Tender Touch

by Emery, Lynn

  Chapter 15

  Calm down. They didn’t say she was...” Shaena’s voice trailed off. She drove at the speed limit but leaned forward as though urging the car faster.

  “Please let her be okay, please let her be okay,” Jade mumbled the prayer over and over.

  Jade was glad she’d been with her friend when she called home to get her messages. Her mother’s frantic voice on her answering machine saying Lanessa was hurt threw her into a panic. Shaena had declared she was in no shape to drive. Now they were still ten minutes from the small hospital in Plaquemine where Lanessa had been taken. What was she doing at a bar across the river? Jade thought once more of how little she knew about Lanessa’s life these days. She had spent the last few minutes assessing just how much was her fault.

  “I should never have left her that night,” Jade said in a tearful voice. “Alex said it was bad, but I didn’t believe him. I never thought about...I was too wrapped up in my own problems.”

  “You couldn’t follow Lanessa around twenty-four hours a day. And you couldn’t force her into treatment she didn’t want.” Shaena took one hand from the steering wheel to place it on her arm. “Stop blaming yourself.”

  “I should have made her go into a clinic or had her committed. Anything.”

  “Jade, you know what Fred told you. That’s a last resort,” Shaena said.

  She was right of course. Jade had spoken in confidence to a friend who worked in the field of substance use disorders. He had encouraged her to get Lanessa in for evaluation. Only if she was considered an immediate danger to herself and others could she be committed by the coroner’s office.

  “I know. She wasn’t threatening to kill herself or anybody else— so we just had to let her self-destruct.” Jade began to cry softly.

  They drove in silence for another ten minutes. The parking lot at Riverwest Hospital flashed with the red lights of an ambulance. Both of them jumped from the car the moment Shaena cut the engine. Jade raced ahead of her to search for her parents. Her father met her just beyond the automatic doors and gathered her into his arms.

  “What did they say?” Jade’s heart pounded like a drum. All surrounding sounds became muffled as she waited for her father’s answer.

  “She’ll live, but she’s going to have a long recovery. The air bag saved her since she wasn’t wearing a seat belt. She was tossed into the back seat s while the car was still rolling.” Alton took in a long breath. “But she’s doing to make it. Thank God.” He held Jade to him in a tight embrace.

  Jade welcomed the reassuring warmth of being in her father’s arms for several minutes. Then they went through the emergency room to where Lanessa was being treated. Two nurses, a blonde and a redhead, emerged from the small room. The door closed behind them with a soft whoosh sound.

  “Only immediate family, two at a time.” The short, plump blonde spoke in a calm voice.

  “This is my other daughter,” Alton explained. “I’ll wait out here, baby.” He kissed the top of Jade’s head.

  “I’m Lisa. You holler if you need me. I’m gonna be right down there.” There was compassion in her blue eyes. She gave Jade’s shoulder a pat before she bustled off.

  Jade was afraid of what she’d see. She took a few seconds to steel herself before going in. Her mother sat next to the bed, holding one of Lanessa’s hands. Jade forced herself to look at her sister. Bruises covered her face. A tube was in her nose and an IV tube snaked down to the needle stuck in the back of her left hand. A cast was on her right leg from the thigh down.

  “My baby’s going to be fine,” Clarice said. “Lanessa has been asking for you.” Clarice got up and put an arm around Jade’s shoulders. The effort was too much. She sagged against Jade and began to sob.

  “Mama,” Jade sobbed with her. Then she pushed Clarice back. “Look at us. She’s going to wake up and get upset if we don’t get it together.”

  After a few more moments of sharing tears, they broke apart. “You’re right.” Clarice dabbed at her eyes. “Lanessa will be back to her old self, just like before, in no time.”

  Jade gazed at her sister. She thought of what Fred had told her about a crisis being the best opportunity for change. Pretending the only problem was recovering from her injuries seemed wrong. “Mama, we don’t want Lanessa back to being just like she was before.”

