A Marriage of Anything but Convenience by Victorine E Lieske

Author:Victorine E Lieske [Lieske, Victorine E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Nara stared at Derek, not really understanding his words. Her father was sick? Why would her father call Derek to tell him he was sick? That didn’t make much sense. Was he out of nasal spray? That’s what his staff at home was for. “Like, he’s got the flu?”

Derek seemed uncomfortable. He took his napkin and folded it, then set it on the table. “Maybe we should go for a walk. Are you done?” He motioned to the last few bites of food on her plate.

“I’m stuffed. I can’t eat any more. It was delicious, though.”

He paid the check and they stood. He slid his hand into the small of her back as they left the restaurant and headed down the sidewalk. It did funny things to her breathing, but she tried not to act any different. She didn’t want to freak him out again. Their resort wasn’t too far away. She could endure it until then.

She wasn’t the kind of person who wanted things spoon-fed to her. As they walked, she looked up at Derek. “Tell me what’s going on with my father. Why did he call?”

“He’s in the hospital.”

Hospital? Her father? He was the type of person who never went to the doctor. He had a toothache for week when she was a teen and didn’t say a thing until one day she found him in the bathroom trying to take it out with a pair of pliers. She forced him to go to the dentist. What in the world could he be sick with that made him go to the hospital?

“What’s the matter with him?”

“He fell.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Like, he tripped? Why would he have to go to the hospital for that?” She wasn’t comprehending what Derek was trying to say. Did he get sick, or did he fall? Or both?

“He said they think his wrist is broken.”

He must be in too much pain to deal with it at home, because the father she knew would wrap it up and keep working. “Oh. Well, that sucks. But it’s not a big deal. Why did he call you about that?”

Derek ran a hand over his hair, his expression unreadable. “He hasn’t been well lately. I don’t know if you noticed, but he’s lost weight. I tried to talk to him about it, but he waved me away. He didn’t want to discuss it.” He sighed and his gaze penetrated through her. “I think he might be sick. Like, really sick.”

A tiny alarm went off in Nara’s head as she stared at Derek. What did he mean, really sick? A knot formed in her belly and she had a hard time taking in a breath. “What are you talking about?”

Lines formed across his forehead. “I think he might have something serious going on. Like cancer.”

She stopped walking, her heart stabbing in her chest. A few fat raindrops fell from the sky, indicating it would start pouring soon. Tourists skirted around them as they stood in the middle of the sidewalk.

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