outward show of emotion would have to wait until she got home.
Maintaining her professionalism was paramount, even though she was dealing with her brother. If it had been just the two of them, maybe she’d have let her emotions show. But after Liz’s words about how she’d gotten her job, Kayleigh felt like she needed to keep a professional appearance in front of Hudson and Caren.
“So it’s all over?” Wilder asked.
“Yes,” Caren said. “We’re just sorting through the wreckage, if you will, and trying to figure out how to move forward.”
“Liz is fired?”
Caren nodded. “Yes. She’s been escorted off the premises, and she’s been told that if she returns without permission, it will be considered trespassing, and the appropriate steps will be taken.”
Wilder glanced over at Kayleigh. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, then nodded. He’d been her brother long enough to know that she wouldn’t admit to being anything but fine, especially when they were in a work environment.
“What’s going to happen with Jenn?” Wilder asked. “Has she been fired as well?”
Kayleigh glanced at Hudson, then said, “She hasn’t been fired yet, though I think she expects that’s what’s going to happen.”
Wilder frowned at that. “Do youhaveto fire her?”
“What do you mean?” Kayleigh wanted him to explain what he was thinking so that both Hudson and Caren heard it.
“It seems like maybe she’s in a pretty desperate situation,” Wilder said. “Did she make a mistake? Sure. But I’ll bet she won’t make it again.”
“If you had a say in her future, what would you do?” Hudson asked.
“I’d give her a second chance. Maybe with probation.”
Hudson gave a laugh. “Really?”
Wilder nodded. “She wasn’t out to get me specifically. She didn’t do what she did out of malice, and she’s not the only one who will suffer if she loses her job here. Her child will, too. Give her another chance.”
“You and your sister…”
Wilder looked at Kayleigh. “Do you want to give her another chance?”
Smiling, Kayleigh said, “Yes. I believe we should give her a second chance. Hudson wasn’t of the same mind, so I said that when we talked to you, if you wanted us to fire her, that’s what we’d do.”
“So now you’re not going to fire her?”
“We’re not,” Kayleigh assured him.
Wilder turned his attention to Hudson. “I think you’d find that you’d get a similar response if you asked anyone in our family what action should be taken in regards to Jenn.”
Hudson nodded. “I can see that now.”
“Do you have any other questions or concerns, Wilder?” Caren asked.
“So this is the end of my part in this? Life can continue as usual?”
Caren smiled at him. “Yes. For you, life can go on as usual. Thank you for accepting our guidance as we dealt with all of this. Your patience has been appreciated.”
“I have to say that doing nothing was both the easiest and the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
