Chapter 4 BROKEN PIECES PART 1
Vivienne sat in Marcus's messy office across from him. He had been talking for five minutes and saying the same thing over and over, but the words didn't get through to her. She had her hands folded in her lap.
She could still see Alexander's face. He was older now and more defined around the edges, but it was still clearly him.
"Vee, are you paying attention to me?"
His voice pulled her back. She blinked and saw him looking at her with that same desperation he's been wearing so often. He was leaning forward in his chair with his palms flat on the desk. He was really ready for her today.
"I'm sorry, I..."
"Vee, I don't get why you can't do it." His jaw tightened. "Alexander Hunt comes into our agency, Vee, and asks for you specifically. Do you know what that means? Do you know what kind of opportunity we are about to miss?"
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. What could she say? That she knew Alexander Hunt better than anyone else? That ten years ago, she had to walk away with only her life intact because of love? Only to find out two years later that he had gotten married? That day, she drove to the venue and stood outside in a borrowed dress with their one-year-old son, but she couldn't bring herself to go inside.
"This could save us," Marcus said, his voice getting higher. "CrossLight is on its last legs. Vee, we're three months behind on our rent. Three months. We rent the equipment, and if we don't pay in two days, they will take it all back. We still owe Sarah and Dev money from the last job. And what about the interns? I haven't been able to pay them in six weeks."
Vivienne closed her lips tightly. She already knew all of this. For months, she had been helping Marcus change numbers and push back deadlines. But hearing it all at once like that made it feel worse.
"I didn't want it to get this bad." Marcus used both hands to rub his face. Vivienne paid more attention to him now, and saw how tired he looked. "But we don't have any other choices. The last two projects didn't work out. Customers aren't paying on time, and the ones who do aren't enough to cover costs. We're losing money."
"Marcus..." She tried.
"This project with Hunt Enterprises could change everything." Marcus cut her off. "We can pay our bills again with just one contract with them. We could really grow instead of just getting by. This isn't how it's supposed to be." He sat back in his chair. His eyes were on hers. "But only if we agree to do this project. And he's asking for you, Vee. I can't send anyone else. I can't do anything about the situation. You need to help us out. Please."
There was a hard knot under her collarbone.
She wanted to explain why this was impossible, but the words wouldn't come out.
"I need time to think about it," she said, but her voice came out smaller than she meant it to.
"Time?" Marcus laughed bitterly. "Vee, we don't have time. An hour ago, his office sent you a follow-up email asking when you would be available. They want to set up something for tomorrow. They'll move on to the next person if we don't respond soon."
The walls of the office looked like they were leaning in. Vivienne could feel her heart beating against her ribs and hear the blood rushing in her ears. She instinctively reached for her phone when it lit up in her purse. She needed any reason to look away from Marcus's face, which was full of hope, frustration, and anger.
3:42 PM.
"Oh God." The chair creaked as she jumped up. "I need to leave. I'm late."
"Late for what?" Marcus stood up too, his forehead wrinkled. "Vee, we still have more to talk about."
"Noah. I need to get Noah." She was already heading for the door and putting her phone back in her purse. "School closes at 4:00. I'm sorry, Marcus. See you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" He followed her into the hallway, his voice getting louder. "Vee, I need an answer by the end of the day."
But she was already halfway down the stairs.
She couldn't think about Alexander, her projects, or going bankrupt right now. She just needed to get to her son.
At this time of day, the parking garage was dark and echoey, and there weren't many cars there. Vivienne struggled with her keys as she got to her car, a seven-year-old sedan that had seen better days but still worked well enough. Most of the time.
She got into the driver's seat, put the key in the ignition, and turned it.
Nothing.
"No, no, no." She tried again, pushing the gas pedal the way her dad had shown her years ago. The engine made a grinding noise, coughed once, and then stopped working. "Come on. Please."
Her hands were shaking now. She looked at her phone again and saw that it was 3:47 PM. Noah hated waiting alone on the school steps, so if she didn't leave in the next two minutes, she'd be late. The last time she was an hour late, he didn't say a word the whole way home, which was somehow worse than if he had been openly upset.
She turned the key again, this time with more force, as if she could change things with the power of will. The engine made a groaning noise, sputtered, and then caught. The car shook to life with a rattling sound that wasn't there yesterday, but she didn't care. She put it in reverse and backed out of the spot faster than was probably safe.
Thank goodness there wasn't much traffic. She was going to make it just in time.