Chapter 52
AS SOON AS I switched calls to Mary Catherine, I blurted out, “Harry told me about a bombing. Please tell me Juliana isn’t a casualty.”
Mary Catherine’s calm and steady voice instantly told me this wasn’t a catastrophe. “Oh, Michael, this is one of those crazy twists of fate.”
“What happened?”
“Juliana and Katie took an Uber into Midtown. Somehow Juliana left her phone in the car. Being a smart girl, she was able to borrow a phone to call Jane. Since they share an Uber account, Jane was able to reach the driver and had him wait while the girls ran back for the phone. It threw them off schedule and made them late to the interview.”
I flopped back on the bed. My whole body started to tremble. But I felt like my breath was evening out and I could fill my lungs again. “So Juliana wasn’t there during the bombing?”
“No, she and Katie were a few blocks away.”
I had such a flood of relief that I lay there silently, unable to form a coherent sentence. Mary Catherine’s lovely accent and calming voice was exactly the medicine I needed at the moment.
Mary Catherine continued: “Juliana called me as quickly as she could. She knew it’d be better to tell me than to worry you all the way out in Montana.”
Now I could sit up in the bed and breathe normally. “As long as she’s safe, I wouldn’t care who she called.” After a short pause I asked, “What about Rob’s roommate, Katie? Is she okay too?”
“Juliana said Katie was really bothered by the whole incident. She doesn’t know much about the young woman’s life in Pakistan, but it didn’t seem like the first time Katie’s ever heard a bomb going off.
They’re both coming here to the apartment for dinner.
I’m sure all the children and your grandfather will be working hard to make her feel comfortable. ”
“What’s Ricky making for dinner?”
“I resent that! I’m not an invalid. I can make dinner as well as Ricky.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. What do you intend to cook for Katie?”
There was silence on the line. Finally, Mary Catherine said, “Okay, you caught me. We’re ordering in Chinese food.”
We chatted for a few more minutes until I felt like all my vitals were back to normal.
As I hung up with Mary Catherine, I heard an odd noise at my bedroom window.
When I pulled up the blinds, I was surprised to see Fido pressing his nose against the screen.
It was like the llama knew I was in here and he wanted attention. I felt like I was making a new friend.
As soon as I unlocked and lifted the window, Fido made a hacking sound and spit at me through the screen.
Sometimes new friends are overrated.