Page 123 of The Unraveling

“Do you have to puke?”

I shake my head again. I guess I just wanted to go to the bathroom to regroup. To figure out what’s wrong. Why I’m so trashed.

“Do you want to go home?” she asks.

My body relaxes a little. Okay. She’s not a terrible friend.

I nod. “Please.”

“Okay, let’s go home,” she says.

Somehow, she gets me outside. I keep my whirling eyes out for Jane and Artie but don’t see them again.

We get in the car and I say, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” over and over again.

“It’s okay, baby! What are friends for?” Then to the driver, “Take us to Ivory Towers, please.”

She gives the cross streets and as she does, I feel my eyebrows furrow in confusion. How did she know that’s where the apartment was?

I start to ask but can’t muster the energy.

I feel my eyes shut. I struggle to keep them open and feel them cross.

This feels fucking awful. So, so, so fucking awful.

It may be an hour later, it may be five minutes, but the car comes to a halt and I feel myself jerk forward and my eyes shoot open like a baby doll’s.

We get out of the car and the cold air hits me and makes me feel briefly better.

“Wait, my phone, my—I don’t know where my phone is,” I say, looking around me.

“I have it, come on, it’s okay, come on.”

She pulls me in toward the front door, and I say again, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she says, but I sense a hint of irritation that only makes me feel guiltier.

When the door opens, the gust of hot air that usually makes me feel welcome and soothed from the cold makes me suddenly sweaty and nauseous.

“Penthouse?” she asks.

I nod, and then wonder again how she knew where the apartment was. “How did you know—” I start.

“I just assumed; it’s the Cavendishes, after all,” she says.

“No, no. I mean how did you know where the apartment was?”

“I didn’t, you told the driver where to go.”

“No, I didn’t,” I say, confused.

“Yes, you did, come on, you’re sick, let’s just get you upstairs.”

We get in the elevator, and the movement makes me feel even sicker.

“I’m gonna throw up,” I say.

“Just try to wait until we’re up there, we’re so close.”

---