Free Escape (Part Three) by Zelda Reed Page A

but I wouldn’t look at him. His friend gleefully patted his chest. “We just found out my friend here is not going to be a father.”
    The rest of the men cheered and something like regret tightened in my stomach. Did something happen to Jennifer and the baby?
    “Congratulations?” I said, my smile wavering.
    “Honey,” said the red-head, “you have no idea the bullet my friend just missed.”
    I punched in their order before rushing towards the hall near the bathrooms, needing a moment to think.
    My breath was caught in my chest, refusing to move through my body, trapping me as I leaned against the brick wall. I told myself to breathe.
    I hated Jennifer, that much was true, but I didn’t want them to lose their baby. And for Chace to be here celebrating about it? The mere thought made a sliver of vomit crawl up my throat.
    Laura’s footsteps squeaked against the black tile floor as she rushed towards me. “I just saw him,” she said, hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
    It was the first time she’d willingly touched me since I got back from the estate. I melted into it, leaning into her side as I placed my head on her shoulder. She threw her arm around my waist, pulling me in as I said, “Chace isn’t going to be a father.”
    She pulled away, eyes wide. “What happened?”
    “I don’t know but I think Jennifer may have lost the baby.”
    “Shit,” she said. Then, “Wait. They’re not here…celebrating are they?”
    I nodded.
    Her face scrunched up in disgust. “ Jesus , he’s a bigger asshole than I thought.”
    A few months ago I would’ve fought on her that – No, Chace isn’t that bad really . – But I agreed.
    “I’m going to get another girl on that table,” she said, turning away from me.
    “No. I can handle it.”
    “Are you sure?”
    I nodded. “I handled him for months when he was hurling obscenities at me. I can handle a few of his friends, no matter how sick they are.”
    It was less awkward than I thought it would be, bringing the table their beers, pouring them their first round, checking on them throughout their meal. I smiled whenever I was touched, laughed at their jokes and expertly ignored Chace’s stares. He was watching me wherever I went, his eyes on my back as I served the tables around him, glancing occasionally behind the bar to my sister. Laura didn’t try to avoid him. She made eye contact and openly scowled, Chace quickly looking away.
    His friends didn’t seem like the type to celebrate something as horrendous as losing a child but they did three rounds of shots, cheering to the absence of fatherhood. Chace only drank two, passing the third to his friend.
    They left a mess of hot wing sauce and blue cheese dressing but also a hefty tip in the middle of the table.
    “Three hundred dollars?” one of the servers said, looking over my shoulder. She kicked the back of my leg with her heel. “Good for you.”
    I stuffed the money in my apron and tried not to think about how much of it was from Chace. Was it guilt money? For firing me and not having the balls to tell me himself? Or were his friends, who sported equally expensive watches and jeans, the generous ones and Chace refused to tip, remembering the moments where I lied to him, luring him into a false relationship like the jezebel I was.
    The money burned a hole in my apron throughout my shift. I clocked out and tipped the bar and waited in the booth for my sister to close out. She grabbed her jacket from the back and swung it around her shoulders.
    “You ready?” she asked.
    The winter air was crisp, like walking into a freezer, unescapable no matter how warm the bar was. Laura tightened her jacket and I stuffed my hands in the pocket of my coat.
    “It’s going to snow soon,” she said. “I’m going to have to take a day off and take the kids to the park. You know how much they love making snow angels.”
    “Let’s both take a day off. I rarely see them unless they’re sleeping.”
    She