Alicia

The boardroom looked pretty much the same from the last time I had sat in it. Except this time it felt much more ominous. I stayed up all night going over spreadsheets, trying to figure out a way to keep Hope Digital alive. The only solution I could come up with was to appeal to the bank's sense of mercy. Which, to be honest, I wasn't sure they had much of.

The one blessing of the meeting was that there was only one bank manager in which I had to contend with. The heavyset man with the deep timbre of a voice, who I know learned was Mr. Jowles, sat on the opposite side of me, going through the paperwork I had prepared for him.

"So let me get this straight Miss Hannigan," he said looking up. "You lost the client in which you placed your promise on to repay the loan but gained another contract with this...CyberSecure Inc."

"CyberSecure bought out the original client, so I would hardly say I lost him."

The stare Mr. Jowles gave me showed he did not see it the same way. "But now you have lost the contract with CyberSecure."

I gripped the edge of the table. "I was falsely accused of a theft that had happened in the building. I was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. As you see, I do have another contract lined up with Gadget Guys."

"Are they aware of your termination with CyberSecure?"

I clenched my teeth together. I was still holding on to a shred of hope that maybe Faust wouldn't hear about about what happened at CyberSecure. It was slim but it could make all the difference. "No."

Mr. Jowles raised an eyebrow and then continued to peruse the statements. "It doesn't look good Miss Hannigan," he said, leaning back into his chair. "But I think you already know that."

I dropped my eyes, unable to meet his gaze.

"Do you have any means of making a payment?"

I shook my head. I had been a day away from getting paid by CyberSecure. The numbers were good, the marketing plan had worked. And then Colin had to go and accuse me of something I didn't do. The moment we shared in my apartment had been special, he had finally learned to trust me. What changed? Apparently he still harbored distrust in his heart.

"Do you know any accountants that could give you some financial advice?"

My head snapped back up. "What?"

"I was saying an accountant might be able to give some financial advice or at least go over your financial statements and see if some money could be found elsewhere."

A part of me wanted to laugh in Mr. Jowle's face about paying a CPA $150 an hour to get me out of financial trouble. How ironic.

Erica's words flashed through my mind, reminding me yet again that I did know a CPA. How could I approach my dad for help when I'd barely talked to him into two years? Not to mention that it would only prove his point that I should have never gone into marketing.

Alicia, when are you going to learn to ask for help?

The words were Erica's but not the tone. What did it mean? Hadn't I been asking God for help all this time? I assumed God wasn't answering, or I was just waiting upon his timing. But a realization began to dawn on me that He had been nudging me with hints. Erica for one has told me multiple times to go to Dad. And now I have the bank telling me the exact same thing. I knew then what I needed to do. "Mr. Jowles, I do know an accountant. Can we meet back in one week's time? That should be enough to let me get things back in order."

Mr. Jowles, taken aback by my change in attitude, eventually nodded his head. "That should be sufficient Miss Hannigan. I'll see you next week."

I quickly gathered up my things and exited the bank. Back outside, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts to Erica's number. As it rang, I started to wonder if she would pick up. I had treated her pretty badly.

"Yes?"

I almost chuckled at the brusque tone but at least she answered my call. "Hey Erica, sorry about last night. I had a lot of stuff going on."

"It's okay," she sniffed. "I came down on you pretty hard."

"But that's the thing, you didn't." I had learned to become so self-reliant that I had forgotten about the people around me. God had been trying to send me help the whole time and I had completely missed it. "You were right, I do need to start asking for help. And that's why I'm coming home."

+++

Colin

Rowan would kill me if he knew I was here, but after the mental breakthrough I had, I couldn't keep myself away any longer. Rowan had some things he needed to look into and then hopefully by Monday things will be back to normal.

Normal. Things haven't been normal since Alicia burst into my office on that fateful day. And yet, I can no longer imagine CyberSecure without her. Without me.

