My Sister's Shoes (Little Black Box, Book 1) (13 page)

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Allie returned to the apartment she shared with her stepsister, Adrienne. She was comfortable with that description now. Gregory was Adrienne’s biological father and her dad, so that made them stepsisters. She placed the key into the lock and glanced up toward the heavens because, lord knew, this would not be easy.

Once inside, Allie found Adrienne balled up on her expensive carpet, her eyes swollen and red from crying. Allie felt the guilt press on her heart. When all this began, she wanted nothing more than to hurt her. The discovery of Zach Brady’s motivation was too good to be true. But all that no longer mattered. It was different now. She was different.

Allie joined her stepsister in the living room. Adrienne sat up and hugged her knees when she saw Allie staring. She hid her face and spoke with her head turned away from her. “You must be so happy, huh?”

“No.”

“Go away Allie.”

“Not until I know you’re okay.”

Adrienne looked up, surprise lighting her eyes. “Why? So you can bask in my misery? You never cared before. Why now? When we first met, you wrote me off without missing a beat. I tried befriending you so many times, and you ignored me like I ruined your life. All I wanted was to have a sister, a friend who I could share everything with. I even got Gregory to call us stepsisters so you would be forced to get to know me better. But you treated me like shit from day one. And now you come sniffing around pretending to care because you think I got my heart stomped. Go away, Allie. You know nothing.” She cradled her head on her knees and looked away again.

Allie felt her knees buckle. She sat down on the couch. “Adrienne, I-I…”

“Forget it, Allie. I don’t want to bond now, okay?”

Allie nodded her head as she stared at Adrienne in disbelief. All this time she judged her without getting to know her. She judged the book by its cover and not its contents. More like judged the book by its mother but…
Damn it! I’m a horrible person!
Allie noticed pictures scattered on the carpet, photos of Adrienne as a child. She slid to the carpet and picked up the first one she saw. She held it up. “Where was this taken?”

Adrienne lifted her eyes and sniffled. “A petting zoo in Australia. It was my thirteenth birthday.”

Allie’s eyes widened. “No way! Let me guess, no friends? No birthday cake?”

“Nope. Mother took me on exotic trips as my birthday present. She said she wanted to fill me with culture. As for the cake? I received a low-fat cupcake every year. Mother wouldn’t stand for an obese child.”

Allie jumped up. “Hang on a minute.”

When she returned, Allie carried her hat box. She sat on the floor across from Adrienne and removed the top. She dug through and pulled out a photo. “Look.” She handed her a photograph.

Adrienne huffed and then took the photo from her hand. She met her eyes and smirked. “Where was this taken?”

“Our very own zoo in central park. It was my thirteenth birthday too. Notice anything in common?”

“Yeah. We both look miserable.”

“Exactly! Really? A petting zoo at thirteen years old? My hormones were raging. I wanted a party with boys, and my mother took me to the zoo?”

“And here I thought your mother was perfect.”

“I know now she wasn’t. But when she died, I put her up on a pedestal and never again thought of her as a real person with baggage and faults.”

“Well at least you didn’t grow up under Two-faced Trudy. That’s what my friends called her all through high school. She would talk about each one of them to the other. It infuriated me.”

“Why do you put up with her?”

“I was so close to telling her to shove it, but when I met you and saw how you missed your mother, I thought better of it.”

“I see. I guess a Two-faced Trudy is better than nothing.”

“You have great memories, though.”

“I do.”

They were silent for a while. Adrienne leaned over and reached into Allie’s hatbox. She pulled out the opened black box and held it up. “I’m not gonna pry, but if you tell me what was in this box, I swear on my life I won’t tell my mother. I’m dying to know.”

Allie looked at the box and tears swam in her eyes. As she put her hand on top of Adrienne’s, her voice cracked. “Gregory Chadwick gave me a very valuable gift. He gave me my future, only I think I just lost it.” The tears came as Adrienne clasped her other hand over Allie’s.

“Take a breath and then tell me what I can do to help.”

Allie raised her eyes to Adrienne as her tears rolled down her cheeks. “Help me? Oh, Adrienne, I’ve been a horrible stepsister, haven’t I?”

She smiled. “Well, you haven’t been easy, I’ll give you that. But I like you, Allie.” She reached for her other hand. “I always have.”

