Page 85 of Take Care, Taylor

I am including all my completed work and my final thesis in case the professors wish to review them. I am also providing the mailing address of a family member where, if possible, my belongings can be sent under theemergency-withdrawalclause in the program’s handbook.

A scanned check is attached to cover postage, and this address may be used again in the coming weeks should any final materials need to be shipped to me.

Thank you so much for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Audrey Parker

P.S.Please thank Professors Weiss and Mills for everything. I wish I’d had the words to finish this differently.

TRACK 37. MY TEARS RICOCHET (4:47)

AUDREY

The wordheartbrokenwasn’t enough to describe the pain that greeted me every morning—the ache that invaded my dreams at night.

I couldn’t stop crying, couldn’t even pretend to be okay.

I missed and hated Taylor at the same time.

How could he hide that from me?

I slipped out of my car and into the rain, racing up the front steps of my Aunt Lydia’s brownstone.

“Audrey?” She answered the door in a pink cow-print bathrobe that barely concealed white lace lingerie. “What are you doing here?”

“I called you and told you I needed a place to crash for a while.”

“I thought you were joking!”

“I said it was an emergency.” I shook my head. “I only need to stay here for a few days.”

“Days?” She looked alarmed.

“Until the bank opens on Monday and I can get the keys to my parents’ rental cabin from the security box.”

“Oh…” She tapped her lip. “Well, no need to wait for the bank at all. Stay right there.”

She rushed inside and shut the door, leaving me in the rain.

Brown eyes peeked from the left window. Then hazel ones joined.

What the hell is she doing in there?

When she opened the door again, she thrust a keychain and a binder into my hands.

“It hasn’t had a renter in the past three months,” she said. “I paused it because I couldn’t get up there to clean as often, but…” She yanked two keys off and handed them to me. “It should still be really nice.”

“Thank you, Aunt Lydia.” I grabbed them. “Do you mind if I use your bathroom for a second?”

“There’s a Hilton hotel around the corner.” She stepped back. “Call me when you make it to the cabin and I’ll check on you later.”

She slammed the door before I could ask another question.

Sighing, I returned to my rental car and slid behind the wheel. My phone buzzed on the seat—another call from Taylor—but I didn’t have the heart to answer.

I doubt I ever will.