The Love You Crave

52.

Before heading into one of the dressing rooms to change into my hospital gown, I check my messages and notice Kimberly called.

I press the play button, and frown as I hear her angry words. She waited until five minutes before the deadline to call and has the gall to be mad at me for not being available.

Great.

I see she left me a second message, minutes later. Probably worked herself into a rage after thinking about it a while longer. Her mother used to do that. I stare at the screen a minute and decide to ignore the second message. I just don’t have the strength for her sullen attitude right now. She can chew me out later.

Jeff says, “You want me to hold anything for you?”

“No, but I’d like you to guard my locker while I’m in there.”

“Will do.”

“Are you okay spending the night?” I say. “If not, I can get you a flight back to Vegas.”

“I’m good. I’ll find something to do.”

“Okay, then.”

The technician joins us for a short chat. I tell him not to freak when he sees the chip in my brain. “Let me know if it’s operable,” I say.

“We just shoot the pictures,” he says. “We don’t interpret them.”

I nod, then follow him into the scanning room, and take my position on the table.

“Just do twenty minutes worth,” I say.

“It doesn’t work that way. You’ll be here the full forty minutes,” he says.

Great.