Forbidden by Cheryl Douglas

Author:Cheryl Douglas [Douglas, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Goodreads: 18040814
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

***

Indie and Penny walked into the hospital, and Penny approached the front desk to ask for Amy’s room number. Indie thought she might throw up all over the freshly washed floor.

“Hey, are you okay?” Penny asked when she returned. “You don’t look so hot.”

“I just need to sit down for a minute.” Indie chose a chair that faced the elevator.

“I know how hard this is for you,” Penny said, rubbing Indie’s back when she claimed the seat next to her. “But you’re doing the right thing. You’d never be able to live with yourself—”

“Don’t,” Indie said, holding up her hand. “My mother said Amy seemed to have turned the corner, right? Her doctors are optimistic?”

“That’s right.” Penny patted Indie’s knee. “I’m sure everything’ll be fine. Still, I’m glad you’re here. Maybe we can see Cameron. Your mama said he’s staying with them. I wish you’d let me tell them I was bringing you along. They’ll never forgive me when they find out I knew where you were and refused to tell them.”

“Don’t worry about that.” Indie gave her cousin a smile. “I’ll tell them I swore you to secrecy. If they want to be angry with someone, they can be angry with me.”

“Are you kidding?” Penny said, wide-eyed. “They’ll just be so thrilled to see you. I hope it won’t be too much for your dad.”

“What does that mean?” Indie got a sinking feeling when Penny didn’t respond. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He had a slight heart attack last year.”

Indie sucked in a breath. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried. Remember on Father’s Day when I suggested you call him? That’s when I found out about it. When I called to wish him a happy Father’s Day, your sister told me your mama took him to the emergency room because he was having chest pains. I called back later that night, and they assured me it was nothing to worry about. I didn’t want to upset you, so I didn’t bring it up again.”

Indie could hardly blame her cousin for keeping quiet. The only time they fought was when Penny tried to convince her to reach out to her parents. “But he’s okay now? I mean, he hasn’t had any more problems?”

“I don’t think so,” Penny said. “He had a minor procedure a few weeks later. Something about blocked arteries, but it was just a day thing, and they assured me it was nothing to worry about. He’s on medication now, but that’s about it.”

“My father was in perfect health when I left,” Indie said quietly, looking at her hands. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“He’s getting older, honey,” Penny said. “These things happen. Lifestyle diseases. My parents are struggling with the same thing.”

“I guess I just thought…” She thought they would live forever, that she had years to make amends if she chose to. But her sister had almost lost her life, and her father had had a cardiac episode she didn’t even know about. Was that how she wanted it to end, with words left unsaid? She stood.

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