“Adrienne, I’m going to tell you a secret. Something I never thought I would tell anyone, much less you of all people. But for my new beginning, I need a friend, and I’d like you to be it.”

“Come on. Let’s go in the kitchen, and I’ll make you some tea, and you can tell me all about it.”

Allie stood in front of a huge glass partition overlooking the Hudson River at Pier Twenty-One Café. Soon the booms and whistles would be an endless melody of bright flames lighting up the night sky. She was preparing to watch one of the most beautiful arrays of color add a yearly touch of flavor to New York City. The famous fireworks display was the only show able to enhance what was one of the most amazing skylines in the world. And she had a first class seat at Adrienne’s first July Fourth bash. The private party was small and exclusive. Dressed in a yellow, off-the-shoulder sundress, and gold, high-heeled sandals, Allie stood in a crowd and felt at home.

A smiling Adrienne, suntanned and gorgeous, wore a fitted black and white sleeveless mini dress with hot pink pumps. She approached Allie and handed her a frozen daiquiri and an envelope. Allie smiled and took a sip. “Yum. You’re right. This is worth every calorie.”

“Oh please, Allie, you look amazing. But if I know you, you’ll make us run an extra mile tomorrow for good measure.”

“What’s in the envelope?”

“Open it up.”

Allie rested her drink on the bar and narrowed her eyes at Adrienne. “You already took me to Canyon Ranch Spa for passing my boards. This better not be another one of your—” she put her fingers in the air and made the quotation sign, “—gifts.”

“Just open it, Allie.”

As Allie read the paperwork from Martin and Slotsky Esq., tears welled in her eyes.

Adrienne smiled. “It seems my father Gregory—your dad—didn’t want you to know until you were finished, but he pre-paid all your loans. You’re debt free. You really do have a new beginning.”

“Wow. But I didn’t need this to know how much he loved me.”

“He did love you. More than me, anyway.”

“Oh, Adrienne, he would be so proud of you and the things you’ve done in his name. The new and improved trauma center at the hospital for one thing. He would be so impressed.”

“Speaking of trauma units, I want to introduce you to Dr. Richard Peters.” She grabbed Allie by the elbow and whisked her across the room. Stopping just shy of a gray-haired man with glasses and a white goatee, she whispered, “Dr. Peters is a legend. He’s here consulting on our trauma unit, and since you’re toying with the idea of becoming a trauma surgeon, I thought you might like to meet him.”

“I thought he retired.”

“He did. But now he runs a big rehabilitation center in California somewhere.”

“How did you get him to come to your little soirée?”

“My handsome doctor boyfriend. Turns out he was one of his mentors.”

“Dr. Keith Curtis looks up to someone else other than you?”

“Can you believe the nerve?”

“I’m sure once he gave Trudy a clean bill of health and she moved to Scottsdale, he felt it was safe to worship you on a full time basis.”

“This is true. Come, I’ll introduce you.”

Adrienne flipped her hair over her shoulder, “Dr. Peters? Pardon me. I just wanted to introduce you to my sister, Allie. She’s a nurse over at NYU and is helping out with the Chadwick Foundation trauma unit. She is thinking of pursuing a career as a trauma surgeon, so I thought you two should meet.”

He put his hand out to her. “A trauma surgeon is a noble choice, but you best have the stomach for it. I’m sorry—Allie is it?”

She took his hand, “Yes. Allie Adams.”

He furrowed his brow. “Allie Adams?”

Adrienne interrupted him, “We’re not blood-related, but we might as well be.” She giggled.

Dr. Peters still clutched her hand but no longer shook it. “Dr. Peters? Are you okay? I can assure you I’m not on the FBI’s most wanted list.”

He let go of her hand. “Of course. I’m sorry. It’s just that—”

Adrienne squealed, interrupting. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment? I see Michael Kemp.” She wiggled her eyebrows at Allie and looked at Dr. Peters. “Michael Kemp is a theatre critic, Dr. Peters. My sister and I have taken a great interest in the recent opening of a show on Broadway.”

Allie watched Adrienne make a bee line for Mr. Kemp. Smiling, she turned back to Dr. Peters, who was staring at her. “Is something wrong, Dr. Peters?”

“Miss Adams, I know this will sound strange but bear with me. I have a friend who, a few months back, consulted with me on a case. He had a patient who was brought into the trauma center at Los Angeles General. He was in a seven car pile-up on the interstate. After surgery, he lapsed into a coma. It was believed he would not survive, but he pulled through. Once he regained consciousness, he didn’t communicate at all, and the doctors were afraid he could no longer speak. Then one day he uttered two words. They were your name, Allie Adams.”

