You reject Deborah's offer

It was a blurred several weeks after you left the hospital that night, finding yourself being thrown in almost every emotional direction possible, and you were glad that you had someone to be there for you. Joanne had brought you back to your home with an even bigger surprise waiting for you there. Your ex, Hayleigh, had also received the call and while Joanne had gone to pick you up, Hayleigh had spent the time getting things squared away and settled. It was more than a bit odd, if you were thinking in any semblance of your right mind, but you were so overwhelmed that you just allowed things to happen. Joanne had spent the night to make sure you weren't going to do something stupid, as your ex had to go back to her place, but the two women traded off the next day and she had been with you ever since.

The calls to her family had devastated them, for sure, as you had to put on the mourning face and not disclose to them what was really happening. The funeral arrangements, the wake held in your house, even the emptying of your closets and downsizing had been a blow after blow event, all of which were made less stressful due to her presence there. Hayleigh had been a constant figure in your life for years and your brother and sisters, after registering their surprise at seeing her there, made sure to emphasize how helpful she was being. Besides Sarah, she was the one that your parents were sure you'd end up with. "The one that got away" had been a choice topic around the house after the two of you ended things.

None was shared with Sarah's, though, but you supposed your sister in law was more in tune than you believed.

Either way, after the cremation and everyone returning home, you were left in the house, looking around and hearing the draft blowing through the opened windows. Spring was in the air, you definitely felt the warming days around you, but instead all you could do was check your phone and the myriad of messages from the doctors, nurse, social workers, even from Deborah. All of them were ignored and you were tempted to ignore them again.

"Still can't bring yourself to look at those?" Hayleigh slowly sat down next to you and placed a cup of tea in front of your leg.

"No...not that I want to." You had honored your part of the NDA, she didn't know about the circumstances around Sarah being in Jessica's body or the offer that Deborah had made. "Just never been good at these types of things, y'know?"

She laughed softly and nodded. "Not really, no. So, what are you going to do now? You going back to Taylor Thompson?"

You paused for a moment and smiled sadly. "Not sure if I want to stay in this place. I look around..." You trailed off as Hayleigh placed her hand on yours and gave it a squeeze. "You know...You're right, I need a change...something drastic."

She leaned her head against your shoulder and closed her eyes. After a few more moments of you sitting there, you pulled up Deborah's message and you just typed a simple reply.

IT IS FOR THE BEST

and you clicked "Send".