Stolen Course(86)

“Bring her over.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, once again stunned.

“Yeah. I could use a little Anastasia Beaverhausen in my life again,” she answers.

I’m clueless about what the hell that means, but the lift in her voice lets me know she’s excited.

“We’ll be there soon.”

Thirty minutes later, I’m sitting inside my car in front of Sarah’s apartment. I decided to wait outside for Casey so I could have a little chat with her about Sarah before their reunion  . Her Mercedes SUV finally rolls into the parking lot.

I walk over to where she parked. “Hey, lady.”

“Hey, Emma,” she says softly, climbing out of the car.

“So listen, I wanted to tell you a few things before we go in.” I go straight to the point. It’s freaking freezing outside, and snow is steady falling from the sky.

“Okay.” She motions me to the breezeway to escape the weather.

“I’m sure you heard that Sarah suffered a head injury after the accident, but she’s dealing with it. It’s changed her a good bit. So if she acts a little different than you’re used to, just don’t mention it, okay? She’s pretty sensitive about it.” I try to rush out the abridged version of Sarah’s medical issues before the wind and chill freeze us both into icicles.

“Yeah, of course,” she answers, and we head upstairs.

I briefly remember my date with Caleb and know that I need to push him off a little while. He isn’t going to be happy about it, but this is a really big deal for both Sarah and Casey.

Me: Something came up. Long story. Can we push dinner off an hour? I’ll call in a few and fill you in. Love you.

I press send and walk into the apartment with Casey in tow.





“YOU STILL watching that shit?” I ask Sarah as I walk through the front door.

“You still knocked up?” she responds with a huge smile as her eyes drift to Casey. It slowly fades as I turn to find Casey barely standing—her face suddenly pale.

“Hey, you okay?” I grab her arm and try to pull her down into the chair next to the couch. She bats my hand away, insisting to stand on her own two feet.

“I thought you were dead.” The tears work their way through her entire body before finally falling from her eyes. “You weren’t breathing, and you were so cold and still,” she whispers.

“Casey, what are you talking about?” Sarah says, walking forward, but Casey throws a hand up, blocking her progress, knocking over the lamp on the end table in the process.

“She loved you,” she chokes out, and we all know who the she is that she is referring to.

“She loved you, too,” Sarah says back, drying her own tears.

The room is silent and more than a little awkward for a few minutes while the two old friends stand uncomfortably.

“I killed her,” Casey blurts out, and for a minute, the world has been spun completely off its axis.

Sarah slings her eyes to me as I sling mine to Casey.

“You what?” I ask.

“I killed her,” she repeats. “The wreck was my fault. I was driving. Oh God, I’m so sorry.” And with that, Casey folds to the floor.

Sarah rushes toward her, and I immediately jump in the middle, more stunned than ever.

“No, you weren’t. Shut your mouth! Shut your fucking mouth!” Sarah explodes over my shoulder just before sobs catch in her throat.

“I did it. And I thought you were dead too. I left you both on the side of the highway, cold and alone.” Casey curls her legs into her chest and begins to rock.

“No, you didn’t. You weren’t even there that night,” Sarah tries to state matter-of-factly, but it comes out as more of a plea.

“I killed Manda!” Casey finally screams, and it forces Sarah to her knees.

“No, you didn’t. You weren’t there,” Sarah cries, crumbling in my arms.

Casey never once raises her tone as she begins to explain. “I was out with Jason McAdams searching for more pills. You called and said you had too much to drink. You thought you could drive home, but then you weren’t so sure. You pulled over at that gas station down the road from Westies. I was too was ashamed to tell you I was high. And above and beyond that, I was too high to think logically. I had Jason drop me off with you. Then I got behind the wheel and drove Manda to her grave.”

“No! No, no, no! You weren’t there!” Sarah once again screams at an eerily calm Casey, who is still crying but staring at the floor.

“I was. None of this was your fault.” The hopeless tone in her voice is alarming. It’s painful to listen to, and it’s even worse to know that she has been living this lie for all these years. My heart breaks for her and the whole damn group of innocent people this affected.