Page 46 of A Whirlwind of Color (The Light to My Darkness 2)

“God, they might technically be my family, but they don’t feel like my family. What if I made a mistake all those years ago? What if I was never supposed to marry James? I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at the life I want.”

“And what kind of life is it that you want?”

“I don’t know…” I let my voice trail off as I looked around the apartment. “This is nice.”

He laughed. “This is the life you gave up to move to New York.”

“And I think I made a mistake.”

“Then just tell James that. I’m sure he’d be willing to move back here. He never sold his apartment.”

“He didn’t?” Maybe I could stay there. It wasn’t the independent life I wanted, but it would give me some time to get back on my feet. And there was no reason for him to look there for me. He didn’t know where I was. “Well, I could stay there instead of here then. Where is it?”

“Top floor.”

“Of this apartment building?”

“Yup.”

“Interesting.”

He smiled. “And why is that?”

“You just don’t look like the type of person that would like the same kind of apartment as James Hunter.”

“I do alright for myself, Penny.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean, obviously you do.” I gestured around the apartment. When I lived on campus, these apartments were being sold for millions. They were most certainly not intended for students. “I just mean you look more…real.”

“I don’t know whether that’s a compliment or an insult.” He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. It was just further proof that I was right. James would probably never get caught dead with his elbows on the table.

“It’s definitely a compliment.”

He shook his head. “James is probably worried sick about you. I think I should give him a call.”

“You promised you wouldn’t.”

“Well…I didn’t pinky promise.”

I laughed. “You know, I thought about asking you to do that, but stopped myself because it seemed so childish. But that’s the problem. I don’t feel like a grown up.” Besides for the fact that I get tired more easily. It must have been a symptom of old age that I wasn’t used to. I touched my stomach. It was significantly less bloated than it had been in the hospital, but it definitely wasn’t back to normal. And then there were the unexplained scars. I wanted to know what had happened to me. “You do pretty well for yourself, right?”

He looked taken aback by the change of topic. “I do.”

“Okay, here’s the new agreement. I’ll let you call James and tell him I was here. If you take me to see a doctor. And if you give me…$500 and a 12 hour head start before you call him.” I stuck out my hand.

“Why do you want to go to the doctor? You were just in the hospital for weeks.”

“No one would tell me what happened.” I kept my hand outstretched.

“I’m not letting you go to California alone.”

“Then come with me.”

He laughed.

“I’m serious. We had something once, I know we did. This can be our fresh start.”

“James is my friend, Penny.”

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