Page 64 of Once Bitten

Chapter Twenty Four

Present day

“Kara!” I ran after her, but the foyer was so busy. I ducked between the crowds of people, ignoring Heather and Madeleine’s confused looks and calls out to me. I had to get to her before she got lost in the crowd.

I ran past the doorman and out the front entrance, catching a glimpse of her blue dress billowing in the wind outside on the curb.

“Kara!”

And then she was gone. I scanned the groups of twos and threes waiting outside for friends or a cab.

“Philippe!” I turned to the doorman, “Did you see where Ms Sinclair went? Did she get into a car?”

“Yes, Monsieur O’Reilly, she only just got into a taxi, they just left when you came out here.”

“Where did she go, did she say where she wanted to go?” I asked impatiently, where would she go? I asked myself.

“No, monsieur, I am sorry, she just got into the taxi, I imagine she just told him what she wanted.”

Dammit. “Well, did you see what direction they went to?”

“Well. Oui, monsieur, but all cars go that way leaving the Four Seasons. I am sorry. Can we help some way?”

“Can you turn back time?” Take me back 5 minutes, or one year, hell take me all the way back to 25 years ago, I would’ve told her I loved when we were 10 and spared us all this pain.

“I’m sorry?”

“No, I’m sorry, it’s nothing. Thank you for your help, Philippe.”

I stared off in the direction the cars were driving, and wondered which one she was sitting in. Hating me again.

I shuffled back into the foyer towards Heather and Madeleine.

“What was that? Where’s Kara?” Heather asked.

“Just, nothing, don’t worry about it. She had to go somewhere.”

I turned to my wife, “What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d come and visit my parents and then pop over here to surprise you as well! I called Heather and she wanted to come and see Kara as well. Are you surprised?”

“Yes. Very.” I answered honestly, “Heather, have you got a room?”

“No, not yet.”

“Ok, let me go sort that out, be right back.”

I needed an excuse to be by myself for a moment, some time to sort out what I needed to do about Kara. I had to calm myself at the thought that I may have fucked up so bad, that there really was no coming back from this one.

***

“Ok, so now we’re alone, what just happened downstairs?” Heather asked as she sat on my bed. Madeleine had left to settle into her bedroom.

“Why, god, WHY did you not tell me you and Madeleine were coming here?”

“It was a surprise. You do it all the time. I don’t get it, why does it matter?”

I just stared back at her. How could my own twin be so dense?