Rowan [NaNoWriMo 2018]

Thirty-Three

"Closing the gate on her oldest fears as she had closed the gate of her own fenced yard, she discovered the wings she'd always wished she had."- Natalie Babbitt

Rowan laid flat on her back staring at the ceiling. She had left work running. She didn't know where she was going, so she decided to run home. The good news was that she felt better.

Rowan had been angry for so long. All of the world's injustices were starting to get under her skin. The straw that broke the camel's back was being told to stay away from Kyra and her child.

Rowan sat up and peeled her satin dress shirt off of her sweaty body and tossed it, weakly, across the room.

"Why?" Rowan whined to the empty room.

Rowan then stood to her feet and off her dress pants, tripping over them as she stomped away. Rowan went to her laptop and searched for the police Official she had spoken with earlier. She found his picture and phone number listed. Rowan reached for her phone, forgetting that she had smashed her old one and left it behind on her jog. "Shit." Rowan considered using the burner phone but decided that it was too risky. She sat at the table, drumming her fingers in thought for a couple of minutes. That's it.

Rowan quickly opened her school email account. She typed an email to the professor who was over the internship. She explained that she wanted to request an Official for the patrol portion and was happy to contact someone directly. Rowan clicked the send button with a smile. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a granola bar and a glass of sweet tea. As she made her way back to the table, she could hear her the sound of her computer alerting her to a new email.

Rowan slid into her chair and clicked on her inbox. There was an email from her professor. He sent an attachment with the email addresses and phone numbers of the patrol Officials in the Seattle precinct. Rowana grinned and quickly found the email for Offical Jesse Walker. Once her email was crafted and sent off into Icamera's cyberspace, Rowan walked over to her couch and crashed in exhaustion.

A pounding sound caused Rowan to sit up in a panic. She looked around confused then she heard it again. Oh, someone is at the door. Rowan groggily made her way to the front door but looked down at herself and remembered that she was only half-clothed. She went to her bedroom and quickly grabbed shorts and a tank, putting them on as she went back across the house.

Rowan pulled the door open to find Matthew on the doorstep.

"Why don't you have a key?" She asked grumpily.

"Because you haven't given me one."

"Good point," she replied, turning away from him to walk back into the house.

"Well," he started, raising his eyebrows. "What was that all about it?"

Rowan huffed. "That was a temper tantrum."

Matthew let out a low whistle. "I'm impressed you're willing to admit it. What ruffled you so much that you ran home? In dress clothes."

Rowan took a deep breath to quelch the anger she could feel rising inside herself. "Kyra called."

"Okay," Matthew replied, motioning her with his hand to continue.

"Except it was Henry, calling from her phone. She was in labor."

Matthew's face lit up. "Really? Let's go to the hospital."

Rowan shook her head. "We can't."

"Are they okay? Kyra and the baby?"

"Yes. I mean, I guess. I don't know."

Matthew wrinkled his nose. "Then why can't we go?"

"They don't want us there. Henry said it was too dangerous. He said that maybe, once they're back home, we can come over," Rowan finished.

Matthew's mouth dropped. Rowan watched as he struggled to find words.

"But she's pretty much my sister," Matthew's voice cracked. He pulled out his phone. "I'm going to call Henry."

Rowan nodded toward him. "Go for it. I need to go check my email."

Rowan walked to the table where her computer was set up and unplugged it and carried it to the couch to join Matthew.

"Well?" She asked, looking at him.

"They didn't answer."

"Keep trying. Or you could call the hospital and get the room number," Rowan suggested as she clicked to open the reply email from Official Walker. She read it then pumped her fist into the air. "Yes!"

"You know the Official who questioned me this morning?"

"Yes," Matthew answered.

Rowan relaid the story to him and how he said he'd see about getting her in for a visit. Rowan then explained to Matthew that she contacted him to ask if he was willing to let her shadow him for her internship.

"He said yes. He also wants me to meet him in a couple of hours to tour the facility."

"That's a brilliant idea. Do you think he's in with Ashley though?"

"How can I know for sure? I'm going to risk it for a chance to at least see our friends."

"It scares the shit out of me, Rowan," Matthew finally spoke.

"Me too. But I have to do it. I can't take feeling this anger and just sitting on my hands."

"I know," Matthew replied solemnly.

" I need to shower and change," Rowan said, placing her laptop on the tan-colored couch cushion and standing.

"Oh, wait for a second," replied Matthew as he leaned over the side of the couch.

Matthew rummaged in his bag and pulled out Rowan's discarded heels and smashed phone and sat them on the coffee table.

"Thanks for getting my stuff."

Matthew handed her a brown paper shopping bag. Rowan opened it and peered inside. She rolled her eyes and put in her hand in the bag and pulled out a new phone.

Matthew grinned. "It's all set up for you."

"Thanks," Rowan said, running her fingers against the sleekness of the device. "You're the best."

"I know. You go shower, and I'm gonna track down Kyra."

When Rowan was dressed and ready to go, she walked back in the living room to find Matthew gathering his keys and wallet.

"Hey," she greeted.

Matthew glanced up at her. "I'm worried. The hospital is telling me that they don't have a record of her being there."

"What?" Rowan asked incredulously. He delivers babies there."

"I know. What if the Official that recognized her was just toying with her?"

The color left Rowan's face. "I hope not."

"I'm going to sort this out and hopefully find some answers."

"I'll come too," Rowan offered.

"No. Your mission tonight is just as important. I've got Kyra and Henry, you go do what you can for our friends," Matthew replied firmly.

Rowan grabbed her purse and walked out of the house behind Matthew. As Matthew neared his car, he swung around, causing Rowan to stop short. He kissed her on the forehead wordlessly and continued to the car.

Rowan smiled faintly as she unlocked her car door and climbed in. As she shut the door and was alone in the quiet, her heart dropped to her stomach. She was terrified.