By the time Brett came down to dinner, his mind was made up. He ate with relish, complimented his dad on the ribs, asked for a second helping of mash, and even asked after the business and his dad’s most prominent clients. He talked to his mom about her work at the hospital and listened with interest when she replied to his inquiries. He managed to avoid all the questions about enrolling in college for the fall semester and promised his father he’d come back to work in the office for the summer as soon as he was ready. Then, he sprang his surprise.
“Look, Mom, Dad, I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I need a few days to adjust.”
“We won’t say a word, will we, Seth?” his mother instantly replied. “You take all the time you need, Brett.”
“I just need to be on my own for a while,” he explained.
“Are you going somewhere?” Seth asked carefully.
“I’m going to drive down to Key West. I just need a little head space, Dad.” Seth nodded, seemingly agreeing with him. “I’m going to leave tonight.”
“When will you be back?” his mother asked.
“A week or two. Don’t worry, Mom, I’ll be fine. I’ll just lie on the beach, maybe do a little fishing.”
“All right, Brett. We understand,” Seth said. “Just keep in touch, okay?”
And don’t try to kill anyone while you’re there, Brett added mentally. “Sure. Of course.”
Having thrown some clothes into a duffel bag, Brett had driven directly to the airport and got on the first flight out to Atlanta, where he’d bought a ticket to London. He’d arrived early this morning, checked into a hostel near Victoria Station that a website for travelers on a budget had recommended, and immediately gone to see Quinn. Their initial meeting hadn’t gone well, but Brett wasn’t leaving just yet. He’d try again, and again, until Quinn finally listened to him.
In the meantime, there was lots to do. He’d never been to London and had several attractions he intended to visit, starting with the Tower of London. He’d do that later, after he got some lunch and took a nap. The time difference was messing him up. Brett stopped at a quaint-looking pub, enjoyed his first-ever fish and chips and a pint, then returned to his room and slept for several hours. By the time he woke up, he felt like a new man.
I’m free was Brett’s first thought on waking. I’m really free.
Chapter 33
January 1961
London, England
Helen rested her head against the bathroom wall. She was so weak, she couldn’t find the strength to get up off the floor. She was sweating despite the January chill, and her stomach, which had revolted again after egg and toast, felt as if it had been turned inside out, and her mouth was sour with the taste of vomit. All she wanted was to lie down and sleep, but Davy was calling her name, begging her to play with him.
Helen finally pulled herself up, washed her face and rinsed out her mouth, and shuffled toward the parlor. Davy was sitting on the floor, a toy plane in his hands. He was holding the plane up, making droning noises as he pretended it was in flight.
“I’m bombing the Jerries, Mum,” he informed her. “I’ll blow them to smithereens.”
“That’s nice, dear,” Helen mumbled. Remaining in the parlor meant having to listen to Davy’s spirited play, so she retreated to the kitchen, where she put the kettle on. She needed a cup of strong, sweet tea. It was the only thing that helped with the nausea and soothed her raw stomach. She wished she had a sprig of mint to put in the tea, but it was hard to come by in the middle of January.
Helen sat down at the table and massaged her temples. She was more than three months gone, but the sickness wasn’t abating. In fact, it had got worse. Another five and a half months of this would finish her off. The midwife had suggested a few herbal remedies, but they didn’t seem to be helping.
Helen was still sitting at the table, an empty cup before her, when David arrived home from work. “Let’s get you to bed,” he said when he noted Helen’s pallor.
“I didn’t make anything for tea,” Helen said weakly. “I just couldn’t.”
“Don’t worry, love. Davy and I will go to a chippy. Can I bring you anything back?”
Helen shook her head and instantly regretted it. The motion made her dizzy. She hadn’t eaten anything since that morning, but the idea of putting anything but tea in her mouth was enough to bring on the dreaded nausea.
“Helen, you need to eat. You’re losing weight. It can’t be good for the baby.”
“I can’t keep anything down,” she moaned miserably.
“How about I make you some soup? You just tell me what to do, and I will do it,” David said. He looked very concerned and Helen felt a pang of guilt, as if she were somehow responsible for her condition.
“Agnes stopped by earlier. She brought me beef tea. I had a cupful.”
“Thank the Lord for Agnes,” David said. “I’ll go over on Saturday and see if she needs help with anything. It’s been hard for her since Jonas passed.”
“She’ll appreciate that,” Helen replied, thinking that as much as she wanted David to repay Agnes for her kindness, she didn’t want to be left on her own. She needed help too. The washing needed doing, and the floors hadn’t been properly scrubbed in weeks.
“I won’t be long at Agnes’s,” David said, as if reading her mind. “I’ll come straight back and see to whatever needs doing. You just make me a list.”
Helen nodded. That was all she had strength left to do. She allowed David to help her upstairs, quickly undressed, and got into bed. The sheets were ice-cold, and she shivered as she curled into a ball beneath the duvet. She wished she had a hot-water bottle, but by the time David boiled the water and filled the bottle, she’d be asleep. After a few minutes, her body heat warmed the sheets and she began to relax, allowing herself to straighten her limbs. Within minutes, she was asleep, her depleted body desperate for rest.
