In Sickness and in Death

by Jaye P. Marshall

  In Sickness and In Death

  By: Jaye P Marshall

  ISBN 978-1-877546-22-8

  All rights reserved

  Copyright © Mar. 2010, Jaye P Marshall

  Cover Art Copyright © Mart 2010, Brightling Spur

  Bluewood Publishing Ltd

  Christchurch, 8441, New Zealand

  www.bluewoodpublishing.com

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Bluewood Publishing Ltd.

  Chapter 1

  Brian Forrester felt like the luckiest man on earth as, with a hand lightly on her back, he gently guided Adrienne after the maître‘d. They walked between tables covered with white linen and adorned with silver candleholders surrounded by crystal bowls of fresh flowers. Adrienne turned, looked up at him and smiled as her heels sank into the plush carpet. The maître‘d stopped beside a table for two that was one of a half-dozen, tucked away among a plethora of potted palms that screened them from the main dining area.

  “Will this be satisfactory, sir?” the maître‘d inquired.

  “This is fine.” Brian nodded. The maître‘d held a chair for Adrienne. When she was seated, Brian slid his lean body into the one opposite.

  Loosening his tie slightly, he sat gazing fondly at the petite girl across the small candlelit table. The soft light gleamed on her short auburn curls as her green eyes took in every detail of the restaurant’s interior, from the wall mirrors that reflected highly polished silver wall sconces to the waiter coming toward them. Her gaze swept approvingly over the waiter’s starched white shirt, black tie and on to the satin cummerbund.

  “Nice place,” she murmured appreciatively as the waiter approached their table.

  “Good evening,” the waiter said stiffly. “May I bring you a cocktail?”

  Adrienne started to speak, but Brian held up his hand.

  “Champagne,” he said with a broad smile. “Bring us a bottle of your best champagne.”

  Adrienne’s mouth dropped open and she stared wide-eyed at him.

  “Very good, sir,” the waiter said.

  “What is going on?” Adrienne whispered as the waiter moved away. “First you bring me to this place and now you’re ordering champagne. Did some rich relative die and leave you a small fortune?”

  “Hardly,” Brian answered. “We’re celebrating.” He smiled at her confused expression.

  “You know that promotion I’ve been hoping to get?” She nodded and his smile broadened into a grin. “Well, I just found out today. I got it! I am now an official member of management.”

  Adrienne watched the waiter as he brought menus and their champagne. He showed the label to Brian, who nodded his approval. The waiter then filled a glass for each of them before re-depositing the bottle in its bucket. Adrienne picked up her glass and, with a smile, tilted it toward her companion.

  “Congratulations!”

  “Thank you, m’lady.” He gave her a mock half-bow.

  Adrienne set down her glass, picked up the menu and slowly perused the pages.

  “Since we’re celebrating,” she said, “I think I’ll have the lobster.”

  Brian’s eyes flitted over the prices. This evening could end up costing a lot more than he had expected. Oh well, he thought , it isn’t every day a guy moved up into management. And it certainly hadn’t been every day that he’d been able to treat his girl to an evening out like this one.

  As Brian scanned the menu, he read from right to left unconsciously hoping to offset Adrienne’s lobster without seeming obvious. Making his decision, he closed the menu and laid it to one side.

  “What are you having?” Adrienne asked.

  “I think I’m going to go for the stuffed chicken breast.”

  “What? Why not have the lobster? Or maybe the prime rib? Did you see all of those lovely steaks? Why don’t you have one of those?”

  Brian shrugged. “I don’t really like lobster. Besides, a guy can’t be too careful about his cholesterol.” He grinned. “Isn’t that what you nurses are always telling your patients?”

  “Yes, but just this once wouldn’t hurt, and I’ll bet they’re delicious here.”

  “Probably are, but I think I’ll pass.”

  “Whatever. You’ve never listened to anything I’ve said before,” she said with a smile.

