Page 46 of Beau

“How do I know you have not been to her apartment?” she demanded. “All those late nights at the office—that you claim was at the office, you might have been with her.”

He had been so enraged that he had to leave the room or say something they would both regret. He had slammed out of the house and left her there. He had to get some air and cool down his temper. And the worst thing about it was that she had called him several times and he ignored the calls.

When he finally returned, it was to find her on the bathroom floor with vomit all over her. His heart had stopped when he saw her lying there. She had been throwing up on and off during the day, or so she told him. But it had gotten worse. She had been calling him and he had not responded because he was so angry.

He could not forgive himself.

Miriam had been calling him too, but he ignored her. Pulling up a chair, he took her limb hand in his and squeezed as if trying to infuse her with his warmth and energy.

She was thin. His wife had always been slender, but now she was emaciated, like a skeleton with skin draped over the bones. Her cheekbones were clearly defined, the bones jutting out. And her skin looked pale. Tubes were running from her mouth and her lashes made shadows on her cheeks.

He did not know what to say to her, so for a few minutes, he just sat there holding her hand. Their plans for the Valentine’s Day mask ball were shelved of course. It was being held on Saturday and last year when they attended, they were newlyweds. How much simpler things had been then, he thought bitterly.

Now everything was so damn complicated and out of control. Her sisters were finally told about the pregnancy, and they were upset that they had not been informed sooner.

“We have a right to know.” Marla had been the most furious because she somehow thought that she was Georgie’s mother. “How could she keep something like that from us?”

“I am sorry," he whispered achingly. “Hell, what am I apologizing for?” He was suddenly irrationally angry.

“For making you doubt me. How could you Georgie? Haven’t I proven how much I love you? How much you mean to me? It was just lunch, and right now I wish I could go back. All she wanted to do was talk and I could not say no–” he shook his head.

“I didn’t see the harm in accommodating her. I made it plain that I am totally committed to you. I am insulted that you thought I would cheat on you…” his voice trailed off. “But I get it. I had a reputation, and I was involved with her. I didn’t talk about her much because–” He cleared his throat.

“I didn’t know what to say. And frankly, ever since I met you and we kissed, everything flew out of my mind. I could think of no one else. You consumed me.” He kissed the back of her hand and placed it against his jaw, closing his eyes at the feel of her skin.

“I want you to wake up and be better. You know how I feel about this– this madness that you insisted on doing- Oh God, I am sorry. I shouldn’t be talking to you about this. I’ll-I’ll just sit here and be quietly, darling. I am here. Do you hear me, darling?” His eyes were glittering with tears. “I am here.”

*****

“How much damage?” Beau rubbed a weary hand at the back of his neck as he paced the length of the waiting room. His wife was awake, but very weak and her blood pressure was still elevated. He had been at the clinic for the past three days and it was taking its toll.

The doctors as well as his dad had urged him to go home, but he refused. Georgie’s sisters had been by to visit but were only allowed to stay for five minutes because she tired so easily.

They had been shocked at her skeletal appearance and cornered Beau to demand answers.

“Are they doing everything they possibly can?” Sandra had asked stridently, getting his hackles up.

“What the hell do you think?”

All three women had realized the wisdom of leaving well enough alone.

“The drug is still having several damaging side effects and that is going to set us back some more. I shouldn’t be troubling you with this–”

“And if you hadn’t, I would have pinned your ass to the wall.” He walked over to the window to look out at the bleak view. It had snowed the night before and even now the sky was leaden, the clouds gray and leaden, indicating that they were in for more snow.

“I need a meeting with the head of the R&D department.”

“When?”

“Yesterday. Have him call me and tell him to rearrange his damn schedule to meet me at the hospital.”

“Yes, sir.”

Beau hung up and pressed his forehead against the cold pane of glass. He was tired and it seemed like he had not slept in days. He was spending all his time in the room with his wife, sleeping on a cot that was not very comfortable. But he was afraid to leave her. He had this feeling that if he did, she was going to just slip into oblivion.

Turning away from the window, he strode back into the room to see the nurse adjusting her tubes and checking her vitals.

“Your husband is here, Georgie,” The woman said cheerfully.