“Excuse me? Did I just hear you correctly?”

“Allie Adams. That’s what he said.”

She grabbed his forearm and took a deep breath as hope flared to life. After countless hours of praying, reaching out to hospitals and hundreds of dead ends, could this man be her salvation? She looked him square in the eye. “Would his name be Victor?”

Dr. Peters’ eyes widened, and his head jerked back in surprise. “Do you know Mr. Scalia?”

“Scalia? Sort of. So, he’s alive?”

“Oh, yes, dear.”

“Can you tell me anything else?”

“I can tell you he is due to be released from Sun Coast this month.”

“Sun Coast Rehabilitation Center?”

“Yes. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes, I have.” She recalled her conversation with Sue Manford the day she went to visit Trudy. She told her that a nurse resembling her suggested Sun Coast Rehab Center for her friend’s son, who Allie assumed was a little boy. As a light bulb went off, she realized fate was handing her a way to find Victor.

Dr. Peters took a sip of his drink. “Tell me, Allie, how is it you know Mr. Scalia?”

“I, uh—I don’t. Not officially. We communicated over the … Internet. Yeah, the Internet, and suddenly he just vanished. No emails, no nothing. I’m glad to find out he’s okay.”

“Like Internet dating?”

“Sort of. I’d like to go see him if I can.”

“Well, I guess there’s nothing wrong with a nurse coming to pay me a visit at my place of business. I’ll give you a personal tour.” He lifted his drink in the air.

Clinking her glass to his, Allie smiled.

Adrienne tugged on Allie’s dress to get her attention. “What are we toasting? I for one would like to raise my glass to a disastrous opening night on Broadway.”

Allie’s mouth fell open. “No way!”

Adrienne smirked. “Yep. One of the sets collapsed, and the actress in the lead role stormed off when she caught Zach kanoodling with someone other than her. And the understudy wasn’t very prepared to go on.”

Allie laughed. “Sounds like a nightmare. I’ll drink to that.” She leaned in and whispered, “By the way, thanks for introducing me to Dr. Peters.” She was smiling so wide her cheeks hurt.

Adrienne raised one eyebrow. “Really? I didn’t know he was your type.”

Rolling her eyes, Allie giggled. “No. He knows Victor and just told me his last name.”

“Shut up!”

“I’m not kidding.”

“Tell me everything.”

“I will. As soon as I find out the whole story from my iPhone.” Allie walked off into the crowd with Adrienne on her heels.

“Not without me you don’t.”

Allie turned around and stared at her. “Adrienne, you can’t leave your own party.”

“I won’t.”

“You’ll miss the show. It’s about to start.”

Adrienne looked around. “You’re more important. Let’s go into the ladies room. It’ll be empty during the fireworks.” She grabbed Allie’s hand and yanked her in the direction of the powder room.

Allie couldn’t help but smile. Adrienne had become her best friend, and tonight she had discovered she not only liked her but she loved her too.

Allie lifted her chair to the straight back position as the stewardess strolled down the aisle preparing for landing. She pulled her seat belt a little tighter and placed her arms on the arm rests. She was oddly calm as she thought about all that had been discovered in the last three days. After the small miracle named Dr. Richard Peters, Allie immediately retrieved her iPhone and Googled Victor Scalia of Los Angeles, California.

Pulling up numerous news articles about a car crash on the interstate, she was captivated as she finally put the pieces of Victor’s life together. As a young man, he was often in trouble with the law. He was forced to do community service, and it was then he discovered his talent for counseling. After returning to college, he received a master’s in social work. His dream was to open a group home for troubled youth. The article stated that he was not expected to survive. Allie traced the picture with her fingertip.
Please let him respond to me.
She could only hope.

The plane landed with a thud. As the passengers clapped for a safe landing, Allie sat in a fog. Shaking her head in an attempt to dispel the doubt settling over her, she prepared to see it through. No longer wanting to stop and check into the hotel to freshen up, Allie would go straight to Sun Coast Rehabilitation Center.

* * * *

Victor Scalia was sweating as he finished his last set of leg lifts. “Thanks, Bruno.” His physical therapist was an older man who had helped him make great strides.