She was closing down the register when someone tapped on the window. Kathy’s face stared at her through the panes with a cheeky grin. Evette used the last of her energy to cross the room and unlock the door.
“Oh dear, you’re so pale.” Kathy helped her to a chair and admonished, “You need to take more breaks. Your condition means you’re not invincible like you’ve always pretended to be. Why are you here alone? Don’t you make enough to schedule help? I thought your shop was the go-to place for everyone.”
“It is, and I haven’t been alone. One of my employees just left, and Valen’s in the back. I can’t work by myself anymore, you know that. Someone has to be available to take over or at least call for help when I have a spell. It’s irritating to feel so helpless. I hate being coddled, besides I’m fine. I just need to eat and rest, both of which I can do if you’ll let me leave.”
Kathy put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. “Stubbornness is unbecoming to you. No one’s coddling you. We’re offering assistance if you need it, that’s all. I came here to be nice, not fight. I’ve got lasagna in the oven. I thought you might like to come over for dinner. We’ve got stuff to make sundaes for dessert. You know you can’t resist.”
“If you made your famous whipped cream, I’m all for it. Let me tell Valen to leave, and I’ll follow you.”
“No need,” Kathy glanced behind her and announced, “Valen, you can drive her, can’t you? I’m inviting you to dinner as well, and don’t bother arguing. I won’t take no for an answer. In fact, I demand that you join us.”
Evette tried desperately to get Kathy’s attention and tell her to rescind the invitation, but her sister chose to ignore her. For some reason, she was determined to keep shoving Valen at her, though she was well aware of Evette’s illness and the fact that she didn’t wish to burden anyone with it. This was especially true of any man. Her condition would deteriorate, and he would be left with a shell of a woman unless she found a cure.
“I guess I’m the designated driver. I hope your sister is a good cook because I’m starving. Hey, are you okay?” Valen saw Evette sit down with a plunk. She had gone stark white.
“I’ll be fine in a minute. I need to eat and rest. I was so thrilled with how fast you were catching on, I overdid it.”
“I’ll lock up.” Valen scooped her up into his arms and carried her to his truck, where he sat her gingerly in the seat. “Sit still, and I’ll be back in a flash. I won’t forget your bag and I’ll set the alarm.”
*****
Valen managed to push the doorbell at Kathy’s with his pinky while cradling Evette in his arms. The door was answered by Kathy and her kids were peeking around her legs. He gave them all a reassuring smile, but Kathy continued to frown.
“Take her to the couch. I’ll bring her a glass of herbal tea. This must stop. She can’t keep letting herself get into this condition or they’ll shove her in some ridiculous care facility. Maybe you can talk some sense into her. She doesn’t listen to me. The natural potions aren’t helping; she needs something more.” Kathy placed her hand on her big, pregnant belly. “I want her around and active for this baby, just like the others.”
“She’s upset, and it’s not good for the baby. Go talk to her. I know this is too much for you, as you’re just my apprentice, but I really can’t deal with it right now. I promise to back off after tonight and not make you a part of this mess. You certainly didn’t expect it when you applied for the job.”
Valen didn’t argue. It wasn’t worth the debate. For a dragon prince, he was being ordered around a lot by females. It was beginning to get humiliating. He was used to making demands of females and having his every wish granted by them. How low he had dropped in the scheme of things.
“She sent you to settle me down, didn’t she?” Kathy asked. “She worries too much about me and not enough about herself. Has she been seizure free, or is she hiding it from me? You see her more than I do.”
“To my knowledge, she hasn’t had a seizure in the last few days. She did great at the concert. I was surprised. I don’t know much about her disease, but I can tell by the way you both act that it’s severe. I do the best I can to watch out for her. She’s dedicated to that shop. Her work is what keeps her going. Is she going to get better someday?” Valen had his doubts, but he felt it necessary to ask.
