Chapter 1

I felt the room spinning and my head throbbing so hard I could feel my heart beating in my ears, muffling the screams. Clutching my ears with both hands, I let go of the cup of coffee I had just poured and could barely hear it smash on the floor. The feeling was sickening and every time it happened, it got worse than before.

-Savannah! Are you alright?

The familiar voice of my cousin Piper sounded like it was coming from the end of a tunnel, so far away, but when I opened my eyes she was right there, standing next to me.

She was staring at me with her features contracted in deep concern as she ran her hand through my hair brushing it away from my face.

-I'm okay. It's just a headache.

I said, straightening my back and putting on a hopefully convincing enough smile to ease her concern.

-You’re not okay. It is not the first time it happens.

She stated knowingly.

-I'm fine. It'll go away. I just need a pill and some coffee.

I said as I bent down to mop the floor with some napkins.

-What are you doing here anyway?

I asked, trying to distract her before she would start with her lectures about health care and which herself, as a doctor, never truly followed.

-I just wanted to go grab some lunch with you.

She replied, taking a new mug out of the cupboard and pouring some coffee.

-I would love to but I have tons of work waiting for me. Raincheck?

I said, throwing the napkins in the trash can and taking the mug of coffee she was offering me. Luckily for me, before she could insist, Lauren, my uncle's assistant, knocked on the kitchen's door drawing our attention.

-Savannah, Mr. Springer wants to speak with you.

She said, waving at Piper on the way.

Piper shot her a polite smile before she turned away from her and back towards me rolling her eyes. She and Uncle Jared didn't get along. They didn't share the father-daughter kind of relationship my dad and I shared. Jared Springer owned a very successful magazine in New York City and to reach that, it cost him his relationship with his daughter. He and I became close when he offered me a job the second I graduated from the journalism university. That was one of the reasons I moved from California to live in New York five years ago.

-I'll be right there.

I said to Lauren before she disappeared.

-You do know you don't have to be a sucker for him, right? You're his favorite anyway.

She said, leaning against the counter with a hand on her hip the way she always did when she got defensive. Only, I had neither the time nor the energy to argue with that and so I had to make my escape.

-First of all, that's not true, and second, I have to go but I promise to make it up to you. Tomorrow, maybe?

I said, already walking towards the door ditching the coffee on the table on my way out.

-Yeah, whatever.

Piper said, waving dismissively.

As soon as I reached my uncle's office, Lauren allowed me in. Still, I knocked before I twisted the knob and entered.

-Savannah, come in.

Uncle Jared said barely glancing at me from behind his glasses as he continued to type something on his computer.

-You wanted to see me?

I asked stepping inside and closing the door behind me.

-Take a seat.

He motioned with his hand. I sat down and waited for him to finish whatever he was doing, my leg bouncing nervously and I wondered if I had too much coffee these last few days. But doing the job I do, you can never have too much coffee.

My uncle hit one last key harder than necessary before he took his glasses off and settled his focus on me.

-Tell me, how is everything in there? You're my eyes and ears, you know.

He said and I cringed at his words. I loved working for my uncle because I believed there was so much I could learn from him being as successful as he was. But being a rat was not one of them.

-Everything is good.

I replied with a fake smile. He looked at me suspiciously for a second before he nodded.

-Good. Good. He began, leaning forward in his chair to rest his elbows on the desk. Well, I talked to your mother this morning.

And when I didn’t reply, he continued.

-She's worried about you. She said you've been ignoring her calls lately.

-I've been busy.

I replied with a shrug. He made a face and pursed his lips thinking to what extent he should interfere in my relationship with my mother. And he was right to think twice considering the way his relationship with his daughter was.

-Okay well, try to call her when you find the time. And please, do find time.

His tone was gentle like he was exasperated and I felt sympathy for the man, knowing how exasperating my mother could be.

I nodded but didn't made him any promises that he could hold against me.

-Is that all?

I asked, uncrossing my legs, impatient to leave.

-Actually, no. I was wondering if you'd want to take your career to a higher level.

He trailed off, waiting for my reaction. He noticed the confusion on my face and when I didn't say anything, he continued.

-There's an opportunity for you to be more active, like go out and make your own interviews then write your own articles. You can choose a field too, like what interests you the most: Business, Politics, Arts, Sports… Whatever you want.

-What opportunity?

I asked, still confused.

-Well, there's a party next week that I think will benefit you a great deal. But you don't have to worry about that just yet. Think about what you want first and we'll go from there.

I paused for a moment then nodded, not knowing how to feel about that just yet.

-Just let me know by the end of this week, alright?

He asked and I nodded again.

-I will.

By the end of the day, I was feeling wrecked and couldn't wait to go home. I took a nice warm shower then opened the fridge hoping to find something to eat. Piper and I were flat mates but neither of us knew how to cook and worked too much to spare time for grocery shopping. I grabbed a yogurt and checked if it had expired before I closed the door and went to my room. Going through my messages, I noticed that my mother had called again today. I fought the urge to ignore it and dialed her number, bracing myself for the next hour during which my ear would become sore then eventually go numb.

-Hi, mom.

I greeted when she picked up, almost immediately after the first ring.

-Savannah! Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all week!

She scolded, her voice a little too loud that I had to distance my ear from the phone.

-I know, I'm sorry. I've been busy.

-You're always busy. You never find the time to call me or even check on me.

I rolled my eyes and wisely ignored her comment, already used to the constant disapproval in her tone, her favorite when she talked to me or even about me.

-Is everything okay?

-Are you coming home for Christmas?

This is my home, I wanted to say. But instead, I replied:

-I don't think so.

-But you didn’t come last year, or even the year before that.

-I know, it's just that Christmas in California isn't something I look forward to. I would rather stay here in the city with dad.

-How about I come to you this year?

She suggested, taking me aback by the change in the script. She had never suggested that before.

-Um, I don't know. I don't think it's a good idea.

-Why is that? Because I don't think your dad would mind. Unless you don't want me there...

She trailed off waiting for the guilt effect. Little did she know that it had stopped working on me fora while, now.

-We still have two long months.

I tried to blow her off as gently until I could talk to my dad and figure out what to do.

My father and I had managed to restore our relationship when I came to live in New York after all the damage my mother had done to it by separating us. Christmas was a special holiday for us and we had already made plans that didn't include her.

My dad used to be a fireman, then when he grew too old to walk in burning buildings, he got promoted for the post of Chief of the department. Now he was always in the field with his men, only on the safe side. Even though I was glad that he wouldn't be risking his life every day for God knows how many times, I still thought of my father as the hero who saved people for a living even if that meant sacrificing his own. I was so proud of that, beyond words. But to my mother, it was a whole different story.