AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tolerance. That’s my one gift I guess,” Sher shrugs.
“You wouldn’t be in this position if you’d listened. But no, you had to steal all of our drinks, too,” Liz says, adding to my torment.
“I only did that because you made me feel stupid,” I tell her, moaning through the foodgasm I’m having.
Liz pinches her nose with her thumb and forefinger, as if she’s praying for patience. “We can have this conversation later. Right now, let’s try to salvage what we can.”
“This is exactly what I mean!” I throw down the sandwich, only to pick it right back up when I realize it’s keeping me alive. “Never mind. We’ll talk about it later.”
Per Reese’s instruction, I’ve been downing fluids, hydrating. I’m feeling somewhat better, but nowhere near what I should be.
“Okay, Mom. You’re going to have to take that to go. It’s time.”
My stomach sinks even more at the thought. It’s time.
The parking lot at FreeFormed is so thoroughly packed that Reese has to drop us off at the entrance, and somehow make her way to the shopping center across the street without running over someone.
“You’re late!” Julie snarls at me as I walk in through the glass doors, looking slightly crazed as if the offense was done to her directly. Liz and Sher, a.k.a. “The Cowards,” scuttle away before they get scolded, too. “I’ve been texting you all morning.”
“Sorry. My alarm never went off.” That was true, especially since I never set it. In fact, even if I had, I haven’t checked my phone all morning.
Julie’s eyes take me in and I shrink back as she leans in for a closer look. “Why are your eyes so bloodshot? And…” She sniffs the air in front of me and I stop breathing, but not fast enough. “You smell of alcohol. Are you drunk?” she asks in disgust.
“Of course not!” I answer her indignantly. At least I don’t think I am. Am I? Shit, I may still be.
“Did you drink last night?”
“Only a little.” I do the universal sign for a little, bringing my thumb and forefinger together.
“Cat, I told you we’d celebrate your birthday tonight! And if you won, we could have celebrated that, too.”
“Don’t you think that’s a lot of pressure to put on someone? You assumed I would win. That’s too much to put on someone,” I tell her.
“I never assumed you would win. But I did expect you to give everything you have, just like I do from Dean. And certainly, I expected you to value yourself much more than this. I’ve been there every step of the way and I want to see you fight to achieve your dreams. Not douse the fire with vodka.”
“How do you know what I drank?” I ask in amazement.
“That’s how bad you smell, Cat.”
Straightening my spine, I say, “I can still fight.”
“We’ll see.” She stomps towards the office, just as Dean and Tony walk up.
“Do we smell?” Tony asks.
“No, I do,” I say.
“I’ve been calling you all morning. Are you okay?” Dean asks with a concerned frown that makes me feel worse. I hate the way he cares, and the way I want to touch him even though my body is possibly dying.
Taking a deep swig of my sport’s drink, I shake my head. “It was nice knowing you, Coop. Feeling like shit has never stopped me before. Won’t today.”
He says nothing as I head to the busy floor.
“Cat!” I hear through the open front door as I walk by.
Through the glass I see bright red curls bouncing and hands waving.
“Wieners!” Pushing through the crowd, I say to the security guard, “They are on my list.”
