The Suite Adult Life

March (7.3)

Bailey kicked in her door before flicking her shoes off scattering them around the pristinely white apartment. She threw her bag haphazardly into a chair and her keys clanked in the bowl where they landed. She pulled down an open bottle of red wine pouring herself a glass and downing it before face planting into the couch. The past few weeks had been a complete bitch at work. The exposé from the New York Times about the merger had thrown a wrench into everything. She scoured that article a thousand times checking to see if there was any clue that she had contributed to the story at all. But, there wasn't any. Not even a whiff. The pictures weren't from Cody either. The paper used public images from the Department of Ethics.

She looked at Cody's last text multiple times a day. Too many times to not be embarrassing. She wanted to respond, she really did. But what if that was how they caught her? What would happen to her then? She could argue her way out of it. But would she really want to be part of a firm that would accuse their employees of such malfeasance? But if she left would she be able to even get another job? The corporate law world was a small one indeed and ever since she stepped foot into Columbia law her goal was to make a name for herself and be known by name if not reputation alone.

After the story broke in the Times everyone picked it up. From the Wall Street Journal and Forbes to small independent blogs and neighborhood publications. Today was especially trying. The Journal had posted a follow-up article implicating more people in this scheme. The managing partner had called a meeting for all senior associates and up and proceeded to berate and accuse everyone for being a mole. No one made any moves to defend themselves for fear of retribution.

It didn't help that Chad was still trying to attempt a comeback tour. They had assets to divvy up. She had been down the past two weekends specifically to pack up her things and put them into storage. She made good on her promise to not renew the lease for their apartment meaning the rent would skyrocket if he wanted to try and rent it again. The cost wasn't attainable on a single person's salary. In one word, Bailey was exhausted. She was supposed to go back to DC tonight to finish up the process. They had until the end of April to have all of their things out and she knew Chad wouldn't do something stupid like throw out her things if she wasn't there.

She feared for the person she was becoming. She didn't like this hateful, jaded version of Bailey. What happened to the sweet and innocent farm girl? Why did she have to be some cityville bigwig? She thought about going home instead but that brought about a whole other bushel of corn. Her parents liked Chad. She was 'finally' engaged which meant that she could pop out grandkids for them. No matter how many times she had told her mother that she didn't think children were in her future, she just didn't listen. She definitely couldn't tell them that they almost had one because not only would she not have a home to go back to, she wouldn't have a family anymore.

She finished the bottle of wine choosing to contort herself in a different position on the couch. Everything that has happened in the past five months... fucking hell where did the time go? Can all be traced back to her and the stupid decision to rectify her past. She really hadn't given herself a chance to discern why she wanted to. Bailey spent every day trying to convince herself that she did it on a whim and not because she was trying to sabotage her future with Chad.

The Fourth of July was especially hot this year. Forecasters said it was the effects of El Niño, whatever that truly meant. For the farmers it meant a lot of humidity and a lot of overnight rain. Flooding was a very real fear and danger with parts of the lowlands already experiencing some form of the disaster. With the exception of the heat, the skies were clear, there were cookouts and parades and fireworks to be enjoyed, and everyone was just in an overall good mood.

The Pickett farm was a staple in the community for holiday fireworks. They had a river running along the bottom of their property where the light display could be set off safely. It was during said display that Chad had pulled Bailey over to a dark area of the yard. The flashes of light briefly illuminated them in patches. She was confused and a little impatient because they were missing a great display. One that her sister had worked really hard on. "Chad, what are you doing? We're missing everything!"