Free Take it Deep (Take 2) by Jaimie Roberts Page B

think it’s time I got what is due.  See you soon sweet, Ana, and have a great birthday.  Love A.’ 
    My hands start shaking and my heart beats frantically in my chest.  Every sound in the apartment is amplified and soon I turn into a paranoid freak, thinking he’s in the apartment somewhere.  My breathing picks up and the panic rises like never before.  I have no one here to help me through this.  Jake was there through most of my panic attacks.  He always knew exactly what to do to calm me down, but for now, I have no one. 
    My heart beats frantically and my head spins.  Feeling dizzy I grip on to the coffee table with all my might and it is then I start to remember what Dr Townsend told me to do once the panic starts.  I look around the room and settle my eyes on a painting above Jessie’s telly.  It is a beautiful painting of a meadow.  I take deep breaths and concentrate on the colors and the way the painting flows across the canvas.  I see a little boy who looks as though he is running, and I will myself to think about that, imagining him playing happily in the field.  It takes a while longer than normal, but soon I am starting to see some sense and I know there is no one here with me.  It’s just my irrational thinking playing tricks on me.  The card is on the coffee table again and I don’t touch it.  I don’t want to touch it.  I know I need to speak to someone, but I don’t know who.  I can’t talk to Jake as he doesn’t know anything about Alan.  The only person I can speak with is Jessie and I really don’t want to disturb her on her date with Jerry.  I know that if I call Jessie, she will be in her car and on her way back to me in no time at all, but I don’t want to do that to her. 
    Heart calming I look across the room and spo t a mini pink Cadillac on Jessie’s cabinet.  I never noticed that there before.  Suddenly lightning strikes and I remember Agent Marcos.  He’s named after a British car.  I run to grab my phone from the bag in the kitchen and look through to see if I can find his number.  I’m not sure if I have it still from the last saga.  What is he going to think of me?  I bet he will wish I never came here from England.  I’ve been nothing but trouble since we met.  I have to tell someone though—plus he is the only official who already knows about him.  I take another deep breath and dial his number.  After two rings he promptly answers using his surname.  “Andrew, hi, it’s Ana.” 
    “Ana, how nice to hear from you.  You sound a little bit stressed, is everything okay?” 
    I shut my eyes as my heartbeat accelerates again.  Please calm down. 
    “No, unfortunately not. I really need you to see something.  I think Alan knows where I am now.  I received a card from him.” 
    “Where are you , in McLean?  I’m actually on the road round Falls Church and can be there in ten minutes.” 
    “No, I’m not living there anymore.  I’m staying at a friend’s house in Fairfax called Sunnyside Apartments.   Her door number is 410.” 
    “Ok ay, I’m punching the info in on my Sat Nav and should be there in about the same time.  Hold tight okay, and don’t worry.  I’ll see you very soon.” 
    “Thank you , Andrew.  I appreciate this.” 
    “No problem at all.” 
    I hang up and sit there patiently waiting.  Every minute seems like an hour.  After about five minutes the door suddenly knocks and I’m wondering how on earth he could have gotten here so fast.  I look through the peep hole and it’s Michael.  Oh shit, how am I going to explain to him why an FBI Agent is coming to the apartment soon? 
    I open the door.  “Michael, how are you?  What are you doing round this neck of the woods?”  I glide over giving him some space to pass.  I’m actually glad he is here as the panic still reeling through my veins has subsided in his presence.  But I’m still uneasy about the fact that Marcos will be here any