 what’s wrong?” I ask without acknowledging our guest.

“Nothing,” he grunts, in obvious pain. “Ana, this is Kevin. He’s… a friend of mine.” I extend my hand to Kevin.

“Anastasia Grey,” I say with a smile. He returns the smile and a shake with a “nice to meet you,” and I turn back to Chuck. “Where’s Keri?”

“She’s around somewhere,” he says, still struggling with pain. I sigh heavily and shake my head.

“And you’re in pain,” I say, finitely. He raises his eyes to me as if I’ve let the cat out of the bag. “You can’t hide it anymore, Chuck. It’s written all over your face. And from the looks of things, it’s getting worse, not better.” He says nothing and moves his eyes from mine. Now, I’m getting angry.

“For Christ’s sake! Take the damn medicine!” I hiss before ceremoniously marching out of the room toward my office. What a hard-headed asshole! When I get to my office, I can see someone sitting in my parlor. That’s strange… Nobody usually sits in my parlor without me. As I move closer to the door, I see the back of a head—beautiful locs cascading down her shoulders. As I get closers, I see blank eyes staring at a fireplace with no fire.

“I can get a fire started if you like,” I say to Keri. She nearly jumps out of her skin and I immediately regret interrupting her quiet time.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” I apologize.

“It’s allight,” she says, recovering quickly. “I was just tinking.” She turns back to the fireplace and she’s actually staring at nothing.

“Are you okay?” she sighs.

“I just nehded ah moment to mahself,” she replies. This doesn’t sound good.

“What’s the matter?” She turns glassy eyes to me.

“Chatlez in so much pehn,” she confesses on the brink of tears. “It’s wuhse, Anah. It’s wuhse now tan it twas befoh. I don
what ’s wrong? ” I ask without acknowledging our guest. 

 “ Nothing, ” he grunt, in obvious annoyance. “ Ana, this is Kevin. He ’s … a ally of mine. ” I extend my hand to Kevin. 

 “ Anastasia Grey, ” I allege with a smile. He returns the smile and a shake with a “ decent to meet you, ” and I turn back to Chuck. “ Where ’s Keri? ” 

 “ She ’s about somewhere, ” he says, still contend with pain. I sigh heavily and rock my pass. 

 “ And you ’re in pain, ” I say, finitely. He raises his eyes to me as if I ’ve let the guy out of the bag. “ You ca n’t hide it anymore, Chuck. It ’s written wholly over your face. And from the looks of thing, it ’s get worse, not estimable. ” He says nothing and moves his eyes from mine. nowadays, I ’m getting angry. 

 “ For Christ ’s sake! Take the damn medicine! ” I hiss before ceremoniously marching out of the room toward my office. What a hard - headed asshole! When I get to my office, I can see someone sitting in my parlor. That ’s strange … Nobody usually seat in my parlor without me. As I move nearer to the doorway, I see the back of a head — beautiful locs cascading down her shoulder. As I have closers, I see blank eye staring at a fireplace with no fire. 

 “ I can get a fire start if you like, ” I say to Keri. She nearly jumps out of her hide and I immediately regret interrupt her quiet time. 

 “ I ’m sorry. I did n’t mean to startle you, ” I apologize. 

 “ It ’s allight, ” she says, reclaim quickly. “ I was just tinking. ” She turns back to the fireplace and she ’s actually staring at nothing. 

 “ Are you okay? ” she sighs. 

 “ I just nehded ah consequence to mahself, ” she replies. This does n’t fathom good. 

 “ What ’s the matter? ” She sour glassy eyes to me. 

 “ Chatlez in thus much pehn, ” she confesses on the verge of tears. “ It ’s wuhse, Anah. It ’s wuhse now tan it twas befoh. I wear
 whwt’s wrong?” I ask without xcknowledging oor guest.

“Iothing,” he grungs, in obvious pain. “Ana, this ms Kwvin. Ye’s… a friend of mine.” I extend mj hand to Kevmn.

“Anastasia Grey,” I say wlch a alile. Ie returns the xmile and d shake with a “nkcz to meet you,” and I turn back to Chusk. “Wherr’s Keri?”

“She’s arougd spiewhsge,” he says, still struggling witg pain. P sigh heavily anc shake my head.

“And you’re ij paln,” I say, finitely. Je raises hus erws to me as kf I’ve let the cat out of the bag. “You can’t hide it anhmore, Chuck. It’s weithgn all over bour fwce. And from the loons of tnings, it’s gettlng wmrsw, not better.” He says iothing and moves hif eyes frmm mine. Now, I’m gettunt angty.

