After the team left, Loretta stood over the hospital bed looking at her daughter’s small, swollen face reposed in sleep. The new medicine wasn’t working. She fished her cell phone from her purse, called her babysitter to make arrangements for Marissa and Sean, and then collapsed into the familiar bedside chair, waiting for the doctors to return.
Almost an hour later, a nurse motioned to Loretta to join her in the hallway. “They’re ready to see you,” she said. Loretta turned eyes wide with fear to the woman. “It’ll be okay,” she said. “You’ve got the best team in the state looking after your little girl. They’ll know what to do.” The nurse put her arm around Loretta’s shoulders and walked her into the consultation room where the doctors were assembled.
The doctor held out a chair for her, and she sank into it before her knees buckled under her.
“The medications we’ve used so far haven’t performed as expected,” he said. “There are others we can try, but her condition is getting worse. We’re all in agreement,” he motioned to the doctors seated at the table. “We should start Nicole on dialysis as soon as possible.”
Loretta clutched the edge of the table with white knuckles. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes. “Will she ever get better? Will she need dialysis for the rest of her life?”
“We still believe we’ll be able to control this with medication,” he stated, and the other doctors nodded in agreement. “And that she will grow out of this condition. But for right now, she needs dialysis.”
“Okay,” Loretta croaked. “When will you do it? And where?”
“We’ve scheduled it for six o’clock tomorrow morning. Right here at the hospital.”
Loretta nodded.
“There are other places she can go in the future, but for now, we’d like to monitor her. Would that be all right with you, Ms. Nash?”
Loretta found her voice. “Of course. If that’s what she needs,” she said, searching the faces around the table and seeing agreement in each one.
“She’ll rest comfortably here tonight. Go home and get some sleep. You can be with her during the procedure. Be back at five thirty.”
***
Loretta stopped at the babysitter’s home to pick up Sean and Marissa. The kindly woman took one look at Loretta and insisted that they spend the night with her. “They’ve already had dinner and are hard at work on their homework. Go home, eat something, and go to bed. The last thing your family needs is for you to get sick.”
“Thank you, I’ll take you up on that—but let me put them to bed and kiss them goodnight,” she said, turning grateful eyes to the woman.
“Don’t worry about paying me, either. I know how expensive hospital care is. I’ll help by keeping your big kids whenever you need. They’re no trouble at all.”
***
Loretta turned on the television to distract herself from the dark fears that intruded the quiet apartment. She warmed up a can of soup, kicked off her shoes, and sank into the sofa to eat her meager dinner, forcing spoonfuls into her mouth until she was certain she’d be sick if she took another bite. The remainder went down the disposal. She wrapped herself in an afghan and lay down, willing herself to get some sleep.
Loretta opened her eyes to the flickering light of the television and checked her cell phone—almost four thirty. Somehow she’d managed to get a few hours’ sleep and felt slightly better. She showered, put on a clean pair of jeans and shirt, gathered her long hair into a ponytail, and skipped putting on makeup. If she went to work today, this would have to do.
When she arrived at the hospital, Loretta found Nicole awake and staring miserably at the ceiling of her room. “Not feel good,” her daughter mumbled as Loretta rushed to her side, taking her hand and holding it to her cheek.
“I know, sweetie. The doctors have a plan to help you. They’re going to clean your blood with a very special machine. And then you’ll feel better.”
Nicole blinked. “It’ll be real soon now,” she continued, “and Mommy will be with you the whole time.” Loretta turned as a young man pushing a wheelchair tapped softly on the door.
“I hear a very pretty little girl named Nicole Nash needs a ride downstairs. Is that you?” he asked, looking at Nicole. She attempted a smile. The man checked the chart at the foot of her bed and made notes on his clipboard.
“How about your mother and I help you sit up and get in this wheelchair?” he asked as Loretta lifted Nicole’s shoulders and he swung her feet off the bed. Nicole offered no resistance, and they guided her into the seat. Loretta held her daughter’s hand tightly in her own as they proceeded to the elevator and down two floors to the large room labeled Dialysis Center.
