“I’m stressed, and my stomach’s been a bit off.”
Her eyes narrow, then she nods. “Have you been getting much sleep?”
“Surprisingly, yes,” I reply. Minus the horrific nightmare at the beginning of the week, I have been getting lots of sleep. “I even took a few naps.”
“Well, that’s good.” She smiles.
I think I’ve convinced her I’m all right, but it makes me wonder how bad I must look. I peer out the window, but Cole is gone. Looking around, I see he’s not in the room. Just as I’m about to get up and search for him, he returns, putting an icy hand on my shoulder.
Mark looks at him, and I catch some kind of emotion run across his face, but nothing happens.
Sue gives him back his chair and heads over to her seat. She whispers something to Daniel, and his eyes flicker over to me.
Really, guys, I’m all right.
“Cole?” I say, turning my attention to him.
“Savi, you should eat. Your food is getting cold.” He is studying my untouched plate.
Seriously? You want me to eat?
“Was that Frank?” Mark looks past me to Cole.
“Yes.”
“Are we being shipped out?”
Cole glances around the table then shakes his head.
What does that mean?
“So, Mark, what are your plans for Christmas?” Melanie asks, breaking the tension.
Mark takes a long, deep breath before replying. “Umm, I’m leaving tonight, actually, for my cousin’s cabin.”
I stare at him, unmoving.
“Oh, yeah? When will you be back?” she asks.
“Not sure yet,” he says with a smile plastered on his face, “but when I get back, we’ll have to go on that ski trip we talked about.” He fidgets uncomfortably.
I shove my plate away while Mark’s words hit me like a blow to the head. “Excuse me.” I rise from my seat.
Cole stands and signals his mother.
“Savi,” he says, sounding worried.
“I just need the restroom,” I say, not meeting his eyes.
Sue comes along, acting like she has to go too.
My head is spinning. I begin to feel a little dizzy, and Sue helps me to the leather couch in the powder area of the restroom.
“Here.” She holds a cool towel to my face as she sits next to me.
“They got the call,” I whisper. “They ship out tonight.”
Sue takes my hand and puts her fingers over the inside of my wrist.