Page 10 of Her Passionate Hero

Aliana watched as Lottie morphed from her friend into the skilled school counselor who nurtured almost two thousand teenagers. Not only was Carlotta Rodriguez a counselor, she was a psychiatric social worker who provided both counseling and mental health services to the students at Bertrum High School. Since they were in the middle of Eastmont, which was rife with gangs, many of the students had families and friends who had been victims, or the students themselves had been victims of violence. When Carlotta had transferred to the school three years ago, she’d been a godsend. Except for those times when she decided to put Aliana under her psychiatric microscope. Aliana preferred it when they remained in the best friend category.

“We’re going out to dinner,” Lottie proclaimed.

“I have work to do.”

“I’m sick of dieting.” She held up a piece of something that resembled beef on her fork and waved it in front of Aliana’s nose. “You know you’ve been telling me I need to kick this diet to the curb. Now’s your chance to help me splurge,” Lottie wheedled. Damn, the woman knew how to push her buttons. “You need to eat more too. You keep saying you want to put on some weight.”

“Quit using your voodoo tactics on me.”

“Comes with being my friend. I’m good for you.” Lottie paused and gave her a kind smile. “Come on, you know I’ve never delved too deep.”

That was true.

“Fine, we’ll go to dinner,” Aliana relented.

“Great.”

“Now, I need to get back to my office.”

“You didn’t eat anything,” Lottie protested.

“Please, don’t nag. I would have, but…” she touched her throat. “It hurts to swallow.”

“What did the doctor say about that?” Aliana looked down at her barely touched yogurt. “Dammit. You didn’t discuss this with them, did you?”

Two of the teachers looked curiously at them as they left the room.

“Would you keep your voice down?” Aliana requested.

“No, I won’t. You either go to the nurse’s office, or we go to urgent care after school today. Those are your choices.”

She didn’t like either one of them. She glared at her friend. They were no longer best friends. Maybe they weren’t even going to be friends anymore. She didn’t need friends, did she?

“Stop having conversations in your head,” Lottie sighed with exasperation. “Just give in.”

“I wasn’t―”

Lottie raised her eyebrow, and Aliana laughed.

She felt her purse vibrate. It must important, nobody called her during school hours unless it was an emergency. She pulled her phone out of her purse. It was an unknown number. She answered.

“Aliana?”

“This is Aliana Novak. May I help you?”

“This is Ernie Robinson. I was calling to find out how you’re doing.”

“I’m.” Aliana swallowed to clear her throat, and it went down the wrong way, and she started coughing. She couldn’t believe he was calling her, and she couldn’t seem to stop coughing. Lottie was looking at her with concern.

“Aliana? What’s going on? Are you alright? Do you need to go back to the hospital?” Ernie asked.

“No,” she gasped out. This was ridiculous. “I’m fine,” she wheezed, then coughed again.

“Aliana, you don’t sound fine.” He was speaking loudly enough to be heard over her coughing, Lottie heard him.

“Give me the phone.” She held out her hand. Aliana jerked it away from her friend. The last thing she needed was these two talking.

“Who’s that?” Ernie asked. “Let me talk to her,” he demanded.