Page 5 of One Wild Night
“By doing what?” She held herbreath.
“I drove to the airport and got a flight to NewYork.”
Abi couldn’t believe what she was hearing. New York. That was where she lived. Abi had just come from there last night. “Why did you dothat?”
“I thought that I’d call you when I got there and I could stay with you till I figure thingsout.”
“But I’m here. I’ll comeback.”
“No, no. It getsworse.”
Oh, sweet Lord. Abi closed her eyes remembering how eccentric and spontaneous her friend could be. “How?”
“I changed my mind and left New York. I thought of how much I love Gale and I thought about the mistake he made and the fact that he told me.” Abi heard her pull in a labored breath. “It was ten years ago, and it was one mistake. I was so crushed by it, and I was determined to call off the wedding but I love him too much, and I just want to be withhim.”
Abi sighed with frustration. It was good that her friend could take such a stance and look at the bigger picture, but the whole ordeal was so bizarre. “Okay, so when are you gettinghere?”
“I can’t.” Margo cried in a chokedvoice.
“Why, did you change your mindagain?”
“No. All the flights were hours apart and I wasn’t thinking straight. I thought it would be quicker to get a flight to Utah then take the bus to Arizona and make my way over to San Francisco. But I fell asleep on the bus and, when I woke up, my bag was gone. I was holding it in my lap the whole time. Someone took it while Islept.”
“Shit.” Abi brought her hand up to her mouth, completely startled by what she was hearing. “Did you reportit?”
“I did, but that’s the least of my worries. Everything was in my bag. All my ID, my money, purse, phone, everything. Abi, I’m stuck in Phoenix and I can’t get to you.” Margo broke downagain.
Shit, this was complete crap. What a thing to happen. Abi couldn’t imagine flying backward and forward like that and then taking the bus only to lose her bag witheverything.
“I could send you some money. There must be a money transfer place there.” Abi was trying to remember what the bus station in Phoenix lookedlike.
“I won’t be able to get it withoutID.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” Abi closed her eyes, trying to think hard. “I’ll come and get you.” That seemed like the only viable thing todo.
“Would you dothat?”
“Of course I will. I just have to work out my travel.” Her mind was already working on her route. She would get a flight to Phoenix and a cab to the bus station, pick Margo up, and they could be back by nightfall, or even earlier, depending on how quick she could get aflight.
“Oh, God, Abi, you’re such a goodfriend.”
“You know you can count on me.” They could always count on one another, no matter what. And Abi knew that, if the situation had been reversed, Margo would do the same forher.
“I know. Abi, please don’t say anything to Gale. I don’t want him to feel worse. I know he feels guilty enough as it is. I don’t want him to think that I don’t love him enough to forgive him. Or, that I lefthim.”
That was love. It really was. Again, Abi understood. It was a special thing when you found someone you could love likethat.
“I won’t tell him,” Abi promised. “He’s worried, though, Margo. I have to saysomething.”
“Tell him I lost my phone and I’m a bit delayed, but I’ll be there as quick as I can.” That was a plausible excuse since Margo was an ER nurse and always needed to rush off to the hospital, work late shifts, and do whatever they needed her to do. She’d barely taken time off for the wedding, too, by only taking the bare minimum needed for the wedding itself and two weeks for their honeymoon. “If you see my parents, tell them the same, too. They’d freak out if they knew what happened tome.”
“Okay, let me check my flight details. I’ll call back in aminute.”
“Thanks somuch.”
Abi hung up and went straight to the travel app on her phone. She typed in the quickest route to get to Phoenix but it came up with nothing for the wholeday.
“Dammit!” she cursed, stamping her footdown.
