Page 53 of Cognac Secrets
“Sandy, baby, open the door,” I demanded when I found it locked.
“Just a minute!” she cried and she sounded on the verge of panic. I didn’t like it. I put my shoulder to it and busted the lock. It was cheap and more for looks than anything anyway. I built it, I could and would un-build it if I wanted to.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded when she looked up from where she sat on the throne with a tear-stained face. Her emerald eyes were luminous but her face was an unearthly pale and she looked like she was either sick or going to be sick.
“I’m sorry!” she cried. “It’s almost a week early. I didn’t mean to be around you when it started—” She was babbling in a panic. I mean, I’d never seen anyone so worked up.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay!” I went to my knees in front of her and pulled her against me. Fuck, if she didn’t absolutelyloseit over my shoulder. I mean full-on, whole-body,rackingsobs and I seriously didn’t get it. I had no fucking idea what was happening to get her all so worked up.
“What’s a week early?” I asked, leaning back. Smoothing her hair back from her face, she made this awful noise that just rendered my heart and parted her knees a little. I glanced down and back up quickly.
“Oh, shit,” I said relieved. “Is that all?” She broke down into some fresh sobbing. I didn’t think I’deverseen a woman freaked out so hard about her period.
“Is this your first one or something?” I asked, and she made a strangled noise and tried to push back from me but I wouldn’t let her go.
“No!” she cried out. “I’m just not – I just shouldn’t be here!”
“Oh, baby, it’s fine!” I tried to console her. Fuck, though. I didn’t have anything. That was alright though, Cor was right next door and if she didn’t – then Alina was right up the street. Shit, one of the two women had to.
“Hey, hey,” I got her to look at me, and kept her from hiding behind her hair from me. “It’s okay, baby. I’m just going to need you to stay right here for me, okay?”
“What? What are you doing?” she asked as I got to my feet. She grabbed my hands.
“Just going right next door, I soothed.”
“Next door?” she asked confused.
“Yeah, Hex and Cor’s, she’s sure to have something for you, baby.”
“Oh, God,” she looked green around the gills and I haveneverseen anyone so worked up over her goddamn period. It was like she was terrified of anyoneknowing… and I couldn’t get my head around it. So, time to prioritize some shit. First thing’s first in any situation where there’s bleeding: stop it.
“I’ll be right back,” I told her and she seemed to get with it a little and just started nodding and sniffing, trying to get a hold of herself.
I slipped out into the bedroom and pulled a pair of sweats out of the drawer I’d put them in and up my legs.
Thunder cracked outside right on the heels of a blue flash and I cursed as the rain intensified.
The second I stepped out from under the shelter of the front porch I realized I’d made a small mistake in not putting a fucking shirt on. The rain was needle-like in its ferocity and I could have come out here with a bar of soap and totally foregone a shower. I pelted barefoot around the front corner of my property onto Hex’s and jumped on one foot as I gripped the other to sooth the swift hurt from stepping on what felt like a goddamn Lego but in reality, was probably just a sharp stone.
I got up onto Hex’s front porch, checked the foot, and satisfied it was just ouchie and not ouchie – bleedy, I pounded on Hex’s front door loud enough, I hoped, to be heard over the thunderstorm raging overhead.
“Dude, what the fuck?” Hex demanded, sleepy, a gun in hand, which hung limp at his side when he opened the door and realized it was just me.
“Hey, sorry, Cor up?” I asked.
“I’m right here,” she said stepping down the ladder to her little loft area above the living room.
“Hey, it’s Sandy,” I said. “She’s started her period and I need some kind of product for her – also, I don’t think I’veeverseen a woman so freaked out about her own period before. Like, she’s straight freaking out borderline hysterical. Any advice?”
“First thing’s first,” Cor said thoughtfully. “I’ll be right back.” She turned and went down the hall presumably to her bathroom.
“Get in here,” Hex demanded and stood back opening the door wider. I stayed on the tile entryway where I could drip and not fuck up the hardwood floors he had beyond.
“She okay?” he asked me.
“Dude, I don’t know,” I said honestly. “It’s kind of nuts.”
Cor was already back and thrust a plastic grocery sack with a jumble of something or other in it.
