As he stumbles toward me, the door to the storage room bursts open.
“Kiara!” Chase screams.
“Chase, he has a knife!” I warn. I tuck myself into a ball and roll to my right. Chase tackles him to the ground, and they land right where I’d been laying.
I look up and realize that a crowd of people have entered the room. Someone turns on the lights, and I see Officer Marquez, Doctor Fields, a nurse, and a pair of security guards enter the room.
“Kiara, are you all right?” Officer Marquez asks. I nod. “Let Dr. Fields take you into the hallway, he has a gurney waiting. I’ll come find you after I’ve dealt with Robbs.”
“Thank you, Officer Marquez,” I tell him as he helps me to my feet and cuts my bindings.
He turns to Chase. “You can let him go, I’ll take him now.”
Chase reluctantly releases Robbs. He turns to me and breaks out in a cold sweat. “Oh my God, are you all right? You’re bleeding! What did that bastard do to you?”
“I’m fine, Chase, I’ve just got a headache. Looks like I’m probably spending the night in the bed next to Jenny.”
Chase leads me into the hallway with Dr. Fields and the nurse following closely behind. They help me on to the gurney; the nurse wraps a blood pressure cuff around my arm while Dr. Fields checks my eyes with a small flashlight.
“Do you have any idea how long you were knocked out?”
“What time is it?”
“Seven-fifteen.”
“I left the emergency room at four, so three hours, I guess.”
“Well, you definitely have a concussion. We’ll get a CT and see how bad it is. We’ll move Jenny into a double room and have a bed made up for you. I’ll get you something for your pain as soon as the scans are finished.”
Chase walks alongside my gurney as the nurse wheels me in to the radiology room.
“How did you know where to find me?”
“Delco, he tried to call you a couple of times and he got concerned when you didn’t answer. He called Jenny in her hospital room, she called me, and we realized pretty quickly that you were missing. Delco called in some favors and we were able to get the GPS coordinates off your phone. I’ve been here with Jenny, I didn’t want her to be alone with you missing. To be honest, I didn’t really want to be alone myself.”
“Thank you for being with her… and for saving me.”
“Robbs is in pretty bad shape. I hope they save his sorry ass so he can face charges for what he’s done.”
“Okay, Mr. Abbott, we need you to step out now,” the nurse announces.
“You’ll wait for me right outside?” I ask him nervously.
He bends down and kisses the top of my forehead. “Like I said a long time ago, Kiara, I’m not going anywhere.”
Epilogue
“Kiara, how long on the Monte Cristo rolls?” Patrick calls from across the kitchen.
“Four minutes, Patrick,” I reply happily. I’ve been working as Patrick’s kitchen manager for the last six weeks. He hadn’t had a spot for me the first time I called, but that changed quickly after his soft opening. The man who’d held the position before me just couldn’t keep up with Patrick’s pace. He knew from experience that I could, and I’ve never been happier.
The name of the restaurant is Sandwiched and the menu is full of eclectic comfort food favorites from all around the world. The prep cook to my right is pickling vegetables for Vietnamese Banh Mi, while the line cook to my right pounds out veal parmesan. The menu is reasonably priced, the food is delicious, and the atmosphere is causal and down to earth. It’s the complete opposite of everything I’m used to, and I never want to leave.
“What time does your party start?” he asks, checking his watch.
“They’ll be here in an hour. Thanks for letting me take a few hours off. You’re welcome to join us if you can get away from the kitchen.”
“I’ll stop by and say ‘hi’ to everyone. Do you have your new class schedule yet?”
“Yes, I left it on your desk. Classes don’t start for another month… are you sure you can work around my schedule?”
“It’s important that you finish your degree,” he tells me. “Unlike Paul, I understand that. I know you won’t want to work here forever. You shouldn’t want to work here forever. You won’t be happy until you have your own restaurant. I’m just happy to give you somewhere to hone your skills.”
“Thank you, Patrick. You know, I never realized that you and Paul didn’t get along. You were always friendly at Fission.”
“I kept my mouth shut and kept my head down. I made a deal with my wife a long time ago; we agreed that I wouldn’t open my own place until our house was paid for. We both wanted to make sure that no matter what, we’d be able to keep a roof over the kids’ heads. Paul paid me well, so I kissed his ass.”
“Have you heard from him lately?”
“No, but one of my produce suppliers told me that he’s in major debt to everyone in town. His accounts are all frozen, and they have no idea where he’s getting his food. I don’t think that Fission will be open much longer. Which is a shame, I know how much it cost him to open it.”
I hadn’t spoken to Paul since the day he’d called and fired me. I heard through the grapevine that he’d started drinking pretty heavily again, and I knew it was just a matter of time before he lost his restaurant.
“Do you mind if I use some of the langoustines? I know they’re expensive.”
“Like I said, Kiara, use anything you’d like. All of your good news deserves one hell of a celebration.”
Until two months ago, my life had been one disaster after another, usually two or three at a time. And then suddenly, everything changed. Good things started happening. I’m still trying to adjust to the shift.