  “What do you mean?” Clarice looked up at her sharply. “Of course we do.” She bit off another remark when the redheaded nurse came back into the room.

  “Let’s step outside for a minute. All three of us need to talk.” Jade led her outside.

  The nurses showed them to the waiting area for families. A separate section with a television was empty. Jade turned down the sound of it.

  “Jade, what is this about?” Clarice asked soon after they were seated.

  “Mama, Daddy...Lanessa has a substance use disorder. Okay, that’s a fancy way of saying she’s an addicted— alcohol for sure and maybe even drugs. Alex—”

  “It’s a lie!” Clarice cut her off.

  “No, Mama. Lanessa has been having problems at work, and she’s deep in debt. Alex tried to tell me, but I was in denial.”

  “Alex? Why in the world would you listen to him? He’s angry that Lanessa broke up with him.” Clarice shook her head with vigor. “Lanessa is not a drug addict or an alcoholic.”

  Alton placed a hand over his wife’s. “Clarice, we’ve got to face the truth. The police have ordered a blood test to see if alcohol was a factor. But she smelled of whiskey when they brought her in. And that’s not the worst of it.”

  “Oh, no. Someone else was hurt in the crash?” Jade felt a dread that Lanessa had not only hurt herself, but someone else. And Jade felt the burden of responsibility, too.

  “Not in the crash.” Alton gripped Clarice’s hand tighter. “Lanessa was in a bar and she attacked a man. He’s in here, too, getting his scalp stitched up. Apparently...” He glanced at his wife’s stricken expression.

  “Daddy, go on. We need to face the whole truth now,” Jade prompted him.

  “She was drinking heavily with this man, and they ended up in an upstairs room of the bar. They got into a struggle.” Alton looked down. “I think maybe he was too rough, and Lanessa fought back.”

  “You can’t mean he was going to— No, no.” Clarice’s expression hardened. “Not Lanessa. End up with some bum in the upstairs room of a bar like a prostitute? It’s all lies—” Her voice broke. She looked at her husband, her eyes desperate for some sign he agreed.

  “No, baby. It’s true. Lanessa’s hit bottom. She could be charged with aggravated assault and driving while intoxicated.” Alton swallowed hard. He wrapped his sobbing wife in his arms and rocked her gently

  Jade looked up through the glass enclosure to see Lisa approaching. She opened the door.

  “You Jade?” She smiled.

  “Yes.” Jade stood.

  “You sister’s askin’ for you, sugar. Come on.” Lisa gestured to her.

  Jade entered the room to find Lanessa awake. “Hi, Nessa,” she said in a soft voice.

  “Hey. I’m glad to see you. Hell, I’m glad to see,” Lanessa said with a pained smile that lasted only a moment. Her voice was raspy and low. “I sure messed up this time, didn’t I?”

  “Nessa...” Jade’s voice failed her. She caressed Lanessa’s face with care not to hurt her. “I’m sorry for not being there for you.”

  “Like you put the drink in my hand? Forget it.” Lanessa gazed at her. “This isn’t your fault, Jade.”

  “But I’ve been so busy being a jealous baby sister that—”

  “Shut up,” Lanessa broke in. “We competed for the prize of most stupid sister, and I win hands down. So don’t dare try to horn in on my moment of glory. You know how I hate that.” She reached with effort to take Jade’s hand.

  Jade gave her a gentle kiss. “I love you, sister.”

  “Me, too, Jade-girl. Now how bad is it?” Lanessa’s expression showed fear, but als
o resolution to face the damage she’d caused.

  “You could be charged with drunk driving.”

  Lanessa’s bottom lip trembled. “Did I... was anybody else hurt when I wrecked my car?”

  “No, no other cars were involved.” Jade shook her head.

  “Thank you, Lord. I owe you one.” Lanessa let out a sigh of relief. A tear slid down one cheek.

  “But they say you attacked some guy.” Jade still found this to be the biggest shock of the night. “You’ve never even swatted a fly in your life.”

