Page 62 of Undeniably Perfect

Tabitha

“Come on, I’m getting wet,” Jarrod yells as he opens the door.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. I look around. With the rain starting, there’s not a person in sight. If I go inside, I know there is a distinct possibility that I may never come out. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as my shaking legs force me upright.

My phone buzzes with texts from Clark, asking me where I am and what is taking so long. I’ve ignored them all so far. But it’s this last text, one from Kent that gets my heart pounding even harder. Why is Kent texting me? He’s in the middle of a playoff game.

“Coming,” I mumble as I start walking toward the door, my mind going blank as to what else to do.

I haven’t had many moments like this, shit, I can’t even think of a single life-changing moment right now, except accepting Kent’s offer to stay at his place. If I go inside, I may never come back out. I scan the street one last time, looking at my phone. I can feel Jarrod watching me from just inside the door.

I look back up one last time, hoping for a sign, anything. I look at the office building across the street and the pharmacy below it…the pharmacy.

“Oh, shit,” I say, staring at my phone. “Jarrod, I’m sorry. I just need to run across the street to pick up my grandmother’s prescription I had called in for her. I forgot to get it with all the fire stuff going on and if I don’t pick it up in the next hour, they are gonna restock it. I’ll be right back, I promise.”

“Well, hurry it up. I don’t have long,” he grumbles but otherwise doesn’t stop me from running across the street.

I don’t even look both ways as I hurry toward the pharmacy. I open the door and run toward the back. I know they have a bathroom here. I lock myself inside and sit down on the toilet seat.

My phone buzzes again. And I see it’s Lanie.

I answer it.

“Oh, thank god! We activated a Moore Mission for you. Where the hell are you?” she asks.

“Lanie,” I manage before I burst into tears.

“Oh, no. What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Are you OK?”

I take a couple of deep breaths as the adrenaline leaves my body, making me tremble.

“It’s…I’m...”

“Calm down, I’m almost there.”

“Wait? What? What do you mean?”

“Clark saw your Uber app and when you didn’t come back, he texted the family chat. I’m downtown, Kylie’s on her way as is Di and Clark. Oh, and Kent just texted us. He said we need to text his ball boy Jacob when we find you.”

“What in the actual fuck is happening?” I’m beyond confused.

“OK, I see some guy by the door to your building, where are you?”

“Fuck, Lanie, do not go in there. Walk across the street to the pharmacy, right the fuck now!”

“OK,” she answers slowly. “Where are you?”

“The bathroom,” I whisper.

“Why are you whispering?”

I sigh. “I don’t know.”

I moment later, there’s a knock at the door.

“Lanie?”

“Yes?”

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