Chapter 33

Dona's POV

Somewhere around sunrise, my eyes snapped open. Piper was still knocked out beside me, curled into a ball like a cat. Her red curls were a mess over her face, and she had one leg thrown across mine.

I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, trying to think. My brain wasn’t supposed to wander. It did anyway.

It had been three days already since Peter had left the house. I remembered how mum had told him straight up to sort out whatever shady disaster his friend was in before stepping foot back inside our house. It had been her off day yesterday, and she had spent the time feverishly baking pie after pie. I could tell that she was at her wit's end, and I had suggested visiting Piper, just to get her mind off Peter and Russell.

And yesterday, when she called out to me from Piper’s living room to head home with her, there had been this tiny pause in her voice. Barely more than two seconds, but I’d heard it. I wondered if she was scared staying in the apartment alone after the kitchen explosion.

But then I reminded myself that August was there with her.

I didn’t like him very much right now, especially with the way he kept messing with my feelings, but I trusted him enough to know he wouldn’t let anything happen to my mum.

I kept the thought short, pushed it aside and slid out of bed quietly. Well... quietly in theory.

The mattress creaked and Piper darted upright like someone pressed a panic button.

“What?” she croaked, blinking wildly. “What? Who died?”

I winced. “Sorry! Sorry. Go back to sleep.”

“No, I’m awake now,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. “My soul is offended, but I’m awake.”

I padded into her bathroom and grabbed a spare toothbrush she kept in the cabinet for her guests. As I started brushing, Piper shuffled to the doorway, leaning on the frame.

“You look suspiciously alive this morning,” she noted.

I spoke around toothpaste foam. “I was thinking… I’m finally getting my own apartment soon.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh? Like for real for real?”

I nodded and rinsed. “Yeah. My mum finally gave in and said she’d help pay. But…” I frowned at the sink. “I can tell she’s not doing great money-wise. She’s working so hard just to keep the house floating. I don’t want to add more pressure. I have about two thousand dollars saved from summer jobs already.”

Piper straightened. “Then stay with me.”

I swung my head toward her in surprise. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not dragging you into that.”

“Girl, shut up,” she said instantly, waving her hand. “We’ll split the rent, the apartment has a spare bedroom, we’ll scream at each other over who finished the last of the cereal. It’ll be perfect.”

“I’m serious,” I whispered. “I don’t want to put you through that.”

She stepped into the bathroom, took both my hands and pressed our foreheads together. It looked like we were reenacting a dramatic telenovela moment. “Dona. I don’t care. You’re my bestfriend. I’m not going to stand here and let you stress yourself into an early grave. No, move in with me.”

My eyes stung a little, but I blamed toothpaste fumes. I pulled her into a tight hug. “You’re too good to me.”

“I know,” she said, patting my back with fake arrogance. “It’s hard being this amazing.”

We both laughed, and she pulled away, yawning into her elbow.

“Okay,” Piper said, stretching her arms above her head. “I need to hop in the shower. My appointment is at nine, and I need at least two hours to pretend I’m a functioning adult.”

I nodded silently, finishing up my brushing.

During the drive to the hospital, I was in the backseat with Piper, holding her inhaler and the little folder the doctor had given her three days ago. Three days. That was all it had been since she’d been lying in that hospital bed, looking pale and exhausted, while I tried not to cry like a loser beside her.

We pulled into the hospital lot, and Piper’s mum made the sign of the cross before turning off the engine. “Okay, chicas,” she said, twisting in her seat. “We go in, we get the medicine, we go home. Easy.”

Piper let out a breath. “Mami, it’s just a shot. Not an exorcism.”

“You don’t joke about that,” her mum muttered, shaking her head.

I stifled a laugh. “She’s fine,” I said, then touched Piper’s arm. “You’ll be okay.”

Once inside, we made our way to the respiratory clinic, and the same doctor from three days before walked in soon after.

“Morning, Piper.” He greeted. “Ready for your first dose?”

“Just do it,” she mumbled.

He showed her the little pen-like injector. “This is thr biologic treatment for your severe asthma. It’s injected under the skin, and you’ll get it every two weeks. It reduces inflammation and should help control the attacks.”

Piper nodded, though she looked like she wanted to bolt straight out the window.

Her mum squeezed her hand. “My love, I’m right here.”

“I’m also right here,” I added, leaning forward.

The doctor chuckled. “Alright, I’m going to clean your arm.” He swabbed her skin, and Piper scrunched her face but stayed put.

“You’re doing great.” I whispered.

“Yeah, sure, Dona.” She whispered back through clenched teeth.

A few seconds later, the doctor clicked the injector into her arm. Piper let out a loud gasp, not of pain but pure dramatics.

“Mami, I’m dying!” She announced.

“My God, you're impossible!” her mum muttered, and I snorted under my breath.

The doctor reviewed a few aftercare instructions. Piper was nodding along when my phone rang. I pulled it out, stared at the screen and frowned, then showed Piper.

Piper glanced at the phone. “Probably your mum or something.”

“Yeah, no, I don't think she'd call me with an unregistered number.” I murmured, standing to my feet. “I’ll take it outside.”

I stepped into the hallway and hit answer, pressing the phone against my ear. “Hello?”

The person on the other end chuckled immediately. “Well, look who picks up on the first ring." It was a man. His tone was lazy and amused, dark in a way that made the hairs on my arms stand. “I was starting to think you’d never give me the pleasure.”

"I'm sorry. Who is this?”

He hummed, like he was thinking. “Let’s keep this simple. Tell your stepfather that if he doesn’t deliver my money, I’ll have to… collect.”

My stomach swooped. “What? Who is this? Russell? Is this Russell?”

A low laugh slithered through the speaker. “Sweet guess.”

My hand found the cold wall behind me, and I pressed my back against it. “Stop playing games. Please... please, just tell me what you want.”

“Oh, Princess,” he grunted, “I already told you what I want, and I know where you live, you and your mum, and Peter's kid. That little kitchen trick is just the tip of the iceberg.”

My knees nearly buckled.

“I... please,” I whispered. “Why are you doing this?”

“I warned your family once. I don’t give second warnings.”

The line went dead and everything inside me crashed down all at once. My hands were trembling, and it took all ounce of strength to hold on to the phone in my hands. The hallway tilted and my ears rang, and for a second all I could see was our burned kitchen and smoke curling toward the ceiling.

Then a hand touched my shoulder from the back, startling me.

“Dona?”