Fame, Fortune & Secrets (The Redemption Series: Book 2)

by Maeve Christopher

  Cin looked up. “Really? So it sounds like David didn’t blame you for what happened.”

  “Nope. He never even yelled at me—just told me he was grateful I was tryin’ to help Debbie. Of course, I told him I’d never do anything like that again.” We giggled. “Anyway, Alain didn’t want to take the money, but David insisted. And I get the other car that Alain is having fixed. It’s hardly dented, the thing is so heavy. So it won’t take much to make it look like new again. So how cool is that? I get a secret agent car.”

  I sat back in my seat and scanned the pile of paper. “This is unbelievable, Cin. I thought Nita and Cat had a big to-do. You guys have a thousand people coming to this wedding. Who knows a thousand people?”

  Cindy chuckled. “That would be the Dominguez family. Roberto told Dad straight out, practically the minute we talked about getting married. He said he wants all his business associates invited. That’s where most of them come from. Plus we both have a lot of family and friends. It’s like putting Debbie’s wedding together with Nita and Cat’s—and then some.”

  I shook my head. “Aren’t you nervous? I’m petrified, and I’m just a bridesmaid.”

  “Well, yeah, I’m nervous, but I really can’t wait. And you’re not just a bridesmaid.”

  I raked my nails through my hair. “It’ll be good to see all the girls from far-away Beverly Hills.”

  We watched Debbie returning from the bathroom, wandering over to her canvas. She stood and stared at it.

  Cin stood up, and I could see why she was upset.

  “Honey, are you okay?” Cin made her way over to Debbie.

  “I’m okay.” Debbie never moved as Cin put her arm around her.

  I headed over to get a better look. It sure was different than her most recent work. It reminded me of a watercolor she’d done when she was at her sickest—probably a year ago.

  Cin was trying to be diplomatic. “Gee honey, it looks like lots of raindrops in your garden.”

  Debbie nodded. “Yes. Sometimes the most beautiful flowers just get pelted with rain, and all their petals fall off.” Her soft voice was a million miles away, but it felt like a knife through my stomach.

  Cindy tried to be encouraging. “Well, honey, it looks like this one’s almost done. Maybe you can do the next one with a sunny flower garden.”

  Debbie was in another world contemplating her painting. “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, though. That’s what I hear.” She nodded in her usual way. “I am divinely led.”

  Cindy and I locked eyes.

  So Debbie was divinely led into that truck the other day?

  ***

  The next morning, Cindy went off for the day with Raphael. Alain and David had gone to work, and I had no official duties for the day. I reorganized my closet, and thought about Debbie’s weird “divinely led—rain pelted garden” painting.

  I decided I should check on her. When I got to her studio door, it was open, and she sat at the easel. I knew immediately what was wrong—and I wanted to take off running in the opposite direction. Where was Cin when we needed her? Should I confront Debbie? Should I try and distract her?

  I took a deep breath. “Hey honey. Can I bring you a snack or something?” I tiptoed over and put my hands on her shoulders.

  “No thank you.” Her voice was tiny.

  If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve been amazed by the design. I’d put that right on a designer tote bag. A field of smoky eyes interspersed with red lipstick-like smudges. Those smoky eyes belonged to Agent Gwen Munroe. And I knew that Debbie knew those eyes were ogling her husband that day we traveled to Salzburg.

  “Why are you painting those eyes, hon?”

  It took her some time to make up an answer. “Well… I saw a TV show all about the smoky eye. Maybe you know the makeup artist. She’s an expert on creating the smoky eye—but not as good as you when it comes to doing your makeup. Your eyes are perfect green cat eyes. You have nice eyes.”

  “Why don’t we go for a walk or something?”

  “No thank you.” Debbie created another smoky eye.

  I went outside for a cigarette.

  Debbie

  The September rain came late, and it was cold. It was another Wednesday morning in Dr. Raich’s office, and she poured me a glass of water. “You didn’t say a word in the group this morning. But it seemed as though you wanted to.”