  “Wha...?” Lanessa wore a perplexed frown. “Wait a minute. Things are kinda fuzzy.” She tried to sit up. “Oh, now I remember.”

  “Take it easy.” Jade put a hand on her shoulder. “No sudden moves.”

  “That bastard. I gave him a crack on the head. I’d do it again, too.” Lanessa showed a spark of defiance.

  “That kind of talk won’t help in court. You might be charged with assault.” Jade wondered how they would get through the next few weeks. Shaena could help them find an attorney.

  “Then I’ll face it. Being a drunk is no license for rape.” Lanessa went limp against the pillow. “Well, I finally said it out loud, Jade-girl.”

  “We’re going to be with you all the way.” Jade felt hopeful about Lanessa’s future for the first time that night.

  “Oh, no—Mama and Daddy.” Lanessa closed her eyes. Tears flowed down her cheeks. “They must be so ashamed.”

  Jade wiped away her tears tenderly. “No, Nessa. They feel only love and joy that you’re going to be all right. And you will be. More than all right. Better.”

  “I don’t care how much it hurts, give me a hug,” Lanessa whispered.

  Jade still had both arms around her in a loose embrace when their parents came in. The blonde nurse stuck her head inside, and after seeing the family together, gave the thumbs-up that it was okay.

  Later Jade went home tired and scared. Her whole life like an earthquake. The ground seemed to shake and crack beneath her feet. There was nothing solid she could hold on to these days. Tears flowed down her face as she cried silently. How she needed arms around her now. Damon’s arms. But that wouldn’t, couldn’t happen. The career she cherished seemed in jeopardy, her sister was almost killed because she lacked the courage to act... and then there was Damon. She’d pushed him right back to his ex-wife. For the rest of the night, she stared at the television screen without seeing the succession of salespeople on a twenty-four hour shopping channel.

  * * *

  “Jade, you handled this process. I think you’ll need to be at the hearing with me.” Bill handed her a stack of vinyl folders with labels on them.

  “Sure.” Jade gazed at him in speculation. “I’ll take it with me when I leave early today.”

  “Oh, that’s right. Sorry to hear about your sister.” Bill spoke in a monotone, his response an automatic courtesy manner. “Look over the section on Magnolia Hospital, too.”

  “I’ll pull the file.” Jade left him staring at the mounds of paperwork on his desk.

  For the last two days, she’d noticed a difference in him: a coolness, a distance that had not been there before. And she kept getting instructions to pull all correspondence dealing with the hospital certificates. Bill no longer had a casual, confident attitude about the legislator’s questions. Now that three articles had been published in the Morning Advocate, his good humor regarding the accusations was gone. But what was up between them?

  “Hey, Jade. How’s it going?” Shaena came into her office with a breezy smile.

  “Fine, I guess.” Jade glanced back at Bill’s office.

  “Lanessa’s doing better every day. That’s great.” Shaena spoke loudly. She looked around her.

  “Yeah, she’s doing great.” Jade wondered what she was doing.

  Aline, Bill’s secretary, stuck her head in the door. “I’ve got all the files from out here, but where’s the one on Health Tech?”

  “Oh, I think the original contracts with signatures are in those big cabinets against the wall, Aline.” Jade pointed to the section used for storing documents.

  “Thanks, I’ll see you later.” Aline’s voice faded as she walked off.

  Shaena closed the door after checking the hallway once more. “Have you seen this?” She pulled a cut out section of newspaper from her pocket. “I happened to pick up today’s Times-Picayune down at the City Newsstand.”

  Jade scanned the article: TOP DHH OFFICIAL USES CON¬NECTIONS. A chill crept up her spine as she read on. “Bill Lang has gone on cruises aboard the luxury yacht of hospital magnate Theodore Kingsley. Shaena, this says they’ve been meeting for the last six years!”

  “Uh-huh. He’s been laying the groundwork for quite a while.” Shaena plopped down in the chair across from Jade.

