Read Online The Riches of Mercy by C. E. Case - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: C. E. Case
Ads: Link
ago you were in a coma, you know. You've come pretty far."
"Yes, but three weeks ago," Natalie said.
"What is it?"
"I was just trying to picture where I was three weeks ago. There'd been the beach trip, all planned. All by myself. Solitary. But here I am, with you." Natalie said. She turned and met Meredith's eyes and gave her a genuine smile.
Meredith smiled back. Sharp relief struck her heart at the shedding of Natalie's despair. With it her own despair rose up in her chest. She bit her lip until it hurt. Her thoughts turned inward, to Vincent, and she forgot Natalie was still gazing at her.
"You don't look very good, Merry," Natalie said.
"I just got some bad news, is all. I don't mean for it to affect you."
"It does. I mean, it should. I mean--" Natalie put her hand on her forehead.
Meredith, her thoughts still half-distracted by the morning call from her lawyer, said, "You have enough on your plate without me adding mine."
"I could say the same thing. I've been taking advantage of your kindness for too long. I've been selfish. You probably have bigger problems than being able to walk across to the bathroom or not."
"It's just about my husband, is all." Even saying that made her feel better.
Natalie hesitated, and then reached over and brushed Meredith's arm. "What about him?"
Meredith said, having to clear her throat and restart. "Well, you know he passed away."
"Okay. I didn't know--Okay." Natalie slid her hand down Meredith's arm, past her elbow, and tugged, until Meredith willingly clasped her hand with one of her own. Meredith squeezed. Natalie winced.
"Sorry," Meredith said, letting go.
"No, it's okay." Natalie took her hand again. "I was just--I was surprised. I haven't been held on to so tightly in a long time."
A tear rolled down Meredith's cheek. She impatiently brushed it away. She wasn't even thinking of Vincent at all, not since Natalie took her hand. The despair, though, remained, coiled up and heavy in her chest, and somehow Natalie's presence made her feel even more lonely.
"I'm sorry. Whatever it is, I'm so sorry, Merry."
Meredith half-bent and half-raised Natalie's hand so that she could press her forehead against the clasped fingers. She inhaled deeply, fighting back the crying. Natalie's grip was strong. Meredith let herself draw on the strength. She got control of herself and lifted her chin to give Natalie a watery smile.
Natalie smiled back, meeting her eyes with a solid, compassionate gaze.
"I think I'm in the wrong room," Meredith said, drawling for effect. "I heard you was a lawyer."
# #
Chapter Ten
Natalie woke up to her own pain and the memory of the previous night, and Meredith's tears.
Her mother had never clung, wanting instead to spare her from the pain of her death. Everyone spared Natalie. Patrick, her closest ally, never revealed much--he'd only told her about Roland under great duress. She'd seen it bother him to have to burden her.
She'd been left with people's petty complaints. Co-workers hoping for sympathy because a boyfriend hadn't called or the traffic was bad. She became bitter because people didn't connect with her. So long as she could connect with the jury, she felt alive.
She didn't offer much of herself. She just channeled victims through her own emptiness. It worked.
Jake came with the wheelchair. "Big day."
"They're all big days here."
Jake nodded.
Natalie couldn't get herself into her own wheelchair, even though she'd become quite adept at sliding herself inches side to side or front to back on the bed. She put her arms around his strong shoulders and let herself be lifted. Once in the chair, she felt better, though it hurt to hold her neck up. Two weeks in bed made her muscles lose all purpose.
"Is it normal to lose so much mobility, even with a fabulous physical therapist?"
"Yes ma'am. It's completely typical to be pathetic."
Natalie let her head loll to the side. So this is why people sagged in wheelchairs. She blushed. Her hand
"Yes, but three weeks ago," Natalie said.
"What is it?"
"I was just trying to picture where I was three weeks ago. There'd been the beach trip, all planned. All by myself. Solitary. But here I am, with you." Natalie said. She turned and met Meredith's eyes and gave her a genuine smile.
Meredith smiled back. Sharp relief struck her heart at the shedding of Natalie's despair. With it her own despair rose up in her chest. She bit her lip until it hurt. Her thoughts turned inward, to Vincent, and she forgot Natalie was still gazing at her.
"You don't look very good, Merry," Natalie said.
"I just got some bad news, is all. I don't mean for it to affect you."
"It does. I mean, it should. I mean--" Natalie put her hand on her forehead.
Meredith, her thoughts still half-distracted by the morning call from her lawyer, said, "You have enough on your plate without me adding mine."
"I could say the same thing. I've been taking advantage of your kindness for too long. I've been selfish. You probably have bigger problems than being able to walk across to the bathroom or not."
"It's just about my husband, is all." Even saying that made her feel better.
Natalie hesitated, and then reached over and brushed Meredith's arm. "What about him?"
Meredith said, having to clear her throat and restart. "Well, you know he passed away."
"Okay. I didn't know--Okay." Natalie slid her hand down Meredith's arm, past her elbow, and tugged, until Meredith willingly clasped her hand with one of her own. Meredith squeezed. Natalie winced.
"Sorry," Meredith said, letting go.
"No, it's okay." Natalie took her hand again. "I was just--I was surprised. I haven't been held on to so tightly in a long time."
A tear rolled down Meredith's cheek. She impatiently brushed it away. She wasn't even thinking of Vincent at all, not since Natalie took her hand. The despair, though, remained, coiled up and heavy in her chest, and somehow Natalie's presence made her feel even more lonely.
"I'm sorry. Whatever it is, I'm so sorry, Merry."
Meredith half-bent and half-raised Natalie's hand so that she could press her forehead against the clasped fingers. She inhaled deeply, fighting back the crying. Natalie's grip was strong. Meredith let herself draw on the strength. She got control of herself and lifted her chin to give Natalie a watery smile.
Natalie smiled back, meeting her eyes with a solid, compassionate gaze.
"I think I'm in the wrong room," Meredith said, drawling for effect. "I heard you was a lawyer."
# #
Chapter Ten
Natalie woke up to her own pain and the memory of the previous night, and Meredith's tears.
Her mother had never clung, wanting instead to spare her from the pain of her death. Everyone spared Natalie. Patrick, her closest ally, never revealed much--he'd only told her about Roland under great duress. She'd seen it bother him to have to burden her.
She'd been left with people's petty complaints. Co-workers hoping for sympathy because a boyfriend hadn't called or the traffic was bad. She became bitter because people didn't connect with her. So long as she could connect with the jury, she felt alive.
She didn't offer much of herself. She just channeled victims through her own emptiness. It worked.
Jake came with the wheelchair. "Big day."
"They're all big days here."
Jake nodded.
Natalie couldn't get herself into her own wheelchair, even though she'd become quite adept at sliding herself inches side to side or front to back on the bed. She put her arms around his strong shoulders and let herself be lifted. Once in the chair, she felt better, though it hurt to hold her neck up. Two weeks in bed made her muscles lose all purpose.
"Is it normal to lose so much mobility, even with a fabulous physical therapist?"
"Yes ma'am. It's completely typical to be pathetic."
Natalie let her head loll to the side. So this is why people sagged in wheelchairs. She blushed. Her hand
Similar Books
