by Nan Dixon
They waited. Finally her mother’s legs stop jerking. Her fingers unclenched. Her body loosened and the sharp smell of urine filled the room.
“We’ll clean that up later.” The nurse grabbed a towel from the bathroom.
Carolina tucked it between her mother’s legs. “I thought she was getting better.”
“I know, honey.” Teri moved to the computer and input information. “Do you remember what triggered this one?”
Carolina had. But she couldn’t confess to Teri that Mamá wanted her to steal. “She’d been plucking at the sheets, but calmed down and fell asleep. Then she jerked awake and started ranting.”
Teri pushed in the keyboard, came over and stood next to Carolina. “I’m sorry.”
Carolina wanted to turn her head into Teri’s shoulder and cry. But that would be reinforcing Sage’s image that she wasn’t strong enough to handle her mother’s illness. “Thank you.”
Her mother fell asleep.
Carolina helped Teri change the bedding and clean up her mother.
“She usually sleeps after an episode.” Teri hooked up a monitor. “I’ve got it from here.”
Carolina rubbed her forehead. If she was in the room when her mother woke, would it set off another seizure? “Would you call if something changes?”
“You know I will.” Teri touched Carolina’s arm. “I’ll watch over her.”
As she exited the hospital, the hot, humid air stole her breath. Guilt weighed down her every step. By not admitting she’d found the globe, Carolina had caused her mother’s seizure.
It couldn’t happen again.
* * *
SAGE SLID INTO Carolina’s car. “What’s wrong?”
“Mamá had another seizure.” Her fingers strangled the steering wheel as she pulled away from the curb. “I thought they were done. Apparently not.”
“I’m sorry hon—” He stopped himself. “Carolina.”
She gave out a weak, watery laugh. “You can call me honey. Teri, my mother’s nurse, calls me honey.”
He caught her hand and squeezed her fingers. “I mean it in only the best way possible.”
“It’s fine.” But Carolina didn’t look fine.
“Was it a bad one?” he asked.
She swallowed, her face drawn and solemn. “About the same. It lasted maybe four minutes, but it seemed like hours.”
He wished he could take some of her burdens and ease her sorrow. He wanted to help her, but what could he do? “Why are we heading to Tybee?”
“I’m grabbing the mail and checking the house. And I want to find one of Mamá’s dresses.” She sniffed. “I didn’t want to be alone.”
He squeezed her hand. “You aren’t.”
“Thank you.” Her inhale shook. “Take my mind off Mamá. How was your workout?”
“Limited.” If it helped to talk about something other than her mother, he could oblige. “I ran three blocks before I had to walk. My high school track coach would laugh.”
“He’d better not.” He liked the indignation in her voice. “Did you only run?”
“I lifted weights.” He shrugged. “I could lift about twenty-five percent of my normal weight.”
“Did it trigger any headaches?”
“Not a bad one.” But he’d lain in his dark bedroom for a half hour after lifting. “I tried reading the electronic edition of Savannah Now.” And ended up back in the dark for another twenty minutes.
They slipped into silence and the grasses of the waterways slid by.
Even though the temperature was in the nineties, Carolina shut off the air-conditioning and opened her window. He frowned, but followed suit. Hot, humid air rushed in.
“Oh, sorry.” Carolina shook her head like she was coming out of a daze. “I always do this when I’m heading home. I love the smell. Would you rather have the air-conditioning on?”
He sniffed and caught the briny, brackish scent of swamp and rotting vegetation. “You like this?”
She laughed. “It’s the smell of home.”
He sniffed again. “It is?”
Her smile grew. “Weird?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
She slowed as they approached the outskirts of the City of Tybee Island. “What does home smell like to you?”
“I’ve lived so many places.” He closed his eyes and saw the ranch. “Hot dirt. Leather. Manure. Branding the calves.” He chuckled. “I guess those don’t sound very appealing, either.”
They laughed and both sighed as their laughter died. She pulled into a residential neighborhood and onto a white, shell driveway.
“Did you grow up here?” he asked.
“I wasn’t born here. I think we moved when I was four.” She stepped out of the car.
“This is a nice.” He climbed out of the passenger seat and stared at the yellow bungalow with a central white stairway leading up to a large screened-in porch. “Why is it built on stilts?”
“Storm surges.”
“Wow. Hard to imagine the ocean coming up this high. Needs a little paint.”
“I know. I...” Carolina’s shoulders sagged.
“I wasn’t suggesting we paint. Just an observation.”
“I’d like to hire someone.” She pushed her hair back and headed up to the door. “But my mother went on a spending spree and I’m trying to dig her out of debt.”
“Hey, hey.” At the top of the stairs, he pulled her into his arms. She buried her head in his chest. “I wasn’t criticizing.”
“I know.” She pulled away and moved into the porch and to the front door. The locks clicked and she walked into the house.
His nose twitched from the stale, hot air.
Carolina didn’t move. She stood there, biting her lip. With her shoulders slumped and her sad eyes, she looked like every world problem teetered on her shoulders.
