And that night, I slept out in my truck. When I woke up the next morning, that nightmare I’d had every night for the past twelve fucking years... the one where it was her in my sister’s place... was gone.
The first smile I’ve smiled since that night I fully made her mine.
And yeah, she was right. That night should have happened.
And I was glad as fuck it did.
‘Cause it was memories of that night that got me through a week of being a prisoner of war on top of everything else I’d been through.
Chapter 18
Creedence
Age 29
Present
“A-choo.” I blew into the Kleenex I was clutching like a lifeline.
The worst thing about being a healthcare worker was being susceptible to germs.
Yes, I got the flu shot.
Yes, I still got the flu.
I sighed.
I was drained.
But I needed medicine that my doctor had called in for me.
I turned on my blinker and pulled into the pharmacy lot.
After I parked my car, I climbed out and headed inside.
And of course, there was a line. Wonderful.
While waiting, I opened the app and checked on my order that was to be delivered later that day and frowned.
That was weird.
The order was canceled.
I didn’t have the headspace to do anything about it right now.
Ten minutes later, I was finally at the front counter, and I just gave the man my name, “Creedence Nichols.”
He nodded, then asked, “Date of birth?”
“February nineteenth, nineteen ninety-six,” I told him in a nasally tone.
He typed it into the computer, then looked at me, “It’s already been filled. Next.”
I frowned, “What do you mean it’s already been filled? I just got here to pick it up.”
He looked at me and rolled his eyes, then typed something. “It was picked up by a...” he trailed off.
“By a who?” I asked.
