Fortuity

Chapter 18

After hours of us sitting around the hospital room, Delaney finaly asked what was the deal with 174.

We explained it was luck, and if we're here, there's a reason.

Well, I said that. Tyler said I'm paranoid and everyone else agreed. The doctor said that Tyler's concussion is so minor that he may only have dizziness.

He was right too, because we took him on a walk and he was only a bit dizzy.

He did multiple tests to make sure he was certainly okay. We're filling out discharge papers now, when my phone starts ringing.

It's another random area code.

Sighing, I answer it.

"Hello?"

"Yes hi, is this Carmen Cerda?"

"This is." I say. "Speaking?"

"This is Officer Johnson. Was anybody at your house last night?"

I pause.

"My daughter and I. We left just before five. Why?"

"Have you been home since?" he asks.

"No. Why?"

"Well ma'am, around 5:15 last night, three houses in your neighrbohood got broken into. Yours included. Four people were shot. They were armed robberies. You're lucky you weren't home last night. We're working on retrieving your things. When you get a chance, come to the station.

He hangs up.

I stare at the phone.

"I told you." I mutter. "It's serendipity, Tyler!"

"What happened?" he asks.

"That was a cop. He said that three houses in our neighborhood got broken into. Ours included. I got the call about you at 4:47, and at 5:15, a guy broke into three houses with a gun and injured four people. Our house was one of the three."

Tyler stares at me.

"You and Emily left right before that." He mutters.

"To go to room 174." I say.

"Alright, that's just scary." Shaun says.

Tyler shakes his head. "This is unbelievable."

Tyler

We went to the station and home, and they didn't catch the guy. The next night, there was a break in at the Mr. and Mrs. Schuler's neighborhood, but they were at our house with Shaun.

And their house got broken into.

So we all said screw this. We packed our things, got the moving vans, and now, here we sit.

In the penthouse.

It's a big penthouse, but not big enough for all of our families.

"You know," Mom speaks up. "I really like the windows in here. It's beautiful."

It's late at night and everyone is tired so it's quiet, and I'm expecting Sunshine to say something, but she doesn't.

Confused, I look to my right, and find her missing. Caroline is playing with the baby, but where is my wife?

Confused, I stand up. "I'm going to...look for my wife."

"Oh, she went that way." Cooper says, pointing to the hall leading to the bedrooms. "She went that way like twenty minutes ago."