Master Plan {d. dobrik}

17

With less than four hours of sleep, Emily was frantic the next day. Not because of the lack of sleep, but because of her fathers diagnosis. It was stage four lung cancer; inoperable. Warren Neal had little time left on this Earth, and his daughter had no idea how to handle that information.

Deciding not to worry her friends with her family problems, keeping it to herself seemed like the best option at that point. The crying hadn't stopped, though, and she was beginning to go crazy with keeping all the what if's to herself.

Which is what led her to calling Whitney.

"Hey, babes!" Whitney answered.

"Whit," Emily choked out, "I need you to tell me what to do."

"What happened?"

From there, Emily explained everything. The phone call, Warren's diagnosis, her lack of sleep. Everything.

"Okay, first off, calm down, Em," Whitney advised, "I can't help you unless you're calm."

Taking a few deep breaths, Emily's tears stopped. "Okay," she said quietly.

"Now," Whitney started, "You're going to pack a bag for at least two weeks. I'm going to buy you a one way ticket to New York, and I will pick you up when you get here."

"I can't let you-"

"Emily," Whitney cut her off, "You're my best friend, and your dad is sick. He needs you, and I will make sure you get here with at least one less thing to worry about. Okay?"

"Okay," Emily gave in.

Once the two friends hung up, Emily did what Whitney told her to do. She packed enough clothes for two weeks, then Whitney sent her all the information as far as her plane ticket went. Lastly, she wrote a note.

The note simply said:

David, if you're reading this, I'm not home. I'm on my way back to New York. I'll be back. Don't worry if I'm not very informative with you for however long I'm gone. I'll explain everything when I get back.

I'm sorry.

xx Emily

Emily knew David would be there later that day to pick her up, so she figured saving him the trouble of worrying about her was the least she could do until she got back.

With a heavy sigh, Emily walked out of her apartment with her suitcase in tow. She taped the note on her door, then she left.