“Is everything okay, Tempest?” Geren asked, propping himself up on one of his elbows and rubbing his eyes with his free hand. “It’s not that I’m not glad to hear from you. You can call me any time of the day or night. I must admit this is a bit of a surprise, though.”
He patiently awaited a reply but got no answer. After a phone sex commercial advertising a nine hundred number came on and went off, he said, “Tempest? Are you still there?”
“Yes, I am. Sorry,” she anxiously replied. “I was just thinking about something.”
“Is everything all right?”
“Yes and no,” she responded, letting out a deep sigh afterward. “I’m fine physically, but I had an emotionally draining day.”
“What happened?”
“One of the girls tried to kill herself,” Tempest stated in dismay. “Right there in the center.”
Geren sat straight up and threw his feet on the floor, flicking on a lamp in the process. He was wide awake now. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks.”
“How is the girl?”
“Brenda’s better, physically at least. I’m not sure about emotionally. She slit her wrists in the bathroom and lost a lot of blood.”
“Oh, boy!” Geren exclaimed. “That’s horrible!”
“I just left Children’s Hospital,” Tempest continued. “She’s resting comfortably.”
“That’s good, and the baby?”
Geren could tell from the silence on the other end that the baby hadn’t survived.
“She lost it,” Tempest finally responded. “It was a little girl. Brenda was trying to kill herself and the baby, but now she’s gonna have to live and face the guilt.”
Geren rubbed his forehead, trying to prevent a sudden migraine from taking over. “Well, are they keeping a close eye on her? What if she tries it again?”
“They have her on a strenuous suicide watch. That’s hospital policy.”
“How are you holding up? That must have been such a traumatic experience for you.”
“I’m all right. Just having trouble sleeping,” Tempest said earnestly. “Just having a hell of a lot of trouble sleeping.”
It suddenly dawned on Tempest that she was calling Geren at three in the morning. What if he wasn’t alone? “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
“No, not at all,” Geren quickly replied. “Tempes
t, I told you I’m not seeing anyone else.”
Tempest blushed because he said anyone else. That implied he felt that he was seeing her. She was hoping he regarded her in such a fashion.
“In that case, I was lying here fantasizing about one of your awesome, spine-tingling massages.”
“Oh, yeah!” Geren said excitedly.
“Oh, yeah!”
“If you’re serious, that can most definitely be arranged. Just say the word.”
“Word.” Tempest giggled into the phone. She was ready for him. It was time. Life was too short. She needed someone. She needed Geren.
“Give me thirty minutes,” Geren said before hanging up.