Free B0089ZO7UC EBOK by Jez Strider Page B

doing, updated me on our favorite shows, and was thrilled when another local veterinary clinic gave her a job the day after she applied.
    “You know, if you decide to reopen, I’ll come back.”   Honestly, I hadn’t been in the mood to talk when I picked up the phone and called her, but it was good to hear she was doing fine.   “I’ve got mouths to feed, you know?   I had to go somewhere.”   She said.
    “I understand.   I’m not even sure I’ll ever open the clinic back up.   Time will tell.”   I said , making sure we had plenty of small talk before I dropped my requests on my friend.
    She was perceptive and eventually asked before I even had the chance.   “What do you need?”
    “You’ve missed your calling.   I think you were meant to be a therapist or maybe a psychic.”   Despite the fact that Marc was downstairs in the shop and I was alone, I had locked myself in the bathroom and turned on the fan to drone out my voice.   I sat on the side of the bathtub as I talked to my friend.
    “I think maybe I’d do better with something more serene, like a florist.” Ashley remarked, then spoke to me like I were a guilty child.   “Spit it out.”
    Asking for help was never easy for me.   “There’s a small amount of emergency cash locked in the safe in my office.”   I told her the combination.   “I need you to take it and buy a sexy looking dress, matching purse, shoes, and some decent jewelry.”   She was surprisingly quiet as I told her everything I needed.   “Also…I need my medical bag and all the blood thinning medication we have at the clinic.   Oh!”   I called out, having almost forgotten.   “Bring me those diet drinks that are in my mini-fridge.”
    The line was quiet for several moments before she spoke.   “I’ll help you, but you have to make me a promise first.”
    “Sure.” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.   Anyone would think what I asked for was odd, but if I made a big deal about it, she might balk.
    “This may be shocking, but you are my best friend.”   I could hear her younger children fighting in the background.   “I know you’re in trouble and I also know that you’re a vampire.”  
    After hearing her revelation, I had to excuse myself to pick my jaw up off the floor.   How would she have any idea about me being a vampire?   “W…what?”   It was the only thing I could say.
    “Now isn’t the time to get into details about it.”     There was a crash and I could hear her yelling at the children.   “The promise is that when life gets back to normal, you will help Fate with some supernatural issues she has been having.”   Fate was her oldest daughter, almost eighteen.   I knew her well enough, but I’d never sensed anything out of the ordinary.
    “Okay, of course, but…” I heard footsteps and then there was a knock at the bathroom door.
    Ash was speaking on the other line.   “I hear him.   I’ll be discreet when I deliver your items.   Talk to you later.”   The line went dead and I slipped the phone into one of the dress pockets.   I owed her, probably more than I’d ever be able to express.
    “Are you okay in there? “   Marcus called from the other side of the door.
    Relationships are difficult, but I was about to go mad from being in lockdown and babied every moment.   “Yes, just a minute!”   I flushed the toilet and washed my hands so he wouldn’t think I was hiding in the bathroom.   When I opened the door he wasn’t hovering in the doorway as I expected but in the kitchen.   There was a bag of Chinese food on the counter.
    “Sorry, wasn’t trying to be in your business.”   There was grease on his forehead and I smiled when he spoke.   Despite my frustrations, the boy made me happy.   “I figured you’d be hungry since I was.   It…scares me to leave you alone for too long.”
    I headed over and climbed onto one of his pub style bar stools.   “I know.   I’m scared, too.”