“And that’s how Kelly got what she considered to be a highly questionable gift, but it’s something she believes she was given so she could do some good.”
“That’s a hell of a story,” Nate said. “A brave lady, Kelly.”
“She certainly is, on a number of levels. I am so glad she has found happiness with Brett, who’s a good guy.”
They were silent for a few minutes, watching as the moon rose above the woods that bordered the rear of Nate’s property. Noelia sighed. “It’s so peaceful here, Nate.”
He shrugged and sipped his cocoa. “You know, I think I’ve buried myself in work so much, I’ve hardly ever been here. Jackie, lord bless her, used to complain about that, and since her death, well, I’ve just found the place too lonely. Much better to have a full schedule of clients to see at the hospital, in the bright lights and bustle of people.”
Noelia reached for his hand. “I love my house and the gardens, and I spend a lot of time there, but I need to get out, too. That’s why I work at Wedding Bliss—for the companionship, and for the paycheck, too, although that has become less important as time has passed.” Noelia shifted in her seat so she was facing him. Her brow furrowed. “You know, this has been bothering me all day, and when you mentioned the hospital, it reminded me. I’ve had this horrible feeling that I missed something when I was there today . . . and I’m worried about Lydia.”
Nate raised his hand to stroke her cheek, and she surprised herself and him by turning her mouth toward his hand and placing a soft kiss in his palm.
“Do you know what it’s connected to, whatever is bothering you?”
It took her all her willpower to drag her mind back to the question he asked. “It’s something to do with one of the nurses . . . It’s something that flickers in the back of my mind, but when I try to pin it down, it disappears.”
“I think the third-floor nurses are all very competent and experienced.” Nate moved her closer to him, and she snuggled her head on his shoulder.
“There was a new nurse, a trainee. I can’t remember the name Nurse Wilkinson gave her, but she didn’t seem to think the girl would make it through the internship. Maybe it’s her inexperience that worries me, but there was something about her . . . ”
“Lydia is in the safest place she could be,” Nate reassured her. Unable to resist, he turned toward her and captured her soft lips with his own. Noelia raised her face to get closer to him, to kiss him back fully, enjoying the sensation of his hard, masculine lips against hers, with the slight taste of cocoa and sweetness. She was sure she would remember this moment forever.
“Maybe I shouldn’t ask this, Noelia, and please tell me if you’re not ready, but . . . would you stay tonight? And I’m not asking because of all that’s happened here, not because I am lonely, but because of you. I want you here, with me.”
How could she refuse? Her entire body, every cell, sinew, bone, muscle—and her heart—all were clamoring to be with him tonight. “I’m glad you asked, Nate. I want to stay.”
It was quiet and cool in Nate’s bedroom. He’d ordered Honey, the sad-eyed hound, from the room and closed the door. Noelia was sure the dog gave her a hurt look as she left. I’ll make it up to the beast later, she thought. I’ll bake dog cookies, and she giggled.
“What’s causing the smiles? Are you nervous? Because I am, too. It’s been awhile.” Nate confessed.
“Actually, I was reminding myself to bake dog cookies for poor Honey. She looked pretty annoyed at being thrown out.”
He laughed. “Don’t worry about Honey—she’s a spoiled pooch. She’ll get over it. Right now, you’re the only female I want in my bed.”
“I’m so glad to hear that, Nate.” She took in the king-size sleigh bed with its comforter in rich shades of gold and russet. “Because yours is the only bed I want to be in.”
Nate took her in his arms and kissed her, and they slowly lowered themselves onto the bed. Nate left the bedside light on as they slowly, taking turns, removed their clothes.
This was no frantic teenaged coupling. This was slow, sensual lovemaking, taking the time to give and receive pleasure, riding the waves of joy toward release, then pulling back, and letting it rise again until finally they crested together and collapsed in each other’s arms, their sated bodies slick with sweat.
“Oh, my goodness. Wow,” Noelia murmured when she could get her breath back.
“Wow is right,” Nate said, resting his hand gently on her breast and stroking softly.
