Page 100 of Breaking Emily's Rules
“No, it’s Dylan. He broke his ankle and they took him into surgery!”
“Oh, no, did it happen on the job?”
“Emily, are you listening to me? They’re taking him into surgery. Surgery! What if he never wakes up again?”
Sounded like maybe Molly had been beaten with the truth stick. She still loved Dylan, which didn’t surprise me. I’d figured it was only a matter of time before Molly realized it.
“Breathe.”
“Iambreathing. Will you tell me what to do? Please? How can I fix this?”
I sighed. “You can’t.”
“Fine, if you won’t tell me what to do, just say so.”
“Thereisnothing you can do, but be there for him. Sometimes bad stuff happens, Molly. You just can’t fix it. It isn’t anyone’s fault. I’m sure it’s not your fault he’s hurt. Please tell me it’s not your fault.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Molly had been known to lose her temper a time or two, but she’d never purposely hurt anyone.
“He fell out of a tree, the dummy.”
“You were there?”
“Watching Sierra. He was outside doing yard work with his chainsaw. You know, ‘I’m a man! I can make fire and operate hazardous machinery!’ And then he fell.”
I squelched a laugh. Probably the big lug had been trying to impress Molly, as he’d been doing as long as I had known him. “He’ll be all right, Molly.”
“But what if he’s not? What am I supposed to do then?”
I could spend several minutes assuring Molly that Dylan had a 99.9 percent chance of being just fine. He was young and strong. But there was something else Molly should know.
“No matter what, you’ll be okay. You’re strong. And you have Sierra.”
“When he gets out of surgery, I’m going to take care of him and Sierra both. If he’ll let me.” Molly sniffled on the other end of the phone.
“You still can’t control everything.”
“But you always said if I just planned better—”
“I was wrong, okay? You can’t plan some things. They just happen. Some things in life are left up to chance.”
Like falling in love.
Even when you had rules to control everything.
Like crazy stupid love.
Rachel was right. I probably should make origami with my list for all the good it had done me. I was madly in love with Stone Mcallister, and there was no way it could end well.
* * *
Later that night,the gathering of the Pink Ladies included a soon-to-be licensed pilot named Emily Parker. Me.
“This calls for a drink!” Luanne said. “I’ll mix up some of George’s Po’man margaritas.”
“I’m sorry, Emily, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but I still think you’re dependable. Reliable.” Marjory patted my hand. “Sorry if that’s boring.”
“It’s not.” This whole embracing my inner wild woman felt like walking around in shoes that were a size too large. “I don’t mind being reliable. It turns out I don’t do wild.”
