“I don’t know. I think one of her friends told her about them,” George said.
“Phillip, hand me that first aid kit,” Shelby said. After taking the kit from Phillip, she rummaged through it, tossing aside bandages, ointments and packets of medication. She finally stopped when she located a little packet that looked like the hand wipe packets Beryl sometimes got from KFC. Shelby tore the top off and ran the open packet under Nina’s nose a few times. Upon whiffing the contents, Nina groggily came awake.
Beryl’s body relaxed, and she let out a deep breath.
“Nina, baby, are you okay?” George asked again.
Nina moaned as she opened her eyes to slits, trying to focus. After opening and closing her eyes a few times, she finally opened her eyes fully. She looked directly into her husband’s eyes. “George?”
“Yes, baby,” George said. He wiped her forehead with the damp cloth he was holding.
Nina felt around, patting the couch with her hand. She then looked around and saw Shelby hovering above. “Shelby?” Her eyebrows wrinkled. “What is going on?” Looking over toward the loveseat, Nina continued to focus in order to see who was sitting on the loveseat. Then she tried to sit up and immediately placed her hands on her stomach. “Ouch.”
“Hold on a second,” Shelby said. She placed her hand on Nina’s shoulder. “Just lie back for a moment.”
“You fell out of your chair and hit the floor,” George said.
“I what?” Nina asked.
“You must have fallen asleep or passed out,” Shelby said.
Beryl watched as Shelby took the bottle of vitamins and placed them in her pocket.
“How are you feeling right now?” Shelby asked.
Nina rubbed her stomach with her hand. “I’ve got sharp pains in my stomach, and I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“Can you see me okay?” Shelby asked.
“Right now I can, but a moment ago I couldn’t,” Nina replied.
Shelby kneeled down, moving closer to Nina. “Nina, when was the last time you took a—uh—vitamin?”
Shelby sounded as if she were trying to find the right words, and even though she was speaking to Nina, Shelby’s eyes often darted around the room as if trying to gauge exactly what she should say.
Something wasn’t right; Beryl could feel it in the pit of her own stomach.
Nina’s face was perplexed as she looked back and forth from Shelby to George. She remained speechless.
“Nina, it’s very important that you tell me the last time you took a vitamin.” Shelby stressed the last word.
With a visible squirming discomfort, Nina looked into George’s eyes again. Tears began welling in her eyes. In a hoarse whisper she said, “George, I didn’t want you to find out.”
George placed his hands on Nina’s cheeks. “Baby, what is it? Don’t cry.”
Nina tried to speak again, but the words got choked in her throat.
Shelby spoke. “Phillip, help George get Nina to the bedroom, then you can talk in there.”
A brief moment of relief appeared on Nina’s face, until she tried to sit up again. With a grimace she hollered out in pain. “Oh my Lord.”
“We’ll take it easy,” George said, “Don’t try to rush. If it takes all afternoon, we’ll get you moved.”
Nina attempted a smile. “Don’t joke. It just may take all afternoon.”
“Let me know if there is anything I can do to help,” Charlotte said.
“Yeah, me too,” Xavier said.
They both continued to stand out of the way, at the end of the couch.
Beryl moved one of the chairs from the dining room table and placed it along the path heading toward George and Nina’s bedroom. “Here’s a chair just in case you need to sit down and take a rest.”
A few moments later, Nina had to use it. And with gratefulness, she smiled at Beryl mouthing, “Thank you.”
With painstaking effort, Nina continued until she reached the bedroom. Beryl wished there was more she could do to help out. So while Phillip and Shelby joined George and Nina in their room, Beryl took it upon herself to look around for food to prepare lunch for the group.
She figured they’d all need something to eat after the morning they’d just had. Beryl was pleasantly surprised when Charlotte joined her in the kitchen and offered a helping hand. They didn’t say much to each other while working together, but Beryl was thankful to have the woman there with her.
