Always You (A Magnolia Falls Novel) (5 page)

“I do not need a doctor to tell me she passed out from lack of nourishment. If you can’t see that, then forgive me for saying you are both blind and stupid, Mr. Wilson.”

He lifted a brow. “I understand you are upset so I will pretend you didn’t say that.”

“You seem to be very good at pretending. You’ve been pretending Liz doesn’t have a problem, and now look where she is.” A small voice in her own head was telling her if she’d been involved in Liz’s life she would have caught it sooner. Apparently, Pete chose to ignore her because he did not respond. She went to the desk and asked if she could be given her sister’s cell phone. She needed to get Steve’s phone number and let him know what was going on. The lady returned a few minutes later with Liz’s phone. Diana scrolled through her contacts until she found his number and dialed. It went straight to voice mail. She left him a message letting him know what had happened and where they were.

Diana hated hospitals. This one was no different than the rest. White walls and floors, plastic seating and that sickening, antiseptic smell. Thankfully, Pete had found them a more comfortable waiting room with actual furniture. Pink-and-blue upholstered couches, loveseats and chairs with a coffee table, blue-and-white striped walls and a flat screen television mounted on the wall that played cartoons. Jessica had fallen asleep on one of the loveseats. Diana wished she could join her, but knew she had to stay awake and wait. Hence she had drunk several cups of coffee from the pot on the credenza in the room.

Surprisingly, Pete was still there. He had had his fair share of coffee and had been working all night on his tablet and smart phone. How could he concentrate on anything at a time like this? Of course, it wasn’t his sister lying in a hospital room going through heaven only knew what. It had been three hours, and they still didn’t know what was going on. A nurse had come out once to let them know Liz was stable, but they were taking her in for various tests. The doctor would come out when they knew more.

Diana sipped from her fifth cup of coffee and winced. It was cold and tasted like tar. It was probably the dregs from the bottom of the pot. She got up and tossed it in the wastebasket. Finally, the door opened, and the doctor walked in. He was an older man in a white lab coat, with white curly hair sticking up, as if he had been running his fingers through it. He reminded her of a kindly father.

“Miss Mathison?” Sea blue eyes looked at her from behind silver, wire-rimmed glasses.

“Yes.”

“Your sister is stable. She is awake, but very weak. She is dehydrated and has severe anemia. Her EKG was normal, and her kidney function is also normal. She got lucky this time, but if she doesn’t get help for her anorexia soon that will change.”

“I understand, doctor. I plan on getting her the help she needs as soon as she is released. When can she go home?”

“She will need to stay a couple days so we can get her iron levels back up and get her rehydrated. After that, I recommend she get plenty of rest as well as counseling. How long has she been anorexic?” His piercing, blue eyes pinned her where she stood. She wanted to fall through the floor and hide from the accusation she could feel coming from him.

Diana felt her face heat, and she ran her hand through her hair. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “My sister and I have been estranged for many years and just recently reconnected.”

His face softened slightly. “I see. I will get you a name of a therapist I highly recommend before she is released.”

“Thank you. When can we see her?” Diana breathed a sigh of relief he wasn’t judging her for being absent from her sister’s life and letting this happen, and he was going to help her help Liz. From here on out she would take care of what was left of her family. She would even forgive Liz for everything she had done in the past, if only she would get well.

“You can go in now, but only for a few minutes. She is very tired and needs her rest.”

Pete tried to follow, and the doctor stopped him. ‘‘Family only for now.”

‘‘I’ll let her know you’re here,” Diana told him. He didn’t look happy, but he nodded and sat back down.

“Will it be alright for my little sister to go in with me? She’s been very worried about Liz, and I’d like her to see with her own eyes that she’s okay. Our parents just died last week so you understand she is a bit overwrought right now.”

“Poor dears. You’ve been through a lot recently. Yes, bring her with you. The only thing we have her on is an IV. Other than that, she looks the way you remember her.

Diana nodded and gently woke Jessica up. “We can go see Liz now.” Jessica nodded and stood up, sleepily.

With Diana holding Jessica’s hand, they followed the doctor into the room. It was a small room, again all white with one painting on the wall, the scene of a garden. Liz looked small and frail in the hospital bed, but still beautiful. She gave them a small weak smile when they walked in. “Hey guys,” she said, softly.

“Hey, yourself.” Diana picked Jessica up and sat her on the bed with Liz.

“Hey, squirt. Did I scare you?” Liz asked. Jessica nodded.

“I’m sorry. I promise I will get better, and I’ll never do it again. Forgive me?”

