California Sunrise by Casey Dawes

Author:Casey Dawes [Dawes, Casey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781440592027
Google: JIm8CQAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00YFWHHAA
Goodreads: 25499116
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2015-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

“How are you?” Raúl asked as she walked out of the hospital room.

“Okay, I guess.” She took in a deep breath and let it out. “She’s going to need care.”

“Only for a little while. Once they fix the problem, she’ll recover and be able to do many of the things she used to do.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“That leaves you in a quandry, though,” he said as they walked down the hallway.

“Luis.”

“Yes.”

“What about your mother? Is she willing to help? You should probably call her anyway.”

“I’ll call her tomorrow. She can’t do anything now.” Alicia’s temples began to pound.

They reached the lobby. “How is she?” Juan asked when he joined them.

“As well as can be,” Raúl said. “Do you mind if I drive Alicia home? You can follow me in my car.”

“I can do it myself.” She wanted him around her too much tonight—she needed to do this on her own. It was bad enough she had to ask for help to care for her son so she could work, go to school, and do all the other things that living entailed.

She suddenly felt smothered with responsibility, and she gasped for air. The space, as big as it was, seemed too small. She needed to get outside. Now.

She pushed away from Raúl and headed to the main doors, a loud swoosh announcing her exit.

“Alicia, wait.” Raúl’s voice was faint behind her.

If she could get to her car, she’d be okay. As she walked, she dug for her keys. Where were they? Everything else was there. Where had she left them?

When she reached the fountain in front of the hospital, her actions caused the purse to slip from her hands, contents careening in every direction, including her keys. She dropped to her knees on the damp ground, grasping for items and stuffing them back into her purse, dimly aware of the tears streaming down her face and the hiccupping sobs escaping from her chest.

“Alicia, cariño, come here.”

“I have to ... need my ... keys.” She let Raúl lift her to her feet and pull her close before she lost total control, crying out the fear and pain in her heart.

He held her as she sobbed, comforting her in Spanish, the melodic words reaching a spot deep in her memory where her father’s voice lived.

The pain suffused her body more intensely, loss building on loss, until there was nothing left to release. Exhausted, she leaned against Raúl, safe in his arms.

“You’d better stay with her tonight,” Juan said.

“Sí.”

Too tired to protest, she let him lead her to her car, not really seeing anything on the way home.

The porch light glowed yellow, casting the wicker furniture in jaundiced relief. Her legs were leaden as she climbed the steps, knowing her grandmother wasn’t there to greet her.

“Raúl?” Sarah was on the couch, a magazine in her hands.

“How’s Luis?” Alicia asked.

“Sleeping.” Sarah stood and hugged her. “How’s your grandmother?”

“Heart attack.” Her voice was wooden, and she sank into Abuela’s recliner, staring at nothing.

“Her grandmother will be okay,” Raúl said.

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