He cupped her face. “Are you all right?”
“Everything’s closing in on me.”
“Lean on me. Let me help.” He hugged her close, her body molding to his.
“This is what I need. A little downtime. With you.” She pulled away too soon for him.
She stuffed a stack of mail into her bag. “I’m going to look for that dress. I think the only thing to drink is water in the fridge.”
“Do you want one?” he asked, heading toward where he thought the kitchen should be.
“That would be nice.” She pushed her heavy hair away from her face. “I could turn on the air-conditioning.”
“I’m good.” It sounded like she was short on cash and, after he paid his mortgage, he saved most of his paycheck. Would she accept money from him?
He pulled open the almost empty fridge, grabbed bottles and opened the caps.
The bright yellow kitchen matched what he expected a house that someone as loving as Carolina had grown up in. Red roosters decorated a shelf and red towels hung on the oven handle. But heading back into the living room, the leather, steel and glass didn’t have the warmth he expected. The warmth that matched Carolina’s personality.
“I found it.” Carolina came down the stairs with a small duffel and a garment bag. “If Mamá can come to hear me sing, she can wear this dress. I would really like her there.”
Nothing would keep him from Carolina’s opening. “Maybe I can bring her.”
“That would be sweet.”
This not being able to drive was causing problems. He handed her a bottle of water. “Do we need to be back right away?”
She checked her phone. “I’ve got a couple of hours before I need to change for work.”
“As long as we’re here, let’s take a walk on the beach. Is there someplace we can stop for an early dinner?”
Her face lit up. “I’d like that. I don’t know what’s still open, but we can check.”<
br />
Walking down the stairs, he grabbed the railing and paint flaked into his hand. Everything needed to be scraped and painted before the wood rotted.
“I can do that.” He could paint the porch and stairs. “I’ll do it.”
She dropped the bags into her trunk. “Do what?”
“The painting,” he volunteered. It wasn’t pulling bad guys and drugs off the street, or running into burning buildings, but it would help Carolina, and she mattered.
“You don’t have to,” she said.
“I want to.”
“But you can’t drive.”
He stopped in the middle of the driveway. That was a problem. “I’ll figure it out.”
Her deep blue eyes gleamed. “I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness.”
“I love you.” He stroked her shoulders and her sad blue eyes tore holes into his heart. “I want to help.”
“I love you, too.” Her fingers dug into his sides and he didn’t mind the sharp pain.
She stood on her toes. Their mouths fused and warmth filled him. Not just the heat of arousal, but the warmth of knowing he was loved.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you in my life.” She sighed.
He stroked her cheek. “I’m the lucky one.”
They could turn around and head right back to the house and make love, or he could fulfill his promise. “Walk and dinner,” he muttered. “That’s what I promised.”
And he always lived up to his promises.
CHAPTER NINE
“ELLA!” CAROLINA DASHED down the carriage house stairs into the courtyard and leaped into the parking lot and her best friend’s hug. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” Ella laughed and gave her another squeeze. “Although the one-way streets around the squares drove me nuts.”
“But you made it.” Carolina grabbed luggage out of the trunk. “Come on up.”
Ella shouldered a big purse and tugged out a suitcase. “Looks like this will take two trips.”
“How was the drive?”
“Fine until Atlanta.”
They hauled the bags and cases up. Then went back for the rest of Ella’s things. Once they stored everything, Carolina grabbed a couple of bottles of water. “It’s nice enough to sit in the courtyard.”
“What’s the latest on you mother?” Ella settled into a chair.
Carolina gave her the updates, trying to keep her emotions from overflowing. “Why did you take a job in Hilton Head?”
“Things weren’t the same with you gone. I got an offer to sublease the apartment. And your ex-manager made me so mad. What a tool.” She slammed her bottle on the table. “I was going to punch him if I ran into him again.”
“Then I’m glad you left.” Carolina raised her eyebrow. “With all my mother’s problems, I don’t have enough money to bail you out of jail.”
Ella’s blond curls bounced as she laughed.
Carolina checked the time on her phone. “We have fifteen minutes to relax and then we’re meeting with Abby. She wants to hear us work together.”
“Can’t wait.” Ella stretched her fingers. “Any chance this could morph into a permanent gig?”
“I don’t know.” Carolina rubbed her forehead. “It’s hard to think that far in the future.”
“I’m sorry.” Ella leaned forward. “I shouldn’t be so insensitive to your mother’s cancer.”
“It’s fine.”
“Do you have any changes in the sets we used to do?” Ella asked.
“I want to add a few songs.” They talked through the changes and where they would go.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Carolina put her arm around her friend as they headed into Fitzgerald House.
Abby waved as they entered the heavenly smelling kitchen. “You’re right on time.”
Carolina introduced Ella.
“Nice to meet you.” Abby looked at a timer. “Why don’t you head up to the music room? I have a few more minutes on these cookies, then I’ll join you.”
“They smell incredible,” Ella said.
