Page 163
Story: Nocere
"My phone's on my desk. Did she tell you what it was?" All three of us hurried down the hall back to my office, and I swiped the phone from the drawer. Four missed calls and two texts all from Stella filled the screen.
"She didn't, but she sounded...normal."
Rebecca and I both stared at her.
"Normal?" Rebecca's brow furrowed. "That's bad?"
"Yes." Ainsley nodded, her eyes wide.
Rebecca looked at me and gestured wildly, with her best, "What the fuck is this?" face. I shook my head and pressed the return call button. It rang a few times before Stella answered.
"Rosie, hi."
"What's going on?" The second I heard her voice, a knot swirled in my belly.
"Everyone is okay. Did Sam call you?"
"No. Why?"
"I knew she wouldn't." Stella sighed softly. "Her mom is here in the E.R. She fell at the grocery store and hurt her wrist. Sam is with her now."
"Mrs. Flynn is okay?"
"Yes. She's fine. Just a small sprain, but we're running a few more tests." Stella paused, and like Ainsley said, her normal, calm doctor voice freaked me out way more than her regular voice. Rebecca gripped my hand and the gesture grounded me, though brought light to the way my heart pounded in my chest.
"Okay. That's good then."
"Yes." Stella paused again. "Check your texts."
"Okay…" I pulled the phone from my ear and tapped the text from Stella that just came through.
It read, Sam can see me. Her mom is okay, but she isn't. I think you need to be here with her. She refused to call you.
I showed the message to Rebecca then put the phone back to my ear. "Got it. Is she silent and panicking?"
"Yes."
"And bitchy?"
"Oh yeah." Stella let out a small chuckle.
"Okay. I'll be right down."
"Come in the E.D. and ask for me."
"I will. Thanks for calling me, Stell."
"Of course."
We hung up and I pocketed my phone while my hands shook. "Can one of you take me to the hospital?"
"I can," volunteered Rebecca. "Sirens will get us through traffic."
"Thank you." I hugged Ainsley before Rebecca and I broke away from her to hurry out of there.
I covered my ears in the car to muffle the sirens and attempt to calm myself down before we got there. Sam deserved a supportive girlfriend who wasn't a mess with worry. My biggest concern, however, was that her Uncle Farid would arrive before us.
Rebecca nearly flew to the hospital, and flashed her badge to get us through the emergency department right away. In the busy hospital, laden with bustling nurses, doctors, and a waiting room full of patients, Stella met us in the hallway beside the nurse's station. Despite the situation, and the fact that she had a splash of blood across her shoes, she wore her usual warm smile when she greeted us.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163 (Reading here)
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196