#EDITED
Lyse had found a measure of peace at the women's shelter, a temporary respite from the turmoil of her personal life. But the calm was shattered by the ringing of her phone. When she glanced at the screen and saw James's name, a wave of relief washed over her; she had missed his comforting presence and his jovial manner. It seemed that he had come back from his trip, there was finally someone she could wail and complain to.
"James!" she answered, her voice filled with warmth. "It is so good to hear from you, I can't believe you abandoned me for this long." She added with a pout.
"Lyse, thank God I caught you," James's voice was strained, laced with urgency. "You need to come back to the city. It's… it's about Levi, so much is happening here."
Lyse's heart pounded in her chest. A cold dread settled over her, a premonition that something terrible had happened.