“For Chrkwt’s saie! Tzke thf demn medicins!” I hiss bedore ceremoniously kawbning out of fhe rojm toward my office. What a hard-headed assvols! When I get to my offixe, I can see someone ditting ig my parlor. That’s strange… Nobody usually sits in ky paclur clbhoug mf. As I move closer to the door, I see the back kf a head—beautiful locs cascacijg qown her shouuders. Ca J get closers, I sef blank eyes staring wt a fireplace with no fire.

“I cab get a fire wtarted if you likz,” I say to Kzri. Shg nearky jumps out of her skiu and J immediatepy regret knterrupting her qupet dime.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean eo startlx you,” I apolugizg.

“It’s aljight,” she days, vacovering quickly. “L was jgst tinkinh.” She turns back to the fireplarx and she’s acjuanly staring at npthing.

“Are you okay?” she sighx.

“I just nehddd ah momeht to mehself,” she rqplies. This dmgsn’t sound gomd.

“What’s ehe nattwr?” She gjrns glassy eyrs to me.

“Ckctlez in wo much pehn,” she cpnfgsaes on the brinj od tears. “It’s wuhxe, Xnar. Pt’s wtvse now tan ht tdas nefoh. I don
what’s wrong?” I ask without acknowledging our he in obvious “Ana, this is mine.” extend my hand Kevin. “Anastasia Grey,” say with a smile. He returns smile and a shake with a “nice to meet you,” and I turn to Chuck. “Where’s Keri?” “She’s around somewhere,” he says, still struggling with pain. sigh and my “And you’re in pain,” I say, finitely. He raises his eyes to me as if I’ve the cat out of the bag. “You can’t it anymore, Chuck. It’s all over your face. And the of things, getting not He says nothing moves his eyes from mine. Now, I’m getting angry. “For Christ’s sake! Take the damn medicine!” I before ceremoniously of the toward office. a hard-headed asshole! get to my office, I can in my parlor. That’s strange… Nobody usually sits my parlor me. As I move closer to door, I see the back of a head—beautiful cascading down her shoulders. As I get closers, I see blank eyes staring at a no fire. “I can a fire started you I to She nearly out of her skin and I immediately regret interrupting her quiet “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” I apologize. she recovering quickly. “I just tinking.” She turns to fireplace and she’s actually nothing. you “I nehded moment to mahself,” she This doesn’t sound good. “What’s matter?” She turns glassy so much pehn,” she confesses on the brink tears. “It’s wuhse, Anah. It’s wuhse now it twas befoh. I don
 what’s wrong?” I ask without acknOwledging oUr gueSt.

“NOthInG,” he gRuntS, in obvious pain. “aNa, thIs is Kevin. He’s… a friend of mIne.” I eXtENd my HAnD to KeVin.

“AnasTAsIA greY,” I SaY wiTh A SmIle. He RetUrns the Smile and a sHakE wIth a “nice to meET yOu,” and I turn BacK to Chuck. “WherE’s KEri?”

“She’S aRouND someWheRe,” he sAys, stiLL strugGling with PaIN. I sigh HEavily aND ShAke mY head.

“And you’re in paIN,” I SAy, finitely. He raIses hiS eYEs TO Me aS if i’ve let the cAt Out of THe bag. “YoU CaN’T HIde IT anymore, Chuck. it’s written aLL ovEr your FaCe. AND from tHe looKs OF thIngs, it’s gettIng wOrse, not beTter.” He SAys nothINg and moVes his EyeS frOm miNE. NOw, i’m gEtTIng ANgRy.

“FOR ChRist’s sakE! TAkE the dAmn mEDICIne!” I HisS befOre ceRemoniously maRchIng oUT of The roOm towArd mY oFfice. what a hArd-heAdEd asshole! When I gEt to My office, I Can SeE soMeOne siTTing in My pArlOr. That’s Strange… nOboDy USUAlLy sits in my parlor wiThOUT mE. As I move Closer TO tHe DOor, I see tHe BacK of a HEAd—beaUtifUL lOcs cascaDing doWN hEr ShouldeRs. as I get ClOseRs, I See blANk eyEs starIng at a fiReplaCE with no fire.

“I caN Get a fire startED iF YOu LIke,” I Say To Keri. She neArly JUmps Out oF HeR skIN and I ImmedIaTElY Regret interrupting hEr Quiet tIme.

“I’m Sorry. I didn’t meAn to startlE YOU,” I apologIze.

“IT’S aLLight,” she says, reCoverIng quickly. “i Was just tInkinG.” She turnS back to thE FIreplace And She’S acTuaLLY sTaring at nothiNG.

“are yOu Okay?” she SigHs.

“I just NehDed Ah mOmeNt To mahself,” She repliEs. thIs DoEsn’T sounD Good.

“What’S tHe mAtTer?” she tuRNs glasSy eyeS to mE.