**
“I rang Dr. Ross’s surgery,” David informed Helen the following morning. She hadn’t heard him go out and suddenly wondered what time it was. It was nearly eight, high time she was up and about.
Helen peered at David blearily. “Are you ill?”
“No, but you are. You can’t go on like this. Mrs. Ross said there’s a new medication that helps with the sickness.”
“David, I’m afraid to take tablets.”
“Are you not afraid the child will not develop properly if you don’t eat?” David challenged her.
“Yes, I am,” Helen mumbled.
“Then go see the doctor. If you’re still against taking the medication after the consultation, I won’t pressure you.”
“All right,” Helen agreed. “I trust Dr. Ross.”
“So do I. Now, have some breakfast, and then Davy and I will walk with you, to make sure you get there safely,” David said.
“Won’t you be late for work?” Helen asked as she took her customary place at the table while David made her some toast.
“I’ll make up the time tomorrow. I need to make sure you’re all right first.”
Helen smiled at him gratefully. He was so good to her, her husband. My brother. The unbidden thought sprang into her mind. My flesh and blood. She must have grimaced at the thought because David was instantly at her side.
“Are you all right, love? Do you need a basin?”
“I’m fine,” Helen assured him. “Thank you.”.
“Here you are, then. Dry toast and sweet tea.”
Helen gave him a grateful smile and took a sip of the hot tea. She experienced a moment of pure pleasure as the hot liquid slid down her throat, warming her insides and soothing her tortured esophagus. “Mm, that’s good,” she said. “Thank God for tea.”
“Eat your toast,” David said. “I won’t have you going on an empty stomach.”
Helen obediently picked up a piece of toast. The bread tasted bland and dry, but at least she didn’t feel sick. Having finished, she went to put on her coat and shoes while
David rinsed out the cup and plate. Davy was already dressed, ready for their walk. He held the toy truck in his hand. It’d give him something to do while he and David waited for her to speak to Dr. Ross.
David came out into the corridor and reached for his own coat. Before leaving the house, he took Helen’s silk scarf off a peg and tied it around her neck, smiling at her when he’d finished. “There now. You look lovely. Doesn’t she, Davy?”
“You look pretty, Mum,” Davy agreed. “I want you to feel better.”
As they walked to the surgery, Helen realized she was relieved that David had taken matters into his own hands. She couldn’t go on like this much longer. She was hungry but couldn’t eat. Tired, but couldn’t get a proper night’s rest. And worried about the baby. The waiting room was nearly empty when they got to the surgery, which was a blessing. Helen’s back ached too much to sit in a hard-back chair for too long.
“Ah, Helen,” Dr. Ross said when she entered the examining room. “How have you been, my dear?”
“I’m expecting again,” Helen replied as she took a seat on the table. “I’m afraid I haven’t been feeling very well.”
“Have you been examined by a midwife?”
“Yes. She says the fatigue and nausea will pass, but I’m finding it hard to cope. I can’t keep anything down, Dr. Ross, and I feel so tired I can barely manage to get through the day.”
Dr. Ross gave her a stern look after performing his examination. “Helen, you’re underweight and suffering from exhaustion. Normally, I would send a woman in your condition to the hospital, where they’ll feed you intravenously and keep you in bed for at least a week, but I’d like to try something else first.”
He walked over to his desk and wrote out a prescription, which he then handed to her. “There’s a new drug on the market. It’s doing wonders for expectant mothers. It helps with the nausea and acts as a sleep aid, so you can get proper rest. You will begin to feel better within a few days.”
“I’m a little nervous about taking medication while pregnant,” Helen replied.
Dr. Ross scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. “It’s perfectly safe. No side effects reported, only benefits. Give it a go and come back to see me by the end of the week. If the medication isn’t helping, then I’m afraid the hospital is our only option.”
“I understand,” Helen said. She got dressed and left the surgery, the script in her handbag. They could stop by the chemist on the way home and have it made up. She was still hesitant, but it was better than going to the hospital. She’d loved the hospital as a nurse, but she had no desire to be a patient. Besides, she couldn’t leave her boys for a week. David would have to take time off work to look after Davy, and the two of them would be worried sick about her if they knew she was so malnourished. She’d try the tablets and see if they helped.
**
By the end of the week, Helen felt reborn. The nausea had abated, and she was able to sleep solidly through the night, waking refreshed and full of energy.
“I made you breakfast,” David said. It was the first Sunday since she’d started the medication, just over a week since she’d seen Dr. Ross. David had made a fry-up, and the wonderful smell of eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and tomatoes made Helen’s mouth water.
“I could eat the whole pan,” Helen said. “I’m ravenous.”
“Then do. I made it just for you. Davy and I have already eaten. I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”
He kissed the top of her head as she tucked into the food. It tasted heavenly and she realized just how hungry she’d been these past weeks.
