Chase and Company

Chapter Twenty Three: Heartbreak before Breakfast

Royce, Camille, Clark, and Jillian found me in the studio around four in the morning. Picking me up gently, Royce said, "Let's get you home."

Only, I didn't want to go back to the lodge just yet. Jillian firmly stated that I was to stay with her at her apartment, only a few blocks away from the office. Royce called Ms. Evelina the next morning, telling her that I needed a few days to work from home. Really, I think everyone just knew I wouldn't be able to go back to work for a while.

Camille and Clark wanted to stay with me but I told them that we shouldn't all intrude on Jillian's space. They bought it, but they would still check up on me throughout the day, as did Jillian and Royce. For the most part, though, I kept to myself, alone. That was what I wanted. And with loneliness, comes wondering thoughts.

A few days after the party, Royce came in one morning after Jillian left for work.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Royce, you have work."

"So do you," he replied. Entering the guest room where I was staying and hopping onto the bed, he dropped all the bags he was carrying onto the mattress. "We can work together."

I peered at the bags' contents. Inside were sketchpads, writing utensils, fabrics; a fashion designer's artillery of weapons. I sighed. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Then don't talk," Royce ordered. He nudged a sketchpad and a pencil into my hands. In a softer tone, he said, "Just let out how you feel."

I stared at the blank pages before me. Sighing, I started to scratch a few lines onto the paper.

Satisfied with my response, or lack thereof, Royce sat back, drawing on his own pad. "You don't have to talk," he repeated. "But I'm here if you just want to listen."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds were our pencils marking the bleached fibers. "Why does Jillian live here alone?" I asked, trying to fill in the void of sound. Tears would randomly water my eyes but I ignored them. Their presence was second nature now. "I thought her mom was a CEO."

"She is," Royce said, not taking his eyes off his sketch. "Which means her mom is always busy, more so than Ms. Evelina. Jill also wants to make her own living, even if it's just as a receptionist."

I nodded since Royce made so much sense. Jillian was the independent type and I admired her for it. "Why don't Landon and Hudson go out much?"

Royce grinned to himself. "Old news. Let's just say the two got in trouble with the paparazzi before." I stopped drawing to look at Royce questioningly. This was news to me. "Long story short, the two used to party a lot. A drunk Landon punched a photographer, Ms. E. sent him to France for a year, and both decided not to cause their mom any more grief. They cleaned up their act and now the whole family tries not to grab the public's attention."

I hesitated before nodding again. Looking back down at my paper, I asked another question. "What's your story, Royce?"

The sound of Royce's pencil stopped and I looked back up. He continued to smile, but there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "My parents died when I was sixteen." The smile lessened to a slight frown as he mumbled, "Car crash."

My eyes widened and I could feel them welling. "Oh Royce, I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be," he said. "They were good people. I just regret not being able to show them all I've accomplished sometimes."