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"Wow, what did you do to Kora?" Sarah asked.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I know I screwed up by basically throwing her out of my room after we had slept together."
"Literally?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, like I said, it was a major fuck up. I have no illusions about that. But I don't think I did anything to warrant her doing that."
"Maybe she didn't tell them to kick you out if you showed up," Sarah offered. "Maybe Kora just told them she didn't want to talk to you and they reacted in their own way."
"Overreacted in their own way," I said, still a bit sore about it, based on Sienna's look of confusion and fear more than anything.
"Right," Sarah agreed.
I had to admit she had a point. Though that still didn't get me any closer to Kora. I got out my phone and called Kristen.
"I did what you said," I said soon as she picked up.
"Well, that's a hell of an opening."
"Please don't try to be funny, dumpling," I said, "I don't think I can handle it."
"What happened?"
"She wasn't there and I had to get out before I was thrown out under police escort," I said.
"Shit."
"No, it's true," I said.
"What was that you said about being funny?"
"Sorry, I couldn't resist," I said, smiling for the first time in what felt like months.
"No, no, it's nice to hear you getting back to your old self. The doctor said it could take a while."
"I'm okay," I said, "though I would be better if I could see Kora. Even just to tell her I love her before properly saying goodbye. I have always hated this 'ghosting' shit."
"This is partly my fault," Kristen said.
"How -"
"Listen, do you trust me?"
"Well, you did save my life twice."
"Stop goofing around."
"I'm not; you did and I think that merits some trust. Besides which, I don't really have a choice that I can see. I really need to see Kora and have no viable way of doing so."
"Yeah, that's what I figured," Kristen said.
"So, what is this cunning plan of yours, Bal-?"
"Call me Baldrick and I'll slap you the next time I see you," Kristen warned.
"Wouldn’t dream of it, dumpling."
"I have a plan; let's just leave it at that for now."
“Alright then,” I said, because clearly I had no other choice but to let my little sister take care of this mess.
Hopefully.Chapter Twenty-Two - KoraOver the next week, I got to know what the baby really liked. Unfortunately, harp music turned out to be one of them. I could hardly get through a massage without her kicking like she was in a karate tournament.
I would rub my belly to try and calm her, but it only worked about seven times out of ten. I had thought about asking David if we could change the repertoire but I was trying not to rock the boat. I didn't have the job yet and I wasn't sure about what David would think about having an unwed, single mother on staff, especially since I needed a maternity leave first. He could be very traditional in some ways.
I finished the client I was working on and went to walk around the staff area, massaging my belly with both hands, trying to get her to go back to sleep. I was in the process of doing this when Sienna came in with a bouquet of flowers.
I could tell from a distance what they were and recognized it immediately as an apology bouquet. I wasn't quite sure what she thought she had to apologize for.
There was a bit of tension when I first came back because she had basically taken my place but it was entirely on her end. I had left by choice, to pursue the masseuse training, and of course the spa needed someone else.
I just hoped she was up to the job. I had told her as much when I first noticed her uneasiness around me.
“These came for you,” she said, holding out the flowers.
“Thanks,” I said, giving them a sniff.
“Is she kicking again?” Sienna asked, noticing my hands on my belly.
“Yeah, you want to feel?” I asked.
“Really?”
“Sure.”
Sienna cautiously put her hand on my belly, like I might fall over if she pushed against me too hard.
“Wow,” she said quietly.
Sienna went back to take her spot at the reception desk as I pulled the card from bouquet and opened it. I recognized the handwriting right away. I had seen it hundreds of times in school notebooks and signature lines and ill advised, adolescent graffiti runs.
Had it been anyone else I would have crumpled the note and thrown it and the flowers directly into the garbage without a second thought. Not in this case, though. Kristen and I had a history together and I still had a real soft spot for her.
Even after all that had happened, I still loved her in that way only true friends do. It also didn't hurt that the note was written in the most begging terms the written word was able to get across.