  I relived David’s kiss as he’d left me here this morning. The kiss that would melt my heart only deepened the pain that radiated from my core. The pain never went away. I thought it would never go away now. But I wasn’t sure what would be left if it did.

  I had to make these babies perfect. I had to. I was sure that’s why God had me here. But I was having trouble keeping any food down. So I had to be here with Dr. Raich.

  I knew David was upset. But I couldn’t talk to him. What could I say?

  Agent Gwen Munroe was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. She was almost as perfect as Nita. But I think the reason Nita was a little bit more beautiful was because she radiated the grace and beauty of God. Agent Gwen Munroe had evil inside, and it made its way out through her lovely eyes.

  As my mind raced, I lost track of Dr. Raich’s comment, and focused on a television show I’d seen with a makeup artist showing us how to do the perfect smoky eye. Maybe Agent Gwen Munroe had seen that show, too.

  Dr. Raich had the patience of Job, I think. She just sat there until something spurred me to speak.

  I looked up from my lap. “Greta said we’re as sick as our secrets. She said that’s an old saying.”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you think David is sick, Dr. Raich?” I didn’t want her to see how badly my hands trembled, so I balled the fabric of my skirt into a mess of wrinkles.

  “Why do you ask that?”

  I gulped for a breath. “Well, he—he has an important job, and—and they have lots of secrets there.”

  “If his work impacts his personal life, the way he lives his life, his emotional and spiritual life, then he may very well have some issues to work through.”

  “Well, how—how could he do that?”

  Dr. Raich smiled. “Debbie, that is up to him. The only one you can change is yourself. You can only make yourself the very best person you can be. Sometimes when a person does that, she inspires others to be better. Sometimes not. As you recover, as you become stronger, you need to make choices. Some choices are very difficult, but you don’t need to make them before you’re ready. Just work on being healthy and serene in this moment. Everything else will take care of itself. Am I making sense?”

  “Oh yes, Dr. Raich.”

  “Good. Now are there some secrets that are making you sick? It seemed as though you wanted to discuss that in the group today.”

  I wiped sweat onto my wrinkled dress. “Yes. Well—I just—just wanted to say I did that, too. I mean I stole laxatives from Mama’s medicine cabinet. And a couple of times I found some in Cindy’s medicine cabinet, too. And I—and I took them out of the box, and I put the empty box back.” I nodded.

  I thought the better of my pat answer. I realized I needed to tell the truth. I was such a liar. And Dr. Raich knew it. She was sitting there so patiently just waiting for me to spill the rest. “Well, really, I did that all the time. And—and I stole some other pills—my mother’s blood pressure pills—and some sleeping pills.”

  I knew Dr. Raich was appalled. She wouldn’t say it, and she wouldn’t show it, but she was appalled.

  “Why did you take your mother’s blood pressure pills, Debbie?” Dr. Raich’s voice was so calm, so understanding.

  “Well, I—I thought they’d help me lose weight. And they were diuretics. So they helped a little. But then I had to go into the hospital, and I lied to the doctors. I told them I didn’t take any medicines. But that—that was a long, long time ago. I was only twelve. I hardly took any of those pills after that—but—yes—yes—I did overdo some when I had that heart
attack. And sometimes I stole diet pills.” The tears filling my eyes started down my cheeks. “Doctor—Dr. Raich—I guess I am really just a thief and a liar. When I listened to the other girls tell their stories, well I thought it was just them. They—they were—so bad. But I’ve done all those things, too.” I blew my nose.

  Dr. Raich nodded sympathetically.

  I had to keep going. “Well, I—I thought it was all over when I talked to Grammy, and she told me nothing can separate me from God’s love. And I knew God loves me. And I felt stronger, and I knew I’m supposed to be here. And I knew David loved me. And he even said he’d trust God about the babies. I thought it was all over—no more anorexia—and then—the worst thing—I saw the way she looked at him, and I saw that in the airport and—I—I knew it wasn’t over.” I took a fistful of tissues from the box Dr. Raich offered again.