Just as she found herself lost in the preparation of cold cut sandwiches and chips, Beryl felt a tap on her shoulder. Travis was standing behind her.
He whispered in her ear, “Man, can you believe that? It was like an episode of that show on Discovery Health called Mystery Diagnoses.” Travis paused, looking conspiratorially to see if anyone else was listening or watching them. “I wonder what’s going on with Nina?”
Again, for the umpteenth time, Beryl found herself rolling her eyes. “Travis,” Beryl whispered louder than she intended, “why don’t you find something constructive to do?”
“There isn’t anything to do,” Travis replied.
Beryl could think of quite a few things Travis could be doing, like reading over the notes they’d been given over the past few days—starting with examining his own life and paying attention to the needs of his own wife instead of someone else’s. But obviously, self-improvement wasn’t an appealing enough subject for him.
“There’s a lake out there,” Beryl offered.
“What am I going to do on the lake? I don’t have a boat or any fishing supplies.”
“I was thinking more like what you could do in the lake.”
“In the lake?” Travis asked.
“Yeah. Why don’t you just jump in?”
“Funny, Beryl ... real funny.”
Even though she knew it was wrong, she wasn’t being funny. She really did wish he’d just jump in the lake or find some other method to disappear. Sometimes she wished they’d never even met, but then she wouldn’t have her two beautiful little boys. So for now, she hoped they wouldn’t find themselves standing along the side of the lake, alone in the darkness. Because given the opportunity, she just might push him in.
Chapter 27
Shelby Tomlinson
Thursday: 11:43 A.M.
“Nina, are you okay in there?” George asked. Nina didn’t answer immediately. With patience, George, Phillip, and Shelby sat on the twin beds in George and Nina’s bedroom. Nina had been in the bathroom for over ten minutes. She’d vomited at least once, but otherwise there wasn’t any sound or movement from the other side of the door.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Nina said after a few moments.
Shelby’s mind was running a mile a minute, trying to remember what she could about various drugs and their side effects. It was times like these she wished she had the Internet at hand or at least one of her pharmacology books handy. She was 99% sure that the pills in Nina’s so called vitamin bottle, were actually valium. They definitely weren’t vitamins as George had thought.
The bottle didn’t even look like a regular vitamin bottle. It was rigged to look like a vitamin bottle and had an almost real enough looking pharmacy label, but it didn’t have a patient number or a prescription number. Shelby had a couple of patients at the hospital where she worked who had gotten addicted to valium. They’d been so hooked that they eventually needed multiple doses each day to prevent heightened withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms much like the ones Nina was currently experiencing: blurred vision, sweating, abdominal pains, and vomiting.
These symptoms were just the tip of the iceberg. Patients who had tried on their own to go cold turkey from the drug often dealt with problems of muscle cramps, tremors, convulsions, diarrhea, and even psychosis. Shelby knew things could deteriorate pretty rapidly if they didn’t get to the bottom of what was going on with Nina. She didn’t look forward to seeing what the rest of the iceberg was hiding.
Nina emerged from the bathroom, holding her
stomach with one hand and the wall with the other. Her skin was pallid, and there were dark circles under her eyes. “Ugh, I feel like a sumo wrestler is twisting my arms and legs from the inside.” She made her way to the twin bed on which George was sitting.
“Do you want to lie down?” George asked.
“No, I’ve had enough of that. Besides, I might have to jump up and run to the bathroom again. My stomach hurts like crazy,” Nina said.
“Nina, we need to talk,” Shelby said. “I’d really like to give you and George some time to talk alone, but I am afraid time is of the essence.”
Nina’s eyes flitted to each person in the room.
Phillip sat next to Shelby. She knew he was confused, but also sensed something wasn’t right. He’d been supportive by letting Shelby take the lead and not speaking or questioning any of the instructions she had been dishing out like a commander in an army.
Shelby pulled the bottle of pills from her pocket and held it up for Nina to see. “What can you tell me about these?”
Nina’s eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning. “You found my vitamins.” She stood so quick she stumbled, almost falling. With outstretched arms she reached for the bottle.
