Riding the River Read Online Free Page B

the
windshield of her car. When was the last time he’d held her or
kissed her… When was the last time they’d made love or looked into
each other’s eyes. Did he really love her? She knew she’d stopped
loving him some time ago, if she ever had. She was going to have to
talk to him tonight when they had dinner. The end of her rope was
within sight.
    And then she called Abby to reluctantly tell
her that the vacation was going to be delayed indefinitely. She
couldn’t fight them all…
     
     

 
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    The next afternoon, Abby received another
call from Sarah. She was back at the hospital… Could she please
come down?
    Abby went to Emergency and inquired at the
reception desk. She was shown back to where Sarah was sitting on an
examining table in one of the patient rooms, taking deep breaths,
trying to calm down.
    “What’s the matter?” Abby walked up to Sarah
and took a good look at her.
    “The doctor said I had a panic attack.”
    “Oh, my God… Are you all right?”
    “Yes… getting there.”
    “Have you ever had one before?”
    “… I don’t think so, but some of the symptoms
were familiar.”
    “Like what?”
    “Shortness of breath, feeling dizzy, my heart
starts pounding and I tremble…”
    “Sarah…” They looked at each other for a long
minute, then Abby sat down on a chair next to the bed.
    “What brought this on? We had fun looking
through the brochures the other night. I thought your mind was made
up.”
    “So did I…”
    “What happened since then?”
    “… Do you have some time?”
    “Yes, but let’s get you home first and then
I’ll interrogate you…”
    Sarah smiled slightly and Abby rose to help
her off the table. After checking out, Abby drove Sarah back to her
apartment.
    “Where’s your car?”
    “Still at work. Marcia drove me down here,
shaking her finger at me all the way…”
    “I want to hear this…”
    Arriving at the apartment, Abby got Sarah
situated on her couch, and slipped off her shoes. Abby got her a
glass of water and another pillow.
    “It seems like when I finally tried to do
something of my own, all I’ve gotten is backlash. No one wants to
see me change, but me…”
    Abby got comfortable in a chair opposite the
couch. “Take it from the top, please.”
    Sarah sighed. “I went to bed so happy when
you left.”
    “… And then what?”
    “I met Grandfather for lunch at headquarters
the next day, and he said I couldn’t take a vacation just yet. He
needs me…”
    Abby rolled her eyes. “Always…”
    “As soon as he was done with me, then Dad
called saying the same thing. And just in case I didn’t get the
message, Ben called after that reminding me of my family duty. He
took me to dinner last night…”
    “Really? A Ben sighting?” She almost
laughed.
    “And I got an hour of what I should be doing
with my life, along with my steak dinner…”
    “Sounds like tons of fun…”
    “But Abby, I did strike a small blow for
freedom.”
    “… What?”
    “I told Ben that I was ready to see other
men.”
    “ You didn’t …”
    “Yep…”
    “What did he say? Boy, I wish I’d been a
mouse in the corner.”
    “He was taking a drink of his wine and
started choking.” She smiled. “I had to pound him on the back. That
felt good too…”
    “So did you break up with him?”
    “I think so, but Ben doesn’t. He told me he’d
give me a week to think things over. He’s sure I’ll come to my
senses by then.”
    They looked at each other and burst out
laughing. Sarah laughed so hard, she had to hold onto her stomach.
It felt very good…
    Abby wiped a few tears away from her eyes.
Some color had crept back to Sarah’s lovely face. “So what brought
on the panic attack?”
    “You mean besides all the family
pressure?”
    “Yes…”
    “I put in for a week’s vacation with my boss.
He immediately hit the ceiling and I mean that literally. He
started throwing things up in the air – staplers, pens…”
    “Oh, for