If At First

Part 15 - Chapter 14

14

"Danni, I'm in trouble." I blurted the second she picked up her phone. The connection was choppy but I couldn't be choosy.

"You're pregnant."

"No! Why would you think-?"

"Are you in a tunnel?" she asked.

"A closet."

"Where the hell have you been? And why are you in a closet?"

"Townsend, with my Grandmother,"

"Oh right." She breathed, relaxing a little. "Sooo? How's it going?"

"Terrible. You have to help me."

"Well, if you're in a closet I suppose the news wasn't gonna be promising. But at least you're not pregnant."

"Haven is here."

"In the closet?"

"In Townsend. And he's everywhere."

I could practically hear her eyes rolling back in her head. "Didn't we decide you were going to stay away from him?"

"It gets worse." I squeaked.

"How?"

"I think, well, um, actually I'm positive that I'm in love with him."

She made a sound with her tongue that indicated I needlessly just stated the obvious. "Of course you are," she said. "I think there's actually a rehab program dedicated to that exact affliction."

"I'm almost positive he doesn't feel the same, but I can't be sure. Sometimes I think he might-"

She gave up on a repressed chuckle. "Tabby, I love you. I do. But this guy, -these types of guys, aren't the kind who fall in love."

"But he-"

"Haven Casey can literally have any woman in the world."

"I know!"

"And you are a fantastic, wonderful, sweet person who is, for some reason, attracted to the worst kinds of men." she backpedaled quickly, "You're too good for him Tab."

"Yeah, I'm really not."

"You've got to get yourself out of there."

"I do. But I can't."

"Why?"

I winced. "Andy's here too,"

"This is a family gathering now? Why is Andy there?"

"That's a different story," I said, considering her cousin's role. "And you won't like that one, either."

"Tabitha, this is insane. I can't stand to see you get hurt again, and Andy wouldn't either."

"It's not the same, Dan." I promised.

"You're the only person I know who makes the absolute worst decisions in whom you choose to love. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is to have to watch?"

"I can't help it, but I can't ditch Andy!"

"Alright, look. I've got a gazillion airline miles, I'm sending you a ticket and you're meeting me in Florence. Once we get you away from there, you'll forget the whole thing."

"What do I do about Andy?"

"Bring him with you, I don't care! Andy's a big boy. He can take care of himself."

The call was lost before I could tell her any more. I sat on an old trunk in the closet, staring at my phone trying to decide what to do. Maybe she was right. If I could just get away from here -from Haven- it might all blow over and I could go on with my small, anonymous existence unscathed.