Free Fragmented by Colleen Connally Page B

head off her pillow. Her heart felt so heavy, but she wasn’t going to be getting much sleep. She had to get out of bed, walk around, make a bowl of cereal.
    Outside her door, she heard voices. Karl must have come in with company. She hoped that Zach didn't wake up and disturb Karl’s rendezvous.
    She already had Greg irritated at her. What was she supposed to do when Zach showed back up after seeing their father? Zach looked so sick. All he wanted to do was sleep the night away on the couch. He just wanted to be taken care of by his big sis.
    She waited until the voices subsided and faded into Karl’s bedroom before she climbed out of bed. Dressed in her comfy flannel pjs, she inched open the door to an empty room. All seemed quiet.
    The open layout of the apartment gave freedom to Cameron , away from the boys. Her bedroom lay across the living room, which was furnished in a classic style. The hardwood floor was covered by a simple braided rug. A gold plated framed mirror hung over the fireplace. A lone floor lamp sat in the far corner next to the curvature of the walls by the windows.
    The kitchen lay open with white cabinets and t-shaped counters. A teakettle sat on top of the gas stove. She needed a cup of tea.
    Quietly, she tiptoed to the kitchen. She filled the kettle with water. She would have to watch it before it whistled. She certainly didn’t want to wake anyone. Lost in her thoughts, she reached up in the cabinet for a bowl for her cereal.
    She didn’t hear the rustling feet behind her, but she felt two hands grab her waist. Startled, a screech escaped her.
    “Gotcha!” he whispered in her ear.
    The bowl dropped to the floor, shattering it into pieces.  Her heart felt as if it had popped out of her body. She clutched her chest. Swirling around, she hit her roommate across his shoulder.
    “ For God’s sake, Karl. You scared the living daylights out of me,” she said, catching her breath.
    Laughing, he stepped back. One glance, and she knew he had been out on the town, dressed in a black cashmere sweater and nice slacks. He looked ruggedly handsome with his sandy blonde hair cut short and gelled back. His blue eyes danced with mischief. He bent down and picked up the pieces of the broken bowl.
    “ Day’s not going too well, I hear.”
    “ My day? I’m not the one who has company in my bedroom and is out here talking with my roommate.”
    A knowing grin emerged on his face, he said, “Believe she had a little too much of that bottle of wine at Jacques’ tonight. She won’t miss me for a while.”
    Cameron eyed him suspiciously.
    “Don’t even give me that look, Cam. You’d be asleep with a sip of it.”
    She got the broom and dustpan and shrugged. She couldn’t disagree; she’d never been much of a partier.
    “ Greg only called me a hundred times today. He’s getting worse than a clingy girlfriend. First, mad at your lame brother. I heard a hundred times how you enable the loser—his words, not mine—and then upset because you were mad at him.”
    “ He’ll get over it. Always does. Stressed out between school and work, I guess.”
    “ More worried about you moving out and being left with me.”
    “ It’s time, though, Karl.” Cameron stood. “Wouldn’t you say?”
    He shrugged, leaning down to open the cabinet door to the garbage. “For you. Who’s going to take care of two hapless bachelors?”
    He leaned back against the counter, staring at Cameron. She returned the stare. She had seen him through his parents’ divorce; he, in turn, saw her through her mother’s devastating death. He had once again come to the rescue when Matthew broke their engagement and again nine months later when Matthew married someone else.
    Greg …she didn’t remember exactly when they had become friends. He had always been a little quirky, but brilliant. He had been Karl’s friend; so, he was hers. She had always known he was a delicate soul.
    Her New Year’s resolution had been to live life