  “It’s a funny time to start, when we’re supposed to be celebrating.”

  Brian saw the waiter approaching to take their order and didn’t comment. When the waiter had gone, Adrienne took a sip of her champagne and smiled at her companion. “So tell me about your new job.”

  Brian shrugged and ran his fingers through his chestnut waves. “Not much to tell. I’ll be the Marketing Manager for a new product line we’re developing.”

  “When does the promotion take effect?”

  “I start next Monday. But I’ll still have to spend about half of my time covering my old job until they find someone to fill it.”

  “I hope you got a nice pay increase.”

  “Not bad. It’s a two-level jump.”

  “When will it show up on your paycheck?”

  “It’s supposed to be the end of this month.”

  She took another sip of her champagne. “What does the job entail?”

  “Oh, the usual stuff, like setting our budget, overseeing development of the product, developing markets and, of course, reporting to upper management on how things are going.”

  “Will you have to travel much?”

  “I don’t know yet. I know there’ll be some, but I don’t think there’ll be a lot.”

  She frowned. “I hope not. You know how I hate being left alone.”

  “I know. I’ll minimize it as much as I can.”

  “I especially don’t like it when you’re not there and I have to work evenings. It’s no fun coming home to an empty apartment in the wee hours of the morning.”

  He nodded. “I don’t like you having to be out at that time of night either.”

  The waiter brought their soup and for a while they ate in silence. Waiters and busboys huddled nearby, immediately descending to refill glasses and remove dishes, as course followed course.

  When the waiter brought the main course, Brian watched Adrienne, smiling at her elated expression as she savored every morsel. With the new job, he’d now be able to give her so many of the things that she really enjoyed that he had been forced to deny her in the past.

  Finishing his dinner, Brian pushed away his plate and leaned back with a happy smile.

  “This has been nice, hasn’t it?”

  Adrienne laid down her fork and folded her hands in her lap. “It’s been lovely,” she said, her eyes shining. “A lot nicer than the greasy-spoon diners where we usually eat.”

  On cue, a busboy appeared and began clearing the table. Their waiter followed him and placed dessert menus in front of them before moving a short distance away.

  “O-o-oh,” Adrienne cooed. “These all look so luscious.”

  Brian glanced over the menu, closed it and laid it to one side. The waiter appeared at his elbow.

  “Have you decided, sir?”

  Brian smiled up at him. “I’ll just have coffee.”

  “Very good, sir. And you, madam?”

  “Oh, I really shouldn’t . . . but I just can’t resist. I’d like the
chocolate soufflé.”

  “Excellent choice, madam.”

  A few minutes later, Brian sat back sipping his coffee and watching Adrienne enjoy her dessert. His mind drifted back to the day they had first met. It had been a cold winter morning. During the previous night, a freezing rain had coated all of the streets with sheets of glare ice. He had left early for work, planning to be ahead of the traffic, and was creeping along the main thoroughfare. Although he hadn’t seen it at the time, in retrospect he decided that he had hit a pothole. Whatever had happened he suddenly found the car thrown into a sideways skid. He fought the steering wheel trying to regain control, but his efforts were useless. The skid kept gaining momentum and the last thing he remembered was seeing the concrete base of a steel light pole rushing toward the driver’s window. The next thing he remembered was waking up to see an auburn-haired angel hovering over him.

  “Where am I?” he asked.

  “Central Hospital.”

  He felt dazed. “Why am I here? I need to get to work.” He struggled to sit up, but she pushed him back against the pillow.

  “Not so fast, mister. You’ve sustained a concussion. Doctor Brown wants to keep you around for a while, you know, for observation.”

  He remembered smiling. “Well, with you to keep me company, I guess I can stand it.”

  He had asked her out on the day he was released and, six months later, she had moved into his apartment.

  That had been a year ago. They’d had their ups and downs, but overall they had a pretty good relationship.

  As Brian watched, Adrienne finished off her dessert and sat back with a deep sigh of contentment.

