Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 70092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Me: Can you call me when you have a minute? Everything is fine; just wanted to ask you something.
I press send before I chicken out and place it on the counter in front of me. My eyes watch it to see if he's read it. I wait to see the three little dots come up, and they don't. Maybe he's with Clarissa? The thought alone makes me physically ill as I run to the bathroom and throw up.
Turning on the cold water, I wash my face before walking back out. Grabbing the phone, I text my sisters.
Me: Emergency Code, whatever, get your ass to Mom's house. Clarabella, wear clothes.
As soon as I send the text, I turn and run up the stairs, grabbing another summer dress. This one is a baby-blue floral halter top. It has an elastic waist and goes down to my ankles. I can hear my phone pinging downstairs while I brush my teeth. I slip on the brown flip-flops, and my heart speeds up when I pick up my phone, wondering if Bennett answered me back, but I see it's just my sisters.
Clarabella: I'm already dressed and out the door.
Shelby: What do you mean code whatever? There are colors for a reason.
Clarabella: It must be almost dire if she is asking us to meet her at Mom's house.
Shelby: This is true unless it's an ambush.
Clarabella: An ambush for what?
Shelby: She might want us to have a kid with her.
Clarabella: You think they are going to steal your eggs and ovaries?
I can't even with my sisters, so I just shake my head.
Me: Just meet me at Mom’s. No one wants anyone's eggs. I need help.
I press send, walking to the door as the phone vibrates in my hand.
Shelby: She's dying, she has to be. She's never asked for help.
Clarabella: Oh my God, maybe she needs a kidney. I don't know if I can give her one of mine. What if my kids need it?
Shelby: Now you’re having a kid.
Clarabella: Well, not this minute, but what if they need one and I don't have it?
I don't even bother answering the rest of the texts; I just get to my mother's house. I walk inside and find her in the kitchen. “You’re early," she says as she rolls out the dough for the potpie. "What happened?"
"I'm going to wait until…" I'm starting to say when the door opens.
"I'm here,” Shelby says and then the door opens again.
"I'm here with all my organs,” Clarabella says. “And I'm not sharing." They both walk into the kitchen. “Mom, you can't make me share."
"What the hell are you guys talking about?" my mother says, confused. “Why are you all here?"
"I told them to come," I explain, and now I can't even stay put as I start to pace the kitchen. “I don't know how to say this." I shake my hands, the nerves making them shake.
"She does need a kidney.” Shelby leans in and whispers to Clarabella.
"I don't need a kidney!" I shout, throwing up my hands. “I think I'm in love with Bennett!” I shout, and the whole room goes silent. I don't even think they’re breathing. I look at my sisters who look at me, and then to my mother, whose eyes look like they are going to come out of her head. I am so nervous that I put my hand to my stomach, and I feel like I'm about to throw up again.
"No shit,” Clarabella says, shaking her head. “I got dressed for this?"
"Oh my God,” my mother says, putting her hands on her cheeks.
Shelby slaps her arm. “I think what Clarabella meant to say was wow, this is great news. But now the question is, what are you going to do about it?"
I look down at the floor and then I look up. "I have no fucking clue."
Chapter 25
Bennett
The conference room is full. Every single chair is taken as we work through the merger. Bottles of water are all over the table, and my neck is killing me from staying in the same spot for the past ten hours. I look up and see all of the tired faces. “We are in the home stretch, people." They all look up at me. “Why don't we take ten?"
There are so many sighs of relief when I say that, it takes a second more for all of them to push away from the table and stretch their legs. I get up and go into my office. My head is throbbing softly, my back is killing me, and all I want to do is close my eyes. I spent zero minutes sleeping last night. Zero. I lean back in the chair and close my eyes. “I guess you’re as tired as I am?" My eyes flutter open to see Clarissa leaning against the doorjamb.