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Chapter Nine
Blood ties
Stella walked in through the sliding glass doors and stopped at the small desk. A tall man sat looking bored, his pale periwinkle shirt the customary uniform for the local hospital. He directed her to the second floor. She took the elevator and emerged in a large brightly lit hallway. To her right, a young woman in nurse scrubs sat behind another desk.
“How may I help you ma’am? Are you the family? If not, please take a seatinthewaiting area.” Stella looked at the girl as tears fell from her eyes and splashed down on the sign-in sheet before her.
“My… Daughter was brought in with a gunshot wound to her back. I know she will need blood. I want you to use mine, we are a match. She’s AB-negative.” The girl nodded and handed her a form to fill out. Stella sat down on a small metal chair across from the desk, filled out the paperwork, then handed it back to the nurse. The girl directed her down the hallway to a room at the far end where she could give blood. Stella rushed down and was met by another nurse, this one a man in pale blue. He sat her down and drew a pint of her blood. She sobbed and prayed that Lacey was doing okay, then moved down to the waiting room when she finished.
Belle saton a small couch, flipping through an old issue of People magazine. She jumped when Stella walked in and threw her arms around her. Crying, they held each other. Belle knewSal was okay, butheard no information forLacey. She glanced down at Stella’s arm, the bright blue tape held a wad of cotton in place from her inner arm. Her eyebrows raised and Stella motioned for her to sit.
“I have rare blood, so does Lacey. She doesn’t know this, and I hate that I have to tell you first, but she’ll find out soon enough. She’s my daughter, butI had to give her away. Back then,I couldn’tfathom raisingarapists child. Heassaulted me when I was almost forty, andInever expected to become pregnant, hell, I didn’t even report it. The guy escaped with the winds and I didn’t have it in me to raise a baby, let alone a girl that I couldn’t protect. If I couldn’t save myself, how would I ever save her? There was a couple in the neighborhood who had lost several babies, and I let her have my child. She wanted one, I didn’t. But throughthese years, I made sure I lived close enough so I could monitor her. Then when she had Philippe, I got closer. He’s my grand-baby. I figured I could keep the secret till I died, only then would she realize the truth. I gave blood to save her, it’s the least I can do.”
Belle sat silently stunned and listened as Stella spoke her truth. Tears coursed down her face and she imagined what it would be like to give up a child, then watch from afar as another raised it. She knew in her heart it was something she could never do, but she couldn’t condemn Stella for her choices. She did what she felt was right.
“I know she will hate me, she has to, I would. I just pray she makes it. Angel can’tbe a full-time dad, and I’m tooold to take overasthe boys surrogate. Her life was just turning, that lamp, her new man. How could this have happened?”
Belle wiped a tear away and glanced up as Sal entered the room. He looked at Stella and smiled.
“I checked in at the desk. Lacey is still in surgery but they think shewill make it. The doctor will be out when they’re done. It istouch and go for the next 24 hours. Adonor gavebloodin the nick of time. She’s got arare type, I guess, and they didn’t have enough in stock. We’re you making wishes on that magic lamp again? Because if so, it’s working.” Stella burst into tears again and hugged Belle.
“That lamp, I had forgotten about the lamp. Who has it now?” Belle looked at Sal and shrugged her shoulders.
“I had given the lamp to Lacey, so she must have it back at the house. As long as shewill be okay, I’m happy.” Sal glanced at Belle.
“Have you heard anything on the shooter? Do the copsknow whotargeted us?” Belle checked her cell phone and founda text message from Mick.
“I’m not supposed to have this on, so I’ll check to see what’s happening. You stay here with Stella, I’ll be right back. Oh, do either of you want a coffee? I’m dying of thirst and there’s a small cafe downstairs. Can I can get you both something to drink?” Sal nodded and Stella said no. Belle shrugged, then took the elevator down to the ground floor. Walking through the double doors, she flicked her phone on and then screamed as she walked right into Horst’s chest.
“Oh my God, where is Lacey? I arrived to the wedding late, and they told me that Sal gotshot, as had Lacey. Is she okay? Where is she?” Belle gave him a quick hug and told him where to find Sal and Stella, and the meager information she had. Horst nodded and flew through the doors towards the elevator.Belle turned back to her cell phone and read the latest message from Mick.
“Sis, no news on the shooter, so they’re still out there. I want you to be careful. Willie told me about the woman who attacked you and he thought it may be her son???? WTF. Call me when you get this text. We’rehere waiting and praying, any good news is welcome.” A heart emoji ended his note and Belle looked up and surveyed her surroundings. She called his number, and he answered on the first ring.
“Everything is okay here, bro, andLacey is still in surgery but they think she’ll make it. She’s critical, and Sal is doing okay, no major damage, thank God. The bullet grazed his shoulder, and he won’t be doing any bench lifting or tennis for a while, but thank God, he’s ok. Keep the prayers up for Lacey and tell Philippe that it looks good. Don’t let him drink too much Dr. Pepper, either. Shitty way to spend my wedding day, but I am blessed to know wesurvived. I’ve got to go now, I’m outside on my phone because they don’t allow them on in the hospital. I’ll be home later, oh, and I love you, too.”
She hung up the phone and slipped back through the doors, glancing once behind her shoulders. She hated this, the whole scenario, and she felt as if someone was watching her. The hair on her neck rose, and she shook off the feeling and stepped into the elevator.
∞∞∞
Sal called the police a few hours later to see if they had any leads on the shooter. They found footsteps and two shell casings in the dunes fartherdown the beach. They combed the area, but had found nothing else. Sal hung up frustrated. Belle came up behind him and inhaled the warm balmy air.
“I hate hospitals. The smell, and the air conditioning, it’s sub zero in there for God’s sake. How can anyone heal in that environment?” She shivered and Sal wrapped his good arm around her and held her close.
“I don’t know honey, not a fan myself. I just hung upwith the cops, still no leads to our shooter. Good thing we’re man and wife now, I can be by your side twenty-four-seven and protect you.I didn’t doa bang-up job atourceremony. I’m glad you’re okay, because I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you.” She kissed him on his cheek, his five o’clock shadowprotruding through his skin. She rubbed her cheek on his and giggled.
“You’re still a woolly bear, I see. I think maybe you should grow it out. You’d be handsome with facial hair, although you wouldn’t look like my young college boy anymore. We’re not getting any younger. I’m happy we get to spend the rest of our years together, too. I’m getting another coffee. Stella was ready for one. They have Lacey in recovery, but we’re not allowed in, yet. Shewill have a long battle ahead of her. Stella dropped a bombshell on me, and thatwill have a huge impact on Lacey. I hope she’s strong enough to deal with the news and her injuries. I know I’d be freaked out.” Sal looