A Chance Encounter

“I don’t know how to make that soup,” I tell her, dropping my head into my hands. And even if I did know how to, I don’t have the energy to do so. My body is weak and it’s hard to simply function. I wasn’t even able to go to school the last two days.

“But, you know—” She begins to argue, but is cutoff by the knocking on the door. Shit, did I forget to tell Naomi I wouldn’t need her to watch Kendall? She’s been so busy with the upcoming wedding she’s planning, we’ve barely spoken.

When I pull myself from my seat to answer the door, the room spins. I grab the side of the table, so I don’t fall, as my head goes fuzzy and my vision goes in and out.

“Mommy!” Kendall yells, as I drop to the ground, my back hitting the cool wood floor. I try to answer my daughter, to tell her to call nine-one-one because something is clearly wrong, but I’m not sure what I get out before the blackness overtakes me.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

EASTON

“Easton! Oh my God, I love you!”

“We saw you in concert last night!”

“Can we take a selfie?”

“Can you sign this?”

“Oh! There’s Jordan! Jordan, can we take a picture?”

The screams start the second we step outside, but I’m expecting them. We had just sat down for lunch at a local restaurant, after doing a radio interview, when someone spotted us and posted it on social media. My team was notified, and my sister warned me, so I would know what to expect once I walked outside. This is nothing new. There’s even a page dedicated to Easton Blackwood sightings. I’d be flattered if it didn’t mean my location being leaked to millions of people at any given moment. I’m honestly surprised nobody has found out about Sophia yet. It probably helps that New York is a busy as fuck city and I haven’t been seen in public, having kept to myself.

I nod toward Joel to let him know I’m going to take pictures and sign shit real quick before we head back to the bus. He nods back and immediately goes into security mode, along with my other bodyguard, Rex, asking the girls to calm down and step back so I can take pictures with them, as Jordan walks over and joins me.

While Jordan and I work together taking pictures and signing memorabilia, I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I haven’t texted Sophia this evening, so I doubt it’s her. She never initiates the conversation. But when it vibrates again, and again, I announce I’m signing one more thing and then I have to go, so I can check it. Only my close friends and family have this number, so for someone to be calling that many times can’t be good.

I locate a young girl, who looks to be about Kendall’s age, shyly standing to the side, and walk over to her. “Would you like me to sign something?” I ask, kneeling slightly so I’m at her level.

She nods and thrusts a journal my way. I open it up and find a collage of some sort, me as the main subject. “I made it,” she says, grinning.

“It’s awesome. What’s your name?”

“Jada.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Jada.” I write out a quick note and sign the page, then pose with her so her mom can take a picture. Once we’re done, Jordan and I thank everyone for stopping by to see us and make a quick exit.

“Easton, Mom just called me,” Nicole says, as I pull out my phone. I glance up at the strain in her voice and immediately know something is wrong. “Sophia’s in the hospital.”

And with those words, my entire world tilts on its axis. “I need to get to her.” She’s already had one scare, and now she’s back in the hospital. This can’t be good. And of course I’m across the damn country.

“I know. I’m working on getting you a private flight out as soon as possible.” She types away on her phone as we walk onto the bus. I dial my mom, needing to know what’s happening, but she doesn’t answer. I don’t know what hospital she’s at, and even If I did, nobody will give me any information over the phone. I’m not her person of contact.

A few minutes later, my phone rings with a number I’ve never seen before. “Hello.”

“Easton,” my mom breathes. “I don’t have any service in the hospital. I’m quickly calling you from the nurse’s station.”

“What happened?” I ask, grabbing my duffle bag and shoving some clothes into it.

“They don’t know yet. We just got here. I was coming over to check on her, and when I got there, she was passed out on the ground and Kendall was calling nine-one-one.”

My heart both sinks and soars. That little girl is so damn smart, but the fact she was in that position makes me feel sick.