Page 40 of Daddy's Double Surprise

A knife plunged into my chest. I closed my eyes and breathed out, “GenOne Pharmaceuticals,” as I let my head hang in shame.

“But that’s who made the drug that killed Kira.” There was a slight whimper in her tone, and I massaged the bridge of my nose in an anxious habit.

“Yes,” I said plainly.

“And you own it? And you knew this and you didn’t tell me?” I heard the rise of her emotion even before she started crying again.

“Please, Sunny.” I stood, reached for her, but she stepped into the hallway. Her lip was quivering, chest still heaving and she shook her head, backing away from me.

“I’m so glad you kept secrets from me,” she blurted out in pain. “Because I’ve got secrets too.”

“What? What do you mean? Sunny, come back here.”

I took a few steps into the hallway, but she turned and stomped toward the back exit, vanishing into the parking lot as the door slammed shut. None of this was supposed to happen. I was supposed to be with her. We were made for each other, and my secret kept ruining that.

And I was so angry with Rick for interfering, but I was angrier at myself for failing. I had no one to blame but myself.

27

SUNNY

Iwas so distraught when I rushed out of the clinic, I wasn’t thinking straight. I couldn’t go home, not to face my father and his smugI told you so, which I knew he would throw in my face. And I had no desire to be in public with this mental breakdown. The only place I could think to go was the women’s shelter where Freya had been staying since she decided to break ties with her abusive ex.

The Uber met me right where I told him, two blocks from the clinic near a shady corner where a bench kept me company while I cried. The driver gave me a tissue from his glove box that was actually a brown paper napkin from one of any number of fast-food restaurants. And it was just as scratchy and irritating to my raw nose as the tissues with lotion Mom bought for me.

Thankfully the driver said nothing, not even so much as a comment about my crying or where I was being dropped off. I sent him a large tip as I climbed out of his car and walked up to the shelter entrance. It was an older cinder block building, with graffiti and one boarded-up window. But inside I knew there were very caring people who helped women like Freya. She was in a good place here, and I needed her company.

I walked through the front door and immediately there were two women at my side, coaxing me into an office.

“Oh honey, come on in. Let’s get you some water and a tissue,” the older of the two said. She had silver hair, a pretty smile, and she smelled like lilacs in spring.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” the younger brunette asked. She guided me to a hard plastic chair and I sat down, sniffling. I wondered what they thought of me, probably that I was a battered woman needing assistance.

“I, uh, I’m just here to see a friend. Her name is Freya,” I told them, and they both smiled in recognition.

“Are you in danger, honey?” The one with silver hair crouched in front of me. Her soft, weathered hands wrapped around mine as she offered a look of deep compassion.

“Oh, nothing like that. I’m having a very bad day and I’m pregnant, so I’m overly emotional. I just wanted to visit my friend.”

She nodded at me, then handed me the entire box of tissues. “Here you go. We’ll get Freya for you and you two can have a visit.” She stood turning to walk out the door, and the second one lingered a moment.

“Are you sure that’s all?”

I bobbed my head at her, not really wanting to go into details. I didn’t even know why I was here. Freya was going through so much on her own. She didn’t need me to weigh her down with more things to worry about. But there was no Kira, no comforting mother to wrap me in a warm hug. Luna was off at UCLA again, and I was alone. Where else would I have gone?

I waited only a few minutes before Freya breezed in. She looked fresh and sober. Her bruises were mostly yellow now, though a tinge of purple remained around her right eye. She’d had her hair cut and her face looked fuller, like she’d been eating healthier. She sat down next to me and took my hand.

“Sunny, what’s wrong? You look so upset.”

“Well,” I sniffled, sucking in a few stutter breaths, “I’m not doing so great.”

“Alright, well dish. I’ve got all day.” She squeezed my hand and focused on me, and I unleashed.

“I’m seeing someone, and I just found out some horrible things about him. He owns the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the drug that killed my best friend, and he hid it from me.” It all came out in a jumble—every detail about Carter and his secret, the way Kira died, how distraught I was, and after that, his trauma and how he lost his baby and how I was pregnant. I was sobbing and heaving so much I threw up, and Freya held my hair back for me.

When I finally calmed down, she put her arm around me as I laid my head on her shoulder. I hated how life had treated both of us. It felt like neither one of us got a fair shake. But here we were, finding each other again after all these years, and I was grateful for her company and the fact that she was a good listener.

“I suppose he was probably ashamed of keeping that secret.” Her words sunk in, coiling around the ache in my heart from being lied to. “He doesn’t run that company, but it hurt you anyway…”

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