Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
I gape at them, unable to draw oxygen in my lungs. What? Wanda did no such thing! I did no such thing. I open my mouth to protest, but Ranger and Ryder are already gone, the door closing behind them with a soft click.
I gasp once more, almost doubling over from the pain in my stomach. What just happened? Really? Do my boyfriends really think I betrayed them on purpose, just to get some material for an exposé? Even worse, is my relationship with the handsome physicians over because of this horrible tragedy?
21
Bethany
Thankfully, Danny’s still playing happily in his room. He has no idea what just happened because voices were never raised, nor was there any banging or slamming. Thanking god for the small miracles in the world, I stagger over to my handbag and retrieve my cell. With trembling fingers, I dial Wanda.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
On the third ring, she picks up.
“Hey girl,” comes her breezy voice. “What’s up?”
I’m barely able to form words because my throat’s so dry.
“Why’d you do it?” I ask. “Why did you set me up?”
Wanda pretends like she has no idea.
“I did no such thing!” she scolds. “What are you talking about?”
I swallow again, and my throat literally hurts from the pain.
“You set me up with Epinine all for a story,” I rasp. “For your job. You wanted to hurt Doctors Stephenson and Stevens. Why did you make me your pawn? What was the point anyways? What did they ever do to you?” I ask, my voice growing louder and louder until it’s practically a howl. From the other side of the hall, I hear a cry. My son’s heard and he’s begun bawling. Stalking over, I swoop into his room to pick him up while shushing his little form. After a bit of hiccupping, he settles and then scrambles off my lap to go play again. Go figure.
“What did they do to you?” I bite into the phone again, once the coast is clear. “Why, Wanda? What caused this?”
I half expect my red-headed friend to launch into another denial, but instead she owns it.
“It’s just not fair,” she hisses into the receiver. “You have everything, and I have nothing.”
Blinking, I jerk a bit. I’m taken aback because how can she say that? What is she talking about?”
“What do you mean, Wan? If anything, I’m struggling here. I’m a single mom who was working a dead-end job until a few months ago. I live in a rent-controlled apartment, and yes, I’m lucky that I have it, but this is no palace. You’ve been here many times, Wanda. I’m not exactly a princess living in her castle.”
Wanda’s voice goes teary for a moment for a moment, but then she clears her throat, and resumes her attack in a venomous voice.
“You never have trouble getting guys. I’ve been on that fucking site DatingNow for so fucking long, and it never goes anywhere. Hell, I’m not just on DatingNow. I’m also on Match, Coffee Meets Bagle, Bumble, HooksupsAnonymous, and Meet Me Thursday. None of it fucking works!” she screeches into the receiver. “It’s not fair!”
I squint, still trying to make sense of this.
“Yeah, but none of it worked for me either, remember? I was on that site DatingTime up until a couple months ago, and none of it worked for me either, remember? I mean, I went out with so many douches. So how can you say that I don’t have trouble meeting men? I have so much trouble.”
Wanda practically breaks down then, her voice cracking.
“Yeah, but you get guys to sleep with you. Remember that douchebag Rob? He wanted to fuck you, even though you have a loose pussy.”
I stop her there.
“He didn’t want to fuck me. In fact, he suggested that I had major anatomical problems. Why are you saying this? You’re twisting the truth because it’s the opposite of what you’re describing.”
But Wanda’s on a roll.
“And Rob’s not the only one who wanted to fuck you. They all wanted to hook up. All those boys. They took one look at your big brown eyes and sassy body, and wanted to line up at the door and take you on a date before jumping in bed.”
I squint, still utterly confused.
“So? There are tons of douchebags like that on-line. Why does that make a difference? I mean, guys have low standards. They’ll date anything with two legs and a skirt! Why does it matter? It’s not like any of these dates worked out!”
Wanda starts screeching again.
“But see, I don’t have that because you take all the guys! No one even wants to meet with me! Do you know how many times I’ve been stood up in the last month? Five! Five guys canceled on me before we actually met in person! And you know why? It’s because of bitches like you. You’re taking all the good ones!”