Free Who Loves Her? by Taylor Storm Page B

panic in Nina’s heart.  Susan could feel Donna’s eyes drifting past her.
    “JUST WHAT THE HELL HAS BEEN HAPPENING, AND WHAT HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO, SUSAN?”
    “Don’t yell at me, Nina.  Today has been a nightmare.”  She sat up and looked out the window.  “Has anyone seen Harris? Why didn’t he come to find me?”
    “Harris? You want Harris?!?” Nina’s chest heaved with anger as a thousand memories flashed in her mind. Nina had lost it too.  She didn’t sign up for this shit with Susan!  Sure, she was Susan’s best friend since the third grade.  It wasn’t just Bob that saved her the day her wrist was broken.  There was that day in fourth grade when one of the boys found a dead bird and hid it in Susan’s desk as a joke.  The teacher started to read the story and Susan opened her desk.  She screamed bloody murder and Nina was the one to chase her down the hallway and into the library where she knew Susan liked to hide when she got too scared of something.
    Susan was always scared of something .  She was always just one second away from losing it all the way.  Nina wasn’t sure about the whole idea of getting married to Harris or Bob.  Susan needed routine, when she was orderly and working within her own boundaries, there was little reason for Nina to be close and ready to answer in a moment’s notice.” But with Harris, he just did not seem up for it.  Someone had made Susan believe that Harris was to be trusted, and that he would be able to keep Susan on the straight and narrow path that she needed to avoid one of her meltdowns.”  Nina tried to tell her that Harris was not the guy to do it, but Susan got it stuck in her head and was hell-bent on marrying Harris.  So here they were once again.  Susan had a meltdown and destroyed property and relationships, and Nina would pick her up and cart her to safety.  Nina knew it was not finished.  Tomorrow she would have to do a sweep of the restaurants and pay for any damages later.
    “Just drive , Nina.”
    Susan was crying and shivering with anger, confusion and shock.
    “Where is your car, Susan? For God sake, tell me, are you all right?  You are really scaring me.  I am all spooked out, dear.  Relax, just relax, have some water, here.”
    Nina passed her a water bottle, as they sped away, and looking behind in the rearview mirror.  She wondered why Susan had told that strange little band that she had stolen a dress.
    “Just don’t ask me anything, just…just drive .  Let us reach Mom first.  Give me some time.  I’ve had a trip of my life.  Let me just cool myself down a bit,” Susan replied.
    “Okay ,” Nina replied and sighing as she looked up at the top of her car.  She couldn’t get her brow to uncurl and she had the knot in her shoulder again from when she got too stressed.  Susan was exhausted.  It was getting late, with shadows stretching into dusk.  After ten minutes of driving at high speed, Susan came back to herself.  She enjoyed just watching the yellow dotted lines fly by.  It was soothing.  Comforting.  Predictable.  Before that she was just sitting in the passenger seat with her eyes closed, breathing deeply.
    “Don’t you think the day went quick today?  How long have I been away?”  Susan finally broke the silence that had been building between her and Nina.  She hoped it was the right time to start the conversation.
    Nina looked at her friend in curiosity .  What the hell was Susan talking about?
    “We all left the house at ten in the morning .  Reached here at almost eleven a.m., and now it’s almost five.  I think you disappeared for three to four hours, I suppose.  Your parents have called the police, too, as you’re missing,” Nina replied.  Her voice was clipped and tired as if she was reporting to a doctor or the police for a little kid who was lost in the neighborhood.
    “Well, it seemed to be happening so quickly .  I mean, since the time I lost you, I just