Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 260(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 260(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
I screw up and hit Send. I’ve yet to tell my family or my sister about the cyst found during my surgery.
Lennie: Goddamn Nadine. Those two are always up to no good. They do their job, for the most part. The problem with them is they like to chat, and not in the good kind of way.
Coralynn: I swear I’m going to wring your neck, but I’ll be quiet. Please continue.
Lyric: Ummm, I think we’re all missing something here.
Lennie: No kidding.
Me: During surgery, they found a cyst on my ovary. The results weren’t ready, and Luke helped keep my mind off them. We talked, he calmed me down, and he repeated the same process this morning. I’d felt pretty optimistic until Marissa made her statements. One out in the open where anyone could hear and the other here in the room.
Kenny: Game fucking on. It’s been a long time since we got into some shenanigans. Hasn’t Marissa created issues before?
Lennie: Yes, she’s always trying to bag a doctor. Any doctor will do in her eye. Which is dumb because her daddy is one of the big wigs at the hospital.
Lyric: THE FUCK!
Coralynn: Brb. I’m on my way to slice and dice…her tires, that is.
Winnie: Shit, let me pack up Seb, drop him off at Johnny’s parents’ place, and I’ll go with Cora.
Me: Okay, calm down, killers. We’re all going to serve justice. Anyways, she eluded that Luke wouldn’t be with me if there were, you know,
Coralynn: Do you think she saw the two of you around town or at the hospital?
Lennie: Did you ride with him into work?
Kenny: I need to do some sleuthing before we seek vengeance. My husband being a police officer and all that. Which also means he’s got built-in knowledge.
Lyric: I vote laxatives in her drink when no one’s looking.
Maci: Does anyone know where she lives? A little B&E, glitter in all of her hair products would work, too.
Coralynn: Three tires slashed means no insurance will cover it…I’m just saying.
Me: Not that I’m aware, unless she’s stalking us. I think we’re going to need a girls’ night to sort out everything. I’m not sure how much time I have left until Doctor Gallo comes in. Plus, if she’s doing this to me, then what could she be doing to others?
Lennie: God, you’re right. Shit on a brick. Okay, hold tight. I know a few of the good ones there. Actually, they all are, minus Marissa and Nadine. I’ll reach out some feelers, see what’s been going on. It’s your story to tell if you want to bring it to Luke and Anthony’s attention.
Lyric: Yep, we’re here no matter what.
Kenny: I’ll still do a little digging.
Winnie: I’m keeping my knife in my purse, just in case.
Coralynn: Sister, I like your friend group. This is the type of girls you deserve, not those catty bitches who put down your idea about LITHE because they couldn’t bear the thought of getting their hands dirty and like to ride on their husband’s coattails.
Maci: We definitely need a girls’ night. There’s a lot to unpack here, and we’ve always got your back.
Me: Coralynn, I’m going to strangle your pretty little neck. Lennie, do your thing, pick a date for us to hang out minus the men, and we’ll come up with a plan. Shit, there’s a knock. Love you guys, chat soon.
I hurriedly close my phone down, throw it in my bag, and sit back in my chair. A quick clearing of my throat, and I’m saying, “Come in.” I breathe a sigh of relief when Doctor Gallo peeks his head into the room.
“Hi, Miss Parker, ready to go over your results?” He walks in, closes the door behind him, and offers his hand for me to shake.
“I am.” Not really, but hiding from the results won’t help, either. I take a deep breath to center myself once again, ready to hear whatever news I’m given.
“Good news is, it’s non-cancerous. The bad news is, I’ll be seeing you again in two weeks.” I breathe a sigh of relief, look at the ceiling, and blink away the tears while trying not to laugh at having to see Doctor Gallo again.
13
LUKE
“You done already?” Gallo greets me as I walk out of a patient’s room. We’ve been balls to the walls busy, each of us having a full schedule, minus the no-show, no-call I had. Mary called her, found out the reason she wasn’t at her appointment was because her little one decided to make an appearance last night at the hospital. Somehow, the wires got crossed, and no one conveyed it to the other. That gave me time to chart in between the others who showed up early and had me finishing faster than ever before. I’ll still have to work an hour or so after the last patient. Nothing like I usually would. There’s a reason for that, and that reason should be in my office.