“It’s a difficult illness, at best,” Kathy explained quietly. “I don’t think I’m capable of giving you the ins and outs of it. You should look it up. There’s tons of information on it, but no cure. She’s going to have to deal with it for the rest of her life, and it’s up to her how well she tolerates it. She fights the doctors at every turn because she wants to keep the treatments confined to natural medicines. As you’ve seen, they aren’t doing the job.”
“How else can I be of help?”
“Take as much responsibility at the apothecary as she’ll allow. I know we’ve sort of tossed you into the fire without a way out, and I’m so sorry. You’ve been a godsend since the very first day. She trusts you, so do I.” Kathy brushed a stray tear from her eye and continued. “Thank you for watching over her and taking her to the hospital. I can’t be everywhere at once. The other employees are oblivious to her condition, and that’s exactly how she wants it. I was wondering if you had real feelings for Evette. Do you see your relationship going into something deeper?”
“To tell you the truth, I don’t have any idea where this is going. I don’t do relationships, only brief encounters. However, there’s a connection with Evette that I can’t deny. What it is, would be anyone’s guess. I like the way she fights for her rights, the strength of character she shows. You do it too. This sense of family is not what I’m used to. I’m having difficulty adjusting to the change in thinking.”
Kathy sighed and handed him Evette’s tea. “It’s none of my business, I know. It’s just that she seems to like you, and I do too. You handle her situation matter of factly, and there’s no drama. A part of me wants you to fall for each other, but I’m torn. She’s so sick and her future is uncertain. She hates being a burden, and I don’t want you to get hurt in all this.”
“I can take it. Don’t I look tough to you? You’ve got enough to deal with, being pregnant and raising two other kids, who are the most well-behaved children I’ve encountered. You’re a great mom and an excellent sister. I can handle myself.” Valen hoped he was right. Evette was getting under his skin and that was a problem he needed to deal with quickly.
Valen left Kathy putting the lasagna in the oven and carried the herbal tea to Evette only to discover she had fallen asleep. Curled on the sofa, with an afghan over her legs, she reminded him of a child. Her face was the most peaceful he had ever seen it and her cheeks were pink from the warmth of the covering. He sat the tea on a coaster, rather than waking her up. He hoped the nap would bring her relief and ease her constant pain.
Chapter Eight
Valen spent the next two weeks on the basement level, learning to make tinctures and bottling extracts for customers. He proved to be a quick study, mostly because it was the work that interested him. Evette’s example of how to ease human fears during their illnesses was teaching him a different type of lesson, one of caring for individuals. She treated each customer with the same kindness, explaining what they needed and why, without making them feel stupid. He wasn’t very good at that, but he was better than he used to be.
At the end of the two weeks, Valen was confident in his newfound abilities. Evette had less to reprimand him on and more to praise. They constantly bumped elbows in the tight space, and he was beginning to like the tingle touching her produced.
As they were closing for the day, and saying goodbye to the rest of the staff, she pulled him aside for a discussion. “I feel it’s time you graduated to an actual apprentice. I’m promoting you and giving you a raise. Tomorrow, I want you to make the tinctures all by yourself, then I’ll check them. If you don’t make any mistakes, I will be counting on you to take more
responsibility.”
“Are you sure I’m ready? I don’t want to poison anyone by mistake, or worse yet, kill them,” Valen teased. He knew full well that he could make the tinctures on his own, but he wanted to be sure that Evette wasn’t looking for him to fail.
“You’ve been ready for a while now. I can’t believe how good you’ve gotten in so short a time. You listen to me, and that’s important. The more people who can run the apothecary, the better it will do and the faster we can help others. It’s my life’s ambition that no one goes untreated. Hell, I’m as surprised as you are that I’m letting you do the work alone.” Evette wasn’t kidding. She was a hands-on employer, always overseeing everyone’s work, but lately, she needed to let some things go.
