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“Oh, it’s on now, Mars Bars.” They start tickling me, and I’m laughing so hard I can’t breathe.
“Gonna—” I cackle so loud I’m afraid I’m shaking the whole building. “Kick your—” No, not under the armpits. “A-s-s.”
Our juvenile moment comes to a halt when Elliot clears his throat inside Jay’s door. We get up and compose ourselves.
“Sorry, we just…” I thumb between my best friend and me, not knowing how to explain our wacky relationship. As if we just got caught horsing around in church.
“What she’s trying to say is that I won the tickle contest and therefore—”
“I’m sorry to cut you off, Mx. Morales, but there’s someone here to see Ms. Keller. It’s important.”
Elliot’s face is grave, and something heavy drops in my stomach—the other shoe.
I race out of Jay’s office, and they’re right on my heels.
Is it Isabel? Is she okay? My baby. My heart is pounding so erratically I’m afraid I’m going to collapse.
In my office, I’m met with two female police officers. Both are stoic and unreadable.
“Are you Miranda Everly Keller?”
“I am.” It’s hard to get the words out because my mouth is full of cotton. I’m not sure why they’re here, but my heart is ready to pound out of my chest.
“I’m Officer Taylor,” the brunette introduces herself.
Her blonde counterpart steps forward with her hand extended. “Detective Gracyk.”
After a short handshake, I reach for my best friend behind me. Without hesitation, Jay grabs my hand.
“First, I want to say that your daughter is perfectly fine. She’s with someone from Child Care Connection,” Officer Taylor says.
That doesn’t make sense. Why? With whom? What does “perfectly fine” mean? There is nothing “perfectly fine” if Remi isn’t with her. He wouldn’t leave Isabel with anyone else. Unless...
The thing in my stomach becomes unbearingly heavy, threatening to pull me down.
“There’s been an accident,” Detective Gracyk explains. “Remington Arison was hit by a car this afternoon. He’s in critical condition,” she finishes in a grave tone.
Shock punches me in the gut, but it’s dread that yanks me from Jay’s hold and knocks me to my knees. Oh God, no! We were just eating breakfast, happy, excited, and so in love we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves.
The organ in my chest fractures, each fissure creating a hole in the muscle, welcoming glass slivers of anguish and panic. Each thud of its beat is more painful than the last.
“No, you’re mistaken. He’s supposed to meet me here.”
The weight of everyone’s stare is on me. No one says a thing.
A rope of despair wraps around my throat and tightens. I claw at my neck.
We were going to tell Kiara so we could really be together. He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a man. And he’s mine—ours— We can’t lose him … not ever. We’re going to be a family.
I choke, shaking my head unceasingly as if this will all go away if I keep saying “no” in my mind. I can’t breathe.
“No.”
A scenario of the accident unfurls in my mind. All I see is Remi laying in a pool of blood under a car. My hand flies to my churning stomach and squeezes, but it’s too late. I vomit on the floor next to where I’m kneeling.
Jay’s on me in an instant, pulling me up and away from my mess.
“Tell them they are wrong!” I grip his sleeve. “Jay, please.”
