Sisterly Chat [fiction 572]

[This is a continuation of Falling.]

After Lexi put her few groceries away, she changed into comfy clothes, and called her sister. “Thank God it didn’t go to voicemail, Vicky. I really need to chat.”

“I’m just getting some coffee before an appointment. Why?” Her sister’s voice immediately became concerned. “What’s happened up there?”

“Nothing terrible.” Lexi took a deep breath and sat on the bed. She fluffed a pillow behind her back, feeling better now that she was back in her safe environment.

“But something must be going on,” Vicky said. “Or you wouldn’t sound so panicked. Did someone discover that you’re–”

“No!” Lexi gasped. “No, sweetie. I just had a bit of a scare. First, the good news. I got a job as the assistant manager of a gift shop.”

“Fantastic! Congrats! Jobs are elusive down here for sure. Raises too. I doubt I’ll see one this year.”

Lexi smiled. “At least you have a partner. How is Nick doing?”

“Making progress.” Vicky sighed. “He’s a tough guy. He has a hard time telling me when he needs something.”

“Yeah.” Lexi thought back to that terrible day when Nick saved her life… But she didn’t want to spiral down into negative memories. “Please tell him I said hi.”

“Will do. And we’ll visit when he’s a bit better.”

“Yay!” Lexi smiled. She’d love to see them. “Anyway, I guess I wasn’t paying attention when I was biking home after getting the job, and I took a tumble.”

“Oh no! Are you badly hurt?”

Lexi shifted position. “Just some bruises. I’ll be fine in a few days. But a man helped me. Super nice guy named Kevin. Really cute too. He manages the hotel in town.”

Her sister giggled. “Let me know when you get to the bad news!”

“That is the bad news!” Lexi insisted. “In my zest to be friendly to this helper guy, I began chattering away, and now he thinks he recognizes me!”

“Yikes. Hey, I’m sure it’s fine.”

Lexi sighed and got off the bed, anxious again. She paced in front of the window, watching the tiny figures biking and skating on the boardwalk in the distance. Beyond that was a golden strip of sand and then the jade ocean sparkling in the late afternoon light.

“He said he’s a news junkie, Vicky. So, he obviously saw me on the news and read about the whole horrible mess.”

“Honey, everyone has read about that. But it’s been a while now and other stuff has happened.”

Lexi knew this was true, but even so she was nervous. She wanted to be a private citizen again, an ordinary person no one took notice of, someone reporters never cared about. No one would think to snap Lexi Brown’s photo and upload it to Twitter because there’d be no interest. As opposed to her infamous married name…

“Lexi? Are you still there?”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Lexi took a deep breath. “I know you’re right. I can’t be so paranoid.”

“It’s understandable,” Vicky reassured her. “But I’m at my client’s now. Can we chat again tomorrow?”

“Sure, love you.”

“Love you too.”

Lexi ate a simple dinner as the sun set over the ocean. She was almost relaxed again until she remembered that she’d agreed to help her landlord run a refreshment stand at the Otter Days parade. Maybe she could do something behind the scenes instead.

She did not want to bump into that Kevin person again!

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