Blood Loss Book 1

Character introduction: Tina Stevens

"This 8 a.m.shit is killing me," Tina said, sliding her luggage into the trunkof her cab. The driver just nodded as he shut the hatch and joggedback to his seat. Tina slid in the back and buckled up, pulling hercellphone from her coat pocket as the guy pulled away from hisparking spot.

OaklandInternational Airport slowly started to disappear behind her. Thedriver passed a golf course almost immediately after exiting theroundabouts as they sped off northeast to reach their destination.After that, Tina stopped paying attention, looking instead at herphone.

"Who should Icall first?" she muttered. The driver, unsure if she was talking tohim or not, perked up. A balding, middle-aged white guy was in chargeof delivering her safely to Emily's house, where she'd be staying.She wasn't about to impose on Stacy and her father, especially withhow much baggage those two needed to sort through.

Her driver wasalso fat, a feature she'd gathered when they were loading up hersuitcase. Beyond that, she really didn't care what he looked like solong as he was able to drive responsibly. "Who are you visiting?"he asked, humoring her.

"My best friendfrom New York is here because her mother recently died. And my cousinlives here."

"Oh. Do you cometo Oakland often?"

"First time inyears," she said. "What's your favorite thing to do?"

"My boy's amusician, plays guitar in a jazz band at a restaurant near yourdestination in Piedmont. You should look him up if you like jazz."

"I love jazz,"Tina said, though she didn't put as much exuberance in her voice asshe should've to make it sound more convincing. The truth was, shecouldn't stand the stuff. Really, she didn't understand it. Tinaloved hip hop's fast beat, which seemed to propel her forward.Admittedly, that propeller was often sending her into trouble, butsomehow she always made it out alive. Trouble with her mother,trouble with one boy or another. Trouble with a few bitches trying tostep on her progress. All of it was noise, she realized, but it washer life.

Tina enjoyed lifea bit on the edge. And she didn't really apologize for it anymore.It's why she loved Stacy: that bitch grounded her but also acceptedthe wildness that was life in the New York City theater scene.Cut-throat, it is.

She glanced at theclock displayed on the phone and saw it was actually 8:30, whichmeant she was behind schedule. "Hey, driver guy -"

"Mark," hesaid, interrupting her.

"Mark. Hey Mark,I need to change my drop-off address. It's not far from the originalone, if that's OK?"

"Your money.Where's the new address?" He stopped at a streetlight on Piedmontand MacArthur, so it was easier to make to course correction. Tinagave him the address for Stacy's instead of Emily's and they were offagain.

 Five minuteslater, they pulled up. There were two vehicles in the driveway, soTina guessed one of them was Stacy's rental. She was happy she caughther friend at home. She guessed it would be a busy day ahead of her,so getting the surprise out of the way sooner was probably a goodthing. Tina plucked her suitcase out of the trunk of the vehicle andslid the driver a $20 tip for being so accommodating. He took offwithout much fanfare, leaving her standing on the front step with herhand raised to knock.