I didn’t realize it was going to be so hard to get to Dallas. When I got home, I found a flight, packing only a small carry-on with my laptop and a few things. I had enough clothes to do whatever I needed over there. After arriving at the airport, I was on standby because of course, they overbooked the flight. Since I arrived there at the end of boarding, they booted me off, and told me they had another flight in two hours. I accepted, thinking I could get something to eat, but the next flight was canceled shortly thereafter.

Can we talk? Nathan texted me while I waited for a flight to Denver. I didn’t respond because, what was the point?

I have never had a worse travel experience in my life, spending the night in the Denver airport, before I could get an early flight to Dallas. Once we were close to Dallas, there wasn’t a terminal open for us, so we had to wait another two hours to be taxied in and finally get out of the plane.

I walked into the condo at almost four pm on Sunday. I charged my phone since it had died at the airport because I forgot my charger. Once it powered up, a few messages popped up.

 Jane, please. Cal texted on the group message.

Can we come over and talk? Nathan messaged next.

Just tell us you are ok. Aiden texted.

Reading their messages was painful, and I didn’t know what to make of them. I know I heard them saying I needed to go back to Dallas, that Nathan wanted me gone, and Cal saying we were just temporary. I didn’t have it in me to respond to them.

I let George know I was in town, but I was exhausted, and I would show up at his office at seven thirty for us to go over the case. I ate something, drank an entire bottle of wine, and ended up passing out from lack of sleep and crying on and off throughout the day.

The bottle of wine did wonders for my sleep, but I woke up with an awful hangover. I dressed in my best black pencil skirt, silk purple blouse, and a blazer. I had black pumps on with purple soles to complete the look. I wanted to look sharp and put together when I walked into the courthouse to show my ex mother-in-law — at least I was assuming it was her — that she wouldn’t deter me, and that the money I received in his will was rightfully mine.