Tina laughed. “By telling me not to feel sorry for myself? By telling me that other people have it a lot worse than I do? By having good books around to read, to find out how bad things can be? Charles Dickens was a good one.”
“Wasn’t he?” Laura grinned. “Imagine for a minute being a little match girl.”
“Right. Or even Alice in Wonderland.” The thought of Alice made her think of Hank. Through the looking glass. She pushed the thought away. “Did you know Brenda’s here?”
“No. Where?”
“I mean, she’s been admitted.”
“What?” The word sounded like a gunshot. Tina flinched.
“She’s in a bed just down the hall.”
Laura stared at her. “Oh, no.” She turned her head away. But not before Tina noticed the paleness of her face.
“Mom? What’s wrong? She said she was only in for some tests. But she wouldn’t tell me what for.”
Laura stood up, her movements jerky. “I have to go. Take care of Uncle Bob. I’ll come back in the morning.”
“Mom! Please, tell me what’s wrong.”
“I can’t.” Laura’s voice was anguished. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”
She left quickly, her high heels clicking down the hall.
Tina glanced at Uncle Bob and saw he was awake. She jumped off the bed and went to stand next to him. “Can I get you anything?” Princess thumped her tail.
“No.” He reached for his hearing aids and put them in. Then he grabbed his water glass and took a few sips. “Ah. Why did Laura rush out of here without even saying goodbye?”
“I don’t know. I told her Brenda was down the hall—as a patient—and she took off.”
“Why is Brenda here?” Uncle Bob looked surprised.
“I don’t know that either. She wouldn’t tell me. Only said they were doing tests, but wouldn’t say what for.”
“Huh. Mysterious bunch of people.”
“You mean the Lunch Bunch and their daughters?”
“Must be catching. What secrets are you keeping from your Uncle Bob, huh?”
“I don’t keep much from you, Uncle Bob.”
“Well, then, tell me about this mysterious visit to Mitzi.”
Tina told all, except about The Kiss. She realized she had begun to think of it in capital letters. It loomed large. She wondered what Uncle Bob would think, but somehow could not share it with him.
“Well, that explains why Mitzi changed so much after Jasper’s death. She seemed to hold up as well as could be expected after Sally died, but then Jasper did, too, and she fell apart. Why do people insist on blaming themselves for other people’s actions? We make our own choices. I have no idea how Mitzi could have prevented Jasper’s suicide. She probably doesn’t, either, but she’s not thinking clearly. It sounds as if you might have put her on the road to rationality. You did good, Tina.”
Tina basked in his approval as Princess stood up to be petted. “I’d better take her for a walk, hadn’t I? I see they brought water for her. I’ll bring food tomorrow—I’m sorry I forgot, but thank goodness she’s a morning eater.”
“I think you had other things on your mind, my girl,” Uncle Bob said.
“I did. How do you feel, really?”
“Not bad. They gave me a pain palliative. Seems to be working.”
“Well, I hope it’s easy on your stomach. And I guess they told you that they don’t believe ulcers are caused by stress anymore, right?
“Yeah.” He looked sheepish. “Now I can’t brag about them.”
She patted his shoulder. “No, you can brag about going in the ambulance.”
He shook his head. “I don’t even remember all that excitement.”
I do, thought Tina. Relief washed over her, now, talking with Uncle Bob. She was sure the doctors would have him better in no time.
“Well, Princess and I will be back shortly.” She disengaged the leash from the bedrail and took Princess out of the room. The dog looked back at Uncle Bob as if to make sure he was all right and it was okay for her to leave him for a while.
She had to walk through the emergency room since it was after visiting hours, and she saw the male nurse who had given her such a hard time earlier. He looked away as she walked by him. She hoped he’d learned his lesson.
Outside, Tina found a grassy spot and was glad Princess didn’t do anything that needed cleaning up because Tina didn’t have the plastic bags with her. She’d have to remember to bring them, along with the food and Princess’s favorite chew toy.
As they walked back to the hospital, Tina saw Doctor Ted coming toward them with long strides. At first she was surprised to see him, but then she realized he had probably been there to see patients.