Shelby gave it to her. With triple the speed she’d had only a few minutes before, Nina headed straight for the bathroom and ran water in a cup. Opening the bottle, she popped a pill into her mouth, then followed it with two cups of water.
George and Phillip watched Nina’s movements in awe. Shelby wasn’t surprised. The actions further confirmed her suspicions. Nina was addicted.
After wiping the water off her mouth, Nina grabbed her stomach again. “Ugh, I wish this pain would just go away.” With bottle in hand, Nina walked back over to the bed, gingerly sitting back down next to George.
“I am sure the pain will start to subside soon,” Shelby said.
Nina looked down at the bottle in her hand, squeezing it as tight as a child with a security blanket. “I hope so.”
“It will, as long as you’re taking those pills. If you go cold turkey, the symptoms will get worse before they can get better,” Shelby said.
Both George and Phillip watched the exchange between Shelby and Nina, neither speaking a word.
“Nina, do you want to tell us about those pills?” Shelby asked.
Nina’s voice rose an octave, “They aren’t pills, they’re vitamins.” As Nina spoke, she looked at George.
George looked over at Shelby, finally speaking, “What’s going on here?”
“I have a pretty good idea why Nina’s body has been out of whack. But I want to hear it from Nina. And you need to hear it from Nina,” Shelby said.
Phillip placed his hand on Shelby’s arm, giving it a squeeze.
“Nina, what is going on? Is there something you need to say?” George asked.
Not speaking, Nina looked down toward the floor. Shelby she saw tears streaming down the woman’s face.
George placed his arms around Nina and pulled her into his body. “Don’t cry, honey, talk to me. You can talk to me. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”
Nina began to sob so loud that Shelby figured the sounds permeated the walls of the tiny room. Shelby knew this wasn’t the time for Nina or George, for that matter, to worry about who may or may not hear them. Prayerfully, they’d be able to get to the bottom of what was going on so Nina could get the help she needed.
Nina’s sobs continued until finally subsiding into intermittent sniffles. Phillip decided to speak. “George, Nina, please know that Shelby and I are here to help you. We’re not here to be nosey or judge you. We just want to be of assistance. I don’t want to pry, but from what I am gathering here, something isn’t right about those vitamins. With God, all things are possible when two or three are gathered in His name, we can pray and touch and agree. But the flesh can be a tricky thing; oftentimes making us forget rational thinking and allowing us give in to temptation. Shelby seems to have insight on what might be going on, but Nina, we need for you to talk to us, to tell us what’s going on. It’s the only way we can help this battle your flesh is having.”
Nina wiped the tears from her eyes. Shelby realized the darkness under Nina’s eyes was mainly from the eyeliner she was wearing. Remnants of the eyeliner streaked hers cheeks and smeared her hands.
“You’re right, Shelby, they aren’t vitamins. It’s actually valium.” Once Nina made her confession, Shelby saw visible relief wash over the woman’s face.
“Valium?” George asked.
Nina nodded her head. “I’ve been taking it for a few months now. I started after I stopped gambling. I was having problems with anxiety and needed something to take the edge off.” Nina stopped and took a deep breath.
Phillip stood, picking up a box of tissue from the nightstand. He handed it to Nina who pulled a few out and wiped her eyes and cheeks.
“I thought I could just stop gambling cold turkey, as Shelby put it, but the urge to gamble kept nagging at me. I found myself getting anxious during the times I would have normally been setting up at the Bingo halls. I even got to the point where I couldn’t stand going into gas stations that sold lottery tickets and scratch offs.
“I talked to one of my friends about anxiety and the nervousness I was experiencing. She told me about the valium. Her doctor prescribed a few pills for me. I felt a calm I hadn’t known since before the gambling got so bad,” Nina said.
“Who told you about the pills? What friend?” George asked with an accusing voice.
