Page 79 of Unspoken Lies

Mr. Emil:

She told me a few days ago that her sleeping medication isn’t working and she doesn’t want to take it anymore. It’s somehow interrupting her natural sleep pattern.

Me:

Will it be an issue for her to simply stop? I know some of them she needs to titrate off of. Ignacio has been researching her medications.

Mr. Emil:

Of course my son is doing that. Where is he anyway?

Me:

He’s running down a lead he found. Probably doing some eavesdropping on a drug runner, knowing him. Her therapist was browbeating her about dating an ex-convict, sir.

Knowingthat he’ll know who I’m talking about, I wait for his indignation.

Mr. Emil:

We both know that’s semantics. I didn’t think Dr. Michaels was so close minded. That’s unfortunate.

Me:

She told him that she wanted to find a doctor to reevaluate all of her medication.

Mr. Emil:

That’s not a bad idea. I’ll begin looking into that. My luck hasn’t been the best though. Are you spending the day with her?

Me:

Yes. I may even take her home with me.

Mr. Emil:

You’d have my blessing.

Tossing my phone away,I drop my head back and decide to take a nap. I’ll simply make her lunch instead. Today, I’m going to indulge myself by not restricting my life to a schedule. I’ll cross any hurdles regarding her being able to leave her apartment later.

For now, my eyes close and block out the world and self serving dick weeds.

CHAPTER 19

RACHELLE

The world is really cold, there’s water everywhere, and my body feels heavy.

I’m in a creek, and the Kings are laughing as they wave from the bank.

“I can’t swim!” I scream as the water pulls at my shredded clothing. Despite being destroyed, they’re still heavy, and the undercurrent pulls me under.

The brackish water goes up my nose, and I choke on it despite trying to keep my mouth closed. The grass growing along the bottom of the creek feels as if it’s wrapping itself around my limbs, holding me under as the rushing current tries to pull me downstream.

No matter how much I fight to get free, I can’t. My lungs are burning, my body is getting so much heavier, but I don’t want to die. I imagine the guys gazing down at me, hating everything I stand for, waiting for my body to surface with unseeing eyes.

It’s so easy to be thrown into the past. Even Ignacio is above me laughing, while I drown in silence. The world is drab and dark down here…

“Rachelle, wake up! Come on, open your eyes,” someone says urgently.