Page 20 of Pedal to the Metal

The doorbell rang, and Jagger jumped up to get it, “That should be Bowie.” Once Jagger was gone, I took a moment to let the idea of going on a date with Jagger bounce around in my head. Jagger and Bowie said goodbye before they turned and headed for the door. I had no doubt that this was outside his comfort zone and even though I was pretty sure it was a bad idea I couldn’t help but be excited. The doorbell rang again, and I got up to answer it but to my surprise on the other side stood Ryce and my brother Duke.

Ryce looks just like every other rich guy from Santa Monica. A yellow polo shirt with the collar popped up, khaki shorts and flip flops. I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes at how ridiculous he looks. Duke on the other hand has on a pair of jeans, loafers and mint green button up shirt. His honey-colored hair is perfectly spiked, and his hazel eyes are boring into me. We look so similar, yet we are so different.

“What do you two want?” I say crossing my arms over my chest.

They push past me and stand in Farrah’s messy living room. With me sleeping on her couch it’s become a mess of clothes from my suitcase and blankets and pillows on the couch. “We need to talk babe.”

I wave my hand to stop Ryce. “Don’t start calling me babe.”

Duke steps forward, “Were worried about you Londynn. After seeing all of that last night we and our parents think you need to seek further treatment.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Now I needed further treatment because I didn’t want to play the perfect daughter anymore and because I had told the truth. This was ridiculous. Before I can say anything Ryce steps towards me and I step back, “See babe you act like I’m going to hurt you.”

“You did hurt me Ryce!” I yell out unable to control my emotions any longer.

Farrah comes busting out of the bedroom door with her robe on, “What the hell are you two doing here?”

Duke sneers at Farrah, “Trying to fix Londynn.”

“Fix me?” I ask.

“Londynn, do you really want this life? Look around you," he says motioning towards Farrah’s apartment. “This isn’t you; we just want you to get better. Maybe you need some kind of medication.”

“I have medication," I tell him quietly, hating to admit that I even need it. The medication makes me feel weak.

He stuffs his hands in his pockets and shrugs, “Well, maybe you need something different.”

“No, what I need is for all of you to try and understand where I’m coming from!” I say more furiously than I had intended.

“Okay babe calm down” Ryce says holding his hands up in a surrendering motion.

Farrah huffs then yells at them to get the hell out of her apartment. Duke turns on her and they start to go at eachother’s throat. Tears sting my eyes, but I refuse to cry in front of these two. I can’t make out what Duke, Ryce and Farrah are yelling about because all I can hear is my heartbeat. I have to concentrate on my breathing. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s closing in. I do the only thing I know I can. I grab my keys and run for my car.

****

Jagger

I’ve only been at work about an hour when my cell phone starts to ring. Looking down I see Farrah’s name on the screen. Immediately I think it must be Londynn using Farrah’s phone but as soon as I hear the voice on the other end, I know I’m wrong. Farrah is panicked and worried. Apparently, Ryce and Duke tried to do some kind of intervention because they believed that Londynn was acting out with the allergic reaction. Londynn had grabbed her keys and fled. Farrah had thought maybe she had come to me, but I had yet to see her.

By lunchtime there was still no sign of Londynn. I went into Axell’s office, “Can I borrow your car?” I ask him.

He looks up from the paperwork in front of him. “Yeah, everything okay?”

I sigh, “I hope so. It’s Londynn.”

“What do you mean?” Axell asks standing up from behind his desk.

I shrug while running a hand through my hair. “I’m not sure but Farrah just called worried. I told you about their disastrous family dinner?” Axell nods his head. “Okay well apparently Duke and Ryce showed up trying to tell her that she needed help because it’s not normal to act like that. I mean for crying out loud she had an allergic reaction and their all too preoccupied to pull their heads from their asses and see it wasn’t an act.”

Axell approaches me and hands his keys out to me, “Okay, here but please calm down and be careful. Do you think you know where she’d go?”

“No not necessarily but I have a few ideas and if those don’t work out then I’ll check the whole damn city.”

“Okay well, keep me up to date," Axell tells me before I turn and head for his car. Once I’m in his car my first idea is to go to the gym. Maybe, dancing for her is like getting under the hood of a car for me, some sort of therapy. I pull in but don’t see her Audi in the parking lot, but I go in and ask Jayson if she’s made any calls, but she hasn’t.

I check the beach next but see no sign of her and as I’m driving around it dawns on me that I don’t really know her as well as I would like to. I don’t know any of her favorites and I make a mental note to ask next time. I drive past Creed’s house but see no sign of any one home there. My last thought was to check the cemetery thinking maybe she went to visit with the Vivienne lady but that turns out to be a dead end as well.

As I pass Harlyn’s grave I stop, I can’t come here and not speak to her, it just feels wrong to me. “Hey angel, sorry I didn’t bring you any daisies. This wasn’t a planned visit. I could actually use some of that guardian angel help and yes, I know I keep you super busy up there, but this is for Londynn. If you could just give me some kind of idea where she might be I’d appreciate it.” I stand up and take a deep breath, I smell the autumn in the air. There’s that crisp feeling to the breeze. “Come on Londynn, where are you?” I whisper to myself. I extend my hand to rest on Harlyn’s headstone. “I’ll see you in a bit angel. I love you.”

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