  I blotted my face. I had to keep going. “Well, Daddy always said the dentist could tell if I—if I was vomiting—and that made him very angry. And Daddy always forced me to eat way too much. And he—he got very angry when I went up and down the stairs. I guess it bothered him I had to count so many. And I didn’t want to make David angry that way.”

  I couldn’t get the tears to stop. “So I—so I stole some chocolate laxatives and I hid them in my studio. And I used those chocolates all up. I even used them last week—even after—long after—I was positive—absolutely positive—about the triplets. I told David I’d make these babies perfect, and I still used them. I couldn’t help it.” The tissues fell on the floor, and I clenched my diamond ring.

  Dr. Raich took a seat beside me and held me. We sat like that for a very long time. Finally, she spoke in a soft voice. “There are other things we need to discuss today, also, Debbie?”

  I pushed out a noisy breath. “Yes, Doctor, I suppose.” I tried to compose myself. My voice cracked. “I love David so much, Dr. Raich. I—I can’t imagine my life without him. And I know he loves me.” Pain doubled me over, and I grabbed my stomach as though I could protect my babies. Dr. Raich held me tighter.

  I forced myself to speak. “David is so—so wonderful, Doctor. I’m so lucky to be his wife. You know he really saved my life and, and now I have three babies. And I’m so happy to have them. And I know David is really happy, too. But, but I think he’s—he’s just a little bit worried. He probably—he probably just is worried. And I told him these babies are going to be perfect. I know I can make them perfect. But I think—I think he wants to—I think he’s used to having lots of girlfriends and he—he likes that. And now I think he has another girlfriend, and I think I saw her. And she—she’s very beautiful. And I don’t think he really loves her because he really loves me.”

  Dr. Raich pried my right hand from my ring and jumped a bit in her seat. I stared at the blood trickling from my palm. “I don’t think he really loves her because he really loves me.”

  Dr. Raich picked up the phone and summoned Dr. Schechter. I was admitted to the hospital.

  Chapter Nineteen

  David

  It had been the day from hell, and it was after six o’clock by the time he returned to his office. He’d been worried about Debbie since he’d dropped her at the hospital for her appointments. He was hoping Dr. Raich would be able to help her—there’d obviously been something wrong since she crashed Alain’s car, though the doctors had insisted she was fine. She was withdrawing from him more and more, and it devastated him. The joy he’d had in his heart since she came into his life was becoming a painful hole in his chest.

  Cat was supposed to meet her after the appointments. Hopefully, she’d be able to help Debbie get past whatever was bothering her.

  Gwen stepped into his office and closed the door. “David.”

  His reaction was automatic.

  He was insane. He knew it. He was most certainly insane.

  He caught a breath and watched her release her hair into waves that bounced around her shoulders. Gwen had long ago perfected the “come hither” look.

  His phone rang. His fantasy interrupted. He took the call.

  It was Cisco. “Where have you been?” He sounded in dire straights. “This morning Cat took one look at a painting Debbie did of a military truck and collapsed. She’s been writhing in some nightmare ever since, and we can’t wake her up. She’s calling your name, like she’s calling you from hell. What’s going on? And Nita got a call from Dr. Raich. She admitted Debbie to the hospital. Nita’s over there now. Where the hell have you been?”

  “Debbie? What?” He could barely speak.

  Gwen produced a note from the wastebasket. He was out the door, and face to face with Eduardo, Alain and Jimmy.

  They stared through him at Gwen.

  “Nita’s at the hospital with Debbie. I’ll drive you.” Eduardo was bullshit, but it was the disappointment and fear on his face that concerned him.

  Eduardo grabbed David by the arm and spoke to Gwen. “His wife needs him.”

  ***

  He ran down the hall to her room. Debbie was quiet as Nita gently stroked her hair, and Dr. Raich checked the IV in her arm.

  He grasped her hand. “Sweetheart, are you all right?”

  Debbie’s eyes fluttered open. “David.” She dozed off.

  Dr. Raich escorted him out into the hallway.

