Pieces of Summer(44)

Mika withdrew a large sum of cash, but no one knows where it went. However, it was definitely enough to buy a small home.

Hunter is hunched over with his head in his hands. I’ve already destroyed all the shit in my house, throwing my own version of a tantrum, and there’s nothing even wrong with my head. Nothing besides Mika missing.

I’ve spent a lot of time asking everyone if they’ve seen her, practically hounding everyone I’ve seen in town. Everyone gives me a look like I’ve done something to her to make her run. I’m a James, after all.

“Whit said she’s been trying to reach you guys,” I tell Hunter.

“Unless she knows where Mika is, I’m not in the mood to talk to her,” Aidan growls. “Or anyone else for that matter.”

“Whit really doesn’t know anything?” Hunter asks me, looking up with pained eyes.

“She said Mika got with her about a bowling alley issue while she was in the hospital, but nothing more than that,” I say through clenched teeth.

Aidan looks like he’s on the verge of destroying something or someone as he tosses his phone down to a table, and runs his hands through his hair.

Blake is already here, sitting by as the chaos unfolds. He looks just as exhausted as we all feel.

“I was stupid to think she’d drop it. I just thought if I didn’t help her, then she had no one else help her disappear,” Hunter says like a scolded kid.

“Dr. Stein won’t tell me shit,” Aidan groans. “Nothing other than Mika is fine and in contact with her. Fucking confidentiality policies. Mika can’t pay electric bills or anything else. She can’t do that without help. And she can’t just trust anyone with her account numbers. It has to be Dr. Stein helping her. There’s no way around it.”

“At least we know she’s fine,” Blake says, then immediately flinches when three murderous glares turn his way. “I’ll go see if I can find anyone who might have seen her leave town. Small towns talk.”

Maybe they’ll actually tell him something.

He walks out while I drop to Mika’s couch and try to think of anyone else who might have taken her out of town. Whit doesn’t know. Chuck doesn’t know. Half the other employees never even knew Mika. Three fucking days she’s been missing, and no one seems to know anything.

A man can fart in a store downtown, and everyone knows about it within the hour. But Mika can go missing, and no one fucking knows a damn thing.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out, reading the message from Chuck in disbelief.

“What?” Aidan asks me.

Shaking my head, I peer up at him and blow out a breath. “I’m supposed to go meet with Mika’s lawyer. Apparently she signed over the bowling alley to me at some point.”

“The fuck?!” Aidan roars, kicking a basket across the room.

Mika doesn’t plan on coming back. It’s like getting punched and broken all over again.

“I want to see Dr. Stein,” I tell them, hearing it go eerily silent.

I look up to see both of them staring at me, as Aidan pants for air, still half crazed.

“She was supposed to be with Mika here after her release, but she’s back in New York,” Aidan tells me, glaring at me. “You going to fly all the way to New York just to have her tell you in person she can’t tell you where Mika is? She wouldn’t tell me. She’s not going to tell—”

“I’m not going to New York for information on where she is. I’m going to get educated on how to be. Hunter said he had to see her before fitting into Mika’s life.”

Aidan turns around and grabs his phone, and he angrily jabs it into his pocket before snatching his keys.

“My sister signed over her fucking bowling alley to you; she’s gone because she thinks she’s a burden to me; and you’re going to find out how to play house? She’s not going to be around to play house with if she’s tying up all loose ends, you stupid fuck. I’m going to go find her and save her before she does something she can’t be saved from.”

He storms out and slams the door, and Hunter scrubs his face with his hands.

“He’s not giving her enough credit,” I tell Hunter, who stares at me like I’m stupid. “Mika isn’t tying up loose ends. She’s just cutting ties to everything. She’s isolating herself, but she’s still a fighter. I need to see Dr. Stein, because I need to give her a reason to come back.”

