Page 42 of Phoenix Rising

11

BECKY

Lucinda slammed the door behind her, cutting off Becky's next words. The jazz music filled the air, making everything feel too happy when she felt so empty. The warmth and coziness of the house that had once felt like a haven now seemed stifling and foreign. Her mind reeled from the chaos of emotions, and the sudden shift from euphoria to despair was almost too much to handle. What the fuck just happened? They had a great night and a fantastic morning, hadn't they?

Becky collapsed on the couch, noticing how tidy the coffee table was. Lucinda probably picked it up. Her heart clenched as her phone buzzed beside her.

She grabbed at it, hoping for there to be a text from Lucinda explaining what had just happened, but it was her dad.

Dad: Sorry I walked in on you and your...

Dad: Lucinda.

Becky: It's okay. Just let me know b4 you come over next time.

Dad: B4?

Becky: Say it out loud.

Dad: Oh!

Dad: LOL

Becky scoffed as she rubbed her temples, trying to ease the stress headache away. Becky didn't understand Lucinda's hot-and-cold attitude. One moment, she was yearning for Becky's attention, and the next Lucinda was trying to get as far away from Becky as she could.

Why couldn't Lucinda just talk to her?

Becky dialed Josephine’s number and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Dr. Josephine Mars," Josephine said in her professional voice.

"Hey, it's Becky."

Josephine laughed, her tone shifting to something more casual. "Oh sorry, I didn't check who was calling. What's up?"

"You free for coffee or lunch?"

A few hours later, Becky was sitting across from Josephine at a sandwich shop close to the hospital.

"So, what's the big emergency?" Josephine tore into her BLT like she hadn't eaten in days.

Becky toyed with a fry on her plate, not sure where to start. "Ya know, Lucinda and I have been...seeing each other?"

Josephine hid her smile behind her sandwich, "Fucking each other every chance you get? Yeah, I had some idea.”

Becky sighed. She didn't have the patience today. "Focus, Josephine. This isn’t about sex.”

"Sorry, sorry. I'm listening. What happened?"

Becky told her everything that had happened between her and Lucinda. The meetings, the incredible sex, and the small moments they shared. How they agreed to take things slow. Then, she shared what happened that morning.

“Everything was going well,” Becky said, her voice trembling slightly as she continued. “We had such a great night, and this morning felt perfect. We were cooking breakfast together, and then my dad just showed up.”

Josephine’s expression shifted to one of concern. “And that’s when everything fell apart?”

“Exactly,” Becky confirmed. “Lucinda seemed fine at first, but when Dad came in, she just...panicked. She left without a word, and now I don’t understand what went wrong.”

Josephine considered this for a moment then leaned forward. “It sounds like there’s more going on with Lucinda than just your dad’s unexpected visit. She might be struggling with something deeper, something that she might not be ready to share yet."

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