“This’ll make you feel better real soon,” one of the nurses reassured softly as she positioned Nicole in an oversized reclining chair that all but enveloped the little girl. Nicole turned her face into her mother’s arm while the nurse hooked Nicole up to the life-saving equipment. Nicole never uttered a sound, but Loretta felt her child’s body tense with each poke and prod. If only I could spare her this—all of this, Loretta thought.
“You’re all set now, honey,” the nurse said, brushing a strand of hair from Nicole’s damp forehead. “You’re tired, aren’t you? Why don’t you take a nap while the machine does its work? Would you like that?”
Nicole nodded and soon she was asleep. Loretta attempted to read a magazine she pulled from a rack by the door.
The nurse checked on Nicole shortly after seven and turned to Loretta. “This takes quite a while. Why don’t you go downstairs and get some breakfast? She won’t know you’re gone,” she said, looking at the sleeping child.
Loretta nodded, realizing that she was famished. She stretched and headed to the cafeteria. The line wound out the door. She finally got her food and found a seat in the crowded room. She’d been gone longer than she’d anticipated and ate her eggs and toast quickly. She groaned when she saw the swarm of people waiting by the elevator and took the stairs instead. Whether propelled by paranoia or mother’s instinct, she didn’t know. She just knew that she needed to get back to Nicole.
***
Loretta pushed through the doors of the Dialysis Center and headed toward the spot where she’d left Nicole not more than forty-five minutes earlier. Nicole’s nurse intercepted her halfway across the room.
“Nicole’s been moved down the hall,” she said. “We needed to discontinue the procedure early.”
“Why?” Loretta’s voice sounded shrill even to her own ears.
The nurse took her arm and led her to the room where Nicole lay, pale and still, swaddled in blankets.
Loretta put her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. “What happened?”
“We’re not sure. This happens sometimes,” the nurse said. “People can be sensitive to some of the things we use.”
“So what do you do about that?”
“We can make adjustments. We have lots of options. This’ll get worked out just fine,” she said reassuringly.
“And if it doesn’t ‘get worked out,’” Loretta choked out the words. “What then? She can’t live with this disease.”
“There’s a lot of ground to cover before you get to that point. Don’t worry about that now.”
Loretta reached under the blankets and took Nicole’s hand. “Mommy’s here now, sweetie. I won’t leave you ever again. You’re gonna feel better soon, and we’ll go home.”
The nurse nodded from the doorway. “Yes, you will,” she said. “We’re going to figure this out.”
Chapter 51
Susan and the twins were waiting by the front door when Anita Archer unlocked Archer’s Bridal on the first Monday of June. “We’re all set for you,” she said. “Your dresses are hanging in the fitting room. We’ll mark the hems and get you on your way in no time.”
Sophie and Sarah raced ahead, anxious to try on the ankle-length dresses swathed in layers of pink organza. Anita turned to Susan. “Everything you selected is so pretty. Your mother’s
been in for her fitting and has picked up her gown. This’ll be a lovely wedding. I’m so proud that Archer’s is supplying the bridal wear. When we heard the mayor was getting married, we were afraid that she’d go back to California to some fancy shop there to buy her dress.”
“No way,” Susan said. “My mom would never do that. She supports Westbury all the way.”
“We know that now,” Anita said. “Why don’t you get into your dress while I see to the girls?”
“I’m sure it’s fine. The sample was the right length. Besides, isn’t it a little too late for alterations?”
“It most certainly is not,” Anita replied sternly. “If I have to sew around the clock between now and the wedding, I’m going to make sure these dresses fit perfectly. There will be pictures in the paper and all over social media. I want the world to know that Archer’s Bridal does top-quality work.”
Susan held up her hands. “Say no more. I’ll be right out.”
