Page 3 of The Alpha

Lately he’d been getting even more demanding about the whole kissing thing, and still insisted they were an item even though she kept telling him they weren’t. After she really gave him an earful about two and a half weeks ago, she thought that was that. She’d finally be rid of him. Then she got jumped and got an impromptu hairstyle. To make matters worse, Jeffrey came into the shop the next day and was as sweet as can be, even telling her it didn’t look so bad. She should color it a happy color since it was summer and how a happy color would look great with her big blue eyes. So, she did. She colored it yellow. But not because it was a happy color, but because she was pissed off.

“… so we’ll talk more about this in your next session.”

Pari looked at Dr. Merrill and nodded. She had no idea what he’d just said. She’d been too lost in her own thoughts.

“I hope you continue to grow your friendship with your houseguests. I know you’ve been lonely, Pari. But remember, they’re guests, from another country. That means they’ll be returning home.”

She nodded. “I know.”

He left his chair. “Our time is up for today. Same time in two weeks?”

“Yes, that works.” She pulled her leg out from under her and shut her eyes against the prickly sensation of renewed blood flow. She stood, shook her left leg, then limped toward the door.

“Be careful out there,” Dr. Merrill said. “And I still want you to think about asking your uncles to come to a session with you.”

She nodded. “Sure.” Pari opened the door and slipped into the hall. She didn’t look back as she hurried toward the elevators. She was glad Halden and Raina were cooking dinner tonight, as she was always spent after a session with Dr. Merrill. This one wasn’t pleasant, and as usual she fought with herself over what to do when Dr. Merrill challenged her on things.

When she took up whatever challenge he gave her, she always felt better and learned something new about herself. But she also hated how her weaknesses raised their ugly heads. Her vulnerability, her fear of change, herfearperiod. It ruled her, and some days even her meds weren’t enough to help. When she recognized the panic attack Raina was having when she and Halden first showed up at Uncle Al’s shop, she saw herself in that moment and wanted to help her. Maybe by doing so Pari would learn how to help herself.

She entered the subway at the Spring Street station and made her way through the rush hour crowd. She usually window shopped in the high-end stores to kill time until the crowdsthinned, but she had to hurry home to Raina and Halden. For one, she was hungry, and two, she was curious as to what they’d come up with for dinner. She wouldn’t be surprised if they got takeout. Then she remembered neither of them had a phone, so there went that idea. Unless they picked up something and brought it home. Either way it worked for her. Good company and decent food. She liked it, and wished Raina and Halden could stay. But Dr. Merrill was right, they would have to return to Germany at some point. She just wished she knew when that was. Then she could brace herself for the loss.

2

Pari got off at the Franklin Street Station and trudged home, pondering her session with Dr. Merrill. It left her unsettled. She didn’t want to think about what happened a couple of weeks ago. She wanted to go home, have dinner with Raina and Halden and kick back and watch TV.

When she arrived, it was to lopsided smiles and a few guilty giggles from the beautiful blond-haired Raina. She reminded Pari of a princess. “We cheated and bought dinner from the grocery store deli.”

Pari smiled. “I knew you would!” They laughed and sat down to eat. The meal was good, and the three chatted the entire time. This is what Pari wanted. Friends, family. Not that Uncle Al and Uncle Leo weren’t great, they were. But they weren’t… well, Raina and Halden.

But as fun as the meal was, something was off. Raina didn’t seem herself, and when Pari asked her if something was wrong, Raina excused herself from the table and left. When Pari followed to see if she needed anything, she got the first inkling that something dreadful was going to happen. And did. In fact,it was beyond dreadful. Raina, and then Halden, both suffered some sort of seizure and then became paralyzed!

Now here she was, sitting in a hospital emergency room’s waiting area, with no idea what to do with herself. Uncle Leo was there and had gone to get some coffee. All Pari could do was sit and try to keep her legs from bouncing up and down.

She squinted with terror at the doors that led into the patient area. Raina and Halden were back there, both undergoing tests. She’d managed to see them once but got kicked out as she wasn’t a relative. Pari had no idea what was wrong with them and hoped the doctors found something out soon.

“Miss?”

Pari glanced up and saw the nurse that escorted her out of the emergency room and into the waiting area earlier. “Yes?” She got to her feet. “Did the doctors find something?”

“It’s too early for that. I came to tell you to go home. It makes no sense for you to sit here for hours. You can call us later to check on your roommates’ status.”

A remorseful lump formed in her throat as she took in the crowded waiting room. All the seats were taken and there were people having to stand. “Oh, yeah. That does make sense.”

Uncle Leo entered from outside, two cups of coffee in his hands. She waved at him.

“Is that a relative of either patient?” the nurse asked.

“No, he’s my uncle.”

“Ah, okay. Well, the two of you can’t do much good here.” She turned, went back through the emergency room doors and disappeared.

“What’s the news, Pariwink?” Uncle Leo asked.

She swallowed hard before turning to him. “The nurse told me there’s no use sitting here all night.”

“Smart nurse! Here.” He handed her a cup of coffee. “Not sure you’ll want to drink that if you’re going home anyway.”

“I’ll drink it. Are we taking the subway?”

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