Trusting Jack (31 page)

             
“Emma, I’m dreadfully sorry.  This is all my fault.”

             
She was shaking her head.  “Not yours.  His.”

             
“See, I told you she’d agree with the rest of us,” Janet said with a smile.  “And when you’ve finished convalescing,” she told Emma, “I’m whisking you off to my favorite spa.  We’ll make a day of it, you and I.”

             
“Sounds great.  Pretty flowers.”

             
“I hope you like them,” Alison replied with a

grin.  “There’s so many arrangements downstairs we could open our own shop.  Jacob and the baby send their love.”

              “Here’s one more.”  Thomas came into the room with a single red rose.  He laid it next to Emma and bowed.  “For you, my lady.”  Emma inclined her head and offered her hand for a kiss.  Grinning, he obliged. 

             
“Thank you…all, so much.”  It didn’t hurt quite as bad to whisper today so she continued.  “When…back to work?  Behind.”

             
“Tuesday,” Thomas told her.  “We’ll be behind a bit, but that’s not for you to worry over.  We’ll get it done, even with Jack’s broken fingers.”

             
“Broken?”

             
“Did no one tell her?” he asked, and then shrugged.  “He pulled Marcus off you and began whaling on him,” he replied cheerfully.

             
“Oh.”  She didn’t remember any of that. 

             
“His arraignment is set for tomorrow,” Roger told them.  “I’m going to see to it he doesn’t make bail.”

             
“Am I…going to be there?”

             
“No, not for the arraignment,” Norah said.  “At the trial, yes, to testify.  But not for this.”

             
“We just wanted to check on you, dear,” Janet told her.  She could see how tired Emma was.  “We’ll go for now, and come back later.”  After another round of hugs and kisses, they walked out, Alison trailing in their wake.

James walked in just after.  “Hello, darling.  I’ve brought you a present.”  He whipped a popsicle from behind his back.  “It’s grape.”

“Yay.”  She took it eagerly and put in in her

mouth.

“I’ll take you out for a grand meal when you’re up to it,” he told her with a rakish grin.  “I know about your current diet; I dare say you’re ready for a good one.”

“Yes.” 

“And just look at all the lovely flowers.  You’re doing a bang up job of getting attention,” he teased.

“I’m a drama queen.”

James laughed, but knew how exhausted she was.  He leaned down, kissed her cheek.  “I can’t stay, darling.  I just wanted to drop in, see how you were.  I promise to be back in a day or so, when you’re feeling better.”

Emma nodded.  “Thank you.”

She slept again.  She woke up to find Chris sitting by her on the bed, studying her face.

“Bruises are beginning to fade.”

“Ugly.”             

“Well, yes, but you always have been,” he replied with a straight face.  She stuck out her tongue and raised her middle finger.  “Tsk, tsk.  That’s not nice.  You scared me, Emma,” he said seriously.  “You really did.”

“I was scared, too.  Thought…I was gonna die.”

“You came close,” he admitted.  “I lost ten years of my life on the plane, worried that Norah wasn’t telling me the whole truth.”

Gave you gray hairs,” she said and pointed.

“Bite your tongue, you hussy.”

“Not nice.”

He grinned.  “There’s that smart mouth.  Yep,

you’re recovering.  I don’t want to Emma, but I need to

leave in a day or two.”

“I know.  Luke.  And work.”

“Luke wanted to come, but he’s interning.  I didn’t want him to fall behind.  And we’re about to begin casting for the play.”

She raised her brows.  “Love?”

He shrugged, smiled a little.  “It’s possible.  He’s great, Emma, I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

“Soon.”

“As soon as you’re state side again.”

“Miss you.”

“And I’ll miss you.  It looks like you’ll have plenty of people to look after you.  Jack would sleep on the floor in here if we’d let him.”  Emma smiled a little, so he pressed, “Have you talked to him?”

“Tried.  Then everyone came in.”

“Sorry.  I want you to work it out, if he still makes you happy.”

“He does.  We will.  Love him.”

Chris sat with her until she drifted off, then he quietly closed the door behind him.

Chapter 41

             
Tuesday came, much to Emma’s relief.  She loved Norah, but she hated being hovered over.  Norah was a hoverer.

             
“Now, you’re sure you don’t want more medicine?  You only took half a pill.”

             
“I’m sure,” Emma rasped.  Her vocal cords were healing; she could finally manage more than a whisper.  “I’m tired of sleeping all the time.”

             
“Still, if you’re hurting…”

             
“I’m not, not more than I can handle.  If it gets too bad, I’ll take more,” she promised.

             
“Well, OK.”  She finished buttoning one of the shirts Chris had left behind for Emma to wear and they walked downstairs.  She’d made a little nest on the couch, with pillows and blankets.

             
She settled Emma down, put the TV remote and her cell phone in easy reach.  “Call if you need anything.  James will swing by at lunch.”

             
“Jesus.”

