Suddenly, There was Kai

Chapter 26

"I am here visiting from Boston."

"With no luggage?"

"Well this is an emergency trip. I sort of had to drop what I was doing and get here as soon as I could."

"Nothing too serious I hope?" She honked her horn again swerving around several cars.

I sucked in a breath gripping onto the handle hanging from the door. "Nothing life-threatening, no, but important all the same."

"Okay, good! So what do you do back in Boston?"

"I work for a public relations firm. We help people advertise their organizations and events as well as get them out into the community and things like that."

She mashed the gas pedal causing the little red sedan to plow ahead. "Sounds like a good time."

"It can be. In fact I am flying to Miami tomorrow." I suddenly have a brief panic attack. What was I thinking? I need to be in Florida tomorrow! I lift my phone into view only to see that I have ten voicemails and about 50 text messages. There were even several missed calls from my dad.

"Florida?" She called to me but dropped the subject when she noticed how engrossed in my phone I had become.

"Uh, yeah." I responded half mindedly as I read through the barrage of texts from Janet mixed with threats from Greg.

The phone rings suddenly and I see its Greg calling me and I don't want to answer the phone. I watch as the screen blanks out, returning to the previous one and I let out a breath I didn't even realize that I'd been holding. I continued typing out my response to Janet while my mind worked in the background to come up with something to explain myself to Greg. No matter how I looked at it though, I was going to end up getting scolded.

The screen blinks back to the incoming call screen. Greg.

I tap the "accept" button and brace myself. "Hello?"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" He yells into the phone causing me to yank it away from my ear. I look up to see the driver eyeing me in the rear mirror; I can tell she is frowning.

"I'm fine! How are you?" I say smiling nervously, my voice shaking a bit.

"Don't you play innocent with me young lady. What is going on? I got this weird phone call from Janet of all people and then I can't get in touch with you for three hours! You are going to have to call your dad, by the way, because I called him thinking there was a problem."

The phone rings again asking me to connect with face time. I hit the accept button. "Okay, I will call him." I say as Greg's face appears on my screen.

"Where are you? Are you driving?"

"Um, you see, what happened was I, uh..."

"Um, what?"

"I am in Chicago." I squeeze my eyes shut as if he could jump through the phone.

"What? Are you serious? Why are you in Chicago?" His eyes went wide as realization hit him over the head. "Woman, are you insane?"

"Don't hurt me!" I proceed to recap the phone message from earlier.

He leans his head forward covering his face with his free hand. "That's it, you are both insane. So are you not going to Miami?"

"Yes. Successful or not, I will make sure that I am back in time for my flight out. Would you be able to bring my bag to the airport and get my car?"

He let out a deep sigh. "Sure, anything else you need my dear?"

I give him my best smile. "No my love. Just know that I appreciate you, and if you can keep this between us, I would love you more."

"You must have known what I was about to say next." He said as he propped up his chin with his free hand.

"No. What?"

"Ian?"

Now it is my turn to sigh. "I will cross that bridge when I get to it." I say as I look out the window at the passing cars. "I had to do this. I have to know."

"I know you do. It's just," He sighed again. "Just call me later, ok?"

My eyes met his. "Yes."

He nods in satisfaction. "Love you."

"Love you too. Oh, Greg? Sorry if I ruined your date."

"You can make it up to me later. I am just relieved that you are safe."

"Physically, yes. However, the jury is still out on the mental part." I say with a self-depreciating chuckle.

"Talk to you later."

I nod and the screen goes blank.

"Wonderful friend you got yourself there." The driver said after several seconds had gone by.

"Yeah, I have been telling him that a lot these days."

"And for the record, you are just a wee, bit, nuts; but in your case, I understand. Can't help whom you love. We have about 15 more minutes, but I will see if we can do it in ten."

I swallow hard as I pick up the phone to call my dad, for obvious reasons.