Jessica nodded again. Liz pulled her down next to her and wrapped her free arm around her.

“I’m sorry, Diana. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

Diana held Liz’s hand. “Just concentrate on getting better. The doctor said you only have to stay a couple of days.”

Liz made a face but didn’t argue. “Is Steve here?”

“I haven’t been able to reach him. Pete is here, though. He’s waiting outside.”

Liz nodded. “Steve must be painting. He never answers his phone when he is painting.” “I left him a message, I’m sure he will call or come down when he gets it. Do you want to see Pete?” Diana doubted Steve was painting. He seemed like the kind of man who couldn’t be bothered to care for anyone.

“Can you ask him to come back tomorrow?”

“Absolutely. Do you want us to stay?”

“No. It’s been a long night, and Jessica needs to sleep. Take her home, I’ll be fine,” she spoke slowly, slurring her words.

“You sure?” Diana brushed the hair out of Liz’s eyes.

“Yes.” Her breathing seemed labored.

“Okay. But we will be back first thing in the morning.” She looked so small and vulnerable. Since the day Diana had met Liz she had been tough as nails. No one could put one over on Liz Mathison. But now, seeing her in that bed, and even before, during the last few weeks, she was different. Weak, vulnerable. Ready to lean on whoever was there. When had she changed, and who had changed her? Diana couldn’t believe she wanted any part of the old Liz back, but tough as nails Liz would be good right now.

Liz had already closed her eyes but nodded. Diana leaned down to pick up Jessica, who had already gone back to sleep. She softly placed a kiss on Liz’s forehead. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I promise from now on I will be.”

Liz gave no indication she heard. Her breathing had evened out, and she appeared to be sleeping.

Diana carried Jessica back out to the waiting room. At this rate, she wouldn’t need to go to the gym anymore.

Pete stood when he saw them coming. “How is she?”

He seemed genuinely concerned, Diana had to give him points for that. “She’s sleeping now, but she is going to be okay. I’m taking her home to Magnolia Falls when she is released. She said something about you booking more work for her. I suggest you start cancelling it. She will contact you when she is ready to start working again.”

“I can give her a couple of weeks. After that she has contracts she must fulfill.”

It was the middle of the night, and she’d spent most of it in a hospital waiting room. She was tired, hungry, and wound so tightly she was ready to snap. This man was pushing her closer to the edge.

“As her attorney I am telling you to get her out of them, or I will. Then your services will not be needed anymore.” She didn’t wait for his answer, but instead just turned and left.

CHAPTER FIVE

Jessica was such a happy child. Despite the trauma she had been through in the last three weeks, she could still laugh and play. Every once in a while Diana would see a sad, sullen expression on her face, but it never lasted long, and for that, she was grateful.

School would be starting soon, another thing Diana was grateful for because it would be good for Jessica to be out of the house and around more children. It would be a distraction from the loss they were still reeling from.

Liz was looking better. She had gained five pounds in the last two weeks under the watchful eye of Cat who made sure she ate everything on her plate. Diana had done research and come up with a meal plan for Liz, which Cat was following. When Diana called her from New York, Cat had agreed to come stay with them until the eating disorder coach the doctor recommended arrived, which would be at the end of the week. She had saved them, in more ways than one. A piece of her past, she offered Diana a sense of security she sorely needed right now.

The movers Diana hired had packed up their places in the city and dropped off their belongings the day before. Surprisingly, Liz decided to let go of her loft, which she was leasing. Diana, of course, had no problem giving up her apartment. Steve had never called, not until the movers showed up and started taking everything out of the apartment. The jerk. She hoped he was out of Liz’s life for good. Somehow she doubted it.

Diana contemplated all the changes that had happened in such a short time as she and Jillian enjoyed the late summer breeze from the porch swing on the back porch. They were watching the girls play with Cassidy’s new puppy. Jillian’s daughter, Cassidy, was six years old, and the two girls had become fast friends.

“You do realize Jessica is going to ask me for a puppy because of you, and I can’t say ‘no’ to her right now.” Diana sipped from a glass of freshly-squeezed lemonade Cat had made that morning.

Jillian laughed. “What are friends for?” Diana rolled her eyes at her. “At least you don’t have to go looking for one. Zack still has a few. You can go over tomorrow and pick one out.” Jillian lightly pushed the swing with her foot.

“Is he a dog breeder?” Diana was happy her friend was looking so good, so happy again. Her new short haircut looked great with her red hair and whiskey brown eyes. It curled up just enough at the ends, touching the nape of her neck. The yellow dress she was wearing was perfect for her complexion.

