admitted soon. Honestly, I’m not sure what we can do for her even if she does get treatment.”
“It’s that bad? Paul it can’t be. It has to be a mistake. Are you sure it’s that much?”
“Robert, if this woman had any more metal in her blood we could trade her on the New York Stock Exchange. Do you know where she is right now?”
He was already in drive and pulling back out onto the street. “Yeah, she’s at work.”
“Robert, as fast as you can now. Come straight to the emergency department and give them her name.”
“I’m coming,” was all he said before hanging up.
***
Robert parked his car right in front of the entrance, blocking the fire lane which was a no-no. It didn’t matter now. He had broken every traffic law ever written in the last five minutes anyway. The bar was full and people looked angry. A sour rumble was vibrating through the crowd and Rick looked like he was about to pull his hair out. None of this registered.
He ran up to the bar, elbowing a woman who was demanding a drink out of the way. “Chelle?” he said to Rick.
“Chelle? Where is Chelle? I have no idea. She went into the office with Billie twenty minutes ago. When you see her send her back out. I’m dying here.”
Billie? What was Billie doing here? And why the hell would she have Chelle in the office? Robert didn’t have time to think about that too much because he needed to get to Chelle. Needed to get to her now before something awful happened. He burst through his office door expecting to see her, but instead only saw Billie, who was sitting behind the desk, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, smiling to herself.
“Billie, where’s Chelle? Rick said she was back here with you.”
Billie gave him a look of disgust. If she was still upset over last night whatever she had to say to him about that would have to wait. “She left. Just walked out.”
“Left? Why?” Confusion aligned itself with his panic now and he rubbed his forehead in astonishment. She didn’t want to work for him anymore? Last night they’d been so friendly. Perhaps he’d done something to make her uncomfortable. He’d have to figure out what it was and kick himself mentally later because right now she could be somewhere, her organs shutting down like Paul said. Perhaps that’s why she walked out. Maybe she’d gotten sick.
“I have to go find her,” was all he could get out before turning and running out the door once again. He heard Billie call after him but ignored it, running through the bar as everyone eyed him with confusion. He was back behind the wheel of his car in moments and heading for the house on Oceanview Drive. The one that didn’t belong to her. Hoping that if she was sick it would be where she’d choose to go.
Please be there, Chelle he thought. For god sake, please! Because I just have no idea where else to look if you’re not.
***
It was a short bus ride from Cole’s Bar and Grill to Oceanview Drive, thank god. She’d fumed all the way there, keeping her emotions at bay somewhat by putting her iPod in her ears and cranking it. She’d received a few dirty looks from other passengers, but she did what she had to do. It was better than letting her freak flag fly all over public transit. She had managed to keep her dirty little secret all to herself for ten years and she planned to keep it that way. Bitch Billie wasn’t worth spilling the beans over, not by a long shot.
What she’d said, the words she’d used, it was as if she’d plucked them right from her mind, harvesting them from her past as if by decisive choice. It had unnerved her. She dropped her backpack in the living room and began to pace. The memory of her mother, looking at her with such fear and revulsion, cut her to the quick and all at once she was overwhelmed by anger.
How does a woman
“It’s that bad? Paul it can’t be. It has to be a mistake. Are you sure it’s that much?”
“Robert, if this woman had any more metal in her blood we could trade her on the New York Stock Exchange. Do you know where she is right now?”
He was already in drive and pulling back out onto the street. “Yeah, she’s at work.”
“Robert, as fast as you can now. Come straight to the emergency department and give them her name.”
“I’m coming,” was all he said before hanging up.
***
Robert parked his car right in front of the entrance, blocking the fire lane which was a no-no. It didn’t matter now. He had broken every traffic law ever written in the last five minutes anyway. The bar was full and people looked angry. A sour rumble was vibrating through the crowd and Rick looked like he was about to pull his hair out. None of this registered.
He ran up to the bar, elbowing a woman who was demanding a drink out of the way. “Chelle?” he said to Rick.
“Chelle? Where is Chelle? I have no idea. She went into the office with Billie twenty minutes ago. When you see her send her back out. I’m dying here.”
Billie? What was Billie doing here? And why the hell would she have Chelle in the office? Robert didn’t have time to think about that too much because he needed to get to Chelle. Needed to get to her now before something awful happened. He burst through his office door expecting to see her, but instead only saw Billie, who was sitting behind the desk, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, smiling to herself.
“Billie, where’s Chelle? Rick said she was back here with you.”
Billie gave him a look of disgust. If she was still upset over last night whatever she had to say to him about that would have to wait. “She left. Just walked out.”
“Left? Why?” Confusion aligned itself with his panic now and he rubbed his forehead in astonishment. She didn’t want to work for him anymore? Last night they’d been so friendly. Perhaps he’d done something to make her uncomfortable. He’d have to figure out what it was and kick himself mentally later because right now she could be somewhere, her organs shutting down like Paul said. Perhaps that’s why she walked out. Maybe she’d gotten sick.
“I have to go find her,” was all he could get out before turning and running out the door once again. He heard Billie call after him but ignored it, running through the bar as everyone eyed him with confusion. He was back behind the wheel of his car in moments and heading for the house on Oceanview Drive. The one that didn’t belong to her. Hoping that if she was sick it would be where she’d choose to go.
Please be there, Chelle he thought. For god sake, please! Because I just have no idea where else to look if you’re not.
***
It was a short bus ride from Cole’s Bar and Grill to Oceanview Drive, thank god. She’d fumed all the way there, keeping her emotions at bay somewhat by putting her iPod in her ears and cranking it. She’d received a few dirty looks from other passengers, but she did what she had to do. It was better than letting her freak flag fly all over public transit. She had managed to keep her dirty little secret all to herself for ten years and she planned to keep it that way. Bitch Billie wasn’t worth spilling the beans over, not by a long shot.
What she’d said, the words she’d used, it was as if she’d plucked them right from her mind, harvesting them from her past as if by decisive choice. It had unnerved her. She dropped her backpack in the living room and began to pace. The memory of her mother, looking at her with such fear and revulsion, cut her to the quick and all at once she was overwhelmed by anger.
How does a woman
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