They lay there for a while, watching as the moon declined and full darkness came before the sun woke up. The slight soft breeze through the windows cooled the perspiration from their bodies, and eventually they turned to one another again, ready to once more ride that joyful wave of pleasure.
• • •
Noelia awoke suddenly, disorientated until she felt Nate’s strong body next to hers, his arm curled around her and so close she was sure she could feel his strong heart’s steady beat.
For a moment, she wasn’t sure where she was and looked around the room, with its butter-yellow walls and the russet drapes that matched the bedspread. It was, without doubt, a man’s room, with dark furniture and a comfortable chair with a reading lamp.
It was calm and peaceful, and she should feel safe—and deeply satisfied after the night they’d spent together. So why was she feeling like she was having a panic attack?
Something to do with that trainee nurse on the third floor. The third floor where Sleeping Beauty lay defenseless . . .
And suddenly she knew. Grabbing Nate’s shoulder, she shook him until he was groggily awake. “What is it, Noelia? What’s wrong?” He raised himself up on his elbows to give her his full attention.
“I know what was bothering me! Remember, about that trainee nurse I mentioned? I didn’t recognize her with the short red hair and the nurse’s uniform, and she’s changed her name and her appearance. She stood behind the door peering out at me as if she were hiding. But she’s the one who tried on Lydia’s wedding dress and made such a scene. The one Brett recognized. She’s Corinne, the best friend who left Lydia in the crashed car!”
Nate looked stunned. “She’s the one Jackie was trying to warn us about, with the slashed photographs and sharp words!”
He jumped out of bed and began to dress, just as the temperature in the room dropped, a cold that had nothing to do with the night breeze through the open window, and everything to do with an angry, terrified ghost who began to throw a hairbrush and other items from the dresser at Nate.
Then the large mirror over the dresser misted over, and words appeared. Lydia is in danger. Get your sorry ass down there!
The words slowly faded.
“Did your wife always speak so frankly?” Noelia asked.
“Always. It was one of her less loveable features,” Nate said. A small metal jewelry box leapt off the dresser and flew at Nate’s head. “Good God, Jackie—I’m sorry! And do you know how embarrassing it is, being here with Noelia while you’re prowling around invisible, and we don’t know if you’re here or not?”
There was a ripple in the air that could have been ghostly laughter, and then everything quieted in the room.
By this time Noelia and Nate were both fully dressed. Nate grabbed her hand and they raced out to his car, leaving Honey the hound to bay sadly after them as if telling them to hurry.
Chapter Twenty-One
Thankfully Nate’s home was only a few blocks from the hospital, but the journey seemed to take forever as they raced through the dark streets, anxiety about Lydia nipping at their heels. Nate’s Dodge Ram squealed its wheels as he scooted into the parking lot.
He helped Noelia down from the high vehicle, and they tore through the automatic doors of the reception area and raced to the elevators.
“Dammit, how can they all be in use at this time of night!” Nate snarled. Noelia grabbed his hand, and they sprinted for the door marked stairs, to arrive breathless on the third floor.
They found Daniel standing there, arguing frantically with the nurse in charge, Kate Jones. Obviously not all the nurses had read the memo that Nate had lifted the visiting ban on Daniel.
“I’m sorry, sir, but you’re not allowed in to see Ms. Westbury, and anyway, visiting hours are over,” the nurse was saying calmly.
“I’m sure Dr. Westbury has called in . . . ” Daniel was agitated.
Nate crossed the area quickly and put his arm around Daniel. “It’s okay, nurse, he’s here with me. Is everything all right with my daughter?”
Noelia, her heart thudding in her chest, joined them to hear the nurse’s assurances.
“Everything is the same, Dr. Westbury. I’m sorry, but there has been no change.”
“Where’s that trainee nurse, Dora Something . . . ? Or was it Cora?” Noelia interjected. “Is she on duty tonight?”
“The trainee nurse?” Nurse Jones looked puzzled. “I know she wasn’t supposed to be, but I thought I saw her coat in the nurse’s locker room. Is there a problem?”
