Unwritten (33 page)
Authors: M.C. Decker
Rich: Flight just landed … heading to the hotel before I’m due at the Rally in a little over an hour. Miss you, sweets. XX
Glad you made it safely. I hope you weren’t stuck next to any funky peacocks on your flight. Miss you and I’ll talk to you tonight. XX
I had to laugh a little to myself with my “funky peacock” reference. He had mentioned a person whom he’d seen once on a flight, who was dressed in very bold 1980s colors and patterns, and with crazy hair. Rich referred to this particular passenger as a “funky peacock” and the image he painted causes hysterical fits of laughter to come over me even to this day.
Rich: No, didn’t come across any funky peacocks today. Thank God. I just had grandma sitting next to me showing me pictures of her grandkids the entire flight. They were adorable and I’m not gonna lie, I might have gushed about my Roly Poly just a tad. Now your boss says to get back to work! ;) XX
Yes, boss … Anything else, boss? ;)
Rich: Behave …
While shaking my head at my mischievous fiancé, I set my phone back down and continued with my article. Before I knew it another hour had passed and my growling stomach alerted me that I had worked right through my usual lunch hour. As if right on cue, Caroline lightly knocked on my door before letting herself in.
“Did you forget to eat again?” she asked.
“Let me guess … your boss making you check up on me?” I questioned with a raised brow.
“Well, maybe, but I need to eat too and we have some catching up to do. Want to hit Duffy’s for a burger and fries? They shouldn’t be too busy since it’s past the noon lunch rush.
“Sure, I’m starving and a burger and fries sounds like just what the doctor ordered … or, maybe in my case, what this baby ordered. I swear this thing is going to turn ME into the Roly Poly in the next nine months.”
We decided to walk to Duffy’s, a traditional Irish pub, which was located only two blocks from the office. Caroline was right – the lunch traffic had ceased and we were able to get an open booth in the back. A few guys were sitting at the bar indulging in some early Friday afternoon Guinness. I suppose some people really take the phrase, “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” to heart.
My eyes were suddenly drawn to the brightly colored, neon sign hanging in the restaurant’s window. It was a green shamrock with a red flashing Duffy’s in the center. I couldn’t help but think the flashing red center resembled that of the light bar of a police car … or, an ambulance. With the thought of an ambulance, a chill ran right up my spine and straight though my body. I couldn’t help sink the bad thoughts that traveled to my brain … Rich … ambulance …
I lunged for my purse, not even noticing the vivacious waitress that had come to our booth to collect our drink orders.
“Brooke, are you OK?” Caroline asked. She turned to tell our waitress that we needed a few additional moments, so she wouldn’t be a witness to my sudden and apparent mental collapse.
“Brooke, seriously, you are scaring me. What the hell is wrong with you? Is it the baby?”
When I ignored her and continued to frantically rummage through my overly large, shoulder bag … she must have become frustrated with me.
“Brooke, answer me, already! What’s wrong with you? You look like you just saw a ghost.”
I finally found my phone and checked the time before answering Caroline. It was nearly three o’clock. Rich should be at the rally by now.
“I don’t know, Caroline. I just got this feeling. I don’t know how to explain it. I need to get a hold of Rich. Can you just order us some burgers to go, please?”
Caroline didn’t ask any further questions as she called for the waitress to order our lunch to-go.
At that point, I quickly typed out a quick text to Rich.
Hey baby, I’m guessing you should be at the rally by now. I hope I’m not missing anything too exciting. I’m sure you’re just thrilled to death, lol. … I know how much you love all of that political propaganda as you’ve called it since as long as I’ve known you. Anyways, just thinking about you. Please text me back so I know you made it safely … please. XX
I kept looking down at my phone while we waited for our to-go orders. I still hadn’t heard back from Rich. I knew he was probably busy, but it wasn’t like him to not respond with at least a “XX.” We had chosen that as our sign for busy, but thinking of you.
I was growing impatient with each passing minute. My pregnant and empty stomach was not taking the sudden stress very well and I literally thought that I was going to begin dry heaving right then and there.
I excused myself and made my way to the ladies’ room where I broke into hysterical sobs and began pleading with my phone to signal with a text from Rich.
What the hell was wrong with me? Was the pregnancy causing me to lose my fucking mind? I really need to consider seeing a shrink.
As I leaned against the wall near the hand dryers and scooted my butt toward the floor, I shot Rich a second text.
Baby, you really need to text me. Please … 911.
After several minutes and still nothing from Rich, Caroline stormed into the restroom and found me sunken on the bathroom floor with tears and mascara running from my eyes onto my cheeks. She gathered me into a hug and helped pick me up off the dirty and freezing, tile floor.
“Come on, Brooke. Our waitress has our food ready. Let’s get you back to the office. Take a few, deep breaths. You need to relax … for the baby’s sake.”
We grabbed our food and Caroline practically had to drag me back to the office. As we walked through the doors and into the newsroom, I knew immediately something big was happening, somewhere across the nation. Usually, when you walked into the newsroom, it’s relatively quiet with just a few TV monitors playing the world news in the background, the tapping of computer keys and the buzzing from the police scanner.
