Trying to Survive (The Kiser #1) (6 page)

Girl’s
Trip!

    
“I can’t believe were here!”
 
I
said squealing like a kid, but I didn’t care.
 
We landed an hour ago, and after collecting our bags, we hailed a
cab.
 
And here I stood in the hotel room
looking out the window at New York City!

    
“I know!
 
I’ve wanted to come here
for so long, and here we are!”
 
Megan
felt exactly like I did.
 
This is the
best Christmas present mom and dad could have given me.
 
Megan and I met in grade school, quickly
becoming best friends.
 
I was always sick
and unable to run very much so she would hang back with me.
 
We found that we had a lot in common and
through high school, she became my partner in crime.
 
When I moved away with Graysen, we still kept
in touch, and when we moved back closer home, it was if no time at all had
passed.
 
 
“What do you want to do first?”
 
Megan asked as she started reapplying her
makeup and fixing her hair.

    
“I have to let Austin know that we made it safely.”
 
Her face showed understanding as I pulled out
my cell.
 
After talking to him, then mom
for ten minutes, I was ready to see the sights.
 
“Ready.”
 
I called to her.

    
“Good.
 
Oh wait, do you have your
inhaler?”
 
She asked and I laughed while
holding it up.
 
Smiling, she asked,
"Where do you want to go first?”

    
“There are so many places I want to visit, but I don’t know where to
start, so you pick one.”

    
“How about we see the 911 memorial?
 
That’s one place I don’t want to miss, so let’s go there first.”

    
“Sounds good.”
 
We both grabbed
our handbags and headed out to hail another cab.
 
Arriving at the memorial, we purchased our
tickets and viewed the sights.
 
It felt
surreal looking at all those names engraved on the side of the fountain.
 
So many people lost.
 
Like Graysen, they didn’t know that morning
that it would be their last day on Earth.
 
Shaking my head and wiping a stray tear from my eye, I continued to look
and could now see past the devastation.
 
There was beauty in the memorial, with trees and benches; this was a
place of peace, of remembrance.

    
“That was amazing, and the fountains were genius.”
 
Megan said with awe in her voice.
 
Smiling, I thought so too.
 
“Okay, where to next?”

    
“Statue of Liberty?”
 
I asked as
we walked down the street.

    
“Statue of Liberty it is.”
 
She
said as she hailed us another cab.

    
“This may get expensive; we might need to check on the cost of riding
the subway.”
 
I could see the hesitation
in her eyes.
 
“What?”

    
“I’m not sure that using the subway is a good idea.”
 
Still not understanding, I quirked an eyebrow
indicating for her to continue.
 
“There
are a lot of people in a closed area.
 
You might get sick.”
 
I laughed
and gave her a hug.
 
Megan felt more like
a sister to me, and certainly worried about me more than my own sister did.

    
“I’ll be fine, I promise.”
 
I
linked my arm with hers as we continued walking.
 
Three hours later, I wasn’t fine.
 
Exhausted, and with labored breathing, I
needed to rest.
 
“I need to go back to
the room.”
 
I told her.

    
“Yeah, it’s almost 10 pm and it’s been a long day.”
 
We headed back to the hotel.

    
Megan went to the bathroom while I plugged in my nebulizer.
 
Sometimes I could get by without using it,
but it was better if I did.
 
Adding the
medicine to the cup, I inhaled it for twenty-five minutes.
 
Ever since the doctor added another medicine,
it took a lot longer to use.
 
I finished
up about the time Megan emerged from the bathroom.
 
Putting everything away, I took a quick
shower before heading to bed.
 
Smiling, Megan
was already asleep.

    
Waking up the next morning, I rolled over and noticed it was 10:45.
 
Wow, I slept for about twelve hours.
 
Sitting up, I spotted Megan sitting at the
little round table staring out the window.
 
“Good morning.”
 
I said as I got
up.

    
“Good morning to you sleepy head.
 
Feel better?”
 
I noticed she was
already dressed.
 
I must have been in a
deep sleep.

    
“Yeah, I actually do feel better.
 
How long have you been up?”
 
I
walked over to start my medicine.
 
I
hated using it because it seemed to take so much time.
 
In reality though, twenty-five minutes twice
a day wasn’t much if it kept me healthy.

    
“I woke up at 8:30.
 
I hope you
don’t mind, but I went downstairs and had breakfast.
 
I was starving.”
 
I eyed her coffee as she took a sip.

    
“I don’t mind at all as long as you have another cup somewhere for
me.”
 
I said, grinning.

    
“Of course I do.
 
I didn’t know
how long you would sleep so you might have to warm it up a tad.
 
It’s been sitting in the microwave for
fifteen minutes.”

 
   
Walking over, I took it from the microwave.
 
It was warm, but not hot so I heated it up
and took a slow sip.
 
“Mm.” I said after
swallowing a sip.
 
“I’ll try to hurry and
get ready.”

    
“Take your time.”
 
She said as she
continued to drink her coffee and watch the city in full swing.

    
An hour and a half later, I was dressed and ready to go.
 
We visited the Empire State Building, and
then decided to go shopping.
 
We
continued this routine for a couple of days.

    
Three days later, everything changed.
 
“Hello?”
 
Megan’s face fell.
 
“Slow down.”
 
She had the phone to her hear listening intently.
 
“Okay, I’ll be home.”
 
My stomach dropped.
 
What could be wrong?
 
“I’ll see you soon.
 
Thanks for letting me know.”
 