  “This is unbelievable. It—”

  “Stinks to high heaven. Bill was contacted and quoted as saying those trips were as a friend to Kingsley’s family.” Shaena pointed to a section in the long article that Jade had not read yet. “And he ‘delegated certain decision-making authority to his subordinates who he is confident acted within established policy. But of course, some errors could have occurred,’ end of quote.”

  Now she understood the cool behavior. Jade read between the lines. “He’s setting me up to take the fall.”

  Bill Lang was signaling to outward observers that perhaps he had lost confidence in her since probing had uncovered indications of wrongdoing. The rumor mill in state government operated with the efficiency of a well-honed high-tech communications system. A subtle change in their working relationship was bound to be duly noted and reported up the line, even to certain legislators. Like many who had risen through the ranks, Bill understood the game and played it with great skill. Jade knew the game, but could she compete with Bill Lang and hope to win?

  “What are we going to do?” Shaena sat forward and spoke in a quiet voice.

  “We? Listen, you stay away from me through all this.”

  Shaena tossed her long braids. “No way. Some friend I’d be to slink off and let you go down. Hey, mess with my friend, you mess with me.”

  “Don’t be crazy, girl. Things can get real dirty.” Jade remembered how her former boss had suffered. Even longtime friends who’d come to her defense had been vilified in the press. Their personal and private lives splashed across headlines read all over the state.

  “There’s talk about charging someone. We’re wasting time, Jade. I’m in.” Shaena’s pretty brown face was set in a stubborn expression. “Now let’s think what our next move is going to be.”

  For well over an hour they talked. Finally Shaena suggested they start by going over every major decision that had come out of their section since Bill came on board.

  “Yeah, we can probably see which way this is headed. I mean, we know the general direction this reporter is taking. Psychiatric and nursing home beds. That’s what we’ll really look at.” Shaena paced the floor like a lawyer preparing for a big case. She seemed excited.

  Jade rubbed her forehead with a sigh. “Like my great-aunt Gloria used to say: ‘If it ain’t one thing, it’s two.’” A name on the small print of the article caught her eye. A sharp pain pierced her chest. “Damon Knight, well-known businessman, denies that his family ties to members of the legislative black caucus influenced funding of programs at the Gracie Center,” she read aloud.

  There is was again, an empty feeling whenever she thought of Damon. Through all the nights of sitting with Lanessa, Jade could not help thinking of him—a fact that made her feel like a fool even more. With all the turbulence in her life, the last thing she needed was to waste emotion on a man who could leave her without a backward glance. Damon Knight. He was a creature of the old-money, old-family, black upper-class after all—a world Rachelle belonged to without question. Rachelle was the only kind of woman men from his world would consider marrying. Yet heated dreams of being in his arms, of his voice whispering words of love, would not
go away. More nights than she cared to remember in the last three weeks had been filled with restless sleep. Jade raked fingers through her thick shoulder-length hair. She had to get him out of her mind. And out of your heart, too. A voice, her voice, sounded clear as a bell inside her head.

  “Jade, you should call him.” Shaena, her female soul mate, could read her like a book. “I think maybe you jumped to conclusions.”

  “No, I’ve thought about it a lot. They behaved like a couple, Shaena. Nick says they’ve been together quite a bit.” Jade felt the sting of tears. Stupid to cry for a man who was so shallow. She blinked them away.

  “Nick? What does he know about it?” Shaena raised an eyebrow.

  Jade closed her eyes and had a vision of Damon holding Rachelle in his arms, passionately kissing her. She had to stop torturing herself. “You know he travels in the same circles. He knew her in college, I think he said.”

  Shaena rubbed her chin. “That a fact? And you were having lunch with Nick the day you saw them together.”

  “Yes.” Jade opened her eyes back on the real world. She did not need any more reminders of that day. She picked up a stack of binders. “Nick is such a pain—like all men. He’s so trans-parent now.”

  “Umm, Nick likes pulling tricks.” Shaena opened her mouth to say something more.

  “I’m embarrassed I couldn’t see through him years ago. Oh, well, the folly of youth.”