David refreshed her tea and looked on with a happy smile. “I’m so glad to see you’re feeling better. Shall we go for a walk after church? You could do with a bit of air.”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
“Good. More toast?” David asked, grinning at her.
Helen shook her head. “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
David pulled Helen’s plate toward himself and finished what was left of the bacon and mushrooms. He wiped the yolk with a piece of toast and sighed with satisfaction.
“I thought you’d eaten,” Helen said, feeling guilty for eating nearly all the food. She felt fit to burst, but it was a pleasant fullness, the type she hadn’t experienced in months.
“I have, but I can’t let good food go to waste.”
“I know what you mean,” Helen agreed. “I’ll be plump as a pheasant if this medication works.”
“Don’t you go worrying about gaining weight, Helen. You’re thin as a rail, and that baby inside you needs nourishment. Besides, I don’t mind a bit of plump,” David said, smiling at her seductively. “I’d like me a buxom dame with a bum like a drum.”
Helen swatted him playfully with a tea towel. “If it’s a big bum you want, keep cooking for me and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Small price to pay,” David joked as he pulled her close, clearly glad to have his wife back.
Chapter 34
June 2015
London, England
Gabe seethed with fury as he approached the building. Selling his flat to Seth had seemed like a good idea, since Quinn’s father wanted to have a London base, but now that his flat was being used to house the person who’d nearly killed his wife and unborn son, Gabe wasn’t so sure he should have agreed. At the risk of being selfish, he fervently wished she’d never reconnected with any of these people. With the exception of Logan, each and every one of them was proving to be a nightmare.
When Quinn had informed him that Jude had joined the army, he’d been staggered. The idea of Jude in the military was preposterous, but he had to acknowledge, with grudging respect, that he admired Jude for taking such a drastic step. If the army didn’t set him straight, nothing would. Gabe genuinely hoped Jude would find the stability and structure he was looking for and live long enough to tell the tale.
Gabe took the lift up to the fourth floor and rang the bell. There was no answer. He tried again. Nothing. Gabe returned to the lobby and approached the doorman, who’d known him for years.
“Afternoon, Perry. I was wondering if Mr. Besson is in residence,” Gabe said, hoping Perry would divulge the information without a song and dance about violating the residents’ privacy and basically gunning for an incentive to part with the information. Perry wasn’t above such tricks.
“No, Mr. Russell. He’s not been back since the beginning of May.”
“Is the flat in use by anyone else?”
“Not that I know of. Why do you ask?”
“My wife’s brother turned up at the house this morning. I assumed he was staying here.”
“I’m pretty sure he isn’t. He’d have to have signed in when he arrived, and no new tenants have taken up residence since Mr. Besson moved in a few months ago.”
“I see. Thank you.” Gabe pushed a ten-pound note across the counter and said goodbye. Given the situation, it was probably wise to maintain Perry’s goodwill. Gabe exited the building and dialed Seth’s number. It’d be just gone 9:00 a.m. in New Orleans, so Seth would most likely be at the office.
Seth answered on the second ring. “Is Quinn all right?” he demanded without any preamble. Gabe normally didn’t ring him first thing in the morning. In fact, he didn’t ring him at all, leaving all communication to Quinn.
“Depends on your definition of all right,” Gabe replied. He was still angry, but his fury was beginning to abate.
“What happened?”
“Brett showed up at our door this morning. Took Quinn completely by surprise. You can only imagine how she reacted.”
“Jesus Christ!” Seth exclaimed. “Gabe, I’m so sorry. I should have realized Brett would pull something like this. He told us he was driving down to the Florida Keys for a few days. Needed some alone time, you know? Naturally, we believed him. I should have known he’d try again.”
“Try what?”
“He wrote her a letter from prison, you know. She never replied. In f
act, she told me she hadn’t read it. I wish she would have. I think it might have helped them both.”
“Look, Seth, no offense, but my first priority is not helping Brett.”
“None taken. I completely understand. Look, Gabe, for what it’s worth, he’ll never do anything to hurt her. He just wants to make amends.”
“Brett didn’t embarrass Quinn or hurt her feelings, he locked her in a cemetery vault and left her to die,” Gabe said, having difficulty controlling his temper. “Nothing he can say to her will make her forgive him. Nothing. So, please tell your son to stay away from her, because if I see him, I will give him the message in a less civilized way.”
“Understood.”
Gabe ended the call. He wasn’t angry with Seth, just tired of putting out fires started by Quinn’s relations. He had no doubt that Seth would contact Brett, just as he had no doubt that Brett would ignore his warning. He’d come this far; he wouldn’t give up after one attempt.
Gabe selected Quinn’s number and made the call. She answered almost immediately, sounding wary and upset. “What do you say to visiting my mother for a few days?” he asked without preamble. “We’ll be back in time for Jill’s wedding.”
Quinn considered his proposal for a moment. “If we can come back in time for Jill’s hen night, then I’m in. I can use a change of scenery, and your mum misses the children.”
The Broken (Echoes from the Past Book 8) Page 17