Her Cruise Ship Surprise | ✔

Chapter Thirty-One

Tamara was itching to do something. She hated just sitting around when she knew she could be helping.

"I'm so thirsty," Darla whispered. Her face was growing more pale by the minute and she could no longer put pressure on her own wound, her hand falling limp by her side.

"I'll get you some water," Tamara said, walking into the bathroom. She rested her hands on the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a madhouse, looked like a crow's nest. Her cheek was bright red from where Frank hit her. She looked like death warmed over.

Grabbing a glass, she filled it with water, grabbed a towel, and went to her friend's bed, sitting down beside her. Tamara supported Darla's head, helping her take a sip. "I'm so sorry."

"What are you sorry for? You didn't do this."

"If I wouldn't have run off, you wouldn't have been out looking for me."

"You know me?"

"Do you remember anything?"

"Nothing, except waking up tied to the bed. How'd we get there?"

"You found me, but then he found you," Tamara replied sadly.

If she would have stayed with them, they would have all been together when this shit went down and not divided. Now, Darla's life hung in the balance all because of her. Placing the cup on the bedside table, she folded the towel and held it against her friend's would. Darla hissed at the contact, but didn't refuse it.

"What's my name?"

"Darla."

She scrunched up her nose. "No wonder I forgot."

"It's a beautiful name."

"You can be Darla then."

Tamara leaned forward and kissed Darla on the forehead. "It suits you better."

"Why do I think we've kissed before?"

Tamara laughed. "Because we did to make the boys jealous."

"Did it work?"

"Oh ya!" It was a moment she'd never forget. It got Logan off his butt and into the water. The pool became like a heated hot tub as he filled her to the brim and back again. She wanted to go back. She wanted it to be their place.

Darla closed her eyes and her head drifted to the side.

"No hun, stay with me. Stay awake." If she fell asleep, that could be it. She'd lost a lot of blood. Tamara tapped her cheek. "Come on, Darla, stay awake."

"I'm so tired," she replied, not opening her eyes.

"Don't make me dump ice water on you!"

That popped her eyes open. "Damn it, why won't you let me sleep."

"You aren't tired. You've lost a lot of blood. If you fall asleep, you might die."

"Oh," she replied weakly. "This is so not fair."

When was life ever fair? Nothing in her life ever worked out the way she wanted it. The two never seemed to work together. She was supposed to be on a fun cruise, a relaxing cruise, but here she was, watching a new friend die and there wasn't much she could do.

"Just hang on for me. We're going to make it through this."

"You don't have to lie to me. I can see the truth in your eyes," Darla said, tears pooling.

Glancing down at her watch, Tamara took a scattered breath. Why were some people lucky enough to never face a single obstacle in their life, but she had already faced a zillion. Maybe it was time to do a job change. If they made it out of this, she didn't want to face another gun, another dead body in her life. She wanted a nice quiet desk job.