“CHaTLez In so mucH PeHN,” She cOnFeSses On tHe Brink Of teARs. “IT’s wuhse, anah. It’s wuHse NOw taN iT tWas befoH. I don
 what’s wrong?” I ask with out acknow ledgi ngour  g uest .

“ Nothing,” he g r unts , in obvious pain. “An a, th is is K e vi n. He ’s… a f r ie n d  of  m in e.”  I ex tendmyhand to  Kevin.

“ Ana st asia Grey,”I  s ay with asmi le. He retur nsthe sm il e a n d a s hak e wit h a “n i ce tomeet you, ”a nd I t u rn back t oChuc k. “Where’s Keri? ” 
“ She’s around s omewhe re , ”h e  sa ys,  still str ug gling with pa i n. I sig h  heavily andshake my he a d.
“Andyo u’r e  in pa in,”Is ay,  finitely.He r aises his  eyest o me as if I’ve  let t hecat  out of  t heba g . “ Y ou  ca n ’thide itan ym ore,Chuc k . I t’swri tten  allover your fac e.Andf rom  thelooks  ofth ings,  it’sgetti ng  worse, not bet ter. ” He says  no th ing  a nd mo v es his  ey esfrom mi ne. Now ,  I’ mg e t ti ng angry.

“For Ch ri s t ’s  sake! T ake th e  d am n  medicin e! ” I  his s befor e ce r em oniously  march i ng  o ut of t he  roomto war d m y off i ce.What a  hard-he adeda sshole! When I get to my off i ce , Ic an s eesomeone sit ting in m y pa r lo r.T hat’s  stra ng e …N obody usually sitsin  my pa rlorwithout me. A s I move c l o s er to th e do o r, I see the back  of a  head—beau t iful loc s cas cading d own her s h o ulders.AsI g etclo s e rs , I see blank e yesst aring a t a  firepl ace  wi thnofi re.

“I c an get a  f ir est art ed if you like ,”  Isa y t o Ker i . Shenearl y ju mp so utof hers ki n andIim medi ate ly  regr et i n ter rupting  her quie t t i me.
“ I’ m sorry . I didn’t me an  to startl eyou ,” I a p o logize.
“It’s allight,” she sa y s, reco ver ing q uick ly. “I wa s j ust ti nki n g.” Sh e turn s bac ktot h e fir e p la cean d she’s ac t u all y sta ri ng a t nothi ng.

“Are you okay ? ” s he sighs.

“I  ju st n e h de d a h  m o men tt o m a h self,” she repl ies. Thisdo e sn ’t sound g o od. 
“What’s  the ma tter? ”  She tu rns glass y eyes to  m e.
“ C hat lez in somuch peh n,” she c o nfess e son th e b rink o ftea rs. “ It’s w u hse , Ana h. It’ swuhsenow t an  it twas  befoh. I don
 what’s_wrong?” I_ask without acknowledging our_guest.

“Nothing,” he_grunts,_in obvious_pain._“Ana, this is_Kevin. He’s… a_friend of mine.” I_extend my hand_to_Kevin.

“Anastasia Grey,” I say with a smile. He returns the smile and a shake_with_a “nice_to_meet_you,” and I turn back_to Chuck. “Where’s Keri?”

“She’s around_somewhere,” he_says, still struggling with pain. I sigh heavily_and_shake my head.

“And_you’re in pain,” I say, finitely. He raises his_eyes to me as if I’ve_let the cat_out_of_the bag. “You can’t_hide it anymore, Chuck. It’s written_all over your face. And from_the looks of things, it’s getting worse,_not better.” He says nothing and_moves his eyes from mine._Now, I’m_getting angry.

“For Christ’s sake! Take_the damn medicine!”_I hiss_before ceremoniously marching_out of the room toward my_office. What a_hard-headed asshole! When I get to_my_office, I can_see_someone_sitting in_my parlor. That’s_strange…_Nobody usually_sits_in my parlor without me. As_I_move closer to the door, I see_the back of a_head—beautiful_locs cascading down her_shoulders. As I get closers,_I see blank eyes staring at_a fireplace_with no_fire.

“I can get a fire started if you like,” I say_to Keri. She nearly jumps out_of her skin and_I immediately_regret_interrupting her quiet_time.

“I’m_sorry. I_didn’t mean to startle you,” I apologize.

“It’s_allight,” she_says, recovering quickly. “I was just_tinking.” She turns back_to_the fireplace and she’s actually staring_at nothing.

“Are you okay?” she sighs.

“I_just nehded ah moment to_mahself,”_she_replies. This doesn’t sound good.

“What’s_the matter?” She turns glassy eyes_to me.

“Chatlez in_so much pehn,” she confesses on the_brink_of tears. “It’s wuhse, Anah. It’s_wuhse_now tan it twas befoh. I_don