Page 11 of The Secret's Out

Chapter Four

Josie

My heart was in my throat. It was how I woke nearly every morning, with a sweaty, trembling body and my heart fighting its way out of my chest. Night terrors weren’t a blast. They were exhausting and terrifying. I had hoped over the last four years, since I was saved from David, the night terrors would eventually fade. They hadn’t.

What helped them stay, my guess, was because I was weak.

It was also the fact that my life was upside down once again.

“Josie, time to get your cute butt moving,” Simone yelled from the hall. She would be walking past so she could get to the bathroom first, which was why I started taking showers at night; she took too long in the bathroom, making us both late.

Even though I had just woken with fright filling my veins, I smiled.

I smiled because Simone could do that to a person. That smile may not reach my eyes, but it helped me get out of bed each morning. It also helped me continue on each day to reach the goals I wanted to.

Climbing out of bed, I donned a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. It was big, but warm on the colder days in winter times. Packing my bag, my mind drifted to my family in Ballarat. I wondered what they were all doing. Would Zara already be up with her twins who were turning three in a couple of months? Would Julian and Mattie’s plans for their wedding be all organised?

My thoughts even glided to Deanna, or Hell Mouth as most called her. It was only just over a year ago she had her baby boy, Nicholas. Zara had emailed me a video recorded by Dodge. I’d lost count of the amount of times I’d watched it. Still, every time had me laughing and smiling and then wishing I was home.

“Are you recording?” Zara asked, smiling into the camera.

“Is the fuckin’ light flashing red, Wildcat?” Dodge growled.

“Yes.”

“Then it’s recording.”

“Awesome.” Zara smiled and started walking down a hall. “Hey, Josie, I wish you were here today. We miss you so much. However, seems you’re working hard studying, I thought I’d share this special day with you this way.” She stopped, faced the camera, and clapped with glee. “Guess what, Deanna is having her baby right now.” She turned and then rounded the corner. The camera adjusted to zoom in on Deanna standing at the bar, one hand supporting herself on the wooden top while her body bent forward as she breathed hard.

Her head turned toward the camera, her eyes widening. “What in the fuck are you doing?”

“I’ve got Dodge to film it for Josie,” Zara said.

“Are you fucking high?” Deanna bellowed and then all thoughts flew from her mind when a contraction started. She moaned in pain. Griz stepped up behind her to rub her back.

“We need to get to the hospital,” he growled.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Deanna chanted. Her head turned to a smiling Zara and glared. “How in the fuck did you do this twice? You’re fucking crazy to want to go through it again. Crazy, stupid w-w-woman. Jesus,” she screamed. Zara wasn’t crazy. She was the nicest person I knew and I was so proud to call her my sister. What she was doing for Julian and our brother, Mattie, was amazing. Willing to give them a gift of having their own child...My sister was wonderful.

“Car’s ready. Let’s roll,” I heard Talon’s voice coming from somewhere off camera.

“This is where I hand it over to you, boss. I ain’t coming to the hospital,” Dodge said from behind the camera as it filmed Griz helping Deanna walk toward the hall to the front door.

“You promised my woman to do it, you’re fuckin’ doin’ it,” Talon ordered.

“Fuck,” Dodge snapped.

“What in the fuck are you looking at?” Deanna yelled at someone off camera. Only then her hand whipped out taking hold of some material.

“Princess, let Dive go.”

“You all should be in pain if I am,” Deanna yelled to the room. “You all need to suffer.”

“Believe me, we are,” Dodge uttered. Deanna turned to him. “Shit,” he hissed.

“Deanna, we’re gettin’ to the motherfuckin’ hospital before you pop our kid out here on the floor. Now move.”

“It isn’t the cleanest place,” Zara offered.

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