  He turned to her in a fury. “Is she going to be okay? What happened? Why didn’t you call me?”

  She raised her voice. “I did call you, Mr. Lambrecht, and your secretary promised to give you the message. Where have you been? Your wife needs you.”

  He put his hand to his head to regain composure.

  She pulled him by the sleeve down the hall to her office. Once inside, she began yelling. “Mr. Lambrecht, it’s apparent you care very much for your wife. But it seems to me your past is catching up to you, and if you don’t deal with your issues in a hurry, you won’t have a wife and babies to come home to—when you finally do decide to come home!”

  “What?”

  “Don’t take that tone with me young man!” Dr. Raich had lost her professional demeanor. She cleared her throat and came back to earth. “Sex addiction is every bit as dangerous as alcohol, drugs, and food addictions.”

  “What?”

  “I said—”

  “I heard you, doctor, and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire, Mr. Lambrecht. The world is aware of your personal life in California, and now I understand you have a very lovely secretary, incompetent though she may be in the office. I suppose she has other talents.”

  “I have no idea—”

  “I understand she wears a lovely perfume. It smells of Ylang Ylang. And her lipstick—a treacherous shade of red, I imagine. Debbie saw just a hint of it smeared on your face. Your wife never does wear makeup, does she Mr. Lambrecht?”

  David collapsed into a chair and put his head in his hands.

  ***

  He couldn’t bear to spend the night without holding her tight to his body. He crept into the hospital bed beside his sleeping wife and heard her sigh the way she always did when he took her in his arms, when he comforted her.

  When she opened her eyes, he was there to kiss her—to cover her face with soft gentle kisses. A faint reflexive giggle encouraged him. Her breath on his cheek was heaven.

  He whispered, “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry I put you through all this. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

  Her eyes focused more on him as she came to consciousness.

  “We have to be completely honest to make the pain go away David. Some day God will take the pain away. I have to be perfectly honest with you, David. I haven’t been perfectly honest about—my anorexia. But I love you, David, with all my heart, and I always will. No matter where you are or who you’re with.”

  “Sweetheart—”

  “I—I just can’t be with you if you’re going to have other girlfriends, David. I know that now. It makes my insides feel like stone. I c
an’t keep feeling this way. But I’ll always love you. Just you.”

  He couldn’t catch his breath. She closed her eyes, and the thought of being without her cut through him with a hideous reality. This was all a nightmare. An unspeakable nightmare. Trust God. Trust God. How many times would he be back on that bloody boat?

  “Debbie. Debbie?” He took her face in his hands, and she opened her eyes again. She was somewhere else, but he had to make her understand.

  “I love you, Sweetheart, only you. I know it looks like I was involved with another woman. I was involved with her long before I met you. We’ve had to work together again recently. She wanted to—to have an affair, and I admit, I thought about it. I thought it might help take the physical strain off you. And I realized that was crazy. I could never jeopardize our marriage. I only want you.”

  He searched her eyes, and saw the doubt there. “That day you and Glori drove to the base—I’d spoken to her. She wanted to resume where we left off a few years ago. She pressed herself against me, and hugged and kissed me. I admit, Debbie, I let her do that. I didn’t push her away. But then I told her it would go no further. And it didn’t. I swear to you that it didn’t. I can’t lose you, Sweetheart. I can’t lose you. You’re my life.”

  Her eyes closed. He let her sleep.

  ***

  He was sitting in the chair by the bed early Thursday morning when Dr. Raich came through the door. Debbie was still sound asleep, so she motioned him to her office and pointed to a seat.

  “As you know, Mr. Lambrecht, Debbie is extremely upset over the issues between you. Of course, in the interest of the developing triplets, Dr. Schechter prefers Debbie have as little medication as possible. So we’re walking a fine line here. Nita has offered to give Debbie a place to stay for the time being. She and her husband have an appropriate area renovated in their home. I know you both certainly trust them as close friends—part of your family really. That would likely be the best situation for now. Of course, Nita would be a perfect person to help Debbie medically, should she need attention in the case of an emergency—”