             
“No, James.”  At Emma’s beady stare, Norah cleared her throat.  “We’ll all feel better if he does.”

             
“I’ll be fine by myself,” she groused.

             
“I know, but we still want James to come by.  He’s bringing you food,” Norah coaxed. 

             
“Real food?”

             
“Mmm.  Well, soft food,” she amended.  “The doctor said you could have soft food when he switched you from liquid to pills.  I really wish you’d leave the sling on.”

             
“I want a hamburger.”

             
“Soon.  The doctor said another two days before you try.  He wants to see you in his office first.”

             
“Fine.  Whatever.”

             
“You’re grumpy.  Want a book?”

             
“No.”

             
“Oh, well.  I guess this,” Norah produced a book about Anne Boleyn, “can just wait till later.”

             
Emma’s eyes lit.  “Gimmie.”

             
Norah laughed and handed her the book.  “You’re welcome.  The car’s here; I’ll check on you later.  Be nice to James.”

             
“I will.  Thanks for the book.”

***

              She was a quarter of the way through the book when James knocked on the door and stuck his head in.  “And how is my lovely Emma today?”

             
“Not so lovely.”  She gestured to her face.  “I could scare small children.”

             
He sat beside her, looked closely.  “No,” he decided, “only puppies would run in fear if they saw you.”

             
“Sweet talker.”

             
He grinned.  “I’ve brought mac and cheese.  Nobody makes it like my mum.  Want me to warm you up a plate?”  When he heard her stomach rumble, he nodded.  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

             
He brought it to her on a TV tray and handed her a fork. 

“Thank you for not trying to feed me,” she told him.  “Norah and Jack see to think I’m completely helpless.  And if it’s not them it’s Alison or Roger.”  She chewed a small bite, swallowed.  It hurt, but it was food.  She could have wept in pleasure.  “Yum.”

              “I know.”  He ate some of his own.  “They’re

just worried about you.  The better you get, the less

they’ll worry.  I’ve brought you pie, as well.”

             
Emma slanted a look at him.  “Pie?”

             
“Cherry.”

             
“You’re my new favorite person.”

             
“If I’d have known pie was the way to your heart, I’d have shoveled it down your throat in the beginning.”

             
Emma laughed, then sucked in her breath.  “Oooo…that hurts.”  She rubbed her ribs.

             
“I’m sorry,” he said, instantly contrite.  “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

             
“Silly.  You didn’t.  But maybe I won’t belly laugh for a while.”

             
“I’ll fetch your medicine.”

             
She started to object, but she had to admit the earlier dose had worn off.  She dutifully swallowed the pill he handed her.  After eating a slice of the gloriously delicious pie, Emma let James cover her with a blanket.

             
“Glad you came.  Come back anytime.  And bring more pie.”

             
James smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead.  “Will do.  See you later.”

             
Emma sent a text to Norah, and one to Jack, saying she was fine, James had gone, and she was taking a nap.  She slept like a stone for eight hours.

***

              “There’s my girl, finally awake.”  Emma blinked sleepily at Jack when he leaned down and gave her cheek a quick, gentle kiss.  “We’re discussing our dinner options.”

             
“Hamburger?”

             
“Not today.”  When her face fell, he laughed.  “Two more days, love.  How about scrambled eggs instead?”

             
Emma pouted but said, “OK.”

             
Norah drifted to the kitchen to cook.  When it was ready, she brought Jack two plates before taking hers to her chair.

             
“I can feed myself,” Emma told them.

             
“Are you sure?” Norah asked.  “You only took the sling off yesterday.”

             
“I have two hands, Norah,” she replied testily.  “I’ll eat with the good one.”

             
“I’m just trying to help.”

             
“I know, and I really appreciate it.  But I’m not an invalid.  I was broken a little, but I’m getting better.  Will y’all please,
please
stop hovering over me?”

             
Norah nodded.  “I’ll try,” she promised.  “I’ll get the TV tray for you and bring you another pill.”

             
“No, no more medicine,” Emma said firmly.

             
“But, Emma, if you hurt,” Jack began.  He trailed off when she held up a hand.

             
“If, only if, it gets really bad then I’ll take some.  But I’m not going to pop a pill every couple of hours anymore.”

             
“OK.”  He took a bite of his own eggs—he wouldn’t eat what she called ‘real food’ in front of her—and asked, “Did you and James have a nice visit?”

             
“We did; he babysat me quite nicely, thank you.  And he brought me pie.”

             
“He wasn’t babysitting,” Jack protested.

             
“Yes, he was, but it’s OK.”  Emma smiled.  “How did it go today?”

             
Norah began by detailing Thomas’s frustration with the camera crew.

Chapter 42

             
“I’m going upstairs,” Emma said when they were finished eating.

             
“I’ll come with you, just to make sure you make it all the way up.”  Jack stood with her. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to read over some lines,” Norah told her.  “If you need anything, just call for me.”

              “I will.”  Emma started up with Jack one step behind her.  She made it almost to the top before swaying.