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“Why was she there at all? I thought you said she wasn’t allowed to visit.”
“I didn’t know if she was or not. She just showed up yesterday. I told her she could stay the night and then she’d go straight back.”
I covered my face with a hand. “Ma, she never goes back when you tell her to.”
“I thought maybe this time…” The heartache in her words sent my anxiety spiking through the roof.
“I’ll call around. I bet she’s at one of the usual spots.”
“Or maybe she went back.”
I swallowed hard. “Sure, Mom, maybe she went back.” In the back of my mind, I was already scrambling for the list of places I’d called last time.
“Will you call me? When you find her?”
“Of course.” I hate that my voice is rough, angry. I’m not angry with her, not really. I’m angry at the whole situation.
“Goodbye, Brady. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I said softly, listening to the line going dead. For good measure, I hit the end button with my thumb before slamming my hands down on the steering wheel.
I was still cursing when I entered my office, letting my bag fall to the floor as I begin to ruffle through the papers on my desk. Reaching into a personal folder, I yanked out the excel sheet I’d made six months ago. I was glad I hadn’t thrown it away, but at the same time, just holding the paper made my body vibrate with repressed frustration.
Opening my phone, I began to type. Calling one place after the other, after the other. Finally I got to one in particular that I never wanted to see again.
Dialing the number, it only rang once before it went live. “Ruby’s Diner. What can I do for you?”
“Hi, Ruby.” I tried to swallow, but it stuck in my throat. “Is my sister there?”
The line buzzed with static. “She got here a few hours ago.”
“Thank God,” I said, rubbing my forehead as I hunched over the desk. The ink swam in front my eyes, suddenly inconsequential to what my family would have faced.
“She looked a bit rough when she came in, so I sat her down with some pancakes. But now she’s not leaving.” Ruby’s voice was cheerful, almost happy in my ear. And while I knew the women meant well, there was immediately anxiety associated with this entire conversation.
And I wanted to tell her that pancakes or any assortment of carbohydrates wouldn’t cure what my sister had. “I’ll come get her.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. She’s pretty flighty. Why don’t you just send me the address, and I’ll load her into an Uber or something.”
“It’s a pretty long drive. I’ll send a car service. Do you think she’d get in?” If anybody would know, it was Ruby. Ruby and my sisters had been friends for years. Even before she and I had partied our way through our early twenties.
Ruby thought it over. “Yeah, I bet I can get her in one. How fast can they get here?”
“As soon as I hang up, I’ll send one. So within the half hour.”
“Okay. You better hurry.”
“I know.” I breathed out heavily. “And Ruby? You’re a lifesaver.”
“Not really. Just an old friend. Whatever this is, don’t beat yourself up all day, okay? She’s her own person, making her own decisions.” She hesitated. “Just like she was back then.”
“I know. I just want her safe.”
“And she will be. Send that car. And some money for those pancakes. I’m running a business here,” Ruby teased.
I chuckled, but the sound got caught in my throat. I cleared it. “Cheapskate.”
“You know it.”
