I just want to take a quick second to thank all of you who have continued to write sweet reviews on every chapter. This story recently surpassed 300 reviews which just blows my mind and there was almost 30 reviews on the last chapter which was just insane, so just thank you. So with that, I hope you guys enjoy chapter 23!


ERIN

"Oh thank God," I cry as I see just one pink line, a huge wave of relief washing over my body. "It's negative,"

"And we can breathe again," Hailey says with a laugh. "That was terrifying,"

"You can say that again,"


"What would you have done?" Hailey asks, the credits rolling on our movie of choice, our earlier adrenaline thankfully dissipated.

"What?" I ask, looking over at her as I pull the blanket over my tiny frame.

"If it had been positive?" I ask as she nods. "I don't know, I'd have to figure it out. I always do,"

"Would you have told him?" She responds.

"I mean I'd like to think I would have, but I don't know what I would have done. I'm just glad it didn't actually happen."

"Yeah," Hailey muses as she stares off into the distance behind me as my phone buzzes.

"Is that your phone or mine?" Hailey asks as she glances around the couch for wherever she threw hers.

"Mine," I tell her as I flip it over on the coffee table.

"Who is it?" She asks, leaning forward in anticipation.

"It's Zoe," I say, confused. I haven't heard from her in weeks, I assumed she'd just written me off.

"Who?" Hailey asks.

"Zoe Amsbary, AG's daughter, friend of Jay's," I quickly answer as I glance down at her text.

I know things are a little rocky with you and Jay right now, but my opening is at 7 PM next Saturday and I'd still really love for you to be there, with or without him. Please think about it. -ZA

"What does she want?" She asks.

"She's opening her restaurant next weekend," I inform her, "She wants me to come."

"Is Jay going to be there?" Hailey asks, always the concerned friend.

"Probably," I fill in. "I don't see why he wouldn't be,"

"It might be good for you, get some closure." She offers. "Even if you don't talk to him, maybe it'll help, just seeing his face."

"You really think I should go?" I ask her, toying with the idea in my head.

"I do," She replies, "I'll even go with you."

"Really?" I say with a smile.

"Yeah we could roadtrip it down to DC, it'll be fun."

"Alright," I say warming up to the idea. "That could be a nice break,"

"And you like Zoe right?"

"She's awesome," I say with a smile, fondly remembering the brunch I spent with Garrett, Adam, Jay and Zoe. That was before everything got so complicated.

"Then go for her," She replies. "Don't make it about him,"

"You've convinced me H," I say with a smirk, grabbing my phone to text Zoe back.

I'll be there. Mind if I bring my friend Hailey? - EL She responds within seconds.

Sure! Super excited to see you! - ZA


I sit behind the steering wheel, the car parked outside Hailey's apartment building. She's late, as always, something I've gotten used to over the years. I put my suitcase in the trunk of the 300 this morning and I'm still wearing my clothes from the office, preparing myself for the long drive, trying to push Jay out of my head. My parents have both expressed their concerns for me going back to DC, but I wanted to go. And it's about Zoe, this is for her, not him. Right?

"Finally!" I exclaim as she comes running around the corner, suitcase dragging behind her and a tote bag on her arm as I pop the trunk.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" She exclaims, tossing her bag in the back before joining me in the front seat. "We had another test today and it ran late, well it didn't run late I just took forever."

"It's fine," I say with a laugh, not able to stay mad at her. "I just want to get on the road before it gets too late, I want to get to at least Cleveland tonight,"

"Why Cleveland?" She asks, buckling in as I back out of the parking spot.

"It's the halfway point between us and DC," I tell her. "Now c'mon, we've got to get rolling,"


"We should do this more often," Hailey tells me, the sun setting behind us as we drive along the highway. "Why don't we do this more often?"

"Well we both have lives," I say with a laugh, "And jobs, we can't just drop everything and drive across the country. It's not college anymore,"

"College was fun though," She says, remaining as she stares at the window. "How much longer to Cleveland?"

"Like three hours," I say with a giggle. "We're still in Indiana,"

"God I hate Indiana," She says with a dramatic sigh, throwing herself against the back of the seat. "I really don't know how Sylvie survived here all these years,"

"I don't know," I say, peering over at the sign in front of us and sighing as I see a sign, telling me that there's almost 200 miles to Cleveland. "I think it'd be a nice place to grow up,"

"Oh please," She says with a scoff, "Like you'd ever really leave Chicago,"

"I went to college in California," I point out, "With you," I finish with a laugh.

"But you came back," She replies. "You could never stay away Erin Lindsay, you're a Chicago girl,"

"Who knows," I say distantly, staring off into the horizon. Who knows what the future holds?


JAY

"Jay," Ally says, looking surprised as she opens the door to her apartment as I stand on the welcome mat sheepishly.

"Can I come in?" I ask, twisting my fingers around each other as I wait for her response.

"That depends," She says, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "You sober?"

"Haven't had a drink in a week," I say, a feeling of pride washing over me. Ally's harsh words last week really affected me. At first, I was furious, totally in denial that anything was wrong. But then I sat there, alone and I realized that the only reason I was mad was because everything she said was totally accurate. And that was hard.

