Page 62 of Marcel

“I want to seeher before they-” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Beforethey take her away.”

“Let me callthem back, and we will go.” Sliding off the desk, he went toget her jacket and was helping her into it when his dad and Matthewcame hurrying in.

“We justheard.” James moved forward and pulled her in for a hug. “Weare here for you.”

Nikki endured anotherhug and more words of encouragement from Matthew.

“We have togo.” Taking her hand, Marcel drew her against him.

“I don’texpect to see either of you back here for the rest of the day.”

“I intend totake care of her.”

“Thanks,”Nikki whispered.

“Cancel hermeetings for the remainder of the day,” He instructed Maggie,who stood there wringing her hands and trying not to cry.

“Yes, sir.”

She was silent in thenursing home, and he allowed her solitude while glancing at her nowand then as he navigated traffic. Her head was turned away from him,and he wished she would cry.

Reaching out a hand,he took her hand, twining his fingers through hers. She did not turnher head, but she acknowledged his effort to comfort her bytightening her fingers on his.

Turning into thenursing home's vast parking lot, he stopped, switched off the engine,and turned to face her.

“They arewaiting for us, darling.” He said gently.

“I can’tgo in there. If I do, it is going to be real. She cannot be dead,Marcel. I was praying that she would somehow recover her senses andstart to come out of that place she locked herself in, and we wouldtalk.” her hand gripped his eyes bright with unshed tears.

“I would beable to introduce you to her, and she would love you and tell me howproud she is of me. That I would have children whom she would spoil-I can’t go in there.”

“Do you believethat I am here for you?” He asked her softly.

“Yes.”

“And do youbelieve that you are not alone? I am here, darling. You don’thave to be strong. I will be whatever you want me to be. Okay?”

The administrator metthem in the lobby, a soothing expression on her lined face. “Mrs.Hadley - Nikki, I am so sorry for your loss.”

Nikki nodded. “Thankyou for accommodating us.”

“Of course.The body - your mother is still in her room.”

Tightening her gripon her husband’s hand, she followed the woman through thewinding passageway and veered left to the familiar room where she hadspent so much time talking to her mother and praying that she wouldbe recognized the next time she was here.

“Could youleave us alone for a few minutes?” Marcel’s deep voicebrooked no argument, and with a nod, she left the room and closed thedoor behind her.

“She looks likeshe is sleeping.” She still clutched her husband’s handlike a desperately needed lifeline.

“She lookspeaceful.”

“She is withDaddy now.” She started to move forward when her knees buckled.

“Easy,darling.” He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around herwaist to keep her steady. “I am here, remember?”

She nodded and,taking a deep, fortifying breath, let him lead her to the edge of thebed. “She hated her name. Norma. So, she used her middle name,Rachel.” Her hand was gripping his.

“She said thename made her feel like she was born in the seventeenth century.Daddy used to call her Norma to nettle her, and she would ignorehim.” Reaching out a free hand, she touched the now cold cheek.“But she never looked old; I used to wonder about that.”

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