AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know, but Elizabeth predicted the bridge collapse.”
“So, what are you saying? She’s got a gift, too?” he asked drily.
“Maybe.” Ravinia lifted her chin. “Maybe Elizabeth can see the future, sort of like my sister Cassandra . . .”
“Good, then she can see us looking for her. Maybe she can even help out. Send us a signal.”
Ravinia heaved a deep sigh and looked through the windshield as if she found him too, too dense. “I’ll go with you to the apartments.”
“No, I’ll take you over to the school later. Anyway, I’ve got a lot of other things to do.”
“What other things?”
“Other jobs. People other than you. I’m driving to the office tomorrow, so I’ll take you back to Santa Monica.”
“I’m not going back.” She looked affronted. “The trail to Elizabeth is here.”
“I should’ve had you sign the contract when you were in the office.”
“Well, bring it on. You want a retainer? I’ve got money.”
“So you’ve said.”
“Fine.” With that, Ravinia reached down for her backpack and started digging through it.
“Stop. We’ll take care of it later tonight.” When she set the pack back down, he said, “I take it you plan on staying another night.”
“I can find another place to sleep,” she said with a sniff.
At that moment, a deluge of rain poured over the car, sheeting the windshield so thick it ran like honey. Rex threw the wipers on full blast. “You might want to rethink that,” he pointed out.
Though she looked like she wanted to make some retort, she wisely kept her mouth shut.
Elizabeth dropped Chloe off at school and drove to Fitness Now! She sat in the parking lot for several minutes, flexing her hands on the steering wheel. She’d dressed in workout gear, but her main reason for heading to the gym was to cancel her membership. It was all fine and good that her friends wanted her to stay, but she could sense a tsunami of financial problems rushing toward her and if she didn’t start swimming now, she was going to be battered, beaten, and drowned in debt.
She found herself surreptitiously looking around the parking lot for a sign of GoodGuy’s convertible and caught herself up. Let it go. It doesn’t do you any good to dwell on it. It’s over. There’s no reason to tap into negative feelings.
Pulling out the combination lock she kept in the glove box, she hurried inside against a persistent, cold rain, then made her way to the women’s dressing rooms. Grabbing the first available locker, she placed her purse and jacket inside, then spun the lock’s dial to erase any sign of the combination numbers and headed into the main fitness area with its treadmills, ellipticals and various other workout equipment.
She chose a treadmill in front of a television that was tuned to an all-day news channel, which was fine with her. She’d barely gotten started when Vivian, whom she’d called to tell that she was heading to the fitness center, appeared wearing a dark orange tank top and black Lululemon pants. She waved at Elizabeth then grabbed the treadmill next to her, which was just being vacated by a man sweating from head to toe.
“So glad you changed your mind about the membership. We should start up yoga classes again,” Vivian said as she grabbed a towel and sprayed it with disinfectant from a bottle kept near the machines. “Ugh. Some guys can sure sweat!” She started the treadmill and began jogging. “It’s sick the way they never wipe down the equipment after they use it.”
Elizabeth was starting to sweat as she’d set a fast, uphill pace. “I’m probably still going to give it up,” she answered, puffing a little. “My membership, I mean. I came in to do just that, but I wanted to work out at least once more. I don’t know. Everything just feels so uncertain.”
“You’re coming to the grief counseling group tonight, right?” Vivian asked.
“Yeah . . .” Elizabeth kind of wanted to get out of it. She just wasn’t sure how.
Vivian started out slowly on the treadmill. “It’ll be good. You’ll see. Everybody feels uncertain, but we’re all coping in our way. Some better than others. You know that’s how I met Nadia. I’m not supposed to talk about other people’s problems, but since you know her, and about the miscarriages, I don’t think I’m really breaking the news. Anyway, that’s how we became friends. Everybody in the group is good people.”
“I don’t open up well,” Elizabeth said, breathing hard. She could feel the exercise in her calves and chest and she almost wanted to crank up the speed some more. It felt good to burn through all the anxiety and worry.
“That’s okay. You can listen. Most of us do at first. Bring Chloe over and we can go together.”
“I can get a babysitter.”
“But why? I’m sorry Lissa made that awful comment to Chloe, but they have fun together.”