“Will you submit a date to celebrate? I know pizza and beer aren’t exactly on the diet you have to stick to, however, there’s a place down the street that has organic pizza. Whether it tastes good or not, we’ll have to judge after we order, but I’m willing to try it.” Valen didn’t want to go home alone, and this was an easy way to make sure Evette ate. She was getting thinner, and he feared she was in a habit of going home to sleep, skipping dinner altogether.
“Are you buying or are you trying to get me to pay for dinner as part of your promotion? There’s a secret behind those eyes, and I would be willing to bet this date has nothing to do with celebrating. You are secretly trying to get me alone, either to get me to admit you’re my best employee or to ravish my body. Which is it? Do pale skin and a tendency to have seizures turn you on?” Evette was sorry the instant the words left her mouth. She was comparing Valen to her former husbands, and that wasn’t fair. Neither of them stayed with her when the going got rough, though they had vowed to love her in sickness and in health. Valen was a new acquaintance, and there was no reason for him to stick by her. He was probably sick of hearing about her illness and would now tell her he had changed his mind about dinner. She certainly wouldn’t blame him.
“Ravishing your body in a public place isn’t an option for me, though you are lovely despite how you see yourself. There’s no need to fish for compliments, I would be honored to remind you of your beauty. As to the rest, I will be paying for dinner. It’s a date and the man is supposed to pay, then he gets a kiss or two in return. I’m counting on it.”
Valen had seen the embarrassed blush on Evette’s cheeks when she realized she had gone too far. She wasn’t fishing for compliments, but there was something deeper behind her words. He didn’t ask because it was personal, and if she wanted him to know, she would tell him at some point. So, he chose to tease her about her beauty and a few kisses instead.
The organic pizza wasn’t too bad, except for the crust. It was thicker and softer than Valen would have liked, but Evette appeared to enjoy it. She scarfed down three pieces. Seeing her eat her fill was worth the price of the soggy crust.
“Are you excited about being an aunt again?” Valen asked to end the silence.
“I’m looking forward to holding a tiny new life. They’re so soft and cuddly. When they open their eyes and stare at you, it makes you feel invincible. The trust and love in their eyes is something you hope will never disappear, but sadly, you know it will. People will disappoint them, and they’ll be hurt in ways they could never imagine. So far, Kathy has been able to shield her children from the tougher things. They’re still very trusting and innocent,” Evette replied.
“Someone has hurt you badly in the past to make you so cynical. You can tell me about it if you want.” Valen wanted her to let go of the past. The anger and sadness were making her illness worse.
“I was married twice. My illness caused both divorces. That’s all you need to know. Change the subject, please.”
“You’re very close to your sister,” Valen began, doing as she had requested. “Have you always gotten along so well?”
“We’ve had a few battles in our day. Sibling rivalry makes it impossible not to fight. We’ve argued over clothes, makeup, and guys. But, we always make up quickly. I can’t stay mad at her, she’s the one I count on for support. I don’t know how she does it, taking care of me, two kids, a husband, a home, and growing a baby inside her all at the same time. It’s too much to ask of anyone, so I’ve been asking for less of her time. I miss her,” Evette said, looking a little surprised it came out of her mouth.
“She honestly doesn’t mind helping you. I could tell, the first time we met, that she loves you. She worries about you all the time.”
“She shouldn’t have to. No one should. That’s what makes me angry. I want to take care of myself, fight my own battle. I made some new potions to try. I will get better my own way. I refuse to believe otherwise.” Determination showed on her stiff shoulders and pursed lips.
Over dessert, they talked of less stressful things, deleting her illness from their chatter. Valen found himself holding her hand as they walked to the parking garage for their respective vehicles. In the darkness of the garage, he took her face gently in his hands and kissed her.
“That was one,” she whispered. “You said supper should get you two kisses.”
Valen grinned against her soft mouth and gave her a second kiss. This one was deeper and had a possessive feel to it. He reluctantly let her go, watching until her car rounded the curve to a lower level.
Valen was shocked to find the apothecary still locked the next morning. Evette usually arrived before anyone else came to open it unless she had scheduled her other apprentice in her place. But, she had specifically told him she would be testing his skills today, so where was she?
