Page 61 of Teaching Roman

All the blood rushed out of my head, making me so dizzy I had to sit down waiting for Cassie to recount the rest.

“She didn't elaborate further than that,” she said instead.

“But you found out the rest, right?” Jillian asked.

My fingernails were in my mouth as I waited for Cassie to confirm what I already knew. They’d be stubs if she didn’t hurry up.

“Of course, I did. This is me we're talking about,” she said. “I put on my best sweet and concerned student face and asked her if Markson was okay. I may have mentioned he was my favorite teacher, and I was soooooworried.”

“Nice,” Jillian said. I couldn't help but notice that Cassie didn't mind Jillian's interruptions as much as she seemed to mind mine.

“Jess, it's his grandmother,” Cassie confessed in a whisper.

I knew that, of course. I'd known since she said he'd gone back to Puerto Vallarta, because Roman had told me he only got down there once a year if he was lucky. If he was going back this soon, something had to be wrong. But the thought of anything happening to Aba…

“Did she know how bad it was?” I asked Cassie.

“She told me she expected he would stay down there until final arrangements had been made.”

A choke escaped my body and I clutched my chest, trying to hold the rest of them back. “She's dead?”

“I don't think so,” Cassie said. “But it sounds like it won't be long. She said Roman would be lucky to make it in time.”

I didn't think. I was on my feet and in my dresser drawer before Jillian could wrap me in a hug or Cassie could give me any more details.

“What are you doing?” Jillian asked, moving to stand next to me as I rummaged through my drawers, tossing underwear on the floor, until my fingers closed over what I was seeking.

I flashed her my passport in response to her question.

“I thought you wanted to let him go,” she reminded me.

“I did!” I said, “and I don’t. He's...he's my family. I need to be there.”

Jillian and Cassie said nothing else they simply flew to action helping me pack. All they knew was that I needed their help. They didn't need to understand how confused I was about Roman. They'd been there themselves. Besides, that was the one thing I could always count on with them. In the end, there were no questions. They were there. Always.

Cassie began rattling off flight times.

“I don’t care which one,” I said, tossing her my credit card. A flight down there would eat up the rest of my available balance, but I knew with absolute certainty that I needed to go. Roman needed me. He’d tried to tell me so this afternoon and I’d ignored him.

“Crap!” I stopped packing and banged my fist into my dresser. “I took my car in for maintenance. We’ll have to go get it.”

“It’s too late. They’ll be closed,” Cassie reminded me. “I’ll need to check the ferry schedule and the sounder.”

I swallowed back a scream of frustration. “I can call a cab.”

“That will cost a small fortune,” Cassie said. “If only I still had Trevor’s credit card.”

“The world would be in another financial crisis if you still had his credit card,” Jillian said as she zipped my suitcase shut. I grabbed it from her and started hauling ass to the living room where I’d left my cell phone.

“It’s called helping the economy rebound,” Cassie argued with her as they followed me into the living room.

“Wait!” Jillian snapped her fingers. “Lillian!”

“I am not calling my sister in on this one,” I said emphatically. She was probably halfway to Seattle.

“She can’t be far,” Jillian said, as she tugged her cell phone out of her pocket. “And luckily, I have her number.”

“Don’t you dare, Jillian Nichols!”

She danced away from me, holding the phone out of reach while she pulled up Lillian’s number. I lunged for her, but Cassie blocked me.

“Let people help you,” she advised me.

I took a step back and thought about what she was really saying. Somehow I managed to keep my mouth shut as Jillian sweet talked Lillian into being my personal taxicab again.

“Done! She’s on her way!” Jillian said, waving the phone like it was a prize.

“She’s going to flip out when she finds out where I’m going,” I complained.

“I’m guessing she already knows,” Cassie said, dropping an arm around my shoulders.

“And how would she know that?”

“Because, much like my best friend Jessica Stone, Lillian Stone is not an idiot.”