  “This has been really marvelous.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it,” he answered with a laugh. “Just don’t go expecting it too often.”

  Her eyes twinkled. “No more than twice a week.”

  “Yeah, right. We’d better go. We both have to work tomorrow.”

  A few minutes later, they walked hand-in-hand across the parking lot to his car. He opened the door for her and walked around to slide behind the wheel. Shoving the key into the ignition, he turned the key. The starter whirred, but the engine wouldn’t fire. With a sigh, he turned off the key and sat back in his seat.

  “Don’t know why this car’s been acting up like this.”

  “It’s a piece of junk,” Adrienne commented. “And you just don’t want to admit it.”

  He shrugged. “It gets me where I’m going.” He let out a rueful laugh. “And it usually gets me back.”

  “You should get a new one.” She looked at him with a smile. “Besides,” her voice took on a wheedling tone, “with your new position, you need a vehicle that matches the prestige.”

  “Yeah, right,” he said, leaning forward to try the starter again. The engine fired, coughed, sputtered, and then caught and held. “That’s better,” Brian murmured. “That’s my girl.”

  That night, as Adrienne lay sleeping beside him, Brian lay awake and stared at the ceiling. Maybe Adrienne was right. What if he did have to travel on the new job? If she were alone, she would need a reliable car, not one that a person had to baby into running. He’d have to check out some of the dealerships tomorrow.

  Chapter 2

  Early the next morning, Adrienne hurried through her shower and getting into her uniform. She could hardly wait to get to work and tell all of the other girls about the restaurant where she and Brian had had dinner last evening. They’ll be just green with envy, she thought.

  A short time later she was the center of a circle of nurses who listened intently as she described the evening.

  “You should have seen this place; carpet you literally sank into, crystal and silver everywhere. And, oh, our table! We had this cozy little candlelit table that was literally surrounded by palm trees. We had champagne and I had lobster! Can you believe it? You would have loved it!”

  Doctor Rudolph Harris stood a short distance away, watching the animated Adrienne, an indulgent expression in his eyes. He had always admired her and tried to think of her as the daughter he’d always wanted. You’re fooling yourself again, he chided himself. You don’t think of her as a daughter and you know it.

  No, Adrienne had made a lasting impression on him the first time he had seen her. It had been six years previously when she had begun working at the hospital. She was a beautiful, lithe creature with her burnished hair and sparkling eyes. She had a lust for life that he wished he could recapture. When she had subsequently shown herself to be a very capable nurse he had become totally captivated.

  Adrienne turned away from the group and saw Dr. Harris watching her. Giving him a slight smile, she picked up a handful of records and started down the hallway.

  As lunchtime approached, Brian stopped by the office door of Bill Hagan, his longtime coworker.

  “Hey, Bill, you ready for lunch?”

  “Boy, am I. For some reason I’m starving today.”

  Brian laughed. “You’re always starving.”

  Within minutes they were walking down a street of the downtown business district.

  “Listen,” Brian said. “After we eat, let’s walk over to Main and check out that new car dealership.”

  “Your new promotion going to your head already? You got to have a new car to match your new status?”

  Brian felt the flush rise in his cheeks. “Hardly,” he replied curtly. Was there a note of envy in his friend’s voice or was he just joshing him? His voice softened. “It’s just that, if I have to do any traveling, Adrienne should have some reliable transportation. My old heap nearly left us stranded last night.”

  “So, she’s putting on the pressure, huh?”

  “No!” Brian was flustered. Why did he always feel so defensive? Of course, Adrienne had suggested the idea, but he didn’t have to let Bill know that. “You know the crazy hours she works. I just think she should have something that she can rely on when she needs it.”

  Bill shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

  They walked in silence until they got to the tiny café tucked away between mammoth office buildings. The prices were reasonable, they offered a variety of dishes and the food was good. Brian had his usual club salad while Bill chowed down on a burger and fries.

