“Sounds like a big misunderstanding to me.”

“No. He was clear. He disappeared right after that one dance we had, and then all I got was a stupid text. I asked him where he went and he just said, ‘nowhere.’”

“Huh. I don’t know him that well, but it doesn’t add up.”

“Right. It doesn’t. And when things don’t add up, you know what that means?”

“It means you need to talk to him to clear the air.”

I was about to say you avoid, avoid, avoid, but okay. I’ll let Jenny think she’s right.

“I guess so.”

Too bad Ryan’s been gone from work for over a week. I have no idea where he is, or why he hasn’t been at work, and aside from Chloe’s offhand mention of a health problem his dad is having, I know nothing.

And why should I know anything? It’s not like I’m his girlfriend.

Bzzzz.

I look at my phone. Chloe.

“Oh, man.” I stand and sniff, then blow my nose. “I need to get back to work. Customer service phone problems.”

Jenny stares at me, hard. Then her eyes get huge. “No way. O really went for the phone sex line? Last year they were thinking about it, but I never imagined they’d actually do it.”

I shrug. “Never underestimate the power of a determined woman.”

“You mean desperate and sex starved.”

“Same thing.”

We say our goodbyes, and by the time I’m back at the office, Chloe’s at my desk, beaming.

“Carrie! You’ve been crying!” she says, dismayed, as I hurry into my cubicle, head down, wondering if Ryan’s back yet and praying he’s not. Her smile has turned to a concerned frown.

“Allergies. You know.”

“In November?” Can’t fool Chloe.

“Climate change,” I say, as if that explains everything. “Why are you in my cube?” I ask, trying to change the subject. “Not that you’re not welcome, but…”

“We got a new bid on the phone system for the master masseurs. Forty percent cheaper than the other guys.”

“And will the new vendor be forty percent less sexist?”

We share a knowing look. “You can’t have everything,” she says. “But Nick was impressed with Ryan’s coding knowledge and took his advice on a few things. Between you and Ryan, this project is going to fly.”

“That’s great.”

She hesitates. “What’s actually going on between you and Ryan, though?”

Do I seriously have a face that shows every single feeling I experience?

“Um, nothing.”

“Carrie.”

“That’s just it, Chloe. Nothing is going on between Ryan and me! NOTHING!”

Here I go again. Dehydration via crying is a real thing. Someone get me coconut water and alpha hydroxy night serum.

“Well,” she says, frowning. “I guess that’s good, then.”

“Good?”

“It’ll make it easier for you to take the promotion and transfer.”

The promotion.

“I really, really think you should take it, Carrie.”

I do, too. But not for the same reasons Chloe thinks. Mom and Dad will be sad I’m moving even further away from Michigan, but I gave up a long time ago on the idea that they’d ever visit me in my own life. I shouldn’t make them a factor in deciding.

This is mostly about Ryan. And Ryan’s made it very clear I’m not a part of his life anymore. So...

“Okay. I know. And I will.”

A big smile spreads across her face. “Make it official. Send an email to corporate and cc me.”

Bzzzz. That’s my phone. I do a quick check.

Then a double take. Tessa. Ryan’s sister? Why is she texting me?

Carrie I’m so sorry. Ryan’s out of town and I have a babysitting emergency. Carlos got hurt at work. Is there any way you can you help me?

My expression makes Chloe give me a sharp look. “What’s wrong?”

“Ryan’s sister. She’s having an emergency. Her husband’s hurt. Needs a babysitter.” A helpless feeling fills me.

“For God’s sake, go!” Chloe makes a shooing gesture. “Don’t worry about work. Any mom in that situation is more important. Go!”

I run out of the office, pause at my desk, and text Tessa.

I’m coming right now, I say.

The drive to Tessa’s is miraculously only twenty-three minutes. Amazing how clear Route 3 can be in the middle of the day. I have to actually concentrate on driving faster than a turtle, which is unusual. My life experiences are set by external factors – rush hour with everyone else, grocery shopping on evenings and weekends like everyone else, vacation when everyone else goes.

You get the picture.

I pull up to Tessa and Carlos’ house, a small raised ranch in a Boston suburb. It looks exactly like the houses in my hometown, but actually costs six times as much, with a fourth of the land.

Why do I live where everything is so expensive? And why am I about to move to a housing market that is even worse?

Pushing all that aside, I race to their front door and knock hard, wondering how bad Carlos’s injury could be. What kind of occupational hazards do accountants face? Finger sprain on the calculator?

The front door flies open. No one’s there until I look down to see Elias, wearing a Batman hat and Spongebob underwear. Nothing else. Just that.

“Carrie!” he squeals.

“THANK GOD!” Tessa shouts. As I scoop Elias into my arms, he gives me a big hug, then wiggles down, doing a running leap onto the big L-shaped sectional by the television. “Carrie, thank you so, so much! I’m waiting to hear which hospital Carlos is at.”

“What happened?”

Tessa rolls her eyes. My fear and worry instantly goes down a notch. “They have this corporate wellness competition at work. Never get a group of desk jockey accountants together and throw a fitness challenge with financial incentives at them. It’s a recipe for injury.”

“Huh?”

“They went to a giant fitness center and had to do an obstacle course. Part of it involved a rope climb. You know, the knotted rope hanging from the top of the roof?”

“Yeah. I hated that as a kid.”

“Everyone hated it! So, of course, they made that part of the challenge.” Tessa keeps nervously looking at her phone. “Apparently, Carlos made it up, but his ankle got caught. He lost his grip and was suspended at the top for about ten minutes, upside down.”