“I will.” She opened the door to the attached garage and waved as she stepped out.
I went about my business of getting ready for my meeting the moment the door clicked closed. I hated missing these appointments with Chloe, but I knew we needed this meeting to lead to something.
Twenty minutes later, I was climbing behind the wheel of my car, driving in the direction of my office. I made the drive across town and pulled into my usual spot. I parked and looked up at the small building in front of me. I had been working toward my goal of starting my own company for as long as I could remember. I’d finally made the jump, but I couldn’t go as far as to say that it was making any money yet. I was renting the building, and it was a small space, just large enough for me. I just needed some investors with some deep pockets to get the ball rolling, and that’s what my meeting was about.
I looked over just as a brand new Mercedes pulled into the spot beside me. I couldn’t wait to trade in my Toyota for a Mercedes. I shook off my nerves and climbed out to meet the man I was hoping would help make that happen.
Two hours later, we were shaking hands after signing some contracts, and I knew that it was the first day of the rest of my life. When I looked back, I knew I’d think of it as the day my life changed, and I couldn’t wait to tell Chloe. I knew she’d be just as excited as I was.
After my meeting ended, I got back in my car to take the check to the bank. As I drove through town, I called her. I was too excited to wait until dinner to see her. Her phone kept ringing and ringing until finally her voicemail picked up.
It’s Chloe, leave a message, and I’ll call you back,” her greeting played over my car’s speakers.
“Hey, hun. It’s me. I got some news. Please call me when you get this. I love you.” I hung up and pulled beneath the awning at the bank.
I filled out the deposit slip and slid both the slip and the check into the electronic drawer for the clerk. She greeted me, and I offered a wave. Once she walked away to make the deposit, my eyes shifted to the clock on my dashboard. My meeting had gone longer than I expected. There was no way Chloe was still at her ultrasound appointment. I wondered why she wasn’t answering her phone. Thinking she might just have bad reception or perhaps stepped away from her phone, I called again.
It rang as before, once again picked up by her voicemail.
“It’s Chloe?—”
I hung up before the rest of the greeting could play out.
Almost instantly, my phone started to ring, and I hit the accept button before I even saw the caller ID. “Chlo?”
“Hey, Roman. It’s me, Dan.” My father-in-law.
“Oh, hey, Dan. What’s up?”
“We’re over here at Mercy Hospital. I think you'd better head over.”
“The hospital? Why? What’s going on?” My heart pounded hard as I swallowed.
Please, don’t let anything be wrong with the baby…
“It’s Chloe.” His voice was off. “I don’t want to tell you over the phone. Just head over here. OK?”
“Is Chloe OK? Is it the baby?” My pulse thundered in my ears.
“Ro”—
“Just tell me, damnit! Is my wife OK?”
“She was in a car accident,” he finally said.
“I’m on my way.” I put the car in drive and stomped on the gas, my heart in my throat and a prayer falling from my lips.
Please be OK. Please. Fuck.
ONE
SASHA
“Hello? Earth to Sasha.”
I snapped out of my daze when Lenny waved her hand in front of my face. I shook my head and blinked. “Sorry. What were you saying?”
She rolled her big, brown eyes. “I said you should just ignore them. They saw you sitting here, so every move they make is only to piss you off at this point. Don’t let it, and eventually, they’ll give it a rest,” she said, shrugging and training her eyes back on the book in front of her.