He used his newly earned key to open the door and heard the phone ringing. He rushed to answer, and his missing employer was on the line.
“Valen, I guess you used your key to open the door. Good, I’m going to leave the store in your hands for a couple of days. I’ll pay you extra to act as manager and remain for the full day. If you have questions, I’ll be by the phone, though, I can’t see any reason you would need me. We made enough of the more complicated stuff to last a long time and you can replace the simpler stuff. Bring in whoever you need to help cover the shifts. I can’t believe I’m doing this, it’s so unlike me. Don’t make me sorry.” Evette finally ran out of words.
During her pause, Valen was able to say, “Are you worse? Do you need me to come take you to the doctor? I can get someone to take my place or close the shop.”
“Don’t you dare suggest closing the shop. Stay where you are and take good care of my customers. Treat them with patience and kindness or you’ll answer to me. I’m doing fine,” she clearly lied. “I intend to try the new potions and since they might make me tired, I’m staying home.”
“Yes boss, I’ll do as you say. Take care and get some rest. I hope the new potions do you some good. Maybe, they’ll soften that hard-ass attitude a little. I gotta go, the first customer just arrived.” He hung up the phone and greeted his customer. The man was there for a refill, and Valen found his name on the computer, sending him on his way in record time.
Evette wasn’t as okay as she wanted him to think. She had tried to act like the tough chick she had seemed when he was hired, but he could hear the weakness in her tone. He would have asked more questions, but a few kisses didn’t give him that right. She was a private person and deserved to have that privacy honored. Surely, she would reach out to Kathy if she became too ill to cope.
There was one employee scheduled to join him at noon, but Valen called in a second one. His first day without supervision made him nervous. He was also quite proud to be trusted with the apothecary. His days helping the healer as a young boy were excellent practice for this job. His father, of course, would disapprove. This wasn’t proper work for a dragon prince. It was beneath his station. Too bad, Valen liked it even more now than he had so long ago. He was pretty good at it too. His father wasn’t around to give him a hard time or order him to stay away, so he settled in to cover for Evette.
The flu was going around, and many custom
ers were looking for relief. His stock began to run low, so he headed for the basement to make more. It was a simple mixture and had been the first one Evette taught him. He made enough for an army, then set the extra on a shelf for later. He was summoned by the cashier to bring up the medication for a man with liver problems. The mixture had been brewing for several days. It had turned the perfect golden color that Evette had described to him, so he sealed the bottle and brought it upstairs. The man asked for Evette and was upset when he learned she would be gone for a few days.
Customers seeking Evette showed up many times that day and the next one as well. It was difficult to answer their questions without revealing anything personal. He finally began telling people she was on a much-deserved vacation. They laughed at him and said Evette didn’t take vacations. He just shrugged and let them believe what they wanted. There was no explanation that would suffice, except the truth, and he couldn’t tell them that.
Valen called Kathy when Evette left a message on the third day that she wouldn’t be coming in, again. He hadn’t spoken to her since she had asked him to take over for her that first day. He hadn’t found it necessary to ask her questions about medications and he was proud of that fact.
“Kathy, it’s Valen. Have you heard from Evette? She left a phone message that she wouldn’t be in again today. She sounded okay, but I thought you might know more,” Valen expressed his concern.
“I haven’t talked to her either. The kids have been driving me nuts, and I had an appointment with the obstetrician. The baby’s due soon. He says it is a big one. My husband finds that funny for some reason, the jerk. Then, we had a leak in the kitchen, so I had to call a repairman. Evette’s probably fine. She likes to hide away when she’s not at her best and the potions she’s trying might have her sleeping a lot. I don’t like that she’s missing from the apothecary, though. That’s not her usual way of doing things. She used to keep going no matter what. Maybe, that means you’re doing well. Don’t worry. If we don’t hear from her soon, I’ll make time to go over to her house and see for myself what’s happening. Hold down the fort, hottie.”
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