Triad Tourists

Chapter 3

I tap my feet against the wooden floors of my house. The sound echos from wall to wall, which drives me crazy.

I'm not used to living alone, but as of now, even if I had a house full of people I would feel alone.

I unball the papers in my hand and look at the notice again. It says I have to go to Shanghai for up to 6 months, but I'm not in the army, I never really was in the first place.

"I don't know how this works." I talk to myself. I call one of my military friends. He's a retired solider for a petty war that happened a few years ago.

"Hello?" He answers.

"Hey, Kyle I need you to explain something to me."

"Shoot."

"I'm not an army girl, right?"

"I need more context."

"They just sent a letter saying I'm needed in Shanghai for 6 months."

"How does this connect?"

"I signed up for an abroad program after I got my license. It was right after Kelan had his accident and the fallout and whatnot, I wanted to get away from my family and it gave me what I wanted to hear. I also signed some random papers after that- I- I can't remember what they said. I was just tired and ready to eat real food after that. I'm being sent to Shanghai for 6 months!"

"By the military?"

"Yes and no, but this army guy gave me the mail. The paper says China in in need of Surgeons and doctors- only God knows why- but, when I asked the hospital, they said I would be a great choice because I know Chinese. A dumb reason to send me across the ocean but ok."

"You want my honest opinion?"

"Give it to me straight, Kyle."

"I think it's good for you. You can meet old friends and lay back. A Doc can't save a life if she's not good in the head."

"What about Kelan?"

"I can watch Kelan for you, I'll even help with the bills."

I start to cry. "Really?"

"You did save me from losing an arm." He says.

"But I lost your other leg." I joke.

Kyle and I first met when he was rolled into the hospital holding his own leg in his hand. His arm needed to be worked on. The leg was shredded, but we managed to save his arm after 4 hours. After he woke up, he looked at his missing leg and laughed. It was prosthetic, he was never born with one. Kyle took it off and flung it around for his own enjoyment. Since that day, we've been great friends.

"What about your wife? You have 3 kids to look after too, I can't ask for something like that."

"Addison will be fine, we're all well off. Anything to help a friend in need, it's just payback."

"I was getting paid to help you, now you're paying me out of pity."

"Not pity, just a good deed. Besides, Addison loves the scars on my arm, that's thanks to the blades on that machine." He laughs. "You saving my arm gave me plenty of good nights, Tallulah."

"Kyle, you're too old for that. No wonder your youngest is 3."

"44 isn't old." He laughs. "I'm serious, leave, go to Shanghai, I promise I'll check on Kelan every week."

I sigh, really needing another break. "You're disabled."

"And I still enlisted in the army... I wouldn't lie about helping someone like this."

I bite my lip and nod. "Alright, I'll submit my papers and get everything ready for me to leave. Thank you, Kyle."

"Good night, Tallulah."

"Daddy!" I hear his wife say in a baby voice. "Little Kyle is calling for you." I hear a few more faint screams from a child.

Addison imitates her child again. "Daddy!"

Kyle laughs. "Gotta go, Tallulah."

"See you later... thank you." I don't waste time hanging up.

As soon as I lay down, I get another call. I answer it, but I stand when I hear the receptionists voice from my hospital. "T?"

"Nu?" I refer to her by her last name.

"It finally happened."

"Kelan is... what?" I start to cry again.

"But-"

As I listen to her words, my heart drops. My the end of her explanation I'm barely holding myself up. "He's-"

"Yes, I'm sorry."