Hunter groans while pulling out his phone. “I agree that she’s not going to fucking kill herself, but she could get hurt. Finding her should be our priority. Not you—”

“You search for her. Let me do this so that she has a reason to come back,” I tell him.

“She has a reason. She has two of them. Me and Aidan.”

“Yeah, but she feels like a burden to you. I’m your only chance at getting her back.”

His lips tense, but he makes the call.

I just hope I’m enough to bring her back.





Chapter 45



CHASE



“I can’t disclose any of my patient’s information,” Dr. Stein announces for the third time.

“And I don’t expect you to,” I say yet again. “I know all of Mika’s case details from Hunter and this.” I hold up the book I’ve read three times, and toss it down. Dr. Stein was able to work me in quickly, which Hunter said is a good sign, considering she isn’t taking on new patients.

“If you’re serious about doing this, it’s going to require a major lifestyle change,” Dr. Stein informs me as I look around at the plain, sterile room she calls an office. The couch I’m on is surprisingly comfortable, but it’s so white that it’s actually blinding.

I’ve never been to New York. I’ve sure as hell never been in a shrink’s office before.

“I’m serious about it,” I tell her, still looking around. Finally, my eyes come back to her. “And I’ve heard that numerous times, so I’m aware.”

She’s not as old as I anticipated, but she’s just as polished and professional as I imagined. Her hair is even in a pristine bun. She eyes the book before looking back at me.

“According to that book, the patient it refers to can handle seeing and hearing numbers after completion. Such as, she can know the total of something, as long as it’s definitely not going to change. She can name an amount of days or weeks that have passed. Her issue with numbers and time lies within the future (projected) numbers and future times.”

“I’m aware,” I state quietly.

“Fifteen minutes is another that patient can hear—she notes it as her driving restriction. She can’t be behind the wheel longer than that, but it doesn’t handicap her ability to be a passenger. There are no restrictions as long as you don’t list destination times. The number three is a constant ground rule. Never pass three. Four is dangerous.”

I nod, waiting on her to quit reciting the book I’ve read over and over.

“Can I be frank with you, Mr. James?” she asks while leaning forward.

I just stare, waiting on her to tell me I’m not meant for Mika or something. I’ve prepared for any and all objections.

“This thing between you and your girlfriend… Honestly, I don’t know if it’s something to hope to feel myself one day, or if it’s unhealthy to still feel this strongly after such a brief reunion  .”

My lips twitch. “Just tell me how to make it work. I’ll worry about the rest.”

“It’s not going to be easy,” she tells me with a sigh, then lifts the book I brought in. “My biggest issue with the care given to the patient in this book isn’t the brutal, intense therapy that dangerously pushed the woman to her breaking point over and over. It’s the fact the therapy centered around detaching the patient from all emotions. While overwhelming emotions are dangerous for this patient, it goes against everything we stand for to condition someone to cut off anything that makes them feel anything at all.”

I nod, trying not to clench my jaw too tightly. That book was the most nauseating thing I’ve ever read. Mika had to have felt so alone, just like she’s probably feeling right now.

“I’m aware,” I finally say. “But she feels something when I’m with her. Whether she wants to or not.”

“I know. Trust me, I know. You’re either going to save her or destroy her. Remember that.”

“We’ll save each other,” I tell her, watching her eyes widen fractionally before a subtle smile graces her lips. “I just need your help to be what she needs.”

She’s nothing like I expected, and I can tell she actually cares about Mika.

“Very well.”

She pulls out a list and hands it to me, as though she was prepared for this.

“Let’s pretend I drew this up for you after you disclosed all the pertinent information concerning your girlfriend’s case.”

I restrain a smile, accepting the list from her. “Any time you do one of the forbidden, you need to mark it,” she goes on.

I look down at the list that actually has boxes for checkmarks out beside it. It’s two pages stapled together, and each page is full.

“Take this homework seriously. If you can’t remember to mark the boxes when you slip up, you won’t be able to handle someone who needs this structure for a healthy life.”