Princess let out a low growl as Ted approached. Tina patted her, wondering what was wrong. Princess hardly ever growled. The dog crowded next to Tina’s leg, and when Tina put her hand on her back, she felt the dog’s hackles rise.
The closer Ted came, the uneasier both Tina and Princess became. What was it about him that made her feel this way, Tina wondered. And now Princess?
“New dog?” Ted’s hand reached out to pet Princess, but she growled again, and he quickly withdrew it.
“What?” Tina was distracted by her thoughts. “No, she belongs to my uncle. He was admitted today, and she’s his hearing dog.”
“Hearing dog?”
They stood under a streetlight, and Tina could clearly see his puzzled look.
A bit surprised that he didn’t know what one was, she explained.
“Oh, of course,” Ted said. “For a moment I’d forgotten about them. Never met one.” But Tina didn’t believe he’d ever heard of one before. Especially when he went to pet Princess again. This time the dog didn’t growl, and Tina ignored it. After all, Princess wasn’t working, so it didn’t matter.
“I saw Brenda,” Tina said. It would be natural for her to bring that up since Brenda was Dr. Ted’s nurse.
“What?”
“Brenda. You know, your nurse.” Tina gave a nervous little laugh.
“Oh, yes, she seemed a bit peaked so I ordered some tests. Probably anemic, but need to make sure it’s nothing more serious.”
“And you admitted her for that?” Tina couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice.
“Well, yes. She, um, fainted. Didn’t want to take any chances.”
Why didn’t she believe him? It was bad enough she kept wondering about the Lunch Bunch. Now she was becoming more and more suspicious of Doctor Ted.
“Well, gotta go,” he said. “Nice seeing you. You’ll be at work tomorrow?”
“I’ll be there.”
“See you there, then.” Ted strode off toward the parking lot, and Tina and Princess stood watching him a moment before walking back inside.
She found Uncle Bob dozing, so she hooked up Princess’s leash again and climbed into the other bed. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
In the morning Tina woke to see an aide come in to take Uncle Bob’s “vitals.” Tina watched bleary-eyed as the woman put a thermometer in his ear, checked his pulse, and took his blood pressure. The clock on the wall said 5:55. Before they could settle down again, another nurse came in and checked his IV site, the bag, and his bracelet, then gave him a pill. Neither woman had said a word to Uncle Bob. Tina wondered if they talked to the hearing patients.
“Go back to sleep,” Uncle Bob said, and Tina nodded back off.
At eight fifteen she woke again to see Brandon standing over her.
“Oh, hi,” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see you. And Uncle Bob, of course. But he’s asleep.”
Tina glanced toward the other bed. They must have given him a sleeping pill the night before. She sat up, feeling awkward lying on the bed.
“Why didn’t you call and let me know what was going on?” Brandon asked. “I didn’t find out until this morning when the office workers told me.”
“I’m sorry. I
didn’t think. Things were hectic.” Feelings of guilt washed over her when she remembered the dinner with Hank and The Kiss.
Suddenly the air in the room seemed to change, and Tina looked up to see Hank standing in the doorway. She felt the blood leave her head, then a warm flush washed over her whole body. She was glad Brandon had turned to see who had come in and didn’t notice her reaction. Princess’s tail thumped the floor when she saw Hank, and he bent down to pet her. “Not working, girl, I see,” he said. Uncle Bob slept on. “How is he?” Hank asked, moving his head toward the patient.
“Seems to be resting comfortably, as they say,” Tina reported. Interesting that Hank had asked first about Uncle Bob whereas Brandon’s first concern was why she hadn’t called to tell him what had happened.
Hank moved farther into the room, and he and Brandon shook hands. Tina studied the two men—Brandon solid, substantial; Hank lean, cat-like. And she knew she loved them both, in different ways. She wondered if she’d ever be able to choose between them. Brandon, comfortable, sheltering; Hank, exciting, expecting more of her, but so secretive.
Uncle Bob stirred. Everyone watched him, and Princess stood up. He opened his eyes and grinned. “What a crowd. Did you charge admission, Tina?”
