The last secret_ a novel - Mary McGarry Morris [86]
“Dehydration,” Emily says, almost bitterly, as if this might somehow be his fault. “The hospital wants to keep her another day, poor baby.”
“Oh, no!” Chloe says, her concern reminding Nora that Chloe is Lyra's godmother.
“They've all had the flu, but it took its toll on the little one.” Emily's glance shoots to Ken. “The way things do.” The lines deepen around her red lips.
“Poor thing,” Chloe says with an empathetic pout that the older woman looks away from. “I hope she feels better.”
“Yes,” Nora says. “That's so …” For a moment, her thoughts blur guiltily. In just a few months she has forgotten so much about the pretty child they were all so fond of “So young to be in the hospital.”
“It certainly is,” Emily declares.
“I'm sure she'll be fine,” Ken assures the child's grandmother who can no longer hide her disgust.
“You think so?” she hisses, clutching her grandson's class schedule against her chest. “Do you?”
With the loudspeaker's announcement, Mrs. Shawcross turns, hurries toward the stairs. I loved her, Nora thinks. And loved Robin, too. I did.
“Tell her I said hi,” Chloe calls weakly.
With that, the pain he has caused registers on Ken's face. Nora knows what he's thinking, first his son's longest friendship, and now, even this ruined, his daughter's relationship with her godchild. The christening party, typical of Robin's gatherings. More people than her house could hold so there was an enormous white tent in the backyard. Catered by Molo's, with a three-piece band and one hundred pink balloons, the party had been great fun but a bewildering extravagance. Bob had been out of work through much of Robin's difficult pregnancy, the last three weeks of which she had spent in bed. Their finances had become so strained that Bob's retired parents had even lent them money. But Nora couldn't help admiring Robin's determination that Lyra's birth be a celebration of beauty and joy. It had been a true epiphany, Robin confided once. Just when her life with Bob had gotten as hopeless as a marriage gets, she had turned to God. Send me a sign, she said she pleaded in every prayer. Show me the way. And then Lyra was conceived. Her new beginning. Pregnant, and embarking on her affair.
“How many more classes?” Ken asks, loosening his tie, on their way into Chloe's physics lab. The room is cold, but sweat runs down his face. Almost panting, he seems short of breath.
“Two more after this.” She asks if he's all right.
He nods stiffly as he sits down. His lips are gray.
“You don't look good. Maybe you should go home.”
“I'm okay,” he whispers across the aisle.
The teacher, young and frazzled, rushes into the room with an armload of notebooks and loose papers. Apologizing for being late, he begins scribbling formulas on the board. This is what his students are learning now.
“I need some water,” Ken whispers. “I'll be right back.”
Nora watches him gesture weakly to the teacher on his way out the door. For the first time, she pities him. Now he knows, she thinks with a quick wave at Deb Brioni who cranes her neck, trying to see back from the front row. Nora smiles, letting her know, We're going to be fine. We'll get through this.
The frantic cartoon voices grind away at Eddie's nerves. The hospital television is mounted overhead. He slouches in the corner, watching, waiting for the little bitch's eyes to close. A moment ago when he reached for the remote on the bed her cunning eyes shot open. Robin is down at the hospitality shop buying another frozen yogurt. The kid rarely eats a meal, lives on sweets and snacks. Robin has slept here the last two nights. In order to see her he must sit here hour after hour kowtowing to this brat. She enjoys her power, especially over him. A whimper and her mother comes running. Down the hall a child is screaming. It feels like a knife cutting through him. He gets up and closes the door. His unappreciated purple Mylar