“I’m just so happy she’s pulling through.” Lucy held out the purse. “This is your mom’s. Her keys are in here, her wallet and cell phone, too— Oh, and there’s a small brown bag with her rings.”
A nurse appeared. “Mrs. Caudell?”
Shoshona nodded, then asked Lucy, “My suitcase...?”
“We’ll look after it,” Lucy promised.
“And the purse, too, for now?”
“Of course.”
The nurse led Viv’s daughter to the long hallway that led into the business end of the CICU.
Lucy took the suitcase and purse back to her chair. She slid them both under the corner table topped with a small artificial Christmas tree. With a long sigh, she sank down beside Dami. He took her hand and folded her fingers over a fresh tissue.
“So much for spending the day in bed, huh?” She sagged against him and he gathered her in, cradling her in the shelter of his arm, guiding her head down to rest on his shoulder. Again she felt thankful to have him beside her. The awful day would have been ten times worse without the constant comfort of his presence, of his strong arms to hold her when her energy flagged.
“There will be other days,” he reminded her softly.
His words warmed her—for a minute. And then she couldn’t help thinking that the other days they had together weren’t nearly enough.
Tomorrow and the next day, he had meetings. Maybe on Wednesday, which was their last day, they could laze around in bed.
One day for lazing. Uh-uh. No way was it enough.
Yes, Viv was going to make it and she was so grateful.
But why did their Christmas love affair have to fly by so fast?
* * *
Two hours later Marleah arrived. Though she was smaller and slimmer than her older sister, anybody could tell the two were related.
Lucy and Dami stayed in their chairs as the sisters shared a private moment. And then Marleah dried her eyes and went in to be with their mom for a while.
When she came back out, Shoshona introduced her to Lucy and Dami.
Marleah recognized him. “Mama’s had a heart attack and the Prince of Montedoro is hanging around the waiting room to make sure she’s going to be all right.”
They all laughed at that, tired laughter. It had been a hard day and it wasn’t over yet.
Then Shoshona said to Lucy, “You two go on now. You’ve been here all day. It’s way more than enough.”
Dami called for the car and then Lucy asked if maybe one of the two sisters wanted to go back to Viv’s place with them. The sisters agreed that Marleah would go. She could take their suitcases, rest for a while and then return to give Shoshona a break.
The drive was a quiet one overall. Marleah seemed deep in thought.
But then, as they approached the apartment building, Marleah shook her head. “This is it,” she said with certainty. “Mama can’t be living on her own anymore. Denver or Chicago. The day has come when she will have to decide.”
Lucy reached over and took Marleah’s hand. Marleah didn’t object—in fact, she held on tight. “Don’t worry about it now,” Lucy said softly.
“You’re right.” Marleah swallowed hard. “But the time has come, oh, yes, it has.”
* * *
They helped Marleah carry the suitcases up to Viv’s place. Quentin put them inside for her.
Lucy hugged her at the door. “I’ll be back at the hospital in the morning. Call me if there’s anything I can do before then.”
“I will,” Marleah promised. “You get some rest. Tomorrow, then.” She and Dami shared a nod and she went in. Lucy heard her engage the locks.
When she turned back to Dami, he said, “Tired?”
“A little.” She went to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. “Life’s too scary sometimes.”
He stroked her hair. “Your friend will be all right.”
She looked up into his waiting eyes. “Yes. I believe that. I know she will.”
He kissed her, a light, sweet kiss. “Pack whatever you need for the night. And we’re taking the cat up to my place.”
“Good idea.” She intended to spend every second she could with him, and the time was flying by way too fast. She didn’t want to keep running downstairs to fill Boris’s food bowl and give him a hug. The cat could use the company, anyway.
So they collected Boris and all the necessary cat-care equipment and Lucy packed an overnight bag.
They stayed in that night. Dami cooked chicken cacciatore and Lucy had a large glass of wine. He took her to bed early and they made slow, tender love. She woke in the morning to the sound of Boris purring softly from down at the foot of the bed.
Dami came out of the bathroom looking sigh worthy, wearing nothing but a big white Turkish towel. “I’ve got a breakfast meeting at nine. I’m hoping to be finished by noon, but it could go later. I’ll call and let you know.”
She wanted to whine at him, to remind him that they had so little time left and he should get those meetings over with and get back to her fast.
But she caught herself. She had him with her only because of those meetings and whining never did anyone any good. She threw back the covers and went to kiss him good-morning.
He and Quentin were gone by a little after eight. She went down to her place to shower and change, stopping to knock on Viv’s door on the way out. No answer. The sisters were probably both at the hospital.
She ran into Marie, the super’s wife, on the elevator.
“I’m so sorry to hear about Viviana Nichols,” Marie said. “I talked to one of her daughters yesterday evening. They say she should pull through all right. I wonder if she’ll be moving to be closer to her family. It seems likely, doesn’t it, at her age? That’s such a nice apartment....”
“I have no idea what Viv’s plans are.” Lucy gave her a bland smile.
“How’s the prince? I didn’t realize you two were so...close.” The elevator reached the first floor. Lucy got off, Marie right behind.
“Fine,” Lucy said. “His Highness is doing fine. And yes, we are close. He’s a friend of the family.”
“But is that all?” Marie wanted to know.
“He’s been very kind to me.” Lucy headed for the door and couldn’t resist adding sweetly under her breath, “Last night, he took off all my clothes and was kind to every inch of me.”
“What was that, dear?” called Marie.
Lucy gave her a wave and called back, “Merry Christmas, Marie,” as she went out the door.
* * *
At the hospital, she sat with Marleah and Shoshona. The sisters reported that Viv was holding her own and would be in CICU for another few days at least. After that, if all went well, she would be out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room. If she continued to improve, they hoped that by the weekend she could go home.
The nurses let Lucy go in and visit with Viv briefly.
Viv was awake but still very weak. She whispered in a ragged little voice, “Hello, sweet girl.”
Lucy’s heart lifted at the words. She pulled