Page 53 of Loving Lizzy

Kassie stepped into the shower as Lizzy began to protest, “You didn’t wear a swimsuit this time.”

She laughed. “I have extra scrubs in my go bag. No way I’m gonna let you do this alone.”

Water rained down on them as Kassie gently washed her hair and her body. She stepped out long enough to give Lizzy some privacy. A few minutes later she opened the door and shut the water off. She wrapped warm towels around Lizzy and bent to dry her. The bathroom filled with steam, yet she still shivered. It felt as if her body hurt everywhere. Lizzy slipped her arms through the clean pajama top Kassie held out. She pulled the vanity stool over for Lizzy to sit and buttoned her up. She leaned down and helped her into underwear and her bottoms before standing her back up.

When she finished, Kassie called for Michael. He promptly opened the door and lifted her into his arms. He headed toward her bed when she stopped him.

“Can I sit in the sunroom? I’m not ready to lie in bed,” she asked as she scanned his face. The tiny lines around his eyes seemed deeper than usual.

Michael carried her through the house while her friend, now dressed in dry scrubs, hastily grabbed blankets and a pillow. She laid her head on Michael’s shoulder; her hand scraped his unshaven jaw as they waited for Kassie to prep the recliner.

“You’re tired,” she whispered. “Why don’t you rest?”

His jaw pulsed at her suggestion, and he didn’t bother to respond.

“I’m tired and won’t go anywhere, I promise,” she told him.

His voice lowered and he turned toward her and whispered furiously, “I’m not leaving you.”

Surprised at the tone of his voice, she kept quiet.

“I’m going home and getting some sleep while Em’s at school. Victoria and Carol will come over if you need any help this afternoon. Do you still want to continue with your meeting?” Kassie placed a blanket over Lizzy and Chase appeared at the door with cups of coffee for them and tea for her and Kassie.

“I hope you don’t mind peppermint; Samantha recommended the blend.” Chase smiled at her as he handed her the drink.

“I’m sure I’ll love it. Thank you, I only remember bits and pieces, and I appreciate you coming during the storm.” She took a small sip of the warm fragrant beverage and waited to see if her stomach rebelled.

“Can I arrange the meeting for fourteen hundred?” Michael asked Kassie. Lizzy watched as they carried on a silent exchange. Why did he ask her friend about his meeting?

“I’m sure it can be rearranged. Carol will sit with Lizzy. Call if you need us.” She made her goodbyes and Chase wrapped his arm around her back as she led the way out. They always seemed to touch each other in some small way. Chase watched his wife as if she held his heart in the palm of her hands.

“Can I get you anything else?” Michael seemed almost distant as he sipped the coffee and sat in the chair beside her. He poured out two tablets from the medication bottle and handed them to her. “This will help with the nerve pain.”

“Maybe another cup of tea in a bit. I want to make sure my stomach settled before I try to eat anything,” she explained. Unable to put her finger on it, as her mind raced, trying to discover why he went from hot to cold.

“We have banana popsicles. Chase kept you medicated through the night, hopefully you won’t suffer another bout. Maybe start out with dry toast and applesauce.”

“I will.” She smiled at him to break the tension between them.

Michael didn’t smile back. “If you don’t need anything, I’ll go get dressed.”

She watched him leave the warm, sunny room and wondered why she still felt the cold.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Michael gave Carol a report on Lizzy before glancing back at his sleeping wife. Dr. Safder called and checked on her after lunch and he kept giving her nausea meds around the clock to avoid another night like the last one. Carol agreed with him and hurried him out the door.

A chill still permeated the air as if nature refused to make its mind up to turn from winter into spring. He rolled down his window letting the cold air hit him in the face as he went back over the events of the evening before.

The sound of the toilet flushing twice in a row woke him up. Now, accustomed to the house and Lizzy’s habits, she never got up in the middle of the night. He rolled over in bed and listened. When he didn’t hear any footsteps on the wooden floor, he crept out of bed and headed to her room. He slowly opened the door a crack to check if she’d climbed back into bed. When he noticed the sheet on the floor, he guessed what happened.

His heart jumped in his throat as she clung to the toilet bowl to stay upright. He rushed to the sink, wet a cloth, and filled her cup with water. Lizzy barely held her head up as she attempted to take the liquid to wash out her mouth. He steadied her hand and she spit it out. When he carried her to bed, she trembled in his arms as she silently cried. Once he settled her, he climbed into bed lending her his warmth. She drifted off as she warmed up. Michael laid his head next to hers, inhaling the vanilla scent of her shampoo and listening to her breathe in and out.

The moment her breathing eased, and her body relaxed, he knew she had fallen asleep. He nodded off, getting a bit of rest in case she experienced another episode.

Her voice woke him up. She sang sweetly in her sleep, and he listened as she dreamed of holding their son, Conner. The song, a silly nursery rhyme, he told her about that his mother sang to him. She cried and called out for him. Telling him of the sorrow at losing their son. She did everything right and couldn’t save him. Her brow wrinkled as she whispered the fear of finding out he was killed by his captives. He whispered into her ear, promising her he’d never leave her.

Then she said something and broke his heart. She ran because she doubted he could handle her breast cancer. He listened and shamefully pressed her for more details. She didn’t want him to see her and considered leaving him again. What did it take for him to break down the walls his wife had built? Years of foster homes and never staying anywhere for a long length of time played havoc on his wife’s self-esteem. To the outside world, she portrayed a woman of confidence, intelligence, and organization. For him, she sometimes let the wall down, and he saw the scared, hurt, woman within who craved to belong and be loved. If only she knew how much he loved her.

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