Read Online Danville Horror: A Pat Wyatt Novel (The Pat Wyatt Series Book 3) by Laura Del - Free Book Online Page B

wearin’—”
    “Tina,” I called out to her, “I’m right here.”
    She pushed back the curtain and put her hand over her heart while the nurse looked like she was going to cry. Tina could do that to a person, especially when she was angry. “Oh my God,” she screamed, her blonde hair falling into her brown eyes. She looked disheveled and very red in the face, as if she had run the whole way from New York.
    I waved to the nurse with my good hand. “It’s okay, she’s my cousin,” I lied, and the nurse nodded, going back to her work, as far away from Tina as possible.
    Pops laughed a little, but before he said anything, she went off. “Patty, thank God you’re okay. First, I went to your Dad’s house and then this weird guy answered the door, and he told me that you went to the hospital. Then we all get in my rental, Cindy and Andrew are here too, and Cindy showed me where to go. Finally, when we get here, I try to come back to see if you’re all right, and I get stopped by not one, but two nurses, telling me that I have to wait. What kinda bull—”
    “Tina,” I interrupted her, “breathe.”
    She had not inhaled since she walked into the room. In fact, her entire speech was said in one breath. At last, she took a deep breath and a little bit of the redness drained from her tanned face.
    “Better?” I asked when she looked calmer.
    She nodded. “Much,” she sighed and then noticed that my father was standing beside me. “Oh, hey there, Mr. Wyatt. How are you?”
    “Good, Christina,” he answered with a smile, “and yourself?”
    “A lot better if your daughter would keep herself outta trouble. I mean, really, Patty. You went outside alone with that vam—”
    “Pops,” I said over Tina, and she blanched, realizing what she’d almost let loose, “could you go get me something to drink? I’m really thirsty.”
    He smiled, giving me a wink. “Sure, baby girl. Would you like something, Christina?”
    She nodded. “Water, please.”
    “No problem.” And with that he left us to talk, shutting the curtain behind him.
    “Are you outta your mind?” Tina hissed at me, her button noise scrunched up in anger.
    “Are you out of yours?” I retorted in a harsh whisper. “You nearly said the ‘v’ word. Are you crazy?”
    “I was worried sick about you. After what he did, you went outside with him! Come on, Patty! Do you have a death wish?”
    “Who told you what happened?” I asked, trying to sidetrack her.
    “Andrew,” she replied, glaring at me, “and don’t change the subject.”
    “Then stop yelling at me,” I told her. “I know what I did was stupid, okay? So I do not need you screaming at me.”
    “Sorry,” she sighed, her voice at a better tone. “I just get upset when you put yourself in danger like you’ve been doing lately.”
    “I’m sorry I worry you, Tina.” It was my turn to sigh. “I don’t mean to.”
    She patted my cheek with her hand. “I know.” She then paused and looked down at her sneakers. “Patty, Samuel told me about the baby. I’m so sorry, sweetie.”
    “It’s okay,” I said, but I could feel the lump in my throat.
    “It is not okay,” she huffed. “You know, it’s all right to be sad, Patty. You can’t just keep it all bottled up inside. It’s not healthy.”
    “I know,” I breathed, “but for now I have to put on a smile and deal.”
    Tina folded her arms and pursed her lips at me. “You gonna have a nervous breakdown, you know that, right?”
    I nodded. “Later. Not now.”
    She shook her head. “You always do that. Don’t you know it’s better to have it now? Because later, you might actually wind up in the psych ward.”
    “Tina,” I snapped, taking a breath. Yelling made my wrist hurt.
    She grimaced. “Sorry. I’m not making it better by yelling at you. I know that. But you gotta admit that you push things down.”
    “I…” I paused, knowing she was right, “I know. But right now, I need to be happy-go-lucky. No one