Tonight, my friends and I are celebrating this week’s great news. On Monday, Robbs Martin pled guilty to thirty-two counts of stalking and harassment, twenty-six counts of criminal mischief, eight counts of breaking and entering, four counts of attempted murder, and one count of manslaughter in the death of baby Maggie. The judge was horrified by the case file and sentenced him to a total of ninety-nine years in prison. He won’t be eligible for parole until we’re all in our late eighties.
On Tuesday, the good news continued. The Administration Board at Le Cordon Bleu voted to reinstate my scholarship. They also issued a formal apology for terminating my original scholarship without giving me a chance to defend myself against the charges.
If not for Chase, I’d still be trying to figure out how to pay next semester’s tuition. In the aftermath of Robbs’ capture, all I wanted to do was spend time with Chase and Jenny. I blocked everything else from my mind. I hadn’t even thought about the college until Chase announced that Madison had gotten me another hearing. It was then that I learned that Jenny had told Chase about her idea to trace the files. He called a friend with computer skills and sure enough, all of the files traced back to Robb’s I.P. address. Madison took the evidence to the Board, and they agreed to see me. I’m now a semester behind, but I’m grateful that I have a chance to finish.
Chase took classes over the summer, so we’re now on track to graduate together. We were tempted to schedule classes together, but in the end we decided against it. He, Jenny, and I are about to move in to a house together, so we think it will be healthy to take some space at school.
I pull the langoustines from their shells and drop them in a lime-cilantro marinade. I’m trying to get all of my dishes prepped before everyone gets here. Landon, our line cook, will fire them so that everything’s fresh when we eat.
“So what else is on your menu tonight?” Patrick asks.
“I prepped extra Monte Cristo rolls, I thought we’d start with those. I did plenty; you shouldn’t have to roll anymore tonight. I’m also doing the langoustine sliders, pork Banh Mi, and a couple of the dip platters… unless that’s too much. You really don’t have to cover this, Patrick, I’d be happy to pay.”
&n
bsp; “For the last time, Kiara, I want to pay for it. I’m so happy for you, and I’m happy to have you here. Now, is that future sister-in-law coming tonight? I think we need to set her up with Landon.”
“Yes, Madison is coming. But Chase and I still aren’t engaged,” I tell him.
Patrick has become like a big brother to me since I started working here, and he loves that Chase and I are together. If my mother was still around, I imagine she’d pester me about settling down with Chase exactly the way Patrick does. He’s offered Chase a job a half-dozen times, but Chase is happy where he landed. He’s currently working at Novu, an Indian Fusion restaurant near our new house.
Jenny is also happy with her new job. She’s working as a teacher’s assistant at one of Austin’s private, art-centered elementary schools. The students have all of the usual classes like math and science, but almost half of their days are spent in the theater. Jenny’s trying to decide between going back to school for her teaching degree and moving to the West Coast to pursue her own acting dreams.
My best friend has been a completely new person since she fought back against Robbs. She moves with a confidence I’d never seen in her before and I really believe she’ll accomplish anything she sets her mind to. I’m so glad that I let my guard down, forgave her, and built the relationship we have today. I can’t imagine my life without her.
And loving Jenny opened me up to the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to me: falling in love with Chase. He loves me in ways I never realized were possible, and I still can’t figure out what I ever did to deserve him. And with him, I’ve found something that’s been missing from my life for a long time, a family. Chase’s dad and sister have welcomed me with open arms. And despite the way I protest to Patrick, I’m looking forward to becoming an official part of the Abbott family. I’m in no hurry, of course, but knowing that that day is in my future is a comforting thought.
The kitchen door swings open and Margot, one of the waitresses, peeks her head in. “Kiara, your friends are here. I just sat them at table twelve, and Casey is mixing your first round of drinks.”
“Go,” Patrick insists. “I’ll take care of the rest of this.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s your party, Kiara, get out there.” He smiles.
I wash my hands, pull off my apron, and check my reflection in the stainless steel sink.
“You look beautiful, go,” Patrick says again.
I smooth my hair and join my family with a happy heart.
-The End-
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THE SUNLIGHT creeps into my room. I groan and turn my head the other direction, trying to sleep through it. The last thing I feel like doing is getting up this morning. I never want to get up again. Everything I’ve done for the last few months has been robotic.
The holiday season is usually my favorite time of year. There is nothing I love more than browsing around the shops, looking for the best things to buy for my parents and friends.
That was before everything in my life went to hell. Now the thought of seeing anyone or even shopping makes me want to go back to sleep for the rest of the day.
Maggie… my daughter…
This would have been her first Christmas.
The thought comes to me quickly, before I can attempt to stop it. I try to stop all thoughts of her. Yet all it does is drive me into the pit of despair even faster. If I start thinking about her now, I will never get out of bed. I tell myself I will handle this morning the way I handle every other morning – with baby steps.
Open my eyes. It sounds ridiculous to make that a step but when I tell myself baby steps, I truly mean baby steps. If I think of what to do all at once – get up, shower, make coffee – it is all so overwhelming that I don’t want to leave my bed.
