Into the Light

“Lyle saw you, and don’t worry he won’t say anything because I offered to pay for his next five brow appointments. You owe me big time, girl. Now spill the juice.”

And so she told us the story of how last night unfolded, how for months there had been this awkward tension between them but nothing had come of it. Last night they were working late and he offered her a ride home; before she knew it they were getting it on in the car park.

“And how was it?” I had to ask. I needed this distraction.

She closed her eyes for a second. “It was… I don’t know what to say, like, amazing doesn’t cover it.”

“Emma, are you in love with him?”

“Oh no, nothing like that. It’s just that I’ve never been with a real man, you know? I mean he is thirty-one and I’m twenty-two. The guys my age couldn’t find a G-spot if you handed them a GPS and a tour guide.”

We burst out laughing. I couldn’t argue with her. Eric, of course, in a league of his own, had to throw the question out there that was burning a hole in his pants.

“And…you know…did his goods match up to his feisty personality?”

“Let’s just say it matched and then some.”

Eric and I looked at each other and happy-clapped like old times. It was this that I missed, this carefree chit chat. For a moment I felt safe, but it soon disappeared as I looked down and stared at my flat stomach, soon to be a daily reminder of the mess I got myself into.

I spent my lunch hour working through the mountain of emails that had piled up. My stomach hurt but it was an unusual pain that I was not accustomed too. I asked Eric to grab me a sandwich, maybe I was just hungry. I continued drinking some water as I waited. Suddenly I felt hot; placing my hand against my forehead I could feel I was burning up. I took off my blazer but my skin still felt like it was on fire. Thinking I needed more water, I made my way out of my office to be greeted by Eric. He looked off, but I realized it wasn’t him. It was me. The room started to move and I clasped at my chest as I struggled to breathe. Eric’s voice echoed in the background, his panicked words. I could only see shadows around me till all I saw was darkness.

Chapter 8

Lex

I had every email answered, every meeting scheduled and prepared, the stationary holder in my desk was perfectly organized, I had exactly eighty-two paperclips in that holder, and I even cleaned my keyboard, removing each key and wiping it down. That’s what happens when you work seventy-two hours straight with no sleep.

By Thursday I was losing my mind, bored shitless. I needed a distraction, anything to wake me from this miserable life I was currently living. My cell buzzed and I checked the caller ID. I let out a small laugh when I saw who it was.

“Dude, it’s me.”

There was only one person in my life who called me ‘dude’; it was Rocky. “Wait, did Nikki give you permission to call me?” I asked jokingly.

“Funny, Edwards. Listen, we haven’t organized a bachelor party for Elijah.”

“Rocky, Elijah is not one of those pussy-watching type of guys. You saw him squirming at the strip club.”

“Of course you’d say that, he’s marrying your sister! Listen, Adriana told me next Saturday night is his only free night. Vegas…are you up for it?”

Normally I would have hung up on him ages ago; actually I probably wouldn’t have answered his call. But I had learned to somewhat enjoy his company, or being around other men and doing men type stuff. I hadn’t done this since college.

“I’m in.”

“Tops! All right, so Adriana suggested Elijah’s cousin and two college mates plus your dad.”

“My dad?” That was the last person I wanted to see right now.

“Yeah, why not? Adriana tells me he is young at heart.”

“Look, whatever. Okay, so what have you organized?”

“Nothing. Was hoping you could pull some strings?”

“Leave it to me.”

I pulled out my contacts list and called George, the owner of a few hotels in Vegas. I called in a favor and booked the penthouse suite. I told him the occasion an

d he said he’d take care of the rest. Done in one conversation.