Page 42 of The Ranger
“You have a silver star?I thought you had a purple star.”
“Do you even know what that is?”I roll my eyes.
Silence.
“Don’t Google it.”
“Huh, who’d you kill?”she asks, and I run a hand over my face, cringing and wonder if she realizes just how inappropriate that question is.
Probably.
This is Scarlett, after all.It’s why she asked.I know she’s trying to push me away after we’ve been intimate recently.
I’m not sure whether I should let her or call her on it.I decide to let it go.
“Baddies.That’s who.So that you can go to the mall every day and buy your handbags or whatever.Look, I have to get back to work.”I go quiet and frown.“Are you at work?”
“Ah...”she wavers.
“Scar?”I push.
“Scar.Lett.My name is Scarlett.And no, I took the day off.”
My back straightens as I go on alert.We’re less than a month away from her giving birth, and at this point anything can happen.If she isn’t feeling well, I need her to tell me.
“Why?”
She sighs.“Because.No reason.Can I go to the appointment on my own, please.”
No.
“Tell me what’s wrong?”
I can send my mom or sister over if she needs something.Or I could call one of the girls.I know she hates asking for help.
“Nothing is wrong.I’m pregnant.I’m going to be a single mother.I need to start doing this on my own.You trailing along like father-of-the-year is great, but once our alien is born, you andherare going to disappear and I’ll have to...just forget it.”
What?
My gaze flicks around my fake office, trying to translate that big Scarlett dump.She’s the most complicated woman I’ve ever met.
“You, hang on.You...”
“Ugh!”
The phone goes dead.
“Good talk.”I mutter, dropping the phone on the desk.