“No, my brother is just a vet. Remember how much he loved animals when we were kids?”

“I do remember. He always had a menagerie of injured pets he was taking care of. It’s hard to believe the two of you are twins. You can’t stand things with fur. I’m surprised you let Cassidy have a puppy.”

Jillian looked at her daughter through teary eyes. “‘She’s been through a lot this year. I couldn’t say ‘no.’”

“Looks like we are going to have two, spoiled, little girls if we don’t learn to say ‘no’ to them soon.”

“We will say ‘no’ plenty. You just wait and see.”

“So if Zack doesn’t breed dogs, why does he have so many puppies?”

“He rescues them. He always has all sorts of animals he rescues. He manages to find homes for them all. Practically all the townspeople have become pet owners since Zack moved back and opened his clinic.”

“Even Ray?”

Jillian nodded. “He is now the proud owner of not one, but two teacup poodles.”

The drink of lemonade Diana had just taken spewed out of her mouth, landing on her denim cutoffs, as she laughed. “No way.”

Jillian laughed, too. “Wait until you see him walking his dogs.”

The mental picture that statement created sent both into new peals of laughter. Diana couldn’t wait to see the tall, gruff, flannel-wearing, tough guy walking his two small dogs.

When they finally regained their composure Jillian said, ‘‘I’ll let Zack know you’ll be coming by, so he can save a puppy for you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. Write down the address for his clinic before you leave.”

“No need. It’s the old Barton farm. He bought the whole place and turned the barn into a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic. Wait until you see it.”

“Does he live there, too?”

“Yeah, in their old house. Now that he’s finished the clinic, he is renovating the house.”

“Nice. Enough about me and your brother. Tell me about you. What have you been doing since you moved back here? There aren’t a lot of job opportunities in a town this small.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” Jillian agreed. “But people do like cake, so I started my own business making cupcakes. I make several dozen every day and take them to the local businesses, and they sell them for me.”

Diana sat up in surprise. “Those amazing cupcakes are yours?”

“You’ve had one?”

“One? Several. Cat goes out every morning and comes back with a half dozen. They are wonderful. I think Liz’s five pounds are all from your cupcakes.”

Jillian looked pleased. “I’m hoping eventually I’ll be able to open my own cupcakery.”

“Keep baking them as delicious as they are, and you will soon. No doubt about it. Your cupcakes will be famous on the East Coast. Especially the Key Lime Pie cupcake with pineapple cream frosting. Those are heavenly.”

“Now who’s dreaming?” Jillian laughed.

“Who wouldn’t dream about Key Lime Pie?”

“Not about that, about my cupcakes being famous.” Jillian threw her napkin at Diana.

Diana deflected it and laughed. “You just wait and see.”

***

The next day Diana and Jessica drove out to the Barton farm to see Zack about a puppy. Jessica was bouncing up and down in the backseat reciting dog names. “Buster. Buddy. Anabel. Jujube
®
.”

“Jujube
®
? You want to name your dog after a candy?” Diana asked.

“Do you like it?”

Diana let the name roll off her tongue a couple more times. “Jujube. Come here, Jujube!” she said trying out the name. “Actually, I do like it.”

Diana was driving her mother’s silver SUV. Liz had commandeered their father’s red convertible. He loved his convertibles. Diana used to love going for drives with him on the weekends. They would jump in the car and just drive for hours with no destination in mind. They would stop to eat lunch and then turn around and head back home.

When they arrived, Diana was amazed at the improvements Zack had made to the old place. The barn was bright red and so clean it almost shined. A big white sign hanging on the front read “Connelly’s Animal Hospital” in red letters. They got out of the car and went in the big double doors.

“This is what a barn looks like inside?” Jessica asked, her eyes wide as she took in the gleaming animal hospital.

“Not usually. This is a special barn where sick animals come to get better. Most barns are just where animals live.”

All the stalls on the left side of the barn had been turned into exam rooms with wide windows along the front so one could see into each room. Instead of dirt floors there was gleaming white tile throughout the barn. To the right side of the barn immediately at the entrance were a check-in desk and a small waiting room with five black, plastic chairs. Toward the back were what looked like offices and storage rooms. Straight across from the front doors at the opposite end of the barn were the back doors which led to a horse paddock. Beyond that they could see a smaller barn.

There was no one in sight. “Come on. Let’s go out back.” The back doors were split doors. The bottom half was closed, so Diana leaned over and looked around the paddock. Zack was working on the hoof of a horse. “Why am I not surprised to see Zack Connelly with a stray animal?” She asked.