“I plan to have everything ready for you on Wednesday,” Anita called to Susan as she picked up her pincushion and headed to the dressing room where the twins were twirling in their new pink dresses.
***
“We need to be on our best behavior this week,” Susan said as they left Archer’s Bridal and turned toward Rosemont. It was a glorious summer morning and the walk would do them good. “You got to come on the plane early with me so that we could help Gramma,” she reminded them. “When your parents and Aaron arrive on Thursday, I want to hear Gramma tell them that she couldn’t have done it without you.”
The girls nodded in unison. “We know, Aunt Susan. We’re not going to get in the way or do anything bad.”
“And we promise not to chase Eve or scare the cats,” Sarah added.
“The only thing we get to do is have Marissa over for a sleepover,” Sophie said, looking at Susan.
“I’ve already talked to Gramma about that, and she said it’s all right if Marissa comes over tomorrow or Wednesday. Do you know how to get in touch with her?”
Sophie nodded. “I’ve got her number up here,” she said, tapping her head.
Susan laughed at the mannerism that her brother used so often. “Why don’t you call her now and see if we can pick her up tomorrow morning?” she said, fishing her cell phone out of her purse and handing it to Sophie. “We could go for a hike along the Shawnee River in the morning, have lunch at The Mill, and get manicures and pedicures in the afternoon. My treat for all of us. Make it a real girls’ day. How does that sound?” Susan knew it would be most helpful to keep the girls out of her mother’s hair this week.
Sarah’s eyes got big. “That would be wonderful. We’ve never had our nails done before.”
“You’ll need it for the wedding,” Susan said. “Be sure to ask Marissa if that would be fun for her. And we’ll pick up pizza for dinner and eat it watching movies in my room. You can all sleep there, if you want,” she said looking directly at Sarah, who had crawled into bed with Susan during the wee hours the previous night.
Sarah flushed. “Our room is scary without Mommy and Daddy,” she said.
Susan ruffled her hair. “I was the same way when I was your age—always sneaking into Gramma’s bed. You won’t be scared to be alone when you’re grown up,” she said softly.
Sophie placed the call, and it was apparent, from listening to Sophie’s side of the conversation, that all of Susan’s plans were enthusiastically received.
They rounded the corner and started up the long, sloping driveway to Rosemont. “Race you,” Susan said, pushing off and sprinting up the hill.
***
Maggie was delighted to have Susan and her granddaughters to herself for a few days, but was even more thankful the girls had the long-awaited sleepover with Marissa to keep them occupied. She had a lot of loose ends to tie up at Town Hall before she took time off for the wedding and their two-week honeymoon. Once everyone arrived on Thursday, she planned to set an out-of-office message on her work email and deal with everything when she got back.
Tuesday promised to be clear and mild, a perfect day for a hike. Susan pulled into the parking lot of Haynes Enterprises and shut off the engine. “Why’re we picking Marissa up here?” she asked.
“Their babysitter is sick so Marissa and her brother had to go to work with their mom. Nicole’s here, too. She has to go to the hospital today.”
Susan shook her head. “I remember that sweet little sister of hers. What’s wrong with her, do you know?”
Sophie shrugged. “Something with blood.”
Susan paused on the bottom step. “Why don’t we invite her brother to go with us? He’d love the hike. And lunch. I’ll think of something else for him to do while we’re at the salon.”
“We don’t want some stupid boy with us,” Sophie said, rolling her eyes.
“Aunt Susan’s right. It’d be awful to spend all day at your mom’s work and then the hospital. We can’t do that to him,” Sarah said to her twin.
“Okay,” Sophie fumed. “But don’t blame me if he spoils it all.”
“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen,” Susan said, opening the door to Haynes Enterprises.