Arriving at her apartment, I time my steps so I arrive at the doors just as someone is going in. There was no way Alicia was going to buzz me in this time. As I get closer to her door, my nervousness increases. Alicia thinks that I thought she betrayed me. Now that I was here, I was beginning to doubt my plan of just dropping in. I just need enough time to explain myself.

My palms are sweaty as I knock on the door. After a few moments it opens but it's not Alicia. When Cameron sees it is me, she leans on the door frame with her arms crossed. A murderous glare graces her face.

"I wondered when you were going to show up. Have you come crawling back to beg for forgiveness?"

I stiffened at her tone even if she was right. "Is Alicia here?"

Cameron snorted. "As if I would tell you. You really are despicable you know that? After everything Alicia had done for you, and you go and stab her in the back."

"You think I don't know that?" I said, my voice growing louder. "I've known the whole time she wasn't the one trying to steal from me. I saw an opportunity and I took it. I let Alicia take the fall so the real thief would think we were off their trail." My chest heaved. It felt good saying it out loud to someone, though it was also condemning at the same time.

Cameron just stared at me with no emotion. "Feel better?"

"Yes and no."

"Come in." She walked back into the apartment, leaving the door open for me to follow.

I scanned around, looking for any sign of Alicia.

"She's not here."

Disappointed, I grabbed a stool at the island and sat on it. "Are you going to tell me where she is?"

"That depends," Cameron said, putting the kettle on to boil. "What exactly are you wanting to see her for."

I shot her a quizzical look. "Didn't I just explain that out in the hall?"

Cameron leaned against the counter. The posture reminded me of Alicia when I was here last. I had taken a great leap that day deciding to trust her. And she had shown her faithfulness. And I then I went and repaid her by making her believe that she had lost that trust.

"You told me that you pulled a jerk move. You've known all along that Alicia wasn't the one to trash your office. But why are you here? To apologize? Hire her back? What?"

"I guess all of the above." When I thought about it, I wasn't exactly sure what I had planned on saying to Alicia. "I came because I couldn't bear her going on, believing that I hated her."

"Yeah, she was pretty torn up last night."

I laid my forehead on the counter. "You don't have to rub it in," I mumbled.

Cameron snickered. "Where's the fun in that?"

I sat back up. "Can you just tell me where she is already?"

Cameron shook her head. "She's long gone. Left yesterday afternoon after her meeting with the bank."

My heart dropped. "The bank? Already?" I didn't expect Alicia to start planning for Hope Digital so quickly. I thought I had more time.

"It didn't go well," Cameron continued. "So she packed up and went home."

It was like Cameron had just sucked all the air out of my lungs. Had Alicia left Toronto for good? "I've made a mess of things, haven't I."

Cameron gave me a look that said "You think?"

"I guess I'm going to Owen Sound then."

Pouring some tea, Cameron waved her hand at me. "Hold up lover boy. You came busting in here with no plan, don't make the same mistake twice."

She was right but I hated that she was right. Cameron placed a hot cup of some green liquid in front of me. I peered at it suspiciously.

"It's herbal tea, not poison."

"With the amount of plants you have in here, I wouldn't put it past you."

Cameron actually smiled at that one. "Before you going running off after Alicia, you better think about what you want to tell her first."

Taking a tentative sip of my tea, I ponder her words. "You mean besides apologizing for letting her take the fall?" I know what I want to tell her, the question is, would she even accept it.

"And?" Cameron pressed.

I inhaled. "I would tell her how special she is and as more than just a marketing consultant. That I look forward to seeing her everyday and I couldn't imagine not having her in my life."

Cameron gave a slow clap. "Much better. It's about time one of you said it."

I stand from my seat, there was no more reason to stay. "Thanks Cam, for not slamming the door in my face and all."

"Just one more thing, don't go running off after Alicia today. Her going home is about more than just running away from you. She has some things to sort out herself."

As much as I wanted to leave right then, there was reason for me to stay as well. I had risked enough coming here. Rowan would be livid if he heard I had ran off to Owen Sound as well. "I understand. There are some things I need to sort out as well."

"Then I guess I'll see you back here next week."