But after I made it past that, the rest of it was easy. Everything time I wanted to take a drink, I thought of Maddie's face, her sweet smile and the blue eyes she was constantly rolling at me. If that didn't work, I pictured Erin's honey blonde hair and beautiful hazel eyes, remembered everything that I had lost and all that I have to gain, if she'll take me.

The guilt is still there, I don't think it'll ever go away and the pain is just as sharp as it was in that hospital room, but I know that I can't face it on my own anymore. I can't cover it with whiskey or sex or anything else. And I need Erin back, I need her to get through this again.

"C'mon in," She says, stepping aside and ushering me in. "What are you doing here Jay?"

"I just wanted to say thank you," I tell her. "For what you said, for saying what no one else would,"

"Of course," She says. "You know I'm always going to be there for you Jay. I have your back, no matter,"

"I know," I reply with a grateful smile. "I'm lucky to have you,"

"Oh you have no idea," She says with a smirk. "But have you talked to your family? They're all really worried about you,"

"I know," I say regretfully. "I've just been trying to work on myself lately. They've been calling me, but I haven't said anything yet,"

"You should call them, especially your mom."

"You talked to my mom," I ask.

"She's hurting bad," She tells me, which I take a stab to the heart. I haven't talked to her since it happened, I haven't talked to anyone. "She lost two of her kids that night,"

"I'm horrible aren't I?"

"You're not horrible, you were just a mess. You hurt a lot of people Jay and you've got to fix that, but I believe you can. Go see your family and then call the girl you love,"

"Ally,"

"You need her Jay and she needs you, you're both just too stubborn to admit it," She scolds me.

"Baby steps Al," I assure her. "I'll talk to Erin, at some point. But I need to go see my mom,"


"Hi," I say nervously as I stand in the doorway of the Oval Office. I've never felt so nervous walking in here before, I've always felt welcome here, like it's exactly where we were supposed to be. It feels different today.

"Hi," She replies, looking up from her desk, delicate glasses resting on her nose and her flag pin shining from the lapel of her light blue skirt suit. "It's good to see you,"

"Yeah," I reply. There's an awkward silence between us, like we're colleagues passing each other in a hallway.

"C'mere," She says, a lone tear rolling down her face as she jumps up from behind her desk, pulling me into her tiny arms and making me feel like a child again as I let myself melt into her.

"Mom I'm sor-" I start, before she cuts me off.

"Stop it," She says, pulling me closer to her, fighting to keep her tears at bay. "You did what you had to do, but you came back to us. Welcome home baby boy,"


"You made it!" Zoe exclaims, waving her hands wildly in the air as she stands outside her Georgetown townhouse, only a short walk from her new restaurant. She has very graciously offered Hailey and I the opportunity to stay here through the weekend.

"She seems excited," Hailey says with a grin as she pulls into a street parking spot, both of us exhausted from all the driving.

"You're going to love her," I assure her as I turn off the car and hop out to embrace her, my feelings about Jay still unsettled.

"It's been too long Erin!" She says with glee as she pulls me in for a hug, her brown hair piled into a bun on top of her head, her formally pale skin now a golden tan.

"It's been three months," I say with a laugh as Hailey approaches behind us.

"Like I said," She replies with a roll of the eyes. "Way too long,"

"Oh and this is Hailey," I say, pulling her in behind us.

"Oh it is so nice to meet you," She says, pulling her in for a hug as her slight North Carolina accent makes an appearance "Erin has told me so many wonderful things,"

"She has?" She looks at me questioningly, through jack rabbit Zoe has already moved onto the next thing.

"Let's get your luggage unloaded and get you settled," She says, hopping around to the back of the car as I pop the trunk.


"Do you think he's going to be there?" Hailey asks, the two of us camped out in Zoe's master bed room, applying our make up for the night. Zoe left us a few hours ago, with profuse apology as she get to the restaurant early to make sure everything was just right for the opening. Of course we understood, but it was kind of funny to watch her freak out about it.

"No," I say, almost painfully. "Based on the headlines he's been generating, I don't expect it."

"Do you want to see him?" She prods, throwing on a bit of blush.

"I guess," I respond carefully, "I just want to make sure he's okay."

"He's not okay Erin," She says, looking over at me as I swipe on a nude lip gloss.

"Can we just not talk about Jay?" I ask, "Let's just have a fun night and support our friend okay?"

"Alright," She says, brushing me off as we both go back to our makeup, though I know the subject is not far from her mind. I can't get him out of my head.


"We're almost there," I say, my heels clicking along the Georgetown pavement. Neither of us really knew what to wear, so I played it safe with a little black dress and heels. Hailey was a little more adventurous with a red lace midi dress, which I love but there's no way I can pull it off. Now we're just hoping to fit in.

"Is that it?" Hailey asks, pointing with her clutch free hand to a hanging black iron sign, M + B printed in a vintage gold.

"Yeah," I say with a smile, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride for my friend. She did this, mostly on her own at 23 years old. She's amazing. The two of us finish the rest of the short walk down to the restaurant, soft music flowing out the doors and lively conversation filling the air. I quickly clock Zoe in the center of the room, a beaming smile on her face as trays of her creations circulate around the room. But just behind her, I see a set of bright blue eyes that I know better than anything. I see him.


Thanks for reading! Please review!

-Addie