Page 83 of Summer Light on Nantucket
A teenage boy was vomiting into a brown paper bag.
“Oh, that takes me back to my youth,” Roland said.
At that, Blythe smiled.
Blythe and Roland walked through.
Bob and Kate were in the hall, speaking with Dr. Margrave.
Blythe and Roland joined them.
“Her temperature is normal and we’ll continue to give her IV fluids,” the doctor was saying. “But her blood pressure is high and her heartbeat is unsteady. We’ve put her on beta-blockers and anticoagulants. She shows every sign of returning to normal, but we need to take care of her for a few more days.”
“What canwedo?” Roland asked.
“For now, we can only wait. Let her rest and recover.” Dr. Margrave caught a nurse’s eye and went off to confer with her.
A door at the end of the corridor opened. Kate’s husband, Jack, came toward them.
“How is she?”
“They need to keep her another day,” Kate wailed.
Blythe watched Jack fold his arms around Kate and felt a stab of jealousy but also a spark of happiness. She was glad Kate had someone to hold her at a time like this.
—
Blythe left the hospital and returned to her house again.
It was quiet. She headed for the kitchen. All the doughnuts had been eaten. For some odd reason, that made her happy.
She checked her messages. Aaden texted that he had to be at a meeting in Boston and he’d be in touch with her later.
Nick had called.Hope all is well. XO
The perfect message, not needing anything from her. Plus, theXOwas very nice.
She went into the kitchen and read the messages on the chalkboard.
Holly:going to Carolyn’s
Teddy:tennis
Daphne:nature walk
Brooks:I’m walking to Main Street to buy some fresh fruit and veggies from the farm trucks for all of us today. Thank you for the doughnut.
Ah,Blythe thought.He knows he’s in trouble.
Miranda was probably in her room, talking on the phone to her best friends about Brooks’s treachery.
She made herself a glass of iced tea. Was she actually here, alone, with some free time? She would call Nick.
Then Miranda drifted like a ghost into the room.
Blythe stood up and hugged her daughter.
“Hi, sweetie,” Blythe said.
