odd. I almost felt as if we’d been on a date, because let’s face it, we’d just gone through a fairly intimate process. All the groaning, sweating, and swearing created an interesting bond I hadn’t expected.
“We’ll weigh and measure you tomorrow, so wear something more formfitting than those baggy sweats. You don’t want to add extra inches on because of too-loose clothes.”
“I don’t think so,” I said, aiming for the door. He was nice and all, but wow, a little too overwhelming for the first day. I wanted a shower. And I was ravenous. I’d planned on a healthy salad for lunch, but now I wanted a huge burger, complete with all the trimmings, and maybe some dessert. Screw salads.
“Elizabeth! We need to know where you start so we can celebrate each accomplishment! It’s exciting,” Kevin called after me.
Sure, exciting. I didn’t bother replying as I made my way to my car. This exercise stuff hurt. My muscles were already curling up into tight little knots. I wondered if I could wish myself to a better body. Yes, I liked that idea. Smiling, I decided it would be the perfect experiment when I got home. I mean, I couldn’t bake a salad, now could I?
What is it they say about best-laid plans? On my way home, Alice called crying so hard I couldn’t begin to make any sense of what she said. So now, instead of standing in the shower contemplating what words to use for the steel body spell, I was pulling into the parking lot of my sister’s apartment complex.
Alice didn’t get upset often. Well, wait a minute. She gets upset, but usually it’s the fearsome, get-out-of-my-way-before-I-clobber-you type. Nobody was as scary as my little sister when she was pissed off. But crying hysterically? No, that had been my niche for the last year, not hers. Luckily, I seemed to be growing out of that, which made not only me, but everyone around me, all that much happier.Climbing the last flight of stairs to her fourth floor apartment wasn’t easy. My legs almost gave out. My entire body hated me. Tomorrow would be fun, adding insult to injury.
I arrived at Alice’s door and found it hanging open. This on its own didn’t alarm me. Though, in hindsight, it probably should have. Walking into her apartment scared the crap out of me. My eyes took in the mess, and even though it was right there, right in front of me, I could still hardly believe it.
My sister’s place was normally perfect. Anyone from Home Beautiful could literally stop by at any moment with a camera and snap amazing pictures. Well, not at that moment. But that’s what terrified me.
Broken glass pieces were strewn all over the dark wooden floor of her entryway. The cloudy green of her drinking glasses, the head off her white-as-snow porcelain cat, other various pottery pieces, and her black dishware—all were smashed in a trail from the entry to the kitchen to the dining room.
“Alice?” I yelled. “I’m here, honey. Where are you?”
Carefully, I stepped over the chunks and splinters of glass, every now and then crushing a piece beneath my feet, and moved to her bedroom. Maybe she was in there.
She wasn’t. I shoved my trembling hands into my coat pockets. The mess hadn’t come this far. What ever had happened hadn’t touched her bedroom, as it was as neat as a pin.
“Alice! You’re scaring me. Where are you?” I yelled again. I knew it was useless; she wasn’t there. I could tell I stood in an empty apartment. You get a specific type of feeling when you’re alone.
Grabbing my cell phone out of my purse, I tried to ignore the panic building. I clicked her cell number in my directory. It rang, not only through the phone, but from somewhere inside the apartment. I set my phone on her bed and followed the melodic sound of ringing. It took me to the living room, and I had to step over more broken glass as I made my way to the other side.
My eyes darted around, trying to find it. There. Her little blue phone was sitting on an empty bric-a-brac shelf above her leather couch.
I clicked the END button on the phone. My mind sifted through the possibilities, and I didn’t like any of them. Most people thought they knew exactly how they’d react in situations like this, but it was as if my mind had shut down and I had to remind