"Yes, I see. Mr. McCallum, you need not worry about it. I'll inform you within two hours. "

Jessica cut the call and looked back at Liam laying on the sofa. Physically he appeared to be a hollow shell of a human who was drained out of energy. Emotionally, it was an incalculable void that had taken birth out of the loss that he had just faced. And Jessica could only see the physical shell, and estimate the emotional, internal one. She did her best to comfort him, yet nothing seemed to work. The once agile and rational man now slept all his time away. He was mourning, and Jessica understood it was his much-needed space and break he should get. 

But that night many things were left incomplete. They had not talked about the issue with Mr. McCallum. They had just pretended like nothing like that ever happened. Her conceptions about the nice, understanding old man had also taken a complete turn, during this time. It was his denial and insistence on the deal to happen as quickly as possible generating this dislike in her heart. If it was not something so valuable to Liam, she would have already shoved the man aside. Even if she wanted to try, she knew Liam didn't really trust her. And for having all these thoughts in her head, and each time she talked to Mr. McCallum, she found herself to be guilty of a huge crime for not being empathetic enough towards Liam. All she could feel was that he was sad, but not exactly the emotion you'd feel when you lose someone close to you. And how could she? Larry was not her closest friends, for all these years. A friend's loss, she did acknowledge.

It was her time to take responsibility, not just of Liam, and his work, but also of Ryan. Kiana and she had called him several times in the last two days, without any response from his side. They didn't know where he was, or how he was. Jessica's heart was telling her constantly to go check on him. But she had no way, and thus, let it be. The last time they saw him, was at the site of the accident, where he stood numb, and too lost to speak or cry. Besides Liam, Ryan was the one most affected by Larry's death. He was crestfallen when he uttered the last words before leaving- a mere 'goodbye'. 

Now she regretted letting him go and not stopping him.

Larry's midsummer had gone without coming, and for others there was a life ahead. Things needed to go on and go back to usual. They had to, for if they didn't, people will mourn the dead till they become the same. Two hours was all the time given to Jessica to inform Mr. McCallum about Liam's decision. 

"Liam, I need to-"

"Is it about Mr. McCallum?" Liam asked exhaustedly. Jessica came and sat beside him. She slowly caressed his hand in a compassionate fashion.

"Yes." She responded. "Is it important to you?" 

Liam did not say anything. He looked straight in her eyes, then nodded and looked away.

"Let me see this for you." 

"Okay." He whispered. 

Slowly and steadily, he leaned into Jessica, like an iron key moving towards a magnet, so slowly and yet unstoppable. His lips lingered just a hair's breadth away from hers. And he closed his eyes, letting it all sink in, letting a tear slip down his cheek. Jessica filled the distance between them, pulled him closer than ever before as she ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him with all she had. And all she'd ever have for him.

**************************************

"And one right here. Ah, yes. That's it." Mr. McCallum grinned. Jessica could only muster a smile up her lips as she put the pen down after signing the papers. She doubted if she would screw things up for Liam by doing so, but her instincts told her to go with it. And gut feelings were the most trustworthy ones in this entire world. 

Most of the terms for the acquisition were set by the old man himself, so inevitably Jessica found them unconvincing. It included his weird demand of Jessica being the one who signs it on his behalf, giving Jessica the position of a board member and the majority shareholder and Liam being the one to fill in the position of the CEO as the current person retires. 

It is dumb.

She kept telling herself. She barely knew the terms of business and Mr. McCallum's decision for her to be the highest managing officer of the company was something completely outrageous. She did not have the basic skills, and with her to be a board member, it was impossible for them to not face the scrutiny of others. It looked fucked up no matter how she tried to see it, whatever angle included or excluded. Mr. McCallum was crazy, she was sure of it. 

"I'll invite you both for a celebratory dinner after a few more days have passed. Post the funeral of Liam's brother. He is undergoing a lot right now, poor child. You need to take good care of him, Jessica."

Ah, like you really care. Jessica said to herself.

"Yes, I'll be right beside him through this."

"I know you might dislike me for my strange ways, Jessica." He patted her shoulder. "But know that I have anyways seen more life, more chapters of life than you have. Life should keep moving, to wait for the dead is nothing but foolishness."

He was right. If it were someone else, Jessica might appreciate, but it was he who was right. 

Maybe someday, she'd understand better.

As for then, she too, decided to head back home. She had taken two steps out of the place when Ryan called. 

"WHERE ARE YOU!?" Jessica blared.

"I-"

"Why would you go without-"

"Jessica, I'm fine. I just needed some time to process it all. Can you come meet me at Berty's?"

"Yeah, okay, stay right there, I am on my way."

"And Jessica, I might be the reason for Larry's accident." He said. And the line went dead.

"What?" 

**************************************

Jessica took a cab and reached the cafe where Ryan had invited her. It was mostly empty, except a group of three girls, who say in peace, far away from where Ryan was. Jessica went inside and sat next to him.

"Hi"

"Hey."

"Just went for a long drive. Sorry I didn't tell anyone."

Jessica shook her head lightly.

"I understand. It's fine."

"Did you tell Kiana?"

"Yes. I told her I was okay." He sighed.

"Ryan, I know I can't feel the way you do. It must be way terrible for you to lose Larry. But you need to take care of yourself. And take time. And live."

The look of guilt took over his face.

"It was me. I-I caused his... accident." 

"Huh?" 

"I feel it was because of me."

"What do you mean? And why would you say that?" Jessica asked genuinely concerned.

"We... we had a fight. An argument. He was angry and drove off. I- I should have..." 

Jessica sighed and pulled her lips into a reassuring smile.

"No. It's not your fault. You just feel this way... I don't know how to say this, but you don't have to blame yourself for any of it."

"Jessica..."

"Yes?"

"I think... I..."

"Jessica?"

It was Liam.