“Yes. I don’t know if she told you but she’s pregnant. When she was carrying Connie it was touch and go so many times. The thing is, she’s in a hell of a lot of pain, can hardly stop vomiting and David can’t be reached. She’s asking for you. Can you come?”
“Call an ambulance and I’ll be right there.” She slammed down the phone and grabbed her keys, bolted down the stairs, and ran for her van. Her heart was in her mouth all the way to Susan’s house. She got there just as the sirens sounded down the street.
Chapter Twenty
April paced the waiting room lobby with Rick as the doctors saw to Susan. Each time the door opened, they both spun around, desperate for news. Eventually their prayers were answered and a doctor came out. “Mr. Collins?”
“How’s my wife?”
The doctor smiled and came toward them. “She’s resting comfortably.”
“The baby?” April saw the question in Rick’s eyes.
She reached for his hand, gave him a squeeze.
“Baby is fine, too. I suspect your wife has a terrible case of food poisoning but for her safety, I’m going to keep her in for the rest of the day. She’s dehydrated so we’ve given her fluids and something for the pain.”
Rick grabbed April and hugged her. “Thank god. I was terrified. The last pregnancy…”
“I know, Susan told me. Go and see her, Rick. I’m glad she’s okay. Tell her I’ll see her tomorrow when she’s home, alright?”
He wasn’t ready to let her go yet. “Thanks for coming when we called. She was beside herself after what that woman said when we tried to get hold of David.” The color had started to come back into his face.
“What woman?”
“The one claiming to be buying David’s practice. You know he was involved with someone and she stayed in Seattle, right?”
“Elise. She’s here. I saw her last night when I dropped in to take him dinner. She’s buying the business?”
“That’s what she said. I mean, we knew he was anxious to sell and move his mother to Seattle so he could go back to his old job but after all this time we hoped he’d changed his mind. It would seem that wasn’t the case.”
“When did you speak to her?”
“After I called the ambulance I tried David again hoping he was at the office. She answered the phone. I guess she’s started there already.”
April said goodbye and hurried back to Cherry Lake. As she drove into town, she saw David jogging along the shore with Oscar. She pulled over ahead of him and slammed on the brakes, climbed out and waited on the pavement for him.
“April.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why leave it so I’d find out myself?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Selling up. You could have let me know. I thought we meant more to each other than that. You ask me to give you a chance and then I find out you’re really selling. How can you foist that horrible woman on the people of Cherry Lake?”
“I tried to call you. And I came over this morning before I went running but you wouldn’t let me in. Remember?”
“And I’m glad I didn’t. Now I know what you’re really like. Playing me against her, letting her tell your friends how it’s going to be. How could you?”
“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’ve dealt with my ex. She isn’t going to be a problem.” He even had the nerve to look guilty.
April ignored the way it tore at her heartstrings. “Is that right? I don’t believe you.”
“I asked her to leave. She’s got nothing to do with me.” He reached down and brushed his hand over Oscar’s ears. “And before you ask, I stayed at my mother’s last night. Elise will be leaving today.”
“Bullshit.”
“April, nothing’s changed between us.”
She snorted in disbelief. “Well, let me tell you, Dr. David Morrison, you weren’t here when things went bad so I don’t know how you can say that. And I thought Susan was your best friend, yet you didn’t come. Instead you let Elise crawl back into your life and take over your practice. ‘I’m not letting that witch of a woman get her hands on me or my friends.’ Those were the exact words Susan said when I saw her as they loaded her into the ambulance.”
“What the heck are you talking about?” His face paled. “Susan? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?” He reached for her, but April stepped back. “Tell me what happened.”
“The baby’s fine and so is Susan. She has a bad dose of food poisoning and called you for help but got Elise instead. Seems she’s digging her claws in before anyone else gets to work, staking her claim, I guess. Anyway, Rick called an ambulance to take her to the hospital and they wanted to keep her in because she’s dehydrated.” She folded her arms over her chest, trying to protect her heart. “Elise told Rick when he called looking for you that she was buying the business and to bring Susan down to the clinic because she didn’t make house calls.”
“What? Who did you say?” David seemed hardly aware that he spoke.
“Your Elise. The one who took the dinner I brought you as a peace offering. Ring a bell?”
“I didn’t even know she was coming until I got home last night. But she turned away a patient? She turned away Susan?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me exactly what the hospital said again.”
“She’s going to be okay. Food poisoning but that’s not the point. You wouldn’t have turned her away.”
“No, I wouldn’t have. Can I ask a huge favor? Can you take Oscar to your place? I have to deal with Elise now before she causes any more damage and then I’m going to see Susan. I’ll pick him up and take him home later.”
She held her hand out for the dog lead, watched him run toward the clinic, and turn up into the back entry. “Looks like you get a
