Read Online Kentucky Rich by Fern Michaels - Free Book Online Page B

that her daughter, normal in every other way, was never going to speak. What was it the specialist said? “There is no medical reason that we can find as to why your daughter doesn’t speak.” He’d used words like trauma, fear, anxiety, and a few others that made no sense to her at the time. Emmie was seven now, and so beautiful Nealy often felt tears burn her eyes when she looked at her. They all had learned sign language, Maud, Jess, her, and some of the workers at the barns. There were times she swore even the horses understood the little girl’s flying fingers.
    The moment the sun started to creep over the horizon, Nealy jumped off the fence and headed back toward the house.
    Today was her birthday, a time when she always reflected on her young life. Maud and Jess would be waiting in the kitchen for her. How kind, how astute they were. If they didn’t know, then they sensed she needed these early minutes to herself out by the road. They never mentioned it, never said anything other than, happy birthday, Nealy. Later on there would be a big dinner, a cake with candles, presents, and so much love and affection she would get dizzy absorbing it all. She was loved. Her daughter was loved. What more could she possibly want or wish for? Absolutely nothing, she answered herself.
    From the back porch, Nealy could see the fireplace blazing. The kitchen would be warm and toasty. That had to mean Carmela the housekeeper was up and preparing breakfast. Emmie would be getting ready for the special school she attended; Maud and Jess would be sitting at the table waiting for her. Carmela would be frying bacon, brewing coffee, and stirring batter for blueberry pancakes.
    Nealy opened the door to silence. She sniffed. Where was the coffee, the sizzling bacon? Where were the others? She looked down at her watch and frowned. Where was Carmela? She called her name, knocked on the housekeeper’s door. When there was no response she cracked the door and called out a second time. She opened the door wider, saw the unmade bed, but there was no sign of the housekeeper. She closed the door just as she heard a car screech to a stop in the driveway alongside the back porch. She ran to the door, her heart hammering in her chest.
    â€œDr. Parker! What’s wrong? Why are you here?”
    â€œIt’s Maud, Nealy. Jess called me. Where is she?”
    Speechless with fear, Nealy could only point to the second floor. The doctor took the kitchen stairs, two at a time, Nealy galloping behind him.
    Emmie ran to Nealy, her eyes full of questions. “I don’t know what’s wrong, honey. I was outside, and when I came in there was no one in the kitchen. Do you know where Carmela is?” Emmie pointed to Maud’s room. “Listen to me, Emmie. I want you to go downstairs and make some coffee. You know how to do that. Make some toast and wait for me. I’m sure Miss Maud just has a bad cold or maybe a bad bellyache. Do what I say, and I’ll be right down. It’s going to be all right.” She waited until Emmie was at the bottom of the stairs before she ran to Maud’s room.
    She saw the huge sleigh bed, the colorful quilt, and the woman lying propped up against a mound of pillows. Nealy Diamond’s eyes burned at the sight of Maud. Surely this caricature of the adoptive mother she loved with all her heart wasn’t Maud Diamond. Her face was pulled to the side, her right eye closed, the lid drooping way past her bottom eyelashes. The right side of her body was hiked up as though she’d tried to curl into the fetal position, the left side almost as rigid. Drool oozed from the corner of her mouth. A sob caught in Nealy’s throat as she made her way to the side of the bed. The doctor gently pushed her away. She found herself standing in the doorway next to Carmela. She heard a sob, and knew it wasn’t her own. Jess. She heard the word hospital, heard Jess’s vehement negative