No time to explain. The three of them raced toward room 307. Nate flung the door open just in time to see Corinne standing over Lydia, a loaded syringe in one hand and the IV tube in the other.
“No! No, you don’t! Don’t touch my daughter!” Nate yelled as Noelia rushed to Lydia’s side.
Corinne gave a gasping sound, then screeched as she lunged at Nate. He grappled with her, and she dropped the syringe, pushing herself away from him and dashing through the door with Daniel in fast pursuit.
“Stop her, Daniel!” Nate cried as he leaned over his daughter checking her vital signs. He moved over as the duty doctor rushed in and checked the monitors while he listened to Nate’s description of what had happened.
“She seems okay. I’m not seeing any ill effects, but we don’t know if that woman managed to give her anything. She was trying to inject something into the IV line . . . There’s still time for a reaction, but I pray we were in time,” he added.
“I’ll get the nurse to remove the IV and replace it with one we know hasn’t been tampered with. Then we will monitor her closely for any changes,” the doctor, who introduced himself as Serge Polanski, told them. “We’ll also page her attending doctor, and he’ll be here shortly.”
“You stay with your daughter, Nate, and make sure Corinne didn’t do her any harm. I’ll get the nurse to call security and go after Daniel—heaven knows what he might do to the woman who tried to hurt Lydia!” Noelia ran back to the nurse’s desk, where a white-faced Nurse Jones was checking information from the monitors on Lydia on her computer.
“My God, what’s happening here? I can’t believe that a nurse would try to hurt . . . ” “
“Believe it,” Noelia cut her off. “Did you see what direction she and the young man who was following her went?”
Nurse Jones looked over at the elevators. The light for the rooftop car park was flashing. “It looks as though they’re up on the roof!” she exclaimed.
“Call security. Get them to send their people up here—and call the police, as well. And page her regular doctor—he really needs to check Lydia as soon as possible.” Noelia’s words faded as she raced toward the second elevator and hammered on the up button with her fist.
Moments later she stepped out into the cool night air of the rooftop parking lot to a scene that chilled her blood.
Corinne was standing on a narrow concrete ledge, balanced precariously over a four-story drop to the ground below.
Daniel was standing a little farther away, pleading with her not to jump.
“Move very slowly; we don’t want to spook her,” Noelia whispered in his ear as she moved next to him.
“Oh, don’t whisper your lies about me!” Corinne screamed. “You should have let me kill her. Lydia always had everything—great parents, a lovely home, lots of friends, good grades at school because she sucked up to the teachers and had plenty of money. All the things I never had. And then she had Daniel, the boy I wanted, and she didn’t even notice that she’d taken him from me!”
“No, she didn’t, Corinne. It was always Lydia with me from the moment we met. I liked you as a friend, Corinne, but nothing more.”
Corinne screamed. “Then I may as well jump. There’s nothing left for me!”
“No, please don’t. You have your whole life ahead of you, and you will have all the things you need, really you will. Life will be good again if you give it a chance.” Noelia was speaking softly so that Corinne had to strain to hear what she said.
“Oh, no—no! Why were you trying to hurt Lydia? I thought she was your number one buddy?” Daniel asked, edging closer to the parapet.
“Of course she’s my best friend—has been since high school.” Corinne sounded so reasonable. “I thought it would be the kindest thing to let her go quietly. After all, she has no life, lying there in a coma. It was cruel to keep her like that. And in the meantime, you and I were being robbed of the chance of a beautiful life together.”
“I love Lydia, Corinne. You’re my friend, but that’s it.”
“Oh, you’d have come around once she was out of the way. Who . . . what is that?” Corinne shrieked.
The air around Corinne had begun to shiver, and then the wavering outline of Jackie Westbury appeared, standing alongside the frightened young woman. Terrified, Corinne began to sway so much with fear that Noelia was afraid she’d lose her balance and plummet to her death.
