Stolen Course(18)
“Yeah. I know. And I get a new nickname? What, Emma wasn’t short enough for you? What happened to sweetheart?” I try to keep the end of this conversation lighter than the beginning.
“I was just trying something a little different.”
“Oh good. I like sweetheart. It makes me feel all warm inside.”
“I like the idea of you feeling warm. Wet is preferred, but warm is good too.”
Okay, make that two times tonight.
“Oh yeah? I took a shower earlier. I was wet then. Is that the kind you’re talking about?”
“Not exactly, but I’m going to assume you were naked in the shower, so I guess that will work.”
“Definitely naked…and wet.” I take a deep breath, hoping this crosses into full-fledged phone sex, but Caleb cuts it off.
“When are you coming back?”
“Hopefully soon.”
“Well hurry up. I want to see you again.”
“I probably won’t be naked or wet when I get off the plane,” I say, attempting to take it back to sexy.
“Probably not, but I’ll make sure you are both very shortly after.” His words cause me to let out a quiet moan. “Goodnight, Emmy.”
“That was mean, Caleb,” I whisper into the phone.
“Go make it fourteen, and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
I let out a frustrated groan as he begins to laugh. “Night, Caleb.”
“Night, sweetheart.”
JUST STEPPING out of the shower, I hear my phone ringing across the room. I don’t recognize the number, but I immediately recognize it to be yet another Chicago area code.
“Hello.”
“Emma Jane?”
“Yes?”
“Hey, it’s Jesse, Brett’s girlfriend.”
I release the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. “Shit! I mean… Hey, Jesse.”
“Bad time?”
“No, not at all. I was just getting out of the shower. What’s up?”
“Well, I just got off the phone with my new friend Eli Tanner, and he said he is going to have Sarah call you in about an hour.”
“What?!” I scream.
“She’s still at the hospital, but as a favor to Brett—”
I can hear Brett bitching behind her. “No, I had nothing to do with this shit. Damn it, Jess.” I can almost picture him pinching his nose and pacing.
“Jeez. Okay, fine,” she says, answering his complaining. “As a favor to me, Eli volunteered to head up there at lunch and pass her his cell phone.”
“Seriously? Oh my God! That is fantastic news!” I shout as she begins to giggle on the other end of the line. “Jesse! I love you!”
“No you don’t, but you are still very welcome.” She continues to laugh.
“So one-ish my time?”
“Yep. Just keep an eye on your phone.”
“Thank you so much. I… Damn. Jesse, I really appreciate this.”
“It’s no problem, Emma. She needs you right now.”
“Thank you.” I hang up with a renewed hope.
A FEW hours of staring at my phone later, it finally rings.
“Sarah?” I quickly answer.
“Hey,” her broken voice comes across the line. It’s so dull and flat I barely even recognize it.
“Are you okay?”
“Well, that depends on your definition of okay. I’m handcuffed to a hospital bed, waiting to be sent to the psych ward, while talking on the phone of a man who hates me to a sister I haven’t spoken to in years. Does that sound okay to you?” She goes from sad to bitchy with just one sentence.
“Jesus, Sarah. Don’t be like that. Can we just have a conversation, please?”
“I’m sorry, I…” She trails off and starts to cry—something else I’m not used to with Sarah. Before the accident, she was always so strong, but now she just sounds lost. “Did Brett tell you he moved on? He found a little brunette and basically tossed me in the trash.”
“Sarah, that’s not what happened and you know it. You’ve been trying to get rid of him for years. Don’t you think it’s about time Brett moved on with his life? Hell, don’t you think it’s time you moved on with yours?”
“Probably,” she answers but gives no further explanation.
“Hey, guess what? I’m moving to Chicago!” I try to move the conversation to a happier note, but Sarah brings it right back down again.
“Why?” she asks rudely.
“Because I like the pizza?” I answer sarcastically. “Why do you think?”
“Oh God, you’re going to try to fix me, aren’t you?” she says with an annoyed groan.
“No, there’s nothing to fix. You need a lot of help, but as far as I can tell, there is nothing broken about you.”