  “So, what kind of car you looking for?” Bill asked around a bite of burger.

  “Oh, nothing in particular, really. I just want to get something that won’t take a notion to stop in the middle of traffic or not start unless it’s in the mood.”

  “I’d like to have one of those really hot sports cars,” Bill said wistfully. “If I could just afford it.”

  Brian laughed. “Well, maybe one of these days you’ll be able to get one.” He shoved away his salad bowl and glanced at Bill’s empty plate. “You ready?”

  A few minutes later, they stepped into the dealer’s showroom. Brian headed straight for the conservative line of Malibu and the sportier-looking Monte Carlo while Bill wandered over to where a Corvette was on display. He was exploring the various options and comparing prices when Bill called out to him. “Hey, man, come here and take a look at this.”

  He crossed the showroom to where Bill stood, his eyes shining. “Isn’t she a beauty?”

  he enthused. “Can’t you just imagine opening her up out on the open road? I’d give my right arm for a car like that.”

  Brian laughed and nodded toward the console. “You’d have a hard time driving a stick with no right arm.”

  “Oh, you know what I mean. Look at her.”

  “I’m looking, I’m looking.” It was so easy to imagine driving this car, zipping along the highway, its low profile hugging the curves and having all the power of that big engine at his command. Hadn’t he dreamed of that very experience almost all of his life?

  “You know,” he said somewhat dreamily, “I’ve always wished I had one.”

  “So!”

  “So, what?”

  “So, you’re looking for a new car. You’ve always wan
ted a Corvette, right?” Brian nodded. “So, why not spend a little more and get what you really want?”

  Brian slowly shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s not very practical.”

  “Practical? Who cares? You gotta live! You can’t always be practical.” Bill opened the driver’s door. “Get in. See what it feels like.”

  Reluctantly, Brian slid behind the wheel. He gazed at the cockpit-like dash and ran his hand over the leather upholstery. Somehow, the steering wheel just felt right in his hands. He shoved in the clutch and moved the shift lever. It was all so smooth, so sleek. He sighed. “How much is this one?”

  Bill scrutinized the sticker. “A little over seventy-seven.”

  Brian frowned. “That’s nearly twice what the others are.”

  “Yeah, but the feel of it! You think you’d get the same feeling from—” he waved his hand across the showroom floor, “—one of those others?”

  Brian sighed. “Probably not.”

  “Of course not.”

  A beaming salesman approached them. “Quite a beaut, isn’t she?”

  “Sure is,” Brian answered.

  “Would you like to take one out for a drive?”

  “I’d love to,” Brian said, as he reluctantly climbed out from behind the wheel. “But, unfortunately, right now we’ve got to get back to work. Maybe I can stop by this evening.”

  “Sure, sure. We’ll be open until nine.”

  That afternoon, Brian had a hard time concentrating on learning about his new job. Instead, his mind kept drifting to fantasies of how it would feel to drive the Corvette. He could just picture he and Adrienne driving along a country road in the springtime with soft breezes wafting the scent of a multitude of wild flowers. But in his mind’s eye, the top was removed from the coupe and the wind blew freely through their hair as they laughed with joy. Yes, Adrienne would much prefer the convertible to the coupe he had been inspecting. When he went back to the showroom, he’d find out the price of the convertible and ask the salesman if he could take it out for a test drive. When Brian re-entered the dealer’s showroom, he walked directly to the turntable where a shiny red Corvette convertible was now showcased. His eyes shone as he stepped up to it. It sported the same luxurious interior as had the coupe, but it was so much better. Adrienne would much prefer its long, low lines, of that he was sure. He checked out the sticker and whistled between his teeth. Ten thousand more than the coupe! But, if he were going to spring for the car of his dreams, he might as well do it up right. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Adrienne’s face when she saw it. By the time he got into the car with the salesman, he knew that his mind was already made up. He would have this car!