He looked up and shielded his eyes from the sun. “Diana.” He set the horse’s hoof down, patted her, and stood up to dust himself off. Diana’s eyes followed the path of his hands. The tall, lanky teenager had been replaced by a tall, muscular man, with broad shoulders that pulled the fabric of his solid black t-shirt. She couldn’t help but notice as he walked toward her he sure filled out those blue jeans nicely. She had vaguely noticed the changes in him at the funeral, but had been too upset to fully appreciate them.

She and Jessica stepped back when he opened the door. He had the same whiskey brown eyes as Jillian, but his hair was a sandy brown. In the sunlight, his eyes matched his hair.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the two most famous Mathison sisters?”

“Right.” Diana rolled her eyes at him.

“Liz is the famous Mathison sister. Don’t you know that?” Jessica asked. “Everyone has seen her picture in the magazines.”

“You mean to tell me that pretty lady isn’t you?” He asked.

“You’re silly. Can’t you tell I’m not a grown up?”

“Could have fooled me,” he said. That sent Jessica into a new round of giggles, setting her blond curls bouncing. Today Liz had dressed her in pretty pink jeans, a white t-shirt with yellow flowers and a pink headband with little yellow flowers on it. Liz sure knew fashion and Jessica was benefitting from that expertise.

Zack turned his attention to Diana. She had enjoyed the opportunity to look at him while his attention was on Jessica.

“We are here about a puppy,” she said.

“Ah, Jillian said you were coming.”

“She and Cassidy brought the puppy over yesterday, so, of course, Jessica has to have one now.”

“Do you have a black one?” Jessica asked.

“It just so happens that I do. The puppies are right over here in this room.” He opened one of the closed doors Diana had thought was an office but instead was a puppy playroom. The walls were colorful with murals of forest scenes with trees, wildflowers and bushes. There were toys of every sort and even what looked like a puppy jungle gym. Four dog doors along the side wall led to what Diana assumed was an enclosed play area.

“
Whoa
. When you have children you are going to spoil them rotten,” Diana said as she surveyed the big play room.

Zack shrugged. “All this stuff makes them feel comfortable and helps them get acclimated to go to their new homes. That’s not spoiling them, just taking good care of them.”

“If you say so,” she said.

***

Zack blinked a couple of times when she flashed him a smile. That smile took him back to long summer days spent with her and Jillian riding their bikes all over town or swimming in Falls Lake. He couldn’t remember a time back then he didn’t have a crush on Diana Mathison.

He had been too shy to do anything about it. So he’d had to content himself with being her best friend’s brother who tagged along to look out for them. When he finally got the nerve to ask her out, it was too late. He got one glorious evening with her at their Senior Prom, which hadn’t ended the way he had hoped. They’d never spoken again.

He had seen her a couple times in town over the years when they happened to be visiting at the same time, but their paths had never crossed.

Ten years later she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her black shorts showed off her long legs to perfection. The green top matched her eyes. Her slightly wavy, mahogany hair hung down her back, and that alabaster skin glowed in the sunlight. Her full, pink lips still looked perfect for kissing. Who was he kidding? Crush was too mild a word. He had been in love with her since he was old enough to like girls. Subconsciously, he had compared every woman he’d dated to her, and they’d come up lacking, including his pretty wife, Hannah. Now they were both back in Magnolia Falls to stay. She had always felt like the one. Would he finally have a chance to find out?

“I want this one. He likes me,” Jessica said. A six-month-old black Miniature Schnauzer with white paws, had crawled into her lap and fallen asleep. Girl and dog looked adorable together.

“That is an excellent choice. But he is a she so you will have to pick a girl name,” he said.

“I already have one. I want to name her Kimi like Kimi on the Rugrats
®
because they both have black hair.”

“What about Jujube
®
?” Diana asked her.

Jessica looked at the dog thoughtfully. “She doesn’t look like a Jujube
®
. She looks more like a Kimi to me.”

He had no idea who the Rugrats
®
were, but it didn’t matter. “Kimi is a great name.” He went over to the wall a lifted a pink leash off the hook and then snapped it onto the puppy’s collar.

“I agree,” said Diana.

“Follow me to the front desk and we will get the paperwork filled out,” said Zack. Jessica was holding onto the leash when he opened the door, and the puppy took off running, pulling Jessica behind her. Although she could easily control the puppy she ran after her, laughing, never letting go of the leash.

“Look, Diana, she wants to go home with me.” She called over her shoulder, laughing as they ran out the door.