Tina stood up and approached the bed and handed him his hearing aids. She waited for him to insert them, then said, “Got it right in my pocket. How do you feel?”
He grimaced. “Thirsty. Achy from being in bed so long.”
“I’ll call the nurse, get you something to drink and eat, maybe get you up in a chair.” She pushed the call button.
A slender, red-headed nurse bustled in, agreed that Uncle Bob could get up, and helped him into a chair. She promised to bring juice and breakfast. “We were told to let him sleep. And I’m afraid the breakfast will be bland.”
Uncle Bob made a face. “Don’t tell me. Jell-O and broth. Do I get to choose the color of the Jell-O?”
The nurse didn’t smile, just shook her head. Tina noticed she hadn’t really spoken to Uncle Bob, more to Tina instead. “If you face him, he can read your lips pretty well,” she said.
Not looking at Uncle Bob, the nurse nodded and left the room. Tina sighed. Even many medical professionals didn’t seem to know how to deal with the profoundly hard of hearing. Uncle Bob had complained, even when he could hear better than he did now, about doctors who wouldn’t face him, who mumbled, who refused to write things down.
Tina turned to Uncle Bob and said, “Princess needs a walk. I’ll go take her now.”
“Thanks. I’ll try not to choke on my breakfast.”
Tina laughed. “That’s good. Watch carefully for bones in the Jell-O.”
The two men stirred. “I’ll go with you,” Hank said.
“I’ll come, too,” Brandon said.
Tina felt suddenly uncomfortable. She imagined how they’d look, the three of them and Princess. If she were a different sort of woman, she would walk tall, feel proud to have two men escorting her. But she wasn’t that kind of woman. She couldn’t sort out her own feelings right now, and it frustrated her.
They escaped the hospital with only a few strange looks from visitors who didn’t understand why they were allowed to have a dog. Not one of them said a word, and Tina wondered if either Brandon or Hank felt as uncomfortable as she did. Somehow, she doubted it.
Outside they met Brenda’s mother coming in. Mrs. Cooley looked worn, older than the last time Tina had seen her. A faded beauty, she wore no makeup, and Tina noticed her hands had a slight tremor. She puffed jerkily on a cigarette, then put it out in the sand in the holder provided for those who still smoked.
“Tina,” Mrs. Cooley said. She squinted at Tina in the bright sunlight. Looked her up and down. Tina remembered Mitzi doing the same thing. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, Mrs. Cooley. How are you? And what’s going on with Brenda?”
Brenda’s mother stiffened. She stared at Tina for a moment before answering. “She’s just having some tests. She’ll be fine. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Tina wanted to ask her more questions. But Mrs. Cooley walked inside before Tina could think of a reason to keep her.
Tina looked up at Brandon. Sudden fear washed over her. Sally, dead from cancer. Crystal murdered. Brenda ill. The Lunch Bunch daughters seemed to be falling, one by one.
“Do you know what’s going on?” she asked Brandon.
He shook his head. “What do you mean?”
“Something’s strange about Brenda being in the hospital.”
“Don’t be silly. Her mother said she’s in for tests. What’s strange about that?”
Tina looked at Hank. He wore his guarded look. And his eyes wouldn’t meet hers.
“You know,” she said. “You’ve always known. What is it?”
He shook his head. “Not my tale to tell.”
Tina grabbed his arm. “I need to know. Tell me!”
Slowly, gently, he moved away. She let her hand fall. She knew she wouldn’t be able to pry it out of him. She heaved a huge sigh.
“It’s something bad. I know that now. And you’re a coward, Hank Silver. You don’t want to tell me what it is because you’re afraid.” She turned her back on him, looked up at Brandon. Who looked confused. Tina knew he didn’t know what the secret was. She took his arm. “Come on, let’s take Princess for her walk.”
They left Hank standing by the door. He didn’t try to follow, to talk to her. She felt part of her crumble. She wanted to scream, to demand answers. But she was a coward, too. She wasn’t ready to learn the secret. Not just yet.
