Within by Rachel Rae Page A

sounded familiar, but not enough to where I could identify who was speaking to me on the other end. “Who may I ask is calling?” I questioned.
    “Krystle; I have some place I need to go and I need your help to go there, if that’s okay?”
    “Okay, but what’s wrong with your voice? Are you getting sick?”
    “I don’t think so,” she said, clearing her throat.
    “What do you need help with?” I asked in a professional voice, remembering Elijah was still in the room.
    Krystle got silent, until I repeated the question again.
    “It’s just something small; can you meet me at that Walgreens on Westheimer and Sage?”
    “How did you get there? You know what; don’t worry about it. I’m on my way, don’t go anywhere, understand?”
    “Mr., um, Elijah,” I said, turning my attention back to him. “I’m so sorry to cut our session short, but I have a family emergency.
    “Do I still have to pay you for the rest of the hour?”
    I sighed and took off my thin sweater, hanging it on the back of my desk chair and then told him “No, you won't be charged.”
    “That’s straight then, Miss Lady, take all the time you need to handle your family business. Do you want me to wait here, or—”
    “Oh no, schedule another appointment,” I said as his words echoed mine off key.
    I stood at the door for a second; then cleared my throat to try to catch his attention again.
    “Oh right now?” Elijah asked. “Well…” he said, slapping his knees and standing up. “What day would be good for you?”
    “Umm… how about I call you?” I asked, giving a fake smile as he walked past me out my office door.
    “See I watched Friday yesterday. Remember when Smokey told that girl he was gon’ call, but he never did? I feel like that’s about to happen to us.”
    “I’m a woman of my word, Elijah, now please; I have to go,” I said, locking my door. I didn’t wait for him to leave; he’d already taken up too much of my time as it was.
    “I’ll call you later,” I heard him say as I walked down the hallway, out the double doors, to my car.
    Driving to Walgreens, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Krystle had to tell me. My mind raced towards from whether she met someone again and gotten pregnant, to if she even killed someone else. I didn’t know what to think; my mind was so cloudy. When I pulled up to the store, she was wearing a lace, cream-colored top that showed her bra underneath, and mid-thigh shorts, looking like some type of street woman, leaning against the brick wall next to the Redbox machine. I beeped the horn once, grabbing her attention, and then watched her sashay her way towards the car.
    “Okay,” Krystle said, sitting down buckling her seatbelt.
    “Okay what?” I asked, putting the car in park.
    “How did you know I was going to be here?”
    I was taken aback by her question. “You called me asking me to meet you here.”
    “Oh yeah, that’s right, my bad. I’m sorry, Aunt Courtney, I’ve had a long day.”
    I chuckled before answering her. “Doing what, other than moping around the house, not speaking to anyone or locking yourself in your room?”
    “Yeah, I know; I’ve been trying to take everything in. With you being my mom, and my dad being my uncle, it’s kinda been taking its toll on me. But the good thing is, I think I’m ready now.”
    “For?” I asked confused.
    “Everything we’ve talked about, going back to my apartment and the motel to remember things, maybe even talking to Brandon.”
    “You think you’re okay to do that now? I mean, you did sound sick earlier. Like catching a cold, I mean,” I said, quickly correcting myself.
    “I'm better now,” she smiled. “I bought some cough drops while I waited for you.”
    I thought quickly as I sat and listened to Krystle. This was something I wanted her to do, but for some reason, I felt that maybe this was being rushed now. She sat next to me, seemingly impatient.
    “I’ll tell you what, Krys, I’ll take you