Four Wives by Wendy Walker

Author:Wendy Walker [Walker, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2008-02-19T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-THREE

REJUVENATION

AFTER A NIGHT OF fitful sleep, Love willed herself out of bed, got dressed, and walked slowly down the stairs. She was getting better at this. She’d been to the hospital twice for tests that had proved futile. She’d stood up and walked around the room so Bill could examine her posture, and she’d gone to see Dr. Luster for her mother. Now Love was getting out of bed for herself.

Marie was waiting.

“Where’s your mom?”

Love leaned against the kitchen counter, fighting the pain. “She took the kids to the park.”

Marie nodded as she held out her hand. “So this is a jailbreak?”

“Something like that.”

“Great. I’m gonna catch all kinds of hell.”

Marie helped Love out through the garage and into her car. The weight was substantial against her as they moved, a clear indication of the pain Love was in, and Marie began to wonder if she shouldn’t have refused the pleas to take Love to the meeting.

When they were on the road, Love caught her breath. “I really needed this,” she said.

And she did. All night she had thought about Dr. Luster, the things she’d said and the demons she’d provoked. Now she was in need of distraction, and the busy work of the benefit planning was just the thing.

Marie did the driving, taking it slow, avoiding the bumps of potholes left over from the winter months, giving the curves a wide berth. When they got to the gates of the Haywood-Beck estate, Love turned to Marie.

“Have you spoken to her since the other day?”

Marie shook her head. She’d left Gayle alone, and Gayle had done the same.

“I see. Well’this should be fun.”

Marie brushed it off. “It’ll be fine. Gayle’s a master of avoidance and I’ve been working on my self-control. Anyway, you’re going to be the talk of the day. Out and about like there’s nothing wrong with you. They’re going to want a rundown, you know.”

“I have nothing to tell. It’s just a pull. I was carrying both kids, for God’s sake.”

Marie sighed as she waited for the gates to open. Denial. That’s what this was. No one was really believing the pulled-muscle theory anymore’ not even Marie. And how could they when Love’s esteemed husband now looked like a little boy who’d lost his way in a crowd? Not to mention Yvonne’s melodrama. Still, she let it go as they drove up the driveway and slowly made their way into the house.

“You made it!”

Seated at the table were Gayle and Janie Kirk.

“I have to lie down.” Wasting no time because the pain was gathering speed, Love dropped herself to the oriental carpet and let out a sigh. The remaining three women gathered over her to observe.

“You OK down there?” Janie asked.

Gayle rushed to the doorway that led to the living room. “I’ll get a pillow.”

Still standing over Love, Marie tried to minimize the growing concern in the room. Love wanted distraction and she was going to have it.

“You look like one of those dead animal skins people throw on the floor and use as rugs.

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