Derian glanced across Henrietta’s still form
and met her eyes. “I’ve got Emily here with me. I snuck her in. I told them she
was my sister.” Derian laughed, her gaze still on Emily. “So not true.”
Emily flushed at the languorous drop in
Derian’s voice. Why did everything Derian Winfield said sound as if she was
being touched by the words? She glanced down at Henrietta and finally reached
over to touch her arm beneath the edge of the white and blue striped gown.
Relief flooded through her, rinsing the taste of fear from her mouth.
Henrietta’s skin was supple and warm, alive. “Hi, Henrietta. You’re going to be
all right—no exaggeration. The doctors are on top of everything. All you need
to do is rest and…”
Henrietta’s lids fluttered and Emily caught
her breath. She glanced at Derian, who was staring at Henrietta with such
intensity Emily almost believed Derian was willing Henrietta to wake up.
“Nothing wrong…with my brain,” Henrietta
whispered, lids fluttering open. Her pupils were pinpoint, her gaze unfocused.
Furrows creased her brow. “Fuzzy.”
“That’s because they doped you up.” Derian
brushed a strand of loose hair away from Henrietta’s eyes. Her fingers
trembled. “They probably didn’t want you bossing everyone around.”
“Ha,” Henrietta muttered feebly.
“What…happened?”
“You had a bit of a spell,” Derian said, “but
it’s all fixable. Nothing to worry about just now.”
“Don’t…snow me.”
Derian grinned. “Heart. Not too bad, but
you’re gonna need some engine work.”
Henrietta’s lids fluttered close.
“You…decide…”
“You got it.”
Emily started. She hadn’t thought about
Henrietta’s next of kin. She suddenly hoped with all her being that it wasn’t
Martin Winfield.
“All out,” Henrietta said with surprising
strength.
“No problem.” Derian’s voice was gentle but
her expression was fierce. “I know all about mechanics. I’ll make sure you’ve
got another hundred thousand miles under the chassis.”
Henrietta’s mouth twitched into a smile.
After a long moment, she whispered, “Take care of…the rest…two of you.”
Derian’s eyebrows rose, and she glanced at
Emily. “Don’t worry. We’ll have it all covered.”
Emily wasn’t sure what Henrietta intended by
that, but nothing mattered now except Henrietta getting well. She wasn’t sure
she could bear too many more days or nights in the hospital. She’d do anything
for Henrietta, except stand vigil while she slipped away. She squeezed
Henrietta’s arm. “It’s going to be all right. Derian will see to it. I love
you.” She backed up, avoiding Derian’s gaze. “I’ll…be outside.”