“Jackie, please don’t—don’t do this. The girl needs help, and Lydia would surely want her friend to live, despite everything.” Noelia tried to sound calm as the ghost of Lydia’s mother swayed. Which way would she go—would she end everything by pushing Corinne over the ledge, or would she push the girl back off the parapet and into the arms of the approaching security guards?
“It’s not up to you to judge and hand out justice, Jackie, you know that. That belongs to a higher authority.”
There was a soft sigh. “I know that, Noelia. It’s just that . . . ” And suddenly Jackie lunged toward Corinne, who shrieked and stepped backward to tumble off the parapet and land at their feet on floor of the parking garage. Daniel and the two security guards raced to grab the young woman, who now lay weeping on the cold concrete.
“Get her a doctor and someone with a stretcher,” Noelia said. “She’s breaking down and needs help.”
Daniel stood there, looking down at the weeping young woman who just a few minutes ago had nearly committed an act that would have ripped the woman he loved away from him. Noelia’s eyes filled with tears as she saw his face was filled with pity for this broken young woman. She reached out and touched his sleeve, as Nate exited from the elevators and rushed to them.
“Lydia’s vital signs are good. I think we arrived just in time.”
Daniel and Noelia sighed simultaneously.
“Daniel, go to her. Go to Lydia.” Nate’s voice was gentle, and Daniel’s face lit up with joy. He reached out and hugged Noelia, then shook Nate’s hand before racing off to the elevators.
Noelia put her arms around Nate and kissed him fervently on the mouth. “You just did a good thing, Nate. A very good thing.”
They stood with arms entwined around each other as they watched the doctor and nurse make Corinne comfortable, and the now unconscious young woman was carried away on a stretcher.
“I hope she gets the help she needs,” Noelia murmured.
“Given my options, it would have been splat! Straight down to the ground for the little bitch,” a voice close to them spoke, making them jump.
“Jackie? Are you here?”
“Jackie’s something of a heroine. She pushed Corinne off the parapet and down onto the car park floor,” Noelia said.
“Yes, but you know what? I was very tempted to push her off the other way, right down to the sidewalk. What you said about it not being my place, well, I guess I knew that, but I was so angry . . . Anyway, it wasn’t her time to go, and it’s not up to me to cause that kin
d of disruption.”
All they could see of Nate’s late wife now was a quirky disturbance in the air, a rippling effect that seemed to fade as they watched.
“I have to go now,” she murmured. “Please kiss Lydia for me, and you could tell her that I’ll be at her wedding, in spirit at least.” The ghost cackled at her own joke.
“Nate, you need to get on with the life you’ve been given. Be happy. I know you don’t need to be lonely. And Noelia? Remember me sometimes, and rub Honey’s ears for me.”
And then Nate and Noelia were alone under the fading stars as dawn was coloring the horizon. Nate turned and kissed her. Then, holding hands, they moved toward the elevators.
A young nurse burst through the stairwell doors and ran toward them. “Dr. Westbury! You must come! It’s Lydia . . . ” She was out of breath and couldn’t finish her sentence before Nate tore off down the stairs with Noelia close behind.
“Please, please don’t let anything go wrong with that child now,” Noelia prayed with the little breath she had left as they approached the door to room 307.
Nurse Jones met them as they rushed into the room. “She’s waking up! It’s like a miracle!”
Nate collapsed onto one of the visitors’ chairs. The monitors attached to Lydia were making a variety of beeping sounds, but the nurse assured them the sounds were all good.
“What happened?” Noelia asked.
Daniel, who’d been kneeling beside Lydia’s bed, stood up, his face shining with happiness.
“I did as you suggested, Mrs. Russo. I kissed Sleeping Beauty, and she woke up!”
And it was true. Lydia’s eyes were slowly opening, and she was obviously coming around. Her gaze took in Nate, and she gave a little wavering smile. “Daddy,” she whispered.
Then she looked up to see Daniel, and her face lit up. “Oh, Daniel! You’re here!”
“And I’m never leaving your side again.” Daniel declared with a challenging look at Nate.
The Sleeping Beauty Bride Page 17