CHAPTER 24
When Brandon and Tina arrived back in Uncle Bob’s room, they found Laura there, fussing with the stuff on his table. The breakfast tray was gone. Tina checked Uncle Bob out and thought he looked pretty good.
“You lose Hank?” Uncle Bob asked. Tina realized he liked to talk to Hank more than just about anyone else she knew.
“Afraid so,” she said, without explanation. She wanted to say something to her mother about Brenda, but decided this wasn’t the time or the place.
“The doctor was just in,” Laura said. “Uncle Bob can probably go home tomorrow.”
“That’s great news.” Tina attached the dog’s leash to the bed frame again and replaced her water with fresh. “I’ll go get food for Princess, then go to work. Uncle Bob, you need anything?”
“My reading glasses, the book I’m reading, which is on my nightstand. Toothbrush, electric shaver, a new stomach, a set of underwear, and socks. My coat—gloves should be in the pocket. I think that’s all.”
Tina smiled. “Where do you keep the spare stomachs?” She knew she got her organizing gene from him. He’d obviously been making a list in his head.
“In the freezer, of course. Once Laura almost served one for dinner.”
Laura made a face. Brandon smiled.
The clock on the wall said eight thirty. “I need to get going,” Tina said. “I’ll drop in later.”
She and Brandon said goodbye to Laura and Uncle Bob. As they walked by Brenda’s door this time, it was open. Tina slowed down to look in, but she couldn’t bring herself to go talk to Brenda right now. She had no right to get after Hank for being cowardly. All of a sudden, she felt a great reluctance herself to find out what the secret was. Because of her training in psychology she knew she was heading toward denial. She clenched her jaw. She wasn’t going to give up now.
Brandon appeared clueless to all that was going on. He took her arm and led her toward the elevator. “Uncle Bob looks good,” he said.
Making conversation, Tina knew. He was good at that. At least he felt her uneasiness and was trying to distract her.
“Yes. Thank goodness it wasn’t more serious,” she said as they entered the elevator.
“Could have been. Lucky you were there. He could have bled out.”
Tina felt a jolt run through her. She hadn’t really thought about it that much. More denial.
Brandon squeezed her arm. “Sorry. That was too blunt. He’ll be fine now.”
“Of course he will,” Tina said. She and Laura would see to that. She changed the subject as they stepped into the lobby. “You hear anything at your office about Crystal’s murder?”
“More about Rachel’s housekeeping than the murder itself. It sounds horrendous. I can’t believe you want to help with that mess. Which will be a lot worse when the cops are through with it.” He held the lobby door for her.
Here we go again. “Drop it, Brandon. I’m going to help Rachel. She needs me more than ever now.”
“I suppose.”
“What do you care? You don’t have to have a thing to do with it.”
Brandon stopped walking, and since she had her hand in the crook of his elbow, she had to stop as well. They were in the middle of the parking lot, and Tina was glad no cars were entering or leaving.
“I care about you,” Brandon said with an intensity that surprised her.
Her breath caught. “I know you do,” she said, a bit ashamed, eyes downcast. “And it’s sweet.” She looked up into his oh-so-serious face. “In a way. But in another way, it’s not that you really care about me, you care about preserving your image of me, how you want me to be.”
“Don’t be silly,” he snapped.
She removed her hand from his elbow. “You think I’m silly?”
He looked stricken. Then all of a sudden even more angry. “Sometimes.” He strode toward his car without saying goodbye.
Tina stood watching him walk away. Only when a car came up and tooted at her did she move. What was wrong with Brandon? He never lost his temper, never treated her this way.
She found her car and climbed in, still a bit angry. Her world felt suddenly skewed, off-kilter. Crystal murdered, Uncle Bob collapsing and scaring her half to death, and now she realized there was a big secret among the Lunch Bunch, probably about the daughters. Hank was showing a real interest in her, but Brandon had become more impatient. Or was he mirroring her mounting impatience with him? He’d never called her silly before, but she’d had the impression sometimes he thought she was an airhead. And that had always annoyed her. Now he’d come right out and said it. Well, sorry, she didn’t think she was ever silly, and calling her that made her mad. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She turned the key in the ignition with more force than necessary.
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