Fallen Elements by Heather McVea Read Free Book Online Page B

Seriously? You’re like the smartest person I know.”
    Ryan closed her eyes again. “You have a very
small, select group of confused people in your social circle is
all.”
    “Speaking of - Greg called me three times
while you were gone. Checking in on me , he says.” Nicole
huffed. Greg Mathews was a strapping twenty eight year old, who was
a tall, blond haired marathon runner. He was fresh out of the
University of Maryland Law School, and gainfully employed at one of
the more prestigious firms in Baltimore. And he was hopelessly in
love with Nicole.
    “You poor thing.” Ryan feigned pouting.
Nicole and she had met Greg through the Baltimore Sports and Social
Club when the three of them were assigned to the same flag football
team. For Greg, it was love at first sight, but Nicole tended to
play the field. The idea of settling down while still in her
twenties was the furthest thing from her mind.
    “Hey, don’t joke. He’s stalker material.”
Nicole quickly maneuvered the car into a tight spot across the
street from Sip and Bite.
    “Please, Nic. We’ve known Greg for over a
year. He’s decent, funny, and even by my standards - hot.” Ryan
unhooked her seat belt. “Let him stalk away.”
    The two women trotted across Boston Street
towards the chrome plated Sip and Bite. From the outside, the
restaurant, which had opened in 1948, still retained the look of a
diner. The menu was eclectic, the food good, and most importantly,
inexpensive.
    “Why do you look at the menu?” Ryan asked as
she sipped her black coffee.
    “You never know. Something new might pop out
at me.” Nicole scanned the laminated menu book.
    “You’ve ordered the same thing for the past
two years.” Ryan teased. “Sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits.
Eggs. Over easy.”
    Nicole put the menu down. “I appreciate
tradition.” She took a drink of her orange juice, but not before
playfully sticking her tongue out at Ryan.
    “What are we having, ladies?” Tracey, a
middle age African-American woman, had been waiting on Ryan and
Nicole since they first started coming to the restaurant. Only a
few blocks from their house, the Sip and Bite made for great late
night snack runs, and early morning hangover cures.
    “French toast with a side of scrambled eggs,
please.” Ryan smiled as she handed the waitress her menu.
    Nicole quickly scanned the menu. “I - let me
have - oh, crap. Give me my usual.” She handed Tracey the menu
without looking up.
    Chuckling, the waitress shoved her pen behind
her right ear and tucked the two menus under her arm. “Just won me
a five dollar bet.”
    Nicole blushed. “Perfect.”
    Ryan smiled. This wasn’t the first time the
staff had given Nicole grief over her predictability. The
familiarity of it, this place, the people, made the last four days
fade a little further into the background for Ryan.
    “You look too serious. What’s wrong?” Nicole
looked intently at her friend.
    Ryan shrugged. “Just glad to be home.”
    Covering Ryan’s hand with hers, Nicole
smiled. “You were missed. Another day and I might have given in,
and actually gone out with Greg.”
    Ryan eyed her friend suspiciously. “Something
just occurred to me. You’ve been very careful - considerate almost
- about not asking too many questions about the trip.”
    Leaning back, Nicole ran her index finger
over the Formica table top. “I’m nothing if not considerate.” She
looked out of the top of her eyes at Ryan. “And you could reward my
patience by - telling me everything .”
    Shrugging, Ryan wasn’t sure what she was
ready to share. “My mom died. We hadn’t talked in over six years,
and honestly hadn’t known each other for even longer.” Her voice
faltered, and Ryan took a quick sip of coffee.
    “Hey, if it’s too soon.” Nicole said, her
eyes full of worry.
    Shaking her head, Ryan continued. “It’s fine.
The house was the same as I remembered it. Huge and lavish, and
everything was too much.” Rolling her