Chapter Twenty-Seven
Darren
I woke up the next morning with Penny and her dad on my mind. I had tried calling her a couple times the night before, but she hadn’t answered. I texted her once more before I left for work.
Hey, are you alright? I just wanted to let you know I miss you and am thinking about you. Text me when you get a chance just to let me know how things are going.
As I brushed my teeth and made breakfast, I listened for the chime of the phone. Part of me wanted to rush over to the hospital and find her. But if she hadn’t texted back yet, it was likely she didn’t want to be found. There wasn’t much I could do to help her, and I felt frustrated. It didn’t help that this morning was the bluest and most beautiful in memory, or that the sun went on shining serenely as though nothing was wrong.
Dickie didn’t seem to notice my agitation. When I reached the garage, he emerged beaming from the Mustang. “I took it out early this morning, and I can confirm that the speed has increased significantly. As fast as it was before, it’s going to be even faster now, but you need to be especially careful navigating sharp turns.”
He went on like this for a while, and I nodded along as though I was paying attention. A few weeks ago, I would have thrilled to the news that our car was the fastest on the road and could easily outrun any other vehicle. Now, though, all I could think about was Penny.
A feeling of dread continued to gnaw at me. The lack of response on Penny’s end signaled like nothing else could have done that her dad was in trouble. I wanted to know how he was doing. More than that, I wanted to know how she was handling it. Finally, when I didn’t think I could stand to wait in ignorance any longer, I decided to run by Car Quest. If anyone knew what was going on with them, it would be Nic.
Grabbing my keys off the counter, I said to Dickie, “I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Where are you headed?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I stalked out of the garage toward my car.
The uneasy feeling intensified as I pulled into the parking lot and saw that Penny’s car was gone. The store was empty but for Nic, who stood at the front counter leafing through a yellowed car manual. Behind her, a radio was reporting scenes of devastation from the hurricane in the Gulf.
She glanced up when she saw me, looking faintly annoyed.
“Penny’s not here right now. Try coming back tomorrow.”
“I didn’t think she would be.” I paused at the counter and set down my car keys. “Any idea how she’s doing?”
Nic slapped her hands down on the table, palms up. “I don’t know what to tell you. I know she was on her way to the hospital last night when she texted me. I haven’t heard from her since, and if you haven’t, either, then she’s probably busy or doesn’t want to be bothered.”
Seeing the beleaguered look on my face, her tone softened a little. “I’m sorry. I wish I could be of more help. Last I heard, her father was over at Medical City. He had collapsed in the kitchen, and the nurse came in and found him. There’s no telling what might have happened if she hadn’t found him.”
“Well, I guess we can all be grateful that it’s not as bad as it could have been.”
“Yeah.”
A silence fell in which I wondered whether I should say more, or thank her and walk away.
“I’m sure we’ll hear from her soon,” said Nic. “She’ll want us to know how she’s doing. She’s not the type to just leave us guessing.” Judging from the tone in her voice, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself.
I made a quick series of mental calculations. Nic and I had never been close, but this could be a chance to fix that. “I think I might swing by the hospital after work. You wanna come with?”
Nic shook her head. “Look, I’d love to go over there. But one thing you learn about Penny is that when she doesn’t want to be bothered, she lets you know. Right now, she’s making it pretty clear that she wants to be left alone.”
“Yeah, I get that,” I said, more waspishly than I intended. “I just wish there was something I could do. I hate having to sit here with my hands tied, not knowing whether she’s okay.”
Nic reached over the counter and laid a reassuring hand on my arm. Her touch was surprisingly gentle. “Look, I know you’re scared and frustrated. I’m her best friend, and I’ve been dealing with this for a long time. When she’s worried or upset, she has a way of hiding. But she always comes out again after a day or two. It won’t be long before you see her again, I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks.” I drew a deep breath. Although Nic could be mean and irritating, it was hard not to appreciate her show of support. I felt grateful for it in spite of myself. “Call me if you need anything?”
“Of course.” She hesitated for a moment as though wanting to say something else. “Hey, I hope I didn’t embarrass you the other day.”
“Embarrass me? How?”
It was the first time I had ever seen Nic betray a hint of shyness. “When I jumped into the lake.”
She didn’t spell out what she meant, but she didn’t have to. “You were fine,” I said. “Seriously, don’t worry about it. You took off into the water after about a second, so I didn’t see much.”
Nic nodded, her cheeks burning scarlet. “Well, we can’t all be as cute as Penny,” she said quietly and returned to her book.