“It doesn’t really matter. My friend didn’t know anything about me going back to the doctor a few more times, and the doctor didn’t know that I altered the prescription he had given me in order to get more and more pills.”
Shelby listened as Nina continued recapping her story. She’d wanted to stop being dependent on the drug, but didn’t know how. She’d been praying for God to intervene, knowing there was no way she’d be able to do it on her own. Nina continued telling her story until she’d brought them all up to the present moment. When she finished, she hung her head down low in shame.
George slid off the bed and kneeled directly in front of Nina. With hands cupping her cheeks, he said, “Nina, I said we’d get through it. And we will.”
Nina shook her head. “How can you say that? And how can you continue to stand by me with all the baggage I brought into this marriage and the baggage I continue to claim?”
“When I said for better or for worse, I meant it. This is only a storm—a storm we’ll get through together.”
Shelby reached for Phillip’s hand. As if knowing what she was about to do, Phillip stood at the same time as she did.
“Nina, George, we’re going to leave so you can talk in privacy,” Shelby said.
George stood. “Hold on a second before you both go.” George placed his hand on Nina’s shoulder. “The devil is trying to destroy my wife. He has come this time in the name of valium. Phillip, can you pray with us?”
Phillip nodded his head. Shelby continued to hold his left hand, with his right hand, he reached out to George. Shelby placed her hand on Nina’s shoulder as Nina continued to sit on the bed with her head bowed.
Once the circle was formed, Phillip began to pray. “Dear Lord, our Father in heaven. Jesus, we come to you as humbly as we know how, forming this gathering of four, we are touching and agreeing that no weapon, called valium, formed against Nina will prosper. We pray that you, Lord, will guide Nina in the path she will need to travel in order to overcome this drug that has been trying to thrive in her body. We rebuke this drug demon.
“We also pray that you will bless this marriage between George and Nina. And that you will let them know at a time of your choosing, the exact reasons they are going through these storms in their lives. Lord, we pray you’ll give Nina strength and that you will continue to give George wisdom. And together they will come out stronger than they were before. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
“Amen,” George
and Nina said.
“Amen,” Shelby said. She’d heard Phillip pray many times, but was still amazed by some of the powerful prayers he pulled from his soul. She squeezed his hand. Then letting go, she gave both Nina and George a hug.
With glassy eyes, George said to Phillip, “Thanks, my brother.” His voice was raspy and strained. He gave Phillip a solid hug.
“No problem. We’re here for you both, and don’t you ever forget it,” Phillip said.
Shelby nodded in agreement. “Nina, we’ll talk a little later on about the pills. You aren’t going to be able to go cold turkey right now. Honestly, you’ll probably have to keep taking them just as you have until you can get back to the doctor. Then you can be weaned off properly.”
Nina nodded her head, still clutching the bottle.
“Baby, I am so sorry I hid those pills from you. I didn’t know what they were,” George said.
“No, you didn’t know what they were, but if you hadn’t hid them, who knows how much longer I would have lived the lie?” Nina said. “Everything happens for a reason.”
“We’ll talk later,” Shelby said, then Phillip led their way out of the room.
Upon walking into the kitchen, Shelby saw the other two couples seated at the table eating sandwiches and chips. She’d totally forgotten about lunch.
“Oh, who made lunch?” Shelby asked.
“Charlotte and I,” Beryl said.
“Thanks, ladies. I hadn’t even thought about it,” Shelby said.
“No problem. We’ve all got to help each other out up in these mountains. Besides, you’ve been slaving over the stove the whole time we’ve been here. You probably need a break yourself,” Charlotte said.
Shelby took a seat at the table. “These sandwiches look good.” She picked up a plate and stacked it with three different sandwiches and a pile of chips.
Phillip’s eyebrows arched. “Pretty hungry, huh?”
“I am, but these aren’t for me. I’m going to take this plate to George and Nina,” Shelby said.
Phillip chuckled. “Good, I was getting worried.”
“Honey, can you pour some ginger ale for them?” Shelby asked her husband.
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