We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

Author:Tracey Lange [Tracey Lange]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Celadon Books

* * *

“Hello?”

That was what she remembered next, the uncertain voice pulling her up from the depths. She had been semiconscious for some time, maybe the whole time, aware that she landed on her side, the hard floor beneath her. But she didn’t open her eyes right away, just lay motionless, mentally assessing her body, waiting to see if any part of it started screaming in pain.

“Sunday?”

She couldn’t tell where Billy’s voice was coming from, she just knew she had to get up, get away from him.

“Sunday?” His tone was more urgent now, moving around, like he was looking for her.

Only it wasn’t Billy’s voice. It was Jackie’s.

She slowly rolled onto her back. So far her limbs seemed to be in working order. There was a scrambling noise and she opened her eyes to see Jackie kneeling above her. “Jesus, Sunday. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” Her voice was coarse so she cleared her throat. “Just help me up.”

He got an arm under her. When he lifted her to a sitting position the head rush was powerful.

“What the hell happened?” he asked.

“I fell down the stairs.”

“What…” He scanned the room, spotted the staircase through the open door behind him. “Is anyone else here?”

That’s when she experienced vague recollections of Billy after she fell, hearing him run down the stairs and call her name. The sound of his boots rushing around the room, swish of the front door opening.

“No,” she said. “No one’s here.” When she tried to push off the floor, her wrist gave way and she cried out.

“Let me see,” Jackie said. He took her arm and gently eased her hand side to side. “I don’t think you broke it…”

She brought her other hand to her head, which was pounding. And now her stomach was hurting as well. But not like she was going to be sick. More like cramping.

“We need to get you checked out,” Jackie said.

“No, it’s fine.” She pulled her arm away. “I just want to go home—”

“Sunday. You’re bleeding.”

She turned to see him looking down, but not at her arm. She followed his gaze to see bright red blood staining her jeans. On top of everything else she’d finally gotten her period, which was like weeks late. That tended to happen when she was stressed out, or if she was inconsistent taking her pill. And lately she’d been both.

“Shit,” she said. “I don’t have anything with me.” And it was doubtful this place had a tampon machine in the restroom.

Jackie swallowed. “Are you sure that’s all…?”

She looked down again, and understood his question. There was a lot of blood.

Too much blood.

When her eyes raised to Jackie’s she saw her own fear mirrored there.

“We need to get you to the hospital,” he said.

She pulled her legs up to her chest as another wave of sharp cramps rippled through her abdomen. Something was wrong. “No.”

He looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Yes. You might have some kind of internal bleeding going on.”

She wrapped her arms around her knees and started rocking.

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