“You accidentally forgot to send a text to a single one of your siblings? And you accidentally told Mom not to tell the family? Ha! Right. But your little ploy failed anyway—I’ve got the video right here.” Hannah held up her phone.
“But I just now woke up.”
“Yes, it was the stuff you said before you were really awake that made it all worthwhile.” Hannah chuckled.
“Mom, why didn’t you stop them?”
“Me? I can’t control your sisters. I thought you were the sister president—at least that’s what you’ve told me in the past. It sounds like you have a small insurrection going on, but that’s not my problem. I’m Switzerland.”
“What about Brad? Was he here? Did you make me say something embarrassing to him?”
Claire said, “Hmmm... Brad? Let’s see. Are you talking about the guy you broke up with and refused to talk to for a couple of months? That Brad? The one you were supposed to talk to immediately after your biopsy because you agreed to take the dare? Is that the Brad you’re talking about?”
“Please don’t torture me any longer. Did you or did you not totally embarrass me by letting Brad talk to me while I was under-the-influence?”
Hannah’s cell phone buzzed. “It’s Olivia! Hey Olivia, did you find him? What? Yes, she’s pretty much awake now. Sure... Here she is.”
Hannah’s eyes were wide as she handed Grace her phone. Olivia’s excited voice rang out in her ear. “Grace, did you really tell the receptionist at your school you were having plastic surgery?”
“What? No, of course not. I mean, I joked about it, but I wasn’t serious. She couldn’t possibly be that dense.”
“Well, she evidently took you seriously. And then, when Brad came to the school—”
“Brad came to my school? When? This afternoon?”
“No, he came looking for you this morning. And that’s when he found out you were having plastic surgery. And that’s also when he told her to call the police about your stalker.”
“My stalker? Brad said I had a stalker? I didn’t even know I had one.”
“Well, this stalker turned out to be an innocent substitute teacher who didn’t appreciate getting handcuffed at the elementary school. I think you may have to find a different sub next time you need one.”
“It sounds like I may have to find a different job.”
“We’ve got quite a few things to ask Brad about when we finally find him. I don’t suppose you’ve heard from the others.”
“What others? What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t they tell you Brad was missing?”
Her stomach began to churn. “No. No one said he was missing.”
“Yeah, he disappeared from the ER.”
“Before his shift was over?”
“No, he wasn’t working. He was recovering from busting his head on the concrete when he was rescuing you from your biopsy, which he thought was plastic surgery. So everybody else is out looking for him. Emily and Spencer, Pop and I, Ben, Josh... Wait! That’s Josh calling. I’ve gotta go.”
“What are you talking about?” Grace’s voice raised an octave. But Olivia was gone.
*****
“Yes, I found him. We’re headed back to the ER,” Josh told Olivia. “Can you let the others know?”
“How is he? I assume he’s not too good if you’re going back to the hospital.”
“He’s...” Josh glanced toward Brad, but his eyes were glassy. “Honestly, I’m worried. But I need to go.”
Stashing his cell, he tapped the taxi driver on the shoulder. “I know the traffic’s bad, but if there’s any way we can get there faster...”