Page 100 of The Girl with No Name

I wonder for a moment if there could be some kind of real-world consequences for sending that email. But I couldn’t care less. There are more important things in life than having to switch companies—or careers. That email will either change things for the better, or it will conclude my time here, and I think I’m okay with either.

There are more important things. Like Luna. I smile. I wonder where she is right now. That girl… My phone buzzes with a message.

Dunn: Dude. Baby time.

Reed: No shit? She’s having it?

Dunn: Water just broke. I’m about to drive us to the hospital. Wendy is being pretty cool considering we had planned to do this back home.

Reed: Can I come?

Dunn: You want to be there?

Reed: Sure do. You’re naming it after me, right?

Dunn: Right after I murder you. And yeah, why the hell not? Come on over. La Grange Memorial

I shut my laptop, throw it into my backpack, and stand up. “I gotta roll, man.”

“Roll? What the hell are you on? It’s nine thirty-seven.”

“Yeah. My best friend is having a baby. Priorities.”

Jay shakes his head. “I’d tell you it is not a wise decision to leave, but given this new personality of yours, I feel like that would fall on deaf ears.”

“You’d be right about that.”

On my way to the elevator, I see Hal.

“Mr. Reedy,” he says, back to his condescending tone. “Where are you headed? You getting coffee or something to charge up for the day?”

“Nah.” I press the button to call the elevator.

“Okay…?” he says. “Then where?”

I give Hal a smack on the back with a big smile, then step inside the elevator. “I’ve got something I couldn’t miss for the world, my man.”

“Nothing is more important than work.”

“Speaking of work, you hear from Sebastian Jones yet?”

“Uh, no. Why would I hear from him?”

“Eh, just a hunch,” I say as the elevator doors close, forcing Hal’s confused face out of view. I give him a wave as I leave.

23

REED

“GEORGIA ON MY MIND” – RAY CHARLES

Ihead home, grab my car, and jump on the expressway to get to the suburbs, where Wendy and Charlie are having the baby. When I pull into La Grange Memorial, I have a quick flashback to being here years ago. This is the hospital where they brought my cousin after his accident and pronounced him dead. “So it goes,” as the woman I met on the plane said.

I find the maternity ward, my footsteps echoing softly on the clean, tiled floor. Looking around, I see a waiting room filled with anxious people. Spotting Charlie’s dad sitting in one of the chairs, I make my way over.

“Hey, Mr. Dunn! How are Charlie and Wendy?”

He looks up, his tired eyes sparking as he recognizes me. “Reed! Good to see you. Charlie went with Wendy to the delivery room a little while ago.” He gives me the room number and adds, “I don’t think it will be long now.”