Part 26 (1/2)

Chapter 20.

You flipped the b.i.t.c.h switch, so buckle up and enjoy the ride, a.s.shole!

-text from Baylee to Sebastian Baylee ”Hey, it's me. Uhh, I have an appointment in about an hour. It's in Shreveport. I wanted to make sure it was close to you so you didn't have to drive so far. It's at The Women's Clinic on Center Street. I...” I hesitated. ”bye.”

My hand fell heavily against my leg like it weighed a million pounds.

I'd called Sebastian numerous times in the past three days, and he hadn't answered once.

Deciding I needed to stop denying the truth, I set up an appointment with a doctor that was recommended by Winter for his expertise in high risk pregnancies.

I'd spent the last three days scouring the internet on pregnancies of women who have von Wheelbrand's disease, and what I'd found scared me to death.

The first time I'd broken down and called Sebastian was after I'd read those articles. When he hadn't answered, I'd contacted Winter who'd given me the number of Doctor Abrahams.

They'd worked me in the next day, and now it was nearly time for me to go.

I walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed when I contemplated what to wear.

My eyes fell on the leather vest, and the property patch that I'd been so excited to wear the first time I'd laid eyes on it.

I hadn't worn it in three days, scared s.h.i.+tless that Sebastian might not want me to anymore.

That would certainly explain why he hadn't even bothered to call me in three days.

Finally, I decided not to wear it, but to take it with me just in case he did decide to show.

I slipped into a pair of yoga pants, a tight black t-s.h.i.+rt that said 'I <3 a=”” marine,'=”” and=”” my=”” oldest=”” pair=”” of=”” tennis=”” shoes,=”” before=”” heading=”” out=”” to=”” the=”” living=””>

Glancing at the clock, since I was finished, I decided to go ahead and leave now. Maybe Sebastian would actually come, and I'd get a little extra time with him. He was always early.

I knew he wasn't working. I also knew he was getting his messages. He wasn't the type of person to totally ignore me. He'd probably read them, but was still too mad at me to respond.

Which was to be expected. In the three days I'd had to contemplate the act, I knew I shouldn't have done it. I should have trusted my brother and not done it. Should have listened to my gut instinct. But I didn't, and I very well might have paid for it.

I contemplated my stupidity halfway to Shreveport.

What snapped me out of the funk, rather abruptly, was the sound of my motor coughing and sputtering.

Then I watched in fascination as the little red needle that measured the RPMs on my dash go from white two to the red eight, make quite a spectacular boom, as something under my hood blew, followed quickly by the billowing of smoke from underneath the hood.

”Oh, s.h.i.+t.” I whispered heartbrokenly.

Managing to maneuver my old car to the side of the road and into the emergency lane, I turned the key to the off position, despite the motor no longer running and watched the cars pa.s.s me by for nearly five minutes.

In those five minutes, I contemplated my options.

There weren't many.

Luke was in Canton with the rest of the SWAT team for a team exercise.

Winter was visiting with her sister that was down from up north.

And I didn't even bother calling Sebastian. He wouldn't answer, so why bother?

Since I was more than half way there, I decided the best idea would be just to walk to the doctors I wouldn't make it in time, but I hoped I'd be able to be seen regardless.

After the appointment, I'd figure something out.

Sighing loudly, I stepped out of the car and was immediately regretted stepping out on this side when an eighteen-wheeler blew past. The wind that came off the truck blew my door closed, slamming my legs between the door and the bottom of the car.

I cried out in pain at the jolt, knowing that tomorrow morning I'd be sporting some pretty lovely bruises.

I walked quickly around the car, grabbed my bag, locked it, and then slammed the door.

Then I thought of something genius and reopened the door; excited for the first time in two days.

The little velvet Crown Royal bag Sebastian had given me rested between the seats of my car.

The chips that I'd won that night at the boats clinked and clanked together as I s.n.a.t.c.hed them up and then shoved them deep into the depths of my purse. Luckily, it was one of those across the chest ones, or I wouldn't have even bothered bringing it.

I made it about three quarters of a mile before the first person stopped. Once I got rid of him, I moved to the feeder road that ran along the side of the interstate. That saved me for another mile before the next stopped.

After the fourth person stopped, I wasn't so sure this was the best idea.

I was about to call Sebastian and leave him a begging voicemail when I remembered the leather vest tucked securely into my purse.

Dropping my purse from around my shoulders, I pulled out the vest, fed one arm in, then the other. I didn't know what it was, but the moment I settled the vest around my shoulders, I felt relief. Like that was where it was supposed to be.

After that, not one single person stopped.

At one point, a man on a motorcycle had started to stop, but as I'd turned to tell him I wasn't interested, he'd taken off quickly, not even coming to a complete stop.

I'd only seen the dark black helmet and Arkansas license plates before he'd taken off again. He did wave as he left, though.

By the fifth mile, I decided I couldn't do it anymore. My feet were tired, and I was nowhere near close. I must've been crazy if I thought I would be able to get all the way to my doctor's appointment.

When the gas station with the Arby's came into view, I took the exit and walked straight to the bathroom.

Once I was finished, I sat down on the bench that faced the gas pumps and watched for a good twenty minutes as person after person, truck after car, pa.s.sed through the station.

The phone in my pocket started vibrating just as I heard what sounded like hundreds of motorcycles pull into the parking lot.

Scooting to the very corner, I raised my knees until it covered the front of my vest, and watched, wide eyed, as bike after bike pulled up and parked in three of the spots that were reserved for an eighteen-wheeler.

”Motherf.u.c.ker.” I breathed.