***
Loretta Nash looked up as the two girls, close in age to her older daughter, came through the door followed by a tall, striking blonde with the vibrant blue eyes and solid self-assurance that epitomized Paul Martin. She swallowed and took a deep breath. She’d been fighting off an anxiety attack ever since Marissa informed her that her friends’ aunt—the daughter of her former lover—would pick Marissa up from Haynes Enterprises. Worn to a frazzle by the constant demands of Nicole’s illness, Loretta had merely nodded and steeled herself to get through the encounter as quickly as possible. She hoped Maggie Martin’s children didn’t know about their father’s mistress.
“Hello, Ms. Nash,” Susan said, holding out her hand. “Thank you so much for letting us have Marissa for the day. Sophie and Sarah talked about nothing else on the plane out here.” She bent to talk to Nicole, who was slumped in a chair. “Hi, sweetie. Do you remember me? We met at the carnival at Rosemont.” Susan turned to Loretta. “I understand you’re taking Nicole to the hospital later today.”
Loretta took a deep breath and found her voice. “Yes. She’s having dialysis.”
Susan stepped back, then turned to Sean as she tried to conceal her alarm. Sean was playing a game on a cell phone. “We’re going hiking by the Shawnee this morning, then having lunch at The Mill. Would you like to go with us? It’s going to be a beautiful day.”
Sean’s fingers stopped flying over the keys and he shifted his gaze to his mother. “Could I, Mom?”
Loretta hesitated. She hadn’t been prepared for Susan to be so nice. Was she making a mistake, letting her kids get involved with Paul’s family? Her older children needed a break from the tension and uncertainty that engulfed them right now. If they had an offer to do something fun, she wasn’t going to let her own sticky past spoil things for them now. “Of course you can,” she replied. “If you’re sure?” she said to Susan. Loretta reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.
Susan touched Loretta’s arm. “No. Please. This is my treat.” Susan turned to the kids. “Come on. Let’s get out of here so your mom can go back to work.” She tore a Post-It note from a pad on Loretta’s desk and wrote her cell phone number on it. “If you need anything, please call me. We’ll be out and about all day, so we can easily pick up anything you need.”
Loretta nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. “Be good, you guys,” she said, waving to Sean and Marissa.
“Call me when you want me to bring Sean home. And good luck today,” Susan said to Loretta and Nicole as she pushed out the door.
***
Sean turned out to be a great asset on the hike, clearing branches and brambles from the trail and steering them away from poison ivy. They were famished by the time they sat down at The Mill for lunch. Even Sarah found something she liked on the menu and c
leaned her plate.
Susan turned to Sean as they climbed into the car to head back to the town square for their salon appointments. “I’m sure you don’t want to hang out in the waiting area while we’re getting our nails done,” she said.
Sean shrugged. “I don’t mind.”
“Actually, I was wondering if you’d do an errand for me.”
“Sure,” he said tentatively.
“I was thinking we should get something for Nicole. Maybe a new stuffed animal she’d enjoy? And something for your mom. Since we’ve had such a fun day, and they haven’t.”
Marissa turned to her brother. “Nicole wants that doll in the window of Toys on the Square. The one that has the old-fashioned prairie dress. They have dresses for girls that match the doll. She’s been begging for it, but we don’t have the money. Mommy says that Nicole’s medicine costs more than she makes in a month.”
“Then it’s settled. Let’s get her that doll and the dress to match. What about your mom? What does she need?”
“She left her sweater at the hospital the last time they were there, and she never got it back. So I think we should get that.”
“Or she needs new slippers,” Marissa supplied
“Perfect idea. We’ll get both. Pick them out while we’re busy at the salon, and we’ll run in to pay for them after we’re done. When will your mom and Nicole be home from the hospital?
“We don’t know,” Sean said. “She may have to spend the night.”
Susan drew a deep breath. “Then we’ll take them to the hospital. And you can come with us to Rosemont, if you want.”
***
Susan and the four children entered Mercy Hospital late that afternoon, excited to deliver their newly purchased gifts. They were shown to the waiting room outside the Dialysis Center and settled in. They didn’t have long to wait. Loretta approached them with a smile on her face.
Uncovering Secrets: The Third Novel in the Rosemont Series Page 21