Chapter One
KAIA
“Hello, is this Kaia Rhodes?”a gravely, masculine voice asked on the other end of the phone. It was a number I didn’t recognize, and I furrowed my brows in confusion.
“Yes, this is her. Can I ask who’s calling, please?”
“This is Ray from the Medical West Emergency Department. We’re calling about Charlie Rhodes.”
Instantly, my lunch from earlier threatened to reappear. Hearing someone say those words was never a good sign. I steadied myself and tried to take a breath. I shouldn’t always expect the worst.
“My dad? What happened? Is he okay?”
I looked over to Drea who had just returned from the back of the store with her girlfriend, Blair. I gave them both a small smile and returned to the man on the phone.
“One of his neighbors called. They saw him falling outside in his yard. He had a heart attack…”
The rest of his words faded into a loud hum. I was waiting for him to tell me he was okay, that he was asking for me. But he hadn’t yet.
“A heart attack? Is he okay?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as I reached for my bag under the counter.
The long pause on the other end of the line stopped me just before I reached the door. “I’m sorry, ma’am, he passed away.”
The phone dropped from my hand and crashed to the floor. All I could do was stand there blinking. I didn’t believe it. I didn’twantto believe it was true. Eventually, my brain started to catch up, and tears poured down my cheeks.
I dropped to the floor and covered my face, hoping that once I got up, it would all be a nightmare.
An arm wrapped around my shoulder in a soft embrace and I knew who it was without having to look.
The way that touch warmed my entire body.
The way it quieted down the noise going on in my head.
The way she drew idle circles on my shoulder.
I opened my eyes to see a confused Daisy looking at me with her soft green eyes, bringing her hands up to sign. “Doodle, what’s going on? What happened?”
It was moments like this when I was thankful I didn’t have to speak. I didn’t think I would’ve been able to if I tried. “My dad. He had another heart attack. He… he’s gone,” I replied.
Her mouth opened in shock and she wrapped me in her arms, forcing more tears to spill. She held me like that for the longest time, and I let her, feeling the love and comfort of my best friend wash over me.
My mind was running restless with thoughts of what to do next and how to proceed. I had to take care of funeral arrangements and his house and insurance and all kinds of other things I had no clue about.
Finally, after what felt like hours, I let Daisy help me stand. I needed to get back to work. I couldn’t disappoint Drea.
“I’m fine,”I said, smiling at Daisy. I cleared my throat and turned to Drea to relay what had just happened. “Uh, my dad. He passed away. He had another heart attack. Give me five minutes to clean up, and I’ll be good as new.” There would be time for grieving later.
Drea gave me a look and shook her head. “Don’t even think about it. You are clocking out and going home. I’ve got it handled?—”
“We’vegot it handled, babe,” Blair interrupted with an elbow to Drea’s side.
“Right. We’ve got it handled, Kaia. Go home.” Her voice was stern. Authoritative. And even though we were partners, she was still older than me and I respected her. It was still hard sometimes, shifting from former employee to business partner.
Going home was the last thing I wanted to do. That was the last place I could be. How could I walk through that front door and not see his jolly face sitting in his favorite chair? Where the only living parent I had had left the house and never came back?
“Home. I can’t go home. Oh my God, what am I going to do?!” Ispoke and signed at the same time so Daisy could be included in the conversation.
Daisy tapped me on the shoulder and I turned my head to her. “You can come home with me. We’ll get some stuff and you can stay with me for a while until you get things figured out.”
