Published in the United States of America in 2019 by LAMindSpa Publishing LLC
Copyright © Angela Costello 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
This novel is a work of fiction. The names, characters, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination, or moderately inspired by true events. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities, is coincidental - or if moderately inspired by true events, names and characteristics have been changed to protect their identities.
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For Sabrina
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
— Ernest Hemingway
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Sunkissed Café
Chapter Two: Pitch Black
Chapter Three: Lilykin
Chapter Four: What Crazy Feels Like
Chapter Five: Stunning
Chapter Six: Panic
Chapter Seven: Her
Chapter Eight: Don’t Neglect Happiness
Chapter Nine: Sound Bath
Chapter Ten: Drowning
Chapter Eleven: Sketches
Chapter Twelve: Roller Coaster
Chapter Thirteen: The Jump
Chapter Fourteen: Shook
Chapter Fifteen: Aftermath
Chapter Sixteen: Wildest Dreams
Chapter Seventeen: Breathe Me
Acknowledgements
Chapter One:
Sunkissed Café (Spring 2023)
Ugg. I need air.
I stuff my notebook, along with all my feelings, deep into my work bag and grab my phone. My heart races a bit as I flip through all of his texts again. Why does he have to send these strange messages and creep me out like this? Why can’t he just send me something like, “Hi, I miss you.” I really don’t want to deal with this right now. I text Helen and Sarah and ask if they still plan to meet.
Helen: Don’t flake Jelina! I already got a table
Sarah: Order me a Pinot
Me: Walking out now. See you in a few. xo
I grab my wristlet purse and throw in my keys, debit card, and lipgloss. I set the alarm on my phone, giving me enough time to walk there and make it back for my last two patients of the day. I flip the sign on the door from Jelina King - In Session to Jelina King - Out of Office and head down the narrow hallway to the confidential exit. This exit was the deciding factor when I chose to lease this place two years ago. My patients can leave difficult sessions without facing a waiting room full of people, and savor in the emotional safety. The other three In Session signs on the hallway doors inform me that we have a packed house in here right now, but you’d never know it—the only thing I hear are the white noise machines in the hallway.
I unzip my wristlet and triple check that I have my keys. I’ve locked myself out one too many times before. My hand quietly closes the main door behind me, and I glance up at the open air atrium which our offices encircle. The rainfall from the morning has cleared out. The intense sunlight blinds me for a moment, but there’s that fresh air I’ve been yearning for. I take a long intentional inhale, like a drag from a cigarette, although I’ve never actually put a cigarette to my lips, so I just imagine it’s a similar inhale, and I walk by the planter boxes of sprawling ivy with pops of Cattleya Orchids, go past the elevator, and go down five flights of stairs. I wave hello to the accountant whose office is a fishbowl for everyone who waits by the elevator on the ground floor. I push open the creaky door. I’ve emailed Maintenance twice already, but I might as well bring in my own WD-40. The gate slams behind me.
Ocean Avenue is bustling with the usual mix of tourists and locals. I’m curious to know what these locals do for a living that they have the luxury of hanging out at the pier in the middle of a Monday. Maybe they’re all pot dealers and growers. Maybe they have rich parents and husbands who help with the bills. I cross Washington Avenue and walk by the old guy who’s playing guitar. I’m convinced he lives on that corner and probably plays those same songs in his sleep. I wave to see if he’ll surprise me today and actually lift his head from underneath his hat. No dice. I shrug. I wonder what his story is. He’s comforting and using his talent to help brighten people’s day as we all walk by him.
I pass the tourists with cameras around their necks, not using their phones surprisingly, but taking photos of the view from the stoplight. I have to say, even though I walk by here everyday, that view on this palm tree lined street is still nothing less than spectacular. The sky is painted pale blue with splashes of orange and pink. The sunlight hits the water in such a way that I swear, shimmering diamonds are floating on the waves.
A flock of seagulls soars by me. The sounds of their cawing combined with the waves crashing at the shoreline are a symphonic soundtrack to this serene beachfront view. A surfer walks by me holding his board, followed by three college-aged girls riding by on skateboards, wearing bikini tops and cheeky shorts (that I’ll never let Lily wear). They leave the scent of suntan lotion in their wake. I reach the corner of Wilshire and Ocean, passing the chic restaurants and five-star hotels I’ll never afford as a guest.
Natural stone steps lead me to the café, where I hear what sounds like Italian music. The mix of guitar and piano are playing through speakers tucked near the base of the palm trees. It’s a light-hearted melody, with a strong female voice. Wood outdoor wall panels and fresh succulents adorn this hot spot, and create frames around the wide open windows and the guests seated inside. I see a mixed crowd, some wearing the classic entrepreneur-at-a-laptop look, while others appear to be the Instagram models I follow, down to the beachy wave hair, strappy sandals and rib-cage tattoos. One of them is Sarah. I spot her and Helen at a table near the koi pond.
Helen works for one of the most vile attorneys in Los Angeles. She’s classy as usual this afternoon in a cream silk blouse, pinstripe slacks and black pumps. Her strawberry blonde waves are never out of place, and today they’re pinned up on the right: a nice Marilyn Monroe look.
