“Let the man do his job,” Max began, but his mother cut him off.
“These people are incompetent. What if they push her too hard? She’s in a delicate condition, I tell you.” She waved at the man dismissively. “I said, leave her.Laisse! Laisse!”His mother had that air about her, one that could not be broached, and immediately, the orderly released the handles of the wheelchair and backed away.
She did that to people; scared the pants off them with barely a word, even though she was five foot nothing and light enough to lift with one hand.
Huimin grasped the handles of the wheelchair and, to Max’s astonishment, began wheeling Éloïse towards a bank of elevators. Speaking rapidly, she informed him, “I’ve requested a private room. It is on the upper floor.” She said it as though she had booked a suite in a grand hotel.
As the elevator doors closed, she turned her head in his direction before Max even had the chance to enquire after Éloïse’s well-being. Pointing a thin manicured finger in his face, she said, “You! This is all your fault!”
He was aghast. “Me? What did I do? I don’t even know what happened!”
“I fell,” Éloïse said with an aggrieved air. “I could have lost the baby!”
“Fell how?”
“She was climbing onto a chair, hanging a mobile in the new nursery. And slipped.”
Maxim looked at Éloïse incredulously. “Why were you climbing? We have staff for that. My mother hired an interior designer to prepare the nursery, from top to bottom. Isn’t hanging a mobile part of that job description?”
Éloïse’s face had a stubborn set. “It’s my child. I thought it was part ofmyjob description to make sure he or she would be happy.”
He felt exasperation rush through him. He didn’t want to get started on whose responsibility was what, or how far Éloïse’s extended. “Are you okay?” he insisted, partly out of concern and partly glad for a reason to sway the conversation in another direction.
Éloïse passed her hand over her forehead dramatically and moaned. “I could have had a concussion.”
“And do you?” he asked, concerned, scanning her body for signs of greater injury.
“We shall see. We shall see everything as soon as we get the results back!” She sounded as if she’d almost be happy if something was wrong, just to afford her a little more attention and sympathy.
Max wrestled with a tremor of guilt, reminding himself that these two women were ganging up on him unfairly. There was literally no reason why he should have been home today, why his presence would have precluded Éloïse’s fall.
Still, though, he felt a bit bad. His mother read the expression on his face and smiled to herself.
Once they arrived at the room, they found an orderly waiting, looking as anxious as the one downstairs had. Obviously, someone had called up to warn the floor matron that a tiny renegade woman was wheeling a patient upstairs on her own.
There was much cooing and fussing and Éloïse was transferred into a pristine, white-sheeted bed. A doctor came by shortly to speak with them, calming any fears that the pregnancy had in any way been jeopardized, and advising rest and low-risk activities. “No more climbing, madame,” he warned. Then, turning to Dustin, he echoed the sentiment, “Please see to it that your wife avoids strenuous activity, monsieur.”
It crossed Max’s mind to correct the man, but he figured that it was neither here nor there as far as the doctor was concerned. He said nothing, ignoring the triumphant look both women threw in his direction.
Once the doctor was gone, his mother informed him pertly that she wanted to speak with him outside in the hallway. Patiently, not knowing what more she could be throwing at him this time, he walked out with her, closing the door and facing her. He wished she’d chosen a more private place; the hall was bustling.
“Are you sure you don’t want to speak to me at home?” he suggested.
“The doctor was right.”
“About what?” he asked curiously. “He said a lot of things.”
“About Éloïse being your wife—”
He stared at her as if wondering whether her mind was slipping. “But she’s not—”
“I know that Maxim!Je sais!What I am saying to you is that you have to marry her. You need to. Youmust!”
Just the proposition of that made him queasy. “There’s absolutely no reason for me to marry Éloïse.”
Huimin was becoming more incensed. “Isn’t your son enough of a reason?”
“Maman, you know Éloïse isn’t the—”