“What the hell? She can’t be by herself. Where would she have gone?” I’m beyond stressed. I’m worried like crazy that she’s alone, and I need to find her.
“Carter? There’s something I think you need to know,” she timidly says.
“What? Tell me,” I demand.
“She’s going to kill me for telling you this, but someone else needs to know.”
“What?” I yell out.
“She called me that night, the night her parents died. She was crying and said she stormed out of her house because she got in a fight with them.”
“What about?”
“I can’t help but think that she feels their death was her fault. I’m sure they were looking for her when they got into the accident. We had just had our first freeze of the year, and the roads were really slick. Add in the drunk driver, and they never stood a chance.”
“Kaitlyn, what did they fight about?” I interrupt her story, trying to get to the point.
“Carter”—she takes a deep breath—“Evangeline is four months pregnant.”
My heart stops. I can’t even breathe, and I start to feel the phone slip through my fingers and fall to the floor.
Islammy hand down on the counter, shaking my head. I look at the bartender, pointing for another shot.
“Why are you here?” I ask, gritting my teeth together.
He lets out a short laugh. “I’m here to ask you the same thing. She left after you did. This girl.” He shakes his head, but a grin forms on his face.
“What?” I glare in his direction.
His smile fades, and he stares for a second. I get the feeling he wants to tell me something, but he doesn’t. Instead, he gets up, slapping his hand on my back. “Never mind, bro. Not important, I guess.”
I take the shot back, staring forward as I say, “If it’s not important then why don’t you leave?”
“Fuck, dude. You’re pathetic, you know that. If this is over that chick, Satan, then I’m out. You need to get her out of your mind, and it will all start with that fucking tattoo. You’ll never be rid of her if you have her memory staring back at you every day. Whatever. Have fun wallowing in your screwed-up head.”
He gets up to leave, and I don’t try to stop him. I need to be alone right now.
