Page 14 of More Trouble
I composed a text:Family emergency back home. I’m going to be four hours away. Funeral. Not sure how long I’ll be away for. Call me so we can prepare for the upcoming jobs. Sorry for dumping this on your lap. It can’t be helped xx
Not expecting her to reply, I was stunned to get a response almost straight away.
Oh my God, Willa, I’m so sorry to hear the news. Take as long as you need. And don’t worry about the next couple of days. I’ll manage and will update you when I can. Take care… xxx
The tears started again, and I sobbed my heart out for the next ten minutes until I felt strong enough to drive. Scarlett didn’t need a dead best friend as well.
On the long drive back to Cali Cross, I thought about all the time I’d been away, and how I’d half-thought I’d never return. I went back for holidays and significant birthdays, of course, but it was never for longer than a couple of days at a time. I made sure only to see Scarlett and Wes, occasionally Maddox and Jack, but I was always careful to avoid the times when Andre would also be home from college. There were too many painful memories. Memories I’d have to conceal.
Lack of sleep and the shock made it difficult for me to concentrate. After a couple of hours, I stopped at a twenty-four-hour roadside diner. My little van looked rather out of place alongside the eighteen wheelers and other trucks. As I entered the diner, the truckers lined up at the counter all turned to look at me.
I shuffled awkwardly under their scrutiny, aware of being dressed in leggings and a hoodie, my hair pulled into a ponytail and my face free of make-up. I shouldn’t care. I needed coffee and maybe some food to keep me going.
The plump middle-aged waitress came over to me. “Would you like a table, sweetheart? Or are you looking for the restroom?” She gave me a sympathetic smile and I guessed she didn’t get a lot of female company during the night.
“A table please.” I tried to smile back at her, but my face crumpled, and I started to cry again.Oh God, this was so embarrassing.
“Sure, follow me.” She led me over to a quiet table in the corner and handed me a napkin. “Take this, love. And take your time with your order. There’s no rush here.” She patted me on the shoulder, and I was pathetically grateful for her support.
Perusing the menu, I pulled my phone out. There were three messages from Scarlett, asking where I was and telling me to get there as soon as I could. Had I possessed the power to teleport, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I would have been with her in an instant. For a moment, I regretted moving my entire life so far away from my best friend. I called her.
“Scarlett?”
“Willa, where are you?” Her voice was hoarse, but at least she wasn’t crying.
“I’m about halfway. I stopped for some coffee and some food.”
She sighed. “Can you hurry up?”
I didn’t want to drive fast and risk killing myself in the process. I wanted to be safe and be able to arrive in one piece to look after her. But given what she’d already been through that evening, those were words I couldn’t say.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I soothed. “I’ll get the coffee to go and eat while I’m driving.”
“Good, please hurry.”
“Hang in there, Scar, I’ll be home soon.” I hung up, feeling utterly helpless.
The waitress coughed. “Here, you look like you need this.” She placed a huge mug of strong black coffee and a chocolate croissant in front of me. “It’s on the house.”
I wrapped my hands around the mug, the warmth spreading through my body. “Thank you, that’s really kind.”
“You can tell me it’s none of my business, but are you okay?”
Under normal circumstances, I didn’t like people interfering in my business and kept myself to myself. However, these weren’t normal circumstances.
Silently, I shook my head.
“Boyfriend troubles?”
Well, the date with Tom hadn’t exactly gone to plan and you could say my love life was non-existent, but they were the least of my troubles right now.
My shoulders shook as the sobs began again.
My heart hurt, my chest tight and heavy.
The waitress looked around. Seeing everyone else was being tended to, she took a seat opposite me. “Would it help to talk about it?” She slid a napkin across the table.
I picked it up and wiped my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. It felt like I might choke.