“Here.” Abby loaded cookies from a cooling rack onto a plate. “Take them with you. There’s coffee, tea or lemonade in the dining room.”
In the dining room, Ella poured a cup of coffee. She whispered, “This place is awesome.”
“It is.” Carolina took a glass of lemonade. Since she was going to sing, the lemon would help her throat.
When they entered the music room, Ella headed straight for the baby grand and stroked the white satin finish. “It’s beautiful.”
“It hasn’t been tuned in years,” Carolina warned.
She gravitated to the shelf holding the globe and spun it around. She used to sit on Poppy’s lap and do the same thing. He would show her where Spain was and talk about the ship he and Yaya had taken to America. Poppy’s father had given him the globe so they would never forget their origins.
This globe was part of her family’s history. How could Mamá have given it to Beau? It should have stayed in the little house on Tybee Island, but because of her mother’s foolishness, it was here.
Ella pulled sheet music from her bag. “What do you want to sing?”
“How about...” She paused. “‘Someone to Watch over Me.’”
“I like that one.”
Ella played the intro. Might as well practice. It had been weeks since they’d worked together.
She stood tall, like her mother and voice teacher had taught her. Inhaling, she released the tension in her shoulders. With her hands on her abdomen, she exhaled, then took a quick deep breath and let the column of air carry her voice. Softly she sang the opening.
Abby slipped into a chair and grinned.
Carolina forced her shoulders from climbing up and restricting her breath. She’d already sung in front of Abby, but today was still an audition. She and Ella eyed each other for the ending and Carolina held the note, shaping it to a flourish.
Abby jumped up, clapping. She leaned on the piano. “I like your version better than Amy Winehouse’s—and I love her version. You two are great!”
“Thanks.” Carolina pressed on her stomach.
“Sorry, the piano’s still out of tune. Once we find the piano for the restaurant, the tuner will work on both pianos at the same time.”
“I only cringed a few times,” Ella said. “It’s a beautiful instrument.”
“I’m afraid we haven’t had time to appreciate it.” Abby tapped her fingers on the cover. “Let’s talk about you working for the restaurant.”
Carolina stepped away, giving them privacy. The globe lured her closer. She spun the world around its axis.
Maybe she could trade their father’s guitar for the globe? She couldn’t let her mother have another seizure over this missing piece of Castillo family’s heritage.
But the Fitzgeralds didn’t know about her. She was a dirty little secret. Abby would probably fire her.
If a stranger had declared they were half siblings, how would she react? She spun the globe again.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Abby voice made her jump.
“Yes.” She stared at the globe. “Do you know where it came from?”
Abby didn’t answer right away. “I don’t think it came from my mother’s family. Dolley might know. She’s got an encyclopedic memory.”
“Oh.” Carolina didn’t want to bring any notice to the globe. “That’s not necessary. I was curious.”
“Now you’ve got me wondering.” Abby grinned. “Ella and I are going to look at pianos. Are you coming with us?”
Carolina looked at Ella. “Everything’s working out?”
“Wonderfully.”
“Sure I’ll...” Her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket. “It’s the hospital.”
<
br /> Abby set a hand on her back, steadying her as she answered. “Hello?”
“Carolina, it’s Teri. Your mother just had another seizure. I know you were going to come visit, but she’s sleeping now.”
Carolina covered her mouth. “Another one?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Can you hang on?” she said to Teri.
“Sure.”
“Why don’t you two go look at the pianos?” Carolina didn’t have the energy. “Ella you need an apartment key.” She tugged the keys out of her pocket and tried to pull the key off the ring, but dropped them with a clang.
Abby picked them up, tucking them into Carolina’s hand. “I’ll get Ella a key. In fact, why don’t both of you eat here tonight? And Sage, if he’s around. We eat at seven. If you need anything, you call, you hear?”
How could Abby be so nice? “Thank you.”
“Are you sure? Do you need me to stay with you?” Ella asked Carolina.
“No. Go.”
Abby touched her shoulder as they left.
Carolina sank into the sofa. “Teri, do you know what set Mamá off?”
“She kept saying something about poppies and globes and fishing.” Teri sighed loud enough for Carolina to hear her. “It didn’t make much sense.”
“I understand.” It made perfect sense to her. “If she wakes, could you call me and I’ll come to the hospital.”
“I will.”
She stared at the globe. Would it be so wrong to take it and give her mother comfort? It was theirs. She could probably find pictures showing Poppy sitting at his desk with the globe. The charter company pamphlet might even have the globe in it, along with pictures of catches and the boats.
Carolina walked to the bookshelf and was reaching for it. There was a clatter in the hallway. She snatched her hand away and sat at the piano.
A maid pushed a cleaning cart into the room. “Oh, I thought you were done.”
“I am.” Carolina closed the keyboard and hurried out of the room. Now what should she do?
* * *
“CAN I DRIVE?” Sage asked.
Dr. Shaw just snorted.
“Come on.” Sage clenched his fists. “I ran almost six blocks.”