Chapter 46
STEPHANIE
Iwhistled under my breath, dancing along to a pop song on the radio as I got ready for work. The sky outside was so blue and the sunshine so beautiful. I grabbed my hairbrush and shook my ass as I belted out a few lines into it.
Life held so much promise. It was fantastic. Excitement for the day ahead ran through me in little bursts of joy. It felt like I was walking on sunshine.
“Wait,” I spoke into my hairbrush. “I have to find that song.”
I couldn’t keep still as the opening bars started playing. Sashaying over to my closet, I searched for the perfect outfit. I was in such a good mood, I even wanted to put in more effort with how I looked for work. To see Jeremiah.
He was such a nice guy. And we clicked. My god did we click. I knew it wasn’t a coincidence that I was in such a great mood. It was because of him, and I couldn’t wait to spend more time with him. And more time working on a career that felt like it was going somewhere, with him.
Finally finding a bold patterned dress and matching it with a pair of purple heels, I dug through my dresser and took out a new shade of lipstick. It was brighter than what I usually wore, but that was what made it the right choice for today.
I turned in front of the mirror, striking a silly pose when I was done. I felt like a new person, rejuvenated and ready for whatever the day threw my way.
Tiana smiled when I waltzed into the kitchen, looking at me over the rim of her black Batman coffee mug. “Someone’s cheerful this morning.”
“It’s a beautiful day,” I said. I grabbed the same two thermoses I usually brought down to the car for Jeremiah and me. “There’s no reason not to be cheerful.”
“It’s good to see you so happy,” she said, tucking her pajama-clad leg underneath her. “Remind me to bake your boss a cake or something.”
“Oooh, a cake. That’s a good idea.” I wanted to spoil him, even if I could only do it in much smaller ways than a couture dress or diamond earrings. For now, a new flavor of coffee concoction was going to have to do the trick.
I mixed it carefully and took a few sips to test it along the way. Once I was happy with the taste, I filled our thermos and grabbed my purse. “I’ll see you tonight, Tee. Have a good one.”
“Say hi to your beau for me,” she called out.
On my way out the door, I checked my reflection in the mirror hanging in our tiny entrance hall one last time. I looked good, even if I said so myself.
I smacked my lips together, admiring the new color on them and wondering if Jeremiah would too. I was overly excited to see him, but I couldn’t help myself.
Nodding good morning to my neighbors as we waited for the elevator together, I headed downstairs. My heels clacked on the lobby’s floor, a quick succession of steps as I hurried outside.
Jeremiah’s car was already parked at the curb. A smile touched my lips. I glanced down at my watch. It was only six forty-five. He was early. I took it as a good sign that he was excited to see me too.
Practically skipping to his car, it took me a couple of steps to realize something was wrong. Cars weren’t my thing. I didn’t know much about them, and I didn’t really care. I had, however, become rather used to what Jer’s car looked like.
And the body was all wrong. Its gleaming black surface didn’t look right. A group of tourists cleared out of my way and for the first time, I could see it clearly.
My heart slammed to a stop and sped up at the same time. What the hell?
The driver’s side door was dented and crushed. Someone clearly drove into it. I started walking faster, crossing the street at double speed. The side window of the car was smashed, with pieces of glass lying on the sidewalk.
The most disturbing thing of all was that Jeremiah wasn’t anywhere in sight. I looked left, and right and left again. Still nothing.
“Jeremiah?” I yelled, listening for an answer over the city sounds. Nothing. Panic kicked in, and my blood rushed in my ears. “Jeremiah!”
I went back to my building to make sure he wasn’t waiting somewhere in the lobby and searched everywhere around his car. But he wasn’t there.
A shudder traveled down my spine, and my fingers and toes went ice cold. Panic properly grabbed hold of me now, making my knees numb and my vision blurry. It was consuming me. “Jeremiah? Where are you?” I yelled again, my voice bordering on wild. I probably looked like a deranged person, but I didn’t care.
People were starting to stop and stare. I ignored them. I ran back to his car and stuck my head inside. Shards of glass lay on his buttery soft leather seat. I couldn’t see his phone or any of his other personal effects.
The radio was on, softly broadcasting the morning news. The picture was so warped. On the one hand, his car outside my building was so normal. As was the news and smell of his leather seats.
Without him in the picture though, and with all the damage to his usually immaculate car, everything that was right was twisted. Contorted into something terrible. What the hell happened?