by Sophia Banks
Tyler sat up in bed, wiped the crust from his sleepy eyes and picked up the phone.
“Hello? Yes, this is he.”
Gracie stretched her legs under the sheets and smiled. A perfect evening with a perfect man. What have I done to deserve such a blessing?
“I see,” Tyler said into the phone, his tone suddenly heavy and serious. “I appreciate the call, thanks.” He hung up the cellphone, placed it back on the nightstand and sighed heavily.
Gracie sat up in bed and draped an arm across Tyler’s wide back. “What’s wrong Tyler? Is everything okay?”
Tyler looked Gracie in the eyes and frowned. “I’m afraid not.”
Gracie’s stomach flipped and her mind filled with dread. “What is it?” she asked, not realizing her nails were now digging into Tyler’s back.
Tyler repositioned himself on the bed and placed his hands on Gracie’s knees. “Please, don’t flip out Gracie. We will work—“
“Tyler, what the fuck is going on? Is it Tamika?”
Tyler nodded. “Yes. That was somebody I know on staff at Hazelden. Tamika checked herself out this morning.”
Gracie steadied herself on the bed and fought back the feelings of lightheadedness. “What do you mean she checked herself out? You told me she was safe inside there?”
Tyler raised his palms up and spoke in a low voice. “Gracie, she apparently made quick friends with a man she met inside the facility. At around midnight the two of them signed themselves out and left the building.”
Gracie’s chest tightned and the pace of her breathing picked up. “Why didn’t they call us last night?” she barked. “Who was that on the phone, I want to speak to them.”
Tyler shook his head and frowned. “Gracie, you can’t speak with who was on the phone. The staff is not supposed to call people with information about patients. It was a courtesy call and I can’t reveal who the person is, they could lose their job.”
Gracie threw the sheets from her body and rose from the bed. “I don’t care, I want to know everything about this man she left with. Can you make that happen, Tyler?”
Tyler sighed and shook his head. “Gracie, that’s an invasion of privacy. We could get in troub—“
“I didn’t ask you for a sermon on ethics, Tyler. I asked you if you could find information on this so-called man who is no doubt stuffing my baby sister with drugs and dick as we speak. So, I ask you one last time, can you find out who this man is and more importantly will you?”
Tyler paused and thought for a moment. "Considering the circumstances, yes I will."
Gracie wrapped herself in a bathrobe. “Good. Then we have some work to do.”
The End Of Part 1