Hanging up the phone, she turned to me and I
wanted to cry.
 
“My mom had a heart
attack and she’s in the hospital.”

    
“Oh my God!
 
We’ll go pack
immediately.”
 
I said as I gathered my
things.

    
“You’re not going with me.”
 
I
looked at her with confusion.
 
Of course
I was.

    
“Yes, I am.”

    
“No, you’re not.
 
I love you Lana,
but your parents gave you this vacation as a present.
 
I have to go home and be with mom, but you
need to stay here.
 
You only have three
nights left.
 
Please.”

    
She was not only begging with her words, but with her eyes as well.
 
It wouldn’t be long and then I would be back
home.
 
“Okay, let’s get back to the
room.
 
How are you going to get home?”

    
“I don’t know.
 
I need to see how
expensive it will be to change my plane ticket.
 
If it cost too much, I may need to rent a car.”

    
Back at the hotel, I called the airline while she packed her bags.
 
After explaining the situation, they changed
her ticket free of charge.
 
I offered to
ride with her to the airport, but she insisted I stay here.
 
She didn’t want me to pay for the cab ride
back.
 
“Please let me know how your mom
is.”

    
Hugging me she said, “I promise.
 
Please try to have a good time.
 
I’ll see you in a few days.”
 
She
let me go, grabbed her bags and headed out the door as I just stood there
looking at it, feeling lost.

*****

    
“Hey Matt, what’s up?”
 
I asked after
answering my phone.
 
Five days had passed
since Christmas and I was still trying to get rid of the memory.
 
I had stayed home every day and worked from
my office here.
 
It had everything I
needed.

    
“At least your greeting is better.
 
Who the hell says
speak
when
they answer?”

    
“Is there a point to your call?”
 
I asked with an irritable tone.

    
“What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?”

    
“I’m supposed to go to some Gala with this fucking girl.”
 
I said rubbing my forehead.

    
“When can you get away?”

    
“I don’t know, it’s starts at 8 so maybe by 9 or 9:30.”
 

    
“Good.
 
Why don’t you meet David
and me downtown?
 
We’ll hit some bars and
bring the New Year in right.”

    
“What about Carly?”
 
I hadn’t seen
them together much.

    
“Ah, she said she wanted to spend New Year’s with her family in
Maryland.
 
I think she’s pulling away
from me.”

    
“I’m sorry man.”
 
What else could
I say?
 
They had been together a long
time, and I thought they were in love.
 
Of course, what did I know about love?
 

    
“Okay, if I can get away I’ll meet you.
 
I’m sure Cruella will be calling soon.”

    
“No shit!
 
Her name’s Cruella?”

    
“No dumbass, that’s just what I call her.
 
Her names Maria and she’s a younger version
of my mother.”
 
I shivered at the
thought.

    
“Man, I don’t care if you end up poor.
 
That’s much better than spending the rest of your life with someone like
that.”
 
I couldn’t agree more.
 
Unfortunately, I liked having money and
didn’t know how to live as a poor person.

    
“Listen, I need to go.
 
I’ll give
you a call tomorrow night when I break free.”

   
 
Laughing, he said, “okay” before
hanging up.
 
I decided to get a shower
before heading out for dinner.
 
I had
held up here long enough.

    
An hour later as I started out the door my cell rang.
 
Not recognizing the number I answered,
“Speak.”

    
“Mr. Withers? Col…Colin?”
 
The
female answered back.
 
Smiling, that was
exactly why I answer the phone that way, it normally intimidated whoever called
right from the start.

    
“Yes.”
 

    
“Hi, it’s Maria.
 
Your mother gave
me your number.
 
I just wanted to know
what time you will be picking me up tomorrow night.”
 
Smooth, she had regained her composure and
quickly I might add.
 
I didn’t want to
pick her up.
 
If I did, I wouldn’t be able
to ditch her and meet up with Matt and Dave.

    
“I’m sorry Maria, something’s come up and I’ll have to meet you
there.”
 
I heard her sharp intake but
didn’t know what the source, anger or something else.

    
“What do you mean you’ll meet me there?
 
I can’t just show up by myself!”
 
She seethed, okay anger it is.

    
“Well, that’s the best I can offer.
 
You’re welcome to find another date if you wish.”
 
Actually, I really hope she did.

    
After a few moments of calculating silence, she said, “No, I’ll meet you
there.
 
Maybe later you can take me
home.”
 
She said sweetly.
 
I
wouldn’t bet on it sweetheart.

    
“Fine, I’ll meet you at 8.”
 
Cutting her off, I hung up and headed out the door.

    
Later that night I found myself at yet another bar. This one was in a
better part of town.
 
Of course, I
limited myself to two drinks especially after the incident last time.
 
After about an hour of sipping my whiskey and
watching football on the TV, I decided I’d had enough.
 
Walking outside, I needed to call Seth to
come and pick me up.
 
While looking down
at my phone, I didn’t notice the three thugs coming up behind me.
 
One grabbed an arm, and then someone else
grabbed my other one.
 
They dragged me
down an alley and started punching and kicking me. “Look at what we have
boys.”
 
One of them said as he spit on
me, then he grabbed for my watch.
 
I fought
back, I worked out regularly but they still got the better of me. They took
turns holding me, and with one punch, I felt my lip split.
 
With ever kick and punch I could feel the
damage it was wrecking upon my body.
 
I
could even feel my eyes swelling even though I still struggled with them.
 
What kind of muggers were they?
 
When something hard hit my head, everything
went dark.