LOGINMy pulse thumped, this time not in embarrassment, but in fear. I took a cautious step back, the intensity of his response startling me. Tex took a bold step forward, bridging the cap between us to grab my phone from my hands with a disapproving frown. “I said you are getting something to eat. You need food. Stop being stubborn.”It reminded me so suddenly of something that Dr. Clark, I mean Connor Davies, would have said that I felt my heart flutter.Except Tex isn’t Connor.Was I just projecting my loneliness for Connor onto him? Was I hoping to see someone in him that wasn’t there? Is that why I let myself fall into a comfortable space with him, letting him bring me into town, letting him accompany me to see my mother? I needed space to think about this. “I’m sorry, I really do have to go,” I protested as I wrapped my hand around the phone and tugged.But he held it firm, laughing as he held it over my head like a bully teasing a small child. “You’re not being sensible, Ariana.
Tex helped me up into the cab of his very tall truck. Much like the flash man, he had a flashy vehicle, its tires almost comically large with an excessive 4 wheels, two per side, on the rear. It was like a supped up version of a luxury vehicle mixed with a farm truck meant for hauling and pulling up tree stumps. Like much of the rest of him, it felt…out of place in a modern metropolitan city like San Francisco, where the streets can be narrow, the parking scarce, and streets very very steep.“Market Street?” He raised an eyebrow. “Sure that’s where you want to go?”“South of Market, actually,” I announced, looking at my phone and the last text I received from Allison. Her shopping trip was interrupted by an urgent call into the office, requiring her to make a trip to her company building in San Francisco for an emergency meeting. “My friend wants to meet at her production company.”“Tell her to meet us at the pier,” he orders, overriding our plans as if they were nonsense. “No way in
[Ariana]Tex and I spent another hour there sitting in silent vigil over my mother’s sleeping form, both of us lost in thought, lost in memories. We might have stayed like that until nightfall if a nurse hadn’t come by to remind us that visiting hours were almost over, and that considering her morning, they couldn’t make an exception. “We’re sorry, Dr. McKenna, but its facility policy. We’ve already bent the rules for you today, letting you stay this long,” the nurse tilted her head sympathetically. “I’m sure you understand.” I nodded. “Of course. Thank you for giving me the time.” Mr. Huxley and I left her room together, and said our goodbyes as we entered the elevator. “Hey, Little Red,” he smiled, tucking away one of my auburn curls. I scowled at him. I hated the new nickname. “Mr. Huxley,” I raised an eyebrow, as I took a backwards step out of his reach.“Maybe we can hang out sometime soon,” Tex offered, giving me a small sideways smile that made something in my chest flip,
[Connor]My cellphone vibrated violently against my thigh, and I knew who it was before I even pulled it out to answer. "Good morning, Alli...." “Don't you 'good morning' me Connor Andrew Davies!" Allison shrieked. "Explain yourself, Connor!""Ally, if you'd just calm..." I tried to get a word in, but she was too enraged, barreling over me like a runaway truck downhill. "Don't you dare tell me to 'calm down' you twit!" she continued to bark. "You know what, save your lies. I'm coming back to glare you in the eye while you speak." There's a brief pause before she catches her breath and adds, "Don't you dare think of running away, Connor. I'll track you down and you know it."Before I could reply, the line went dead abruptly.A rush of heat rose in my chest as I turned off my phone, frowning. Who was Allison to judge me? My reasons are my own and it isn't up to me to explain myself to her or anyone else. I'm doing what I must to keep Ariana safe.Besides, who is she to pretend to be
Dr. Johannsson led us to a private room two floors up from the main lobby. It was sunny and comfortably warm, the scent of fresh lavender and jasmine blended with the clean scent of the lemon juice and vinegar used to clean the surfaces. Paintings hung on the walls, and to the side, was a lounge space with a futon, two chairs, and a long, oval coffee table. And in the center, on a large bed, lay my mother. Since moving back to California, I hadn’t visited my mother once. First it was because I was too ill, then it was because I was too busy. But as I stood there, looking at her frail form, I knew that both of those reasons were nothing more than excuses to help me shift blame from myself to my circumstances. The real reason I didn’t visit was because seeing her like this, so broken and small, was hard. Too hard. Because whenever I stood in a room with her just like this, all I could think about was our last argument–my father’s mangled body hidden within the close-casket coffin,
“Take me out?” I took a shaky step back. “Do you mean like…a date?” His lip curled sweetly around the edges as the very proud, very loud man looked suddenly…bashful. “I wouldn’t presume,” he kicked a small pebble as he lowered his eyes. “I mean you are a very beautiful woman.” He paused, his eyes serious as he lifted his head to meet my gaze. “But I was thinking it would be nice to catch up with your family, especially since your mom and sister aren’t…available for me to talk to.” He sighed, his shoulders heavy. “You’re the only McKenna I could find. I hope you don’t mind.” Now I was feeling embarrassed and shy. His motives seem honest, genuine. Maybe I was reading too much into this.“Um…I promised I’d meet my friend later to go out of town,” I admitted, although now I wasn’t sure if I could leave. “I…I’m sorry, Tex,” I looked over my shoulder at the door. “I really can’t plan anything now until I know what’s happening with my mom.” I’ve already been delayed too long.“Oh, of co
[Misha]The door to the penthouse closed behind me with a gentle click as I entered for the first time in ten days.“Ariana?”She should be home. Where else would she have to go?And yet–why did the house feel so cold?“Ari? Where are you?"But she didn’t respond. She's probably with that Allison c
The helicopter was late. We waited in that clearing for what seemed like forever, my body slowly fading until Connor’s strong but gentle hands, still wrapped around me, lifted us both carefully. I screamed as my broken bones lay floppily against him with a pain so blinding that my eyes shut against
Everyone looked at me with varying degrees of quiet shock.For Misha, Mavis, Trillium and Josh, this was unbelievable news, completely unknown. Here I was, bleeding out, and suddenly I was pregnant too? I'm sure it felt a little too convenient. It's what I would have thought in their place. And in
There was no title in the subject line. And yet, somehow in my heart, I knew what the email would be about even before I read the first few words. Ryland was saying goodbye.“Dearest Ariana,” It began, “I’m sorry for being so strange at lunch today, and for having to leave you so swiftly. It wasn’







