Read Online Saved By The Belles by Beth Albright - Free Book Online

tell she was covering with sarcasm, a family trait. Tears pooled in her bright blue eyes as she reached to hug me, a little tighter and a little longer than usual. I knew she was scared. I was too.
    “Mother, what happened?” I asked as she let go of me and reached to hug Vivi.
    “We were on our way to the grocery store. I really don’t like her to drive anymore. She could barely see over the steering wheel as it was and now her eyesight is questionable most of the time. So I was turning there near the bakery at Fifteenth Street and Hargrove and she just fell over into the door, slumped sideways. I pulled over and when I couldn’t get her to open her eyes I called the ambulance.”
    “What are they saying?” Vivi asked wanting the details.
    “They have taken her to do some tests.”
    “Is she conscious?”
    “Yeah, but kinda confused.”
    All of us looked at each other, our faces washed in a veil of worry. The love for our matriarch was too much to even describe. Meridee had practically raised Vivi since Vivi’s own mother had been so sick most of her life. Meridee was “mother” to all of us, our men included. Vivi and Mother and I walked over to the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room. Vivi sat next to me and reached over and placed her hand on mine with a squeeze.
    “She’s gonna be fine. I just know it,” she said looking straight into my eyes. Vivi was trying to soothe us as best she could. She gave Kitty and me a reassuring smile as she patted Kitty’s knee and nodded. I knew she was as worried as we were. “Come on y’all, we know what a stubborn Sassy Belle she is. She’s not going anywhere.” As we sat together holding each other up, waiting for word from Meridee’s doctor, I heard the automatic sliding doors open bursting in a blast of the chilly air. I looked up and felt my heart jump. It was Sonny. My knight in shining armor.
    “Hey baby,” he said bending down to hold me. I stood up and rested in his arms. His jacket was still cold and his cheeks were rosy. But I could feel his warm hands rubbing my back and I felt like everything was gonna be okay. Sonny had a way of doing that. If he were there, it would all be taken care of. He was commanding at well over six feet tall and had an in-charge type of presence with his broad shoulders and large build. He was protective. He held me for a minute then I felt one of his hands let go. I glanced to my left and he was holding Kitty with his other hand.
    “I got here as soon as I heard,” he said. “Is she okay?”
    Meridee had raised all of us. As a teenager, when Sonny and I were “on again” he was at her house as much as I was. And Kitty had always loved him too. He had been family to us since I was fourteen years old and it just felt so good to have him right there for all of us.
    “We’re waiting to hear from her doctor,” I answered. “They have her back doing tests right now. Who called you? I was so upset all I could think of was to get here in a hurry. I was gonna call as soon as we knew something.”
    Kitty looked up at me and smiled, a tear falling from her cheek. “I called him right after I called you. I knew we all needed him here with us.” She squeezed his hand.
    Lewis came running in from the parking lot and Vivi stood up with her arms out. Lewis hugged her tight as I saw tears form in Vivi’s green eyes. It was like now that her own knight was here she could let down a minute and the worry just flowed. We were all so scared.
    Just as we all sat back down the doctor came through the double doors. We all stood in unison. His face was neutral. I tried to read him but he looked stoic and all business. My heart raced a little faster as I squeezed Sonny’s hand looking at the doctor as he approached us.
    “Okay she’s resting comfortably in her room now,” Dr. Allen announced.
    “Well, what did the tests show?” Kitty asked, her voice shaky with nerves. We were all anxious and impatient.
    “She’s had a