“For the record, I think this is a big mistake.”
“She should be hospitalized,” Tom interrupted and there was an edge to his words as he leaned down to look at her mouth. Marla didn’t trust him. Not for a minute. And yet she could use the fact that Tom was on the payroll.
“If anything happens again, you’ll be here, won’t you?” she asked. “That’s why my husband hired you, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he admitted, his eyes narrowing a fraction, “but I’d like you checked over by a doctor.”
“I’ll go see Dr. Robertson. At his house or the clinic.” God, it hurt to talk.
“The ambulance is already on its way,” Nick said.
“Then cancel it.” Marla insisted just as she heard the first scream of a siren, far down the hill. Her eyes beseeched Nick’s and she tentatively touched the back of his hand. “Please.”
“For goodness sake, I’ll do it,” Eugenia said. “And then I’ll call Alex and have him meet you down at the clinic. I’m sure Phil won’t mind.” She glanced at the stains on the carpet. “I’ll have this mess cleaned up while you’re gone.”
Marla hadn’t expected an ally from her mother-in-law, but was grateful for the older woman’s support. For any support.
Eugenia fluttered commanding fingers at her son. “Nick, you can drive her to the clinic and I’ll have Alex meet you there.”
“For Christ’s sake—”
“Just do it, Nick. For once, don’t argue.”
“That okay with you?” Nick asked, swinging his head back to Marla.
“Yes.” Anything but the hospital.
“Good. Then we’re in agreement.” Eugenia sent Tom a glance daring him to argue, then marched down the hallway to Alex’s office, withdrew a set of keys from the pocket of her jacket and unlocked the door. In a few seconds her voice could be heard through the door she’d left slightly open.
“I guess we’re gonna do it your way,” Nick said as he straightened.
Was it her imagination or had she seen a glimmer of tenderness in his gaze, a shadow of compassion? “Just give me a second and I’ll try to look decent.” As if that was possible. Damn, but she felt awful.
On wobbly legs, Marla made her way to her room, turned on the overhead light and saw the mess near the bed. Skirting the shards of glass and stain of water, she made her way to her bathroom. Grimacing, she splashed cold water over her face, rinsed her mouth gently, blew her nose, then stripped and gave herself a hasty hit-and-miss sponge bath.
She heard the ambulance’s
wail scream ever louder, then fade in the distance. By the time she’d thrown on a jogging suit, the sirens had stopped. Her stomach was still queasy, her mouth on fire, but she knew she wouldn’t throw up again and she cringed at her hair and face in the mirror. Not that it mattered. She just wanted this ordeal over with. Nick was waiting for her in the hallway, but the servants had dispersed.
“The ambulance?” she asked, forcing her jaw to work.
“I sent it on its way. The paramedics weren’t happy.”
“Neither am I,” she threw back.
“Let’s roll.”
“Just a minute,” Marla said and made her way to Cissy’s room where her daughter was lying in her bed, her arms holding a stuffed lion cub missing a set of whiskers as if her life depended upon it, her upper teeth worrying her lip. “Are you okay?” Marla asked though the inside of her mouth felt as if it was hamburger.
Cissy rolled her eyes. “Sure. Just great.” She blinked and struggled against tears.
“I mean it.”
“Then, no. I’m not. Okay? This is all so weird, Mom,” she said, her chin wobbling and Marla glanced at the vanity where smears of purple nail polish still lingered. “Why can’t you just be the way you were before . . . before you got pregnant?” she demanded. “That’s when it all started, all this strange stuff. Before that . . .” her voice drifted off and she clamped her jaw shut, as if she’d said too much. “I . . . I just want you to be normal again.”
Marla’s heart cracked. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she fought the urge to break down. “Believe me, Cissy, I’m trying.”
“Yeah, right.”