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Zoe quickly got to her feet. Something was wrong. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Hannah said but glanced over her shoulder again while she fumbled with her purse. She took out several notes and threw them on the table. “Our share, thanks guys!” She grabbed Zoe’s hand.
“Hannah, what’s wrong?” Zoe asked, stunned at the transformation in her sister.
Minutes ago she’d been relaxed, laughing, enjoying the evening. Now she was pale and clearly nervous. Something must have spooked her.
“We have to get back to the hotel as soon as possible. I’ll explain when we get there.”
The place was packed, new customers were still entering, and they struggled to keep together as they moved towards the entrance. Someone shoved from behind, and Zoe got separated from Hannah.
“I’ll wait for you outside,” she called out to Hannah, who just nodded while she kept glancing around her.
Zoe pushed through the people until she was finally outside on the sidewalk. She looked behind her for Hannah but couldn’t see her sister. She walked backwards, lifting herself on her toes to see where Hannah was.
Finally she saw Hannah’s face in the crowd and she waved. Hannah, clearly relieved, began moving in her direction. Zoe turned around, looking for a place where she could wait for her sister.
She bumped into someone and turned to apologize, but before she could complete her movement, there was a hand on her back that gave her a forceful push. Gasping, arms flailing, she was propelled forward and fell on her hands and knees among the milling crowd of people. She tried to get up, but someone pushed her again so that she fell on to her side. Then, from behind her, someone gave her a vicious kick and she cried out.
For the first time, people noticed what had happened and moved to form a circle around her. Hannah came barging through the circle and knelt next to Zoe, tears running down her cheeks.
“I’m fine.” Zoe winced and sat up. “I’d just like to know who the idiot was who pushed and kicked me—”
Hannah inhaled sharply and glanced around them. “Can you stand up? We have to get to the hotel as soon as possible.” She pulled at Zoe to help her up.
“Out of the way, please,” someone with a loud voice ordered the crowd, and the security guard from the hotel and two others stepped through the line.
“How did you know where we were?” Hannah asked.
“Mr. Cavallo told us to make certain you’re safe at all times. We followed you here,” the guy said solemnly. “I saw that you didn’t go to your rooms but left through the kitchen.”
They helped Zoe up and, flanking both her and her sister, moved quickly towards a vehicle that was parked on the sidewalk.
As they drove the one block towards the hotel, reaction set in and Zoe started shivering. Her hands and knees were burning from the fall, and she was deeply sore where the kick had landed.
Hannah folded her arms around her. “I’m so, so sorry. I should have known, but I didn’t expect—It was because you were with me that you were harmed.” She sniffled and held on tightly.
“Hannah, what on earth are you going on about?” Zoe asked and pulled out of her sister’s arms.
Hannah wiped her cheeks. “What happened back there? That was no accident, Zoe. You were mistaken for me. I thought I saw him. That’s why you were shoved and kicked. He thought it was me.”
“He? Who are we talking about? What—” But the car had stopped in front of the hotel and their doors were opened. As Zoe climbed out of the car, someone pushed a wheelchair closer.
She shook her head. “I’m fine. Really. I can walk—” But they ignored her and helped her into the wheelchair.
Hannah came closer and picked up Zoe’s hands to inspect them. “Look at your hands,” she whispered and sniffled. “Where else are you hurt?”
“I was kicked,” Zoe said and touched her back. “Ouch,” she exclaimed as a spasm of pain hit her.
Hannah sniffled, hugging her gently. “They’re going to take you to your room and a doctor will have a look at you,” she said gently. “I’m going to have a word with the security people.”
“What is going on, Hannah?” Zoe asked anxiously. Obviously something was very wrong.
“It’s a long story. I’m just so sorry you had to be caught up in the mess. Let me try and sort this out, then I’ll talk to all of you.”
Zoe hugged her, felt her sister trembling. “I’ll come with you, I’m really fine.”
But Hannah moved away, shaking her head. “Let a doctor have a look, please? I’ll come when I’m done here.”
As she was wheeled into the hotel, Zoe closed her eyes. What on earth was going on in Hannah’s life? She was seriously worried about her sister.
Ouch, her hands and knees were burning fiercely now, the pain at her back was throbbing, and she felt like crying. She wished Dale were here. As the thought popped into her head, she blinked and opened her eyes wide. Dale had his fling with her. It was over. Somehow she had to learn to accept that.
