“Why not?”
“Well,” she sputtered. “What if she reaches inside me and pulls out my heart?”
I couldn’t help laughing at that, which earned me a glare. “Janelle, she isn’t going to rip out your… heart.”
“How do you know? She’s from the other side.” She swallowed hard, looking very pale now. “I think I might faint. I don’t feel so good.”
“Lie down. Let’s get some blood back in your head.”
She obeyed, lying down and closing her eyes. “I haven’t slept in weeks,” she whispered.
Staring down at her, I felt genuine concern for her. I liked Janelle as much as I was capable of liking any of my patients. She was sweet and only came in when she was actually sick. She wasn’t the type to manifest drama. It was obvioussomethingwas happening to her. Even if it was all in her head, it was affecting her physically.
“When do you see… Kimora… usually?” I asked softly.
She opened her eyes. “I’ve seen her outside my house twice, and once she was in my bathroom.”
“Yourbathroom?” I frowned.
She nodded. “I was in the shower and… and…” She shuddered. “Suddenly, I saw her reflection in the mirror. I… I almost fainted I was so scared.”
“I don’t blame you,” I murmured. “And you were alone?”
She licked her lips. “In the bathroom area, yes. Archie was in the bedroom. I screamed, and he… he came in. He said he didn’t see anyone, but I know what I saw, Dr. Thornton. She was right there. I saw her clear as day.”
Chewing my bottom lip, I nodded. “Did she just evaporate or something?”
“Huh?” She sat up.
“Well, I mean, you saw her in the mirror, and then you screamed. I assume Archie hurried in, and what? Kimora just disappeared into thin air?”
“I… I don’t know where she went. I just screamed and almost fainted. Then Archie was there, and he wrapped me in a towel and told me he hadn’t seen anything.” She shivered. “I was so scared, but he was so sweet.”
I hesitated but then asked, “Do you trust Archie?”
She frowned. “Of course I do. Would I marry him otherwise?”
I cleared my throat, knowing I was about to venture into dangerous territory. “Your family is very wealthy.”
Cocking her head, she said, “Yes. So?”
“Well…” I could almost hear Royce telling me to back off and change the subject. But the girl in front of me was an emotional mess. As a doctor, I felt I owed it to her to try and get to the root of her problem.
“What are you trying to say?” she asked suspiciously.
I sighed. “I myself come from a wealthy family.”
“Do you?” She looked genuinely surprised.
“Yes.” I grimaced. “I know firsthand what it feels like to question people’s motives for getting close.”
She blinked at me, some of her earlier wariness fading.
“It’s difficult to know if people are interested in you or your money sometimes, isn’t it?” I asked.
She didn’t speak for a few moments, and then she nodded. “Yes.”
“I have to wonder, Janelle, if you aren’t maybe a little worried that Archie is marrying you for the wrong reasons.” When she didn’t immediately argue, I suspected I was onto something. “As you said yourself, you’ve had a whirlwind romance. There hasn’t been the time put into this relationship for you to truly trust and know each other.”
