“Paige, slow down. Why do you have Lainey’s phone?”
Samara recognized the worry in Dana’s voice and turned back to face her, waking up fully instantly. Then, she watched as Dana sat up in bed and sat up as well, concerned now.
“What happened?” Dana asked and paused to listen to what Paige, not Lainey, apparently, was saying. “When?” Another pause. “Where is she now?” Dana asked before standing quickly. “Okay. I’m in LA. I don’t know how long it will take. I’ll have to book a flight.” She looked around the room, and Samara climbed out of bed, walking to her. “Where are my mom and dad?”
“Dana, what’s going on?” Samara asked.
Dana turned away from her, though, so Samara stood there naked and waited.
“Okay,” Dana said into the phone. “Yeah, okay. I’m on my way. I’ll go to the airport now and try to get on the next flight out. I’ll text you the info. Can you make sure my mom and dad are okay until I get there? My mom especially.”
Samara sat down on the bed.
“Okay. Thanks. And she’ll be okay, Paige.” Dana pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it. “She has to be,” she added softly, almost to herself.
“What–”
“Lainey was in a car accident about thirty minutes ago. They just took her back into surgery.”
“What? Oh, my God!”
Samara stood again and reached for Dana.
“She was on her way to work when someone T-boned her, running a red light. Paige called from Lainey’s phone because I had do-not-disturb on, so when she called from her phone, it didn’t go through. Only Lainey’s and my parents’ do. I have to go.”
“Of course,” Samara replied, placing a comforting hand on Dana’s back.
“I’m naked. I need clothes. And I have to book a flight. I need to get to the airport.”
“I’ll take care of the flight. I’ll find something private, and we’ll go.”
“No, I–” Dana cut herself off and turned around.
“No?”
“Youdon’t have to go. I need to. She’s my sister.”
Dana bent down and picked up the jeans Samara had taken off her the previous night.
“And you’re my girlfriend, Dana. I want to come with you.”
“I can’t right now, Samara.” Dana replied and slipped on the pants.
“You’re not wearing underwear,” Samara pointed out.
“I don’t care. My sister is in surgery right now. She was bleeding, and they couldn’t stop it, so she’s in surgery with a broken leg and probably a broken arm, too. I need to get home. They said she’s bleeding internally.”
“I will get you home, baby. I’ll call Kyla now, and we’ll get a private jet booked that’ll leave in an hour.”
“I left.”
“What?” Samara asked.
“I never leave, and I left,” Dana said as she threw on a T-shirt without a bra. “I’m always there, and the two times I haven’t been have been when my mom almost died, and now, Lainey.”
“Babe, this has nothing to do with that.”
“What else could it be?”
