Page 30 (1/2)

At soradation a woman’s voice filtered in, "Levantate, Esperanza! Teneo!

I awoke to a nonstop tirade in Spanish So my shoulder I wanted to sleep, rest, die I didn’t want to wake up, ever I wanted to sleep until death could no longer tell the difference, and carried

She wouldn’t let , "Conchita, let me sleep da ‘oh my God’ over and over interspersed with ‘hurry up’, and ‘let’s go’ The words Arana viene ahorita, vaet up It started to register in ish brain that I’d been untied My prayers answered

I read it in hershe had a probleave hione for an hour or two at most, and she had risked much He’d know she lied My very stupid, very brave, friend had put her life in jeopardy

Conchita had a key to his apartularly He always did prefer the more voluptuous curvy women, and she did his dishes too He never y – disoriented My head pounded,at me like little knives in all directions I needed a drink of water so bad Beneath it all was the ever present craving for the bite The words of my dream floated to the surface of my mind Enrique had said, "Querida, I’ll be there soon and all will be as it once was"

Then it hit me, a need so sharp, so acute, it wiped away all other consideration Nothing mattered beyond my need for Enrique I kneith the certainty of walk-on-water religious faith Enrique was here in New York He left LaGuardia International at this very et to hiet to Enrique now!

My need overrode the pain My need was stronger than , broken body’s de Conchita blabbered in a hiss-whisper as if Arana stood in the other roo hands put on the sweater and jeans I’d worn earlier

I headed for the door Enrique awaited ht now! Nothing else mattered No shoes, no purse, no jacket, no money, I was a complete mess of caked blood and bruises It didn’t rab my purse that had been discarded in the ed out the door and down the hallway to the elevator

I could hardly stand to wait for the goddamn elevator to creep its way up to our floor I pressed the button over and over and over "Come on, come on, come on mother fucker!"

I bounced on the balls of h y

One idea burned in o no I clearly saw into the Park Avenue penthouse The most direct route would be the 4/5 Express fro else could get me there faster I didn’t have a card – I needed one Now!

"Give me your MetroCard!"

Conchita flinched away I ht I’d lost ive a shit what she thought as long as I got that card I advanced on her