“Cassie’s a nice girl, isn’t she?” Mommy asks and leads me over to sit on my bed while I finish cleaning up my messy face.

“She sure is. I wonder how she learned to swim so good. I wish I was as strong as her.”

“I bet she started swim lessons much sooner than you. Mommy and Daddy didn’t think to get you swim lessons when you were younger and before we put in the pool. I’m going to call someone tomorrow to make sure you get stronger throughout the rest of the summer.”

I hear Cassie’s footsteps in our hallway and she’s back in my room before I know it.

“Let’s play summer vacation! How many Barbies do you have?” she asks as she pulls out the canvas storage boxes from underneath the hutch in my room.

“I don’t know. Maybe twenty or thirty?”

“I’ll leave you girls to play. I’ll come get you when dinner is ready. Have fun.” My mother kisses my forehead as she lets go of my hand.

Cassie pulls out all of my Barbie dolls and pets. “I also have the Barbie Beach House. Let me get that out of my closet.” I open my closet door and pull out the house along with a Jeep.

“This is going to be awesome!” Cassie exclaims. “Our girls will live in the city and head out to the beach on the weekends. Just like my parents.”

“Cassie, we don’t live in the city.”

“I know that, silly, but my parents are always out at our beach house in New Jersey. That’s where they are this weekend. Maybe you and I can go with them one weekend. Would you like that?”

“Oh yeah!” I say, excited.

“Cool. I love the beach. Especially the boardwalk and the rides. My favorite ride is the rollercoaster!” She stands up with one of my Barbie dolls in her hand and pretends to have her ride an imaginary rollercoaster in the middle of my room.

“I’m not sure about rollercoasters, but I do love the beach,” I say hesitantly.

“Hey, if you could jump into the deep end today, you can ride a rollercoaster.”

I smile as I begin to set up the furniture in the townhouse. The plush sectional couch barely fits on the second floor, but I make it work.

“We’ll see, Cassie.”

She leaps through the air with the doll and gives me a huge hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Sam! I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”

“I was scared, but I’m okay now.”

“You almost drowned! You were coughing up so much water I didn’t know what to do. Thank God for your Daddy. He was in the water and pulled you out so fast. He saved your life.”

“Yeah, I guess he did.” I smile.

Thank God for my Daddy.

Garrett

Present

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Age 26

“YOU CAN’T GO BACK THERE!” Our driver, and sometimes security guard, Mick’s voice booms from the front of the tour bus. The fog begins to lift as the naked body next to me shifts. “Garrett?” she asks quietly. I open my eyes and try to identify where the soft voice came from. A mess of blonde hair is draped over my chest.

Shit.

I hate when they spend the night. Her warm hand moves slowly up my thigh and I quickly push that regret aside. She could be of use one more time…

The voices in the hallway echo as my head remains glued to the pillow. Footsteps quicken, and I hear another voice coming from the front of the bus.

Heath.

“Hey, can I help you with something?” he asks the nameless stranger who seems to still be barreling toward the back of the bus. It’s a rare event anyone can get past him. He’s six foot five and easily fills the cramped hallway of the tour bus. It’s also a rare event that anyone wants to get past him, especially girls. He’s the new lead singer of Epic Fail and is also the newest obsession for the endless groupies. He’s also my biggest competition for those groupies. Dick.

I never thought I’d say or think this, but I miss Alex. He would step aside and push the girls my way. There was never any competition with Alex for the girls. His heart only ever belonged to one person. And that one person is the reason why Alex is no longer on the road with us. Well, her and the family that they’ve built together.

I groan as loud banging echoes throughout the small cabin. I groan louder as the nameless blonde wraps her hand around my—

The door flies open as a gasping Heath is pushed into the room, and another blonde falls through the door. The light blinds me, causing me to momentarily forget about the soft hand that’s vigorously pumping my shaft. Another blonde. Jackpot!

I stretch my arms over my head, feeling victorious for what’s about to happen. Take that, Heath.

Cool air breezes over me as the pumping suddenly stops. The girl in bed with me scrambles to cover herself, partially tearing the covers from me. She’s hidden under the blanket now, turned away from me, and my erection deflates. I watch Heath struggle to grab the other flailing form in the room. “Mick, I could use your help back here!” he bellows. Wimp.

“Get your fucking hands off of me,” the intruder slurs and stumbles away from him. Her glazed eyes catch mine, and she squints trying to focus on me. She looks crazy. She is crazy. But, she also looks familiar. How do I know her?

She’s unsteady, swaying in place, and I immediately notice how dirty she is. And not the kind of dirty that I like. She’s filthy. Her clothes are torn in strange places, and there is a coating of dirt and grime on her arms, causing her intricate tattoos to seem veiled and blurred. Her fingernails are misshapen and dirt is caked underneath them. I remain fixated on her atrocious appearance and immediately get itchy just looking at her.

Mick’s hulking frame fills the small doorway, causing me to divert my eyes to him. “Venue security has already been called,” he says calmly as he pushes past Heath and lifts the drunken blonde off of her wobbly feet. How did she get past them both? She can barely stand, but her arms are windmilling through the air, trying to make contact with anything. A flask and baggie filled with what seems to be drug paraphernalia flies from her open backpack.

“Calm down,” Mick says as he grabs both of her wrists with his left hand, making it look easy.

“Dude.” I chuckle, mocking Heath’s attempts to stop her. “Way to get this under control.”

Heath ignores my jab and turns to leave the room. “You got this now?” he asks Mick, who lifts his chin to acknowledge that he does indeed ‘got this.’ He continues to maintain his control over the crazy drunk chick.

“Garrett, you need to come with me,” Drunk Girl slurs. Blondie whimpers from beneath the sheets.

“Go with you? Where?” I ask, almost mocking her. I glance toward the heap of blonde hair poking out from the covers. I’m not going anywhere. I have unfinished business here.

“I’m Sadie…” A piece of paper falls from one of her clasped hands, and I watch it fall to the floor. Suddenly, her eyes roll back into her head and her body starts convulsing. She’s limp in Mick’s arms.

“Fuck,” Mick exhales and then calls out, “Heath, get me my phone. Now.” He grabs her chin, holding her head up as drool falls from her mouth. She gags as foam begins to drip from her lips, and I wonder what the hell this girl is on.

Sadie?

“What the hell?” I ask, sitting up in bed as Blondie rolls over, tucking the covers around her body. She gasps and turns to hide her face against my chest. Drama.

Heath emerges from the doorway and hands Mick a cell phone. He stares helplessly at the convulsing heap of a girl as Mick hits his speed dial. “It’s Mick. I need medical on Epic Three. Overdose.” He disconnects the call and slides his phone into his back pocket without dropping the girl. Sadie?