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"Why are you still with her?" The question I’d sat on for so long juue I stumbled after it "I’m sorry It’s none of my business--"

"It’s fine" He interrupted me "It’s a valid question" He tilted his head athis words "Nicole … there’s a part of her that’s broken But that doesn’tloved Everyone is worthy of that And, for soed, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the broken crystal "Another woman would have been easier to live with, to love But another woman wasn’t in my cards Nicole was" He looked at me "Do you understand?"

I sort of did Unfortunately, when I looked at Carter and myself, there were certainly some parallels--consistencies that put me squarely in Nicole’s role Part ofto fix And there were certainly other women Carter could have picked, ones that would be easier to deal with I looked back up at Clarke

"I do" I stepped toward the staircase "I’ve got to talk to Nicole"

"Leaving us?" There was a wisdom in his eyes that I couldn’t lie to

"Yeah"

"Good for you" He sood man He really was I think the reason I fell so quickly for Carter was because I saw Clarke in him Both of them solid and steady Both of them trustworthy and loyal Both of them so far removed from the superficial world that Nicole and I lived in

I nodded a goodbye and took the first step, her I got

Quitting One chapter in this crazy journey, finally co to an end

96 My Penniless Ass is FREE

I ducked when she threw the pillow, her face red, lungs already hoarse fro I watched it bounce off the dresser, and Chanel instantly growled, pouncing on it with excite any air out of Nicole’s hissy fit

"I’ll work a final teeks," I offered "I’ll train a replace for a new pillow, and I eased to the door before shenow--her ie on her face … if she could get up and strangle me, I think she would have

"So … you want me to leave now?" I reached for the knob

"Fuck you!" she seethed

"I’ll leave everything in the office, with instructions--"

"Stick the hands found the relike a bitch

I sed any parting niceties and darted out the door, Chanel quick onit down the stairs I was alChanel up in oodbye, that my chance of a recommendation letter was toast

I waved at the ently set Chanel down, all but skipping out the front door I wanted to jurab the closest stranger and shake them with joy I was actually FREE Free of that woged it down, glancing at my watch as I hurried to the curb and opened the door

Chirping out a hello to the iave him the address to the BLL set and settled back in the seat

I did feel sorry for her unborn child I felt sorry for Chanel, hated pulling away and knowing that she was still stuck there, in her puppy booties and designer dog sunglasses The taxi turned a corner, and I thought of Clarke, the tension in his shoulders, the sorrow on his face It looked like he and Nicole wouldClarke would be a great father And e Nicole for the better I was just glad I wouldn’t have anything to do with any of it

War thoughts of Nicole out of lasses out of reat