Against the Odds

Chapter 26

One week after we received the class action notice, the commercials started.

Have you or a loved one taken Profilatol and suffered a serious injury, side effect, or even death? You may be entitled to substantial compensation. Call J. Hyatt and Associates today!

And it's not just commercials, it's also radio and print advertising. There's even a billboard in Times Square. The lawsuit has become unavoidable. It's everywhere. Nationwide. And it's a constant reminder that I haven't spoken to Hunter in two weeks.

Two agonizing weeks. 

After the initial shock wore off, I couldn't help but feel empty. Like a part of my being had been ripped out and replaced with a timorous void. In an attempt to regain some mental stability, I  tried to eradicate Hunter from my mind. But the harder I tried, the more vivid my memories of him became. Why did I think it would be easy to forget him? How naive. So here I am, stuck in emotional purgatory.     

I've been staying with my mom, not wanting to spend a minute alone. Feeling like a clingy, co-dependent child, I've tried to rationalize my behavior. I am staying with mom because she needs someone here. Because she needs support. Because she's angry and sad.

But the hard truth hit me today, like a thousand piercing daggers, when my mother told me that she wasn't angry, at least not with Hunter.

Stunned, I mute the TV playing in the background.

"I have to agree with Anita," Kimmy chimes in as she sits down cross-legged on the loveseat. She's been coming over three times a week. A bit excessive, if you ask me, but very on-brand for Kimmy.

"How can you both say that? I don't understand. He is literally the head of Fairview, he must have known what was happening." I am utterly shocked by their adamant denial of his involvement.

 "It's just that Jack mentioned that his role as 'President' is pretty limited," Kimmy explains, fiddling with her teabag. "He doesn't have as much power as you think he does."

My mind wanders back to our argument in his office. It's not that simple, baby. I'm not in charge of...

I didn't let him finish. I didn't let him say anything.

Blinding rage is destructive. I've never had an emotion dominate all my senses, thoughts, and words before. Usually, when I'm mad I'm able to grip onto a shred of happiness and use it to pull myself back from the brink of an explosive rampage. But that day I was gone, thrust into a vortex of maddening and tangled rage. A small part of me can now sympathize with Jason of all people. I understand him better now, which worries me.

"Honey, maybe you should give him a call." My mom wraps both hands around her mug. "You can't hide here forever."

"I'm not hiding!" I frown, knowing that she's one hundred percent correct. "And what makes you so sure that Hunter's not involved? You only met him a few times."

"I'm a good judge of character." My mom shrugs. "Plus..." she trails off.

I narrow my tired eyes. "Plus? Plus, what?"

"I'm not supposed to say." She exhales slowly. Kimmy and I exchange a curious look.

"Well, too late now. You've piqued our interest. What is it?"

With a reluctant sigh, she begins. "Do you remember when Hunter and I talked privately in my room?"

"Yeah. How could I forget? That made me so anxious."

"Sorry about that, honey."

"Anita," Kimmy whines. "Get to the story!"

"Always so impatient," my mother scolds Kimmy. "Ok, well, earlier in the day, I overheard some administrators talking about a recent donation made to the care center. They mentioned that it came from Carlisle Industries, which they thought was strange considering Happy Living is a for-profit company so it doesn't fall under their philanthropic mandate." My mom pauses to take a slow sip of her peppermint tea. "And I started thinking that the donation might have been made as a personal gesture."