Sarah runs a discreet psychic reading business for elite professionals in Beverly Hills. Today, she’s wearing a small French braid on one side and her dark brown waves have a chunk of blue peeking from underneath. Her jeans are ripped at the thighs, and her blue tank is hugging her thin frame. I look down at my plain top as I make my way towards them and touch my newly trimmed hair. How are they even friends with me?
As I approach the table, I can hear them mid-conversation around their favorite obsession: how to find the right guy.
“Hi ladies,” I say, leaning over as we exchange cheek kisses.
“I like this much better,” Sarah says as she touches the tips of my hair.
“You might as well have gone shorter, but I like it,” Helen winks at me.
They’ve already dipped into their wine. I see a small cheese platter on the table with Brie, Gouda, goat cheese, grapes, nuts and fig spread. The waitress greets me with a hot ginger tea and honey on the side.
“You two take care of me better than anyone,” I say, stirring the honey stick inside the teacup, taking a sip and setting it aside to cool. They start picking at various cheeses, and I grab a few grapes.
Sarah looks over at Helen, “Ok, this is what you should put.”
Helen hands her phone over. “Here, my vagina trusts you ladies with her life.”
Sarah reads what she’s typing aloud. “I enjoy creating memories that make my heart beat fa
ster, books that make me feel like I’m in another world for a bit, movies that make me think about life differently, and making new friends. I like to wake up when my body is ready, run outside in the mornings a couple times a week when the city is still quiet, buy too many books, check out a new restaurant, and walk to the beach when I have a long break at work or on weekends.”
Helen responds, “I’m not that Plain Jane. It’s missing ‘you better know how to make me cum’.”
My tea shoots out my nose, and I’m simultaneously laughing and coughing.
Sarah gives Helen her phone back, takes a sip of her Pinot and says, “You have no idea. Believe it or not, guys are more sensitive than us. They get so needy and want to cuddle. You have to think about that when you’re on these apps. I saw that 24-year-old again last night—”
I interrupt her. “Sarah, he’s 24? You never told me that. Oh my God. That’s like ten years! Too young.”
“Too hot,” she says with a grin.
Helen encourages her. “That sounds kinda fun, actually.” She swirls her wine glass and takes a sip.
“You’re both weird. Ok, go on,” I say.
Sarah leans in. “So he gets to my place, and I don’t want to deal with any romantic bullshit, right? I answer the door in my black lace teddy and stilettos, grab his shirt and pull him towards me and start slowly kissing his neck and then his mouth. Right there, in the doorway. I honestly couldn’t care less if my neighbors walked by. And he was such a good kisser. He’s 6’4”! So fucking tall that he had to lean over so I could reach him! I could tell how amazing he would feel inside me just from pressing up against his jeans. I stopped and took his hand and led him to my room. He rocked my world. I swear.”
Helen can’t help herself. “Damn, girl. This is making me wet just hearing it.”
“I miss that kind of pleasure so much,” I say. For now, I settle on savoring each sip of my tea and our bites of cheese, and being here right now with these two.
“Yeah, well, it was exactly what I needed. Except for the fact that it took a lot of repeating that he had to wear a condom,” Sarah says. “I don’t get why these guys whine so much about it. Anyway, the sex was hot, but then he got all sensitive, and didn’t want to leave. After we both came, I was good. He was cleaning himself up in the bathroom and throwing out the condom, and I had already folded his clothes and was getting him a bottle of water for the road from the kitchen. He came out in his boxer briefs—he looked like a Calvin Klein model, and he was half laughing and like, ‘Are you kicking me out? You don’t want to lay down and hang out for a while?’ And I told him I had a great time, and he was amazing, but I was going to sleep early and had an important meeting for work in the morning. He looked at me like a sad little puppy. I felt so bad, but I really don’t have time for feelings and all that in my life right now.”
“Oh my God, you’re unreal,” I say, with a laugh.
“So anyway, he got dressed, kissed me and hugged me for an awkward minute. Then I thanked him for coming and walked him to the door.”
“Wow, that’s harsh,” Helen says.
“I would settle for that any day,” I say, finishing the last of my tea. “I still can’t believe these dating apps exist. Too many options, and people always think the grass is greener and it’s just a swipe away. It’s like sitting at a slot machine, when you’re supposed to get up after a good win."
“Hey, it’s worth the gamble, isn’t it?” Sarah says.
The waitress comes by and replaces my tea kettle with a fresh new one. “Need anything else, ladies?”
“A ginger shot, please,” I say. Sarah rolls her eyes. “What?” I defend myself. “Three of my patients have the flu and Lily started to cough a little yesterday. I can't afford to be sick.”
“We only live once, honey!” Sarah announces. “I’ll have another Pinot!” The waitress gives her a thumbs-up and vanishes.
I wince as I down my ginger shot. I forgot to ask for a chaser. “What I don’t get is, how do all these people do it? Really. Work, take care of a child, take care of a husband, come home, cook, clean, laundry, bath times.” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “It’s literally impossible.”
Helen has the same look on her face she had when she told me her grandmother was sick. “You look exhausted, J, all the time. I mean, for some crazy reason, you’re trying to be Superwoman, and I hate to break it to you, but you’re not. You’re human like the rest of us. Except you’re so busy trying to be perfect, you’re disappearing. We can’t even get you to come out with us and have a proper drink.”
My phone alarm chimes, and that’s my cue to escape this anxiety ridden spotlight. Thank God.
“It’s been fun ladies, but I have to go. Let me know how much I owe you,” I say, standing up and leaning over to give kisses on cheeks.
I put my Superwoman cape back on.
Chapter Two:
Pitch Black
Why is it pitch black in here? I swear I left the hallway light on last night in case Lily woke up. There isn’t a single car on the road outside our window, so I’m guessing it’s about two a.m.
-Click-
Ok, that sound is definitely coming from the front of the house—the kitchen, maybe? My body stiffens and presses itself deeper into the mattress. I switch on the lamp sitting on the nightstand. I look over at the perfectly made half of the bed next to me. He’s still not back, and I didn’t hear the garage door. He never enters from the front of the house, unless he’s walking in from hanging out at the beach. After 35 years on this planet, I would think freaking out over noises at night would be a thing of the past. This is one of those moments why I like sleeping with someone: you know, for backup to fight the bad guys.
-Click-
There it is again! Despite the air conditioner being set at a cool 68 degrees, my brain sends streams of sweat to my palms, shifting this situation from a Category 1: It’s Nothing, up to a Category 4: Now I Really Have To Get Up. I roll my eyes to no audience when I realize I left my iPhone at the office, and of course this is the one time I would need a landline. If anything happens, I’ll scream and my hot neighbor across the street will rescue me well before the police would arrive anyway.
I stretch my arm out over the side of the bed and reach underneath the box spring. My hand tap-dances around until it lands on the flashlight, then my slippers. It’s not satisfied. It keeps dancing for a bit and stops when it feels the long cloth case it’s been searching for. With the case squeezed between my fingertips, I roll back over and onto my pillow. I lift the flap and grab the smooth, strong handle of the most dangerous object I own (one that’s been laying there patiently for this kind of action all year): my old cooking knife. I put it aside for a moment, sit up and pull my hair into a high ponytail. I’m still adjusting to this length, although I agree with Helen and wish I’d gone a bit shorter. I grab my weapon. Armed and ready, here we go.
The cool breeze from the air vent tingles my partly opened lips, glides over my tongue and drains into my lungs. “Relax, Jelina,” I say aloud. The surge of electricity passes through my chest, across my arms and makes its way into my fingertips. My eyes and mind are fixated on every muscle and bone in my feet, attempting to transform them into quiet feathers as they make their way across each hardwood plank in this hallway and towards the front of the house. Clutching my knife with my dominant hand, I pass Lily’s room, and my left hand presses a gentle high five on her door. The peaceful dreamer assures me she's ok with her soft snores. I pull her doorknob towards me to triple-check that she is safe and secure in there, release my grip and continue on my mission. I look down at my feathers. They've stayed silent as I continue to creep through the hallway. I’m as close to the wall as I can get without letting my skin touch it. I perfected this skill when Lily was a baby, since studying the quiet spots meant sleep and sanity for all.
I peek around the corner. My heart sounds like someone’s playing drumsticks in all four chambers. My eyes s
earch the darkness for whatever forced me out of that cozy bed. Nothing. The hum of the air conditioner fills the room. And my God, whose idea was it to cook salmon earlier? The stench is distracting and seeping into my pores. After what feels like an eternity, my feathers carry me right here, underneath the entryway of the kitchen.
My fingers are tempted to switch the light on, but I command them to stop. My heart is beating out of my chest.
I’m straining my eyes to try to make out what that glowing object is on the kitchen floor, but it seems like someone’s filled the room with fog.
As I inch my way closer, I learn that the blurry thing in front of me is in fact a sweet little blonde girl. My heart feels warm with ease being in her presence and catches a normal rhythm. I lower my knife so as to not frighten her.
Her stick-straight golden hair is tied back and she’s sitting cross-legged. Her big brown eyes don’t even look up at me; they’re glued to the notebook she has resting in her lap. She’s writing something in it.
-Click-
My head jerks in the direction of that sound across the room, to the front door. My arm obeys my anxiety’s orders and returns the knife to its protective position. That click is coming from the other side of the front door. Ever so still, with knife in hand, I step across the smooth kitchen tile, and a shiver runs down my spine. I can’t tell if that’s from panic or if the air is on too low for this Cali native. In pin-drop silence, I get on my tiptoes and extend my neck towards the peephole, but immediately retract it back into my shell. What if the mysterious bad guy can see a change in light from the other side of the peephole, or any sign that I’m here? Jelina, they engineer these things for a reason, I think to myself. I surrender, hold my breath, and let my gaze fall into the tiny looking glass. There’s a gun pointed in my direction, but there’s a phone in the other hand, snapping pictures and waiting to stalk my every move.
San Andreas Island Page 1
