Page 48 of Up All Night
As I dare myself to turn my phone on, I brace for impact.A couple of my clients have called me, and a couple of potential new ones that have seen my listings, and there are a dozen messages from my sister, ditto for Stone.But the one message that helps to ground me is the one from Lucy.
"Lark, I know you're hurting.I don't know why you're hurting, but what I can tell you is that if it's anything to do with Stone, you've got nothing to worry about.I know that you two have been together.And I'm okay with that.I don't know where you ever got the idea that it wouldn't be okay.Actually, I think I do, but it doesn't matter now.Your job is secure and Charles and I and the rest of the team just want to have you back, but take what time you need.I'll take care of what I can with your clients from here.Call me if you need me."
Her voice is soft and serene, motherly.
Then I listen to Liv's, and while half of them are her in hysterics, the other half are her, professing her undying love for me.Moving on to Stone's messages.While they're brief, they're poignant.Most of them just say that he's thinking about me and he hopes that I'm okay.Lucy is helping him close escrow on his house in my absence, but there's no rush.Call whenever I feel like talking.He'll be there for me.It doesn't matter what is bothering me.If only he knew.
I hear the balcony door open.As I turn around, I see Bowie, fully dressed.Her face is set and she approaches me almost delicately."Izzy just spoke with Rush."
"Yeah?Did she tell him that she's pregnant?"
"No.Not yet.But she couldn't talk him out of flying out here to see her.He's painfully worried about her."
"I can imagine.Did they find out who was responsible for screwing up that meeting?"
"Not yet.They're tracing the license plate back to the owner, but the person is completely irrelevant.The boys have hired a private investigator to follow him around and see if he leads them to anyone."
"That's what I would have done."
She places her hand on mine."Lark, how come you didn't tell us that you know Stone?"
My eyes go to the floor."Shit."
She waits.
"I knew it would only be a matter of time before you found out."
"Are you hiding out here?"
I nod reluctantly."You could say that."
"Why?"
My eyes fill with tears.I have no more fight in me.I haven't cried yet and my soul needs to so badly.I swallow and the tears fall."Because I'm pregnant with his child."
God bless her.She pulls me close and places her hand on my head, so that it rests on her shoulder.I cry real tears.Ugly tears.Tears from far off places that I haven't thought about or felt since Steve, since all that hurt stole any real feelings I could have for another man, or for a child.I'm whimpering, wetting her shoulder, blubbering and snotting all over her shoulder, until I feel Izzy come and join us.Izzy has no idea why I'm crying, but I guess, being pregnant and all, it's contagious.
"Why are you crying?"Bowie asks Izzy, fighting back her own tears, somewhat laughing.
"I don't know."Izzy blubbers."But I'm pregnant, and I don't give a shit."She addresses me."Why are you crying?"
"Because I'm fucking pregnant, too."
Izzy snuffles a laugh, as we continue blubbering.I have never experienced such unbridled emotion from friends I've just met.It gives me hope.It brings me comfort.It also makes me believe that whatever trials I'm going through, that if nobody else will, the women around me will support me.I should already know this, on account of my dear twin sister, but the things that I thought, the way my brain has been rewired since the ugliness happened with Steve, led me there.And now these girls are leading me back.Back to a place where I'm safe, where I can make my own choices based on what's going to work for me, and no matter what, I will be accepted.
Bowie pulls back after both Izzy and I take cleansing breaths."Well, girls, in light of all the chaos going on back home, my husband has asked for me to return to him, and your fiancé has, too."Bowie points at Izzy."They're coming by jet, and they'll be here in a couple of hours."
Izzy is shocked."Wait, Rush is coming?To Paris?"
"Yes.Jagger and Rush are on their way.They don't feel like we're safe flying home alone, since all this unknown trouble is among us.We can do this again once we figure out what's going on and the dust settles."
Izzy looks at me."What about you?Do you want to come home with us?"
"No.I'm going to stay.I've still got some thinking to do."
Bowie's face is warm, motherly."Are you sure?I feel awful leaving you here."
I nod."No.It's best that I stay here for at least a couple more days.I have an open flight, so I can go home whenever I want."