This afternoon, however, every reporter was either running around in a mad frenzy, or talking frantically into their phones. Once I took in the scene around me, I focused my attention on the television which was playing live breaking news from New York City. I read the news ticker located at the bottom of the screen:
BREAKING NEWS: SHOTS FIRED, BY SEVERAL MASKED GUNMEN, AT POLITICAL TAX RALLY IN NYC. THIRTEEN CONFIRMED DEAD AND SEVERAL HUNDRED INJURED.
My mind swirled and my legs shook. All I remember before crashing down to the floor was a loud scream which I believe to have been my own. That’s all I remember until I woke up in what looked like a hospital room with a pounding headache. I was shocked to see Cassidy and my dad both hovering over me.
“Why are you two here? How … how long have I been out?” I moaned, as the bright hospital lights glared over me.
“Shhhh, Brooke, you’ve been out for over twenty-four hours. We’ve been so worried about you,” my dad said, as he looked over toward Cassidy.
I recognized that look in my dad’s eyes. It was a look of concern mixed with sadness. It had been the same look I’d seen when the nurse told us that my mother hadn’t made it. And, Cassidy already had tear tracks running down her normally rosy cheeks.
“Oh God, something is wrong, isn’t it? Wait, Rich should be here with you two,” I started to panic and bile formed in my throat. “Rich … where’s, Rich?” I managed to squeak out before uncontrollable sobs rocked my body as I remembered the ticker I had read the day before –
Thirteen confirmed dead …
The continuation of
Unwritten
will be available in
Unscripted,
coming in 2015.
F
irst and foremost, I want to thank my husband for his support throughout this wild ride. Without his constant jokes about
Unwritten
remaining “unwritten,” I’m not sure I would have actually finished. My inspiration and guiding force was to tell him that
Unwritten
was in fact “written!”
To, Megan, my BBOPOF – yes, it’s true – we really did create the texting language long before texting was even a real thing. You’ve been my sounding board throughout this entire process. You’ve been with Rich and Brooke since the beginning and I couldn’t have done it without you. Seriously, I’m pretty sure
Unwritten
would only have a beginning and an end. Love you!
To my dad – there really aren’t any words – you’ve been the best dad a girl could ask for and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without you. Thank you!
To, Angie, my real-life, “Cassidy” – you’ve been by my side for more years than I care to publically admit. Thank you for still talking to me even though you knew I was constantly taking notes for my book! Just wait until there is just a book about you! I love you to the moon and back!
To my beta readers, especially Aubrea and Jill – I couldn’t have done it without you ladies! Thank you for taking the time to help me, give me suggestions, advice and answer my unending questions!
To my PA, Melissa – thank you for your support and pimping! My Facebook page would be sad without you!
To my WBW: MB, Cali and Sauce – I may have found you ladies later in the game, but I am so glad I have you girls now! Your support, ideas and friendship mean the world to me! I am so proud to call each of you my friend!
To Lisa and Jesey at Truly Schmexy Promotions – thank you for helping this newbie author out with the behind-the-scenes work! You have no idea how much your support means to me.
To all of the amazing ladies that worked to beautify
Unwritten
: my fabulous cover designer, Kari Ayasha at Cover to Cover Designs, for designing such a beautiful cover; Mandy Hollis of MHPhotography for the beautiful cover photography; and Christine Borgford of Perfectly Publishable for the stunning inside formatting – thank you!
To the indie authors I’ve met along the way who’ve been willing to offer advice and friendship, especially: Annica Rossi, Riley Mackenzie, Corinne Michaels, Gia Riley and Beth Ehemann – there aren’t enough words to express my appreciation.
To the bloggers that have shared in the cover reveal, reviewed and promoted
Unwritten –
none of this would be possible without your constant hard work and dedication. An especially, big heartfelt thank you to Jesey, Trish, Jennifer and Amy at Schmexy Girl Book Blog, Stacia at Three Girls and a Book Obsession, Sharon at Sassy Savvy Fabulous Book Blog and Christina at The Book Vamps.
To all of my Schmexy ladies – you know who you are – I started on this reading (and eventually writing) journey because of you. Over the last year, I’ve made some of the best friendships that I could ever have imagined. One day, we will all be in the same room; we will clear all of the booze from behind the bar and dance on some tables!
To my readers – since you’ve made it this far, I can only assume you have finished. I hope you’ve come to love Rich and Brooke as much as I do. There are so many wonderful books to choose from and I am truly honored that you took the time to read my story! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Please feel free to join my Facebook group to talk about
Unwritten
. Plus keep up with news regarding the sequel,
Unscripted
.
Also enjoy the playlist I created for
Unwritten
.
*DPGROUP.ORG*
M
.C. Decker is the author of the debut novel,
Unwritten
. She lives in a suburb of Flint, Michigan with her husband, Brian, and her spoiled-rotten Siamese cat, Simon. For the last decade, she has worked as a journalist for several community newspapers in Michigan’s Thumb region. She enjoys all things ‘80s and ‘90s pop culture: movies, boy bands, music and especially the color, hot pink. She also strictly lives by the motto, “Life is better in flip flops,” and is a diehard Detroit Tigers fan. You can e-mail her at [email protected]. She would love to hear from you.
Connect with M.C. Decker
Twitter: @AuthorMCDecker