The baby steps continue. Get out of bed. Walk to the bathroom. Brush my teeth. Open the shower door. Depression makes even the thought of getting in the shower to wash, only to do it all over again tomorrow, seem idiotic.
After my shower, I decide to go grocery shopping. I remember coming home last night and not finding anything substantial to eat. Instead I ate three slices of bread and went to bed. My stomach is growling loudly at me, demanding something decent to eat.
I slip on an oversized long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of baggy jeans. Gone are the times when I cared about what I looked like. I don’t want anyone to notice me ever again. It is safe to be by myself. I tell myself I can handle being alone.
Before I leave, I check my bank account on my phone. My savings are dwindling. I need to get a job. This can’t last forever. When I quit my job, I figured something else would fall into my lap. But it’s hard to have things fall in your lap when you never leave your bed. I’m becoming pathetic. I grab my purse and head out into the chilly morning.
A thin layer of snow covers the ground. The sun has now retreated behind a mass of gray clouds. They threaten a heavy snowfall. I wouldn’t mind if it snowed everyone in. Sadly, Netflix is my new best friend.
The grocery store is brimming with families with their kids in tow, out of school for the holidays. I curse myself for not thinking of this before I left my apartment this morning. I wander around blindly, my list in hand, as my gaze falls on the kids around me. My heart beats quickly in my chest and my skin feels numb. All I want is to take Maggie’s hand and walk through the store with her. I would kill to see her try to grab something off the shelf or plead with me to get her a doll in the small toy section.
Instead I am alone, a panic attack blooming on the brink. What is my trigger exactly? Happy kids? Couples who look down at their children and beam? I feel stupid as I park my basket in a random aisle and bolt into the restroom, which is thankfully empty. I go into one of the stalls then close my eyes tightly.
I can’t live like this forever. Every time I decide to leave the house, I find myself overwhelmed by people or past memories. Everything seems to be trying to get my attention, telling me that my old dreams have died and I am letting life pass me by.
I have done things in my life that I am not proud of. I have terrible taste in men. I have a habit of only being attracted to assholes or drunks and I have had no issues cheating on people to be with someone else.
My skin feels hot and itchy as I try to avoid the panic attack that will knock me over. I focus on my breathing.
I am here. I am here. I am here.
I am nowhere else. What I have done in the past is in the past. I can’t get Maggie back. I won’t get Paul back after what I’ve done to him. I even feel like I deserve what Robbs has done to me.
Focusing on my breathing and repeating my mantra helps slow my heart rate down. I am glad no one else has come into the bathroom. The last thing I need is someone else thinking I am crazy.
After ten minutes, I am able to leave the stall. I splash some water on my face and look in the mirror. I hardly recognize myself. I have let myself go. I have to get a handle on my life but I have no idea how to do so. I have been hoping a sign will come to let me know what to do next. But what if that is just an excuse to give myself a pass on my shitty behavior? What if this is the sign – almost having a panic attack in a supermarket over happy children?
I leave the restroom, ready to get my grocery shopping done without further incident. By the time I leave the supermarket, I am feeling grounded again. Sometimes my head gets the best of me. I decide I’ll brush it from my mind and go get a coffee. I haven’t bought anything frozen, so I don’t need to get home right away. My inner chef refuses to die, so the thought of making a frozen meal still does not appeal to me, even with how depressed I am.
It has been a while since I have treated myself to an overpriced iced coffee. But today is quickly becoming a day that is unlike the others so I head into the coffee sh
op, trying to ignore the small crowd standing in line to wait. I find myself lost in thought at the menu, which seems to have doubled in items since the last time I was here.
Someone taps on my shoulder, and I nearly jump out of my skin. I take a deep breath and turn around, fearing who it will be.
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“I THINK it looks nice.”
“Are you crazy? It isn’t even at all.”
“Well, you do it then, April.”
I sigh and take a step forward, looking at the photo that Emily had hung up in the living room. It looks crooked to me. Okay, maybe just a little off center. I lean forward and nudge it slightly with my finger. It slides just over enough to look perfectly center to me and I look back at her.
Emily is wearing an amused expression on her face. “Oh, yeah, massive difference.”
I know she is teasing me. I roll my eyes and look back at the photo. I hear Emily leaving the room to go finish unpacking in her own bedroom. I look around the living room. The big things seemed to be unpacked. I sit down on the couch and sink into it, relaxing my feet for a moment.
Moving felt as if it had taken ages. I am glad to see that the big things are all unpacked. Now I can try to relax for the night. Even though it is hot outside, part of me wants to bundle up underneath a pile of blankets and go to sleep.
But I get up and make myself walk to my own bedroom. My own bedroom. It sounds foreign to me. Not that I haven’t ever had my own bedroom. Of course, I had my own bedroom when I lived at home. But I shared a dorm room in college so I wasn’t exactly dealing with the utmost of privacy.
Now, however, I have a space all to myself. The only other person in this apartment is Emily, my best friend since I was little. Finally, it feels as if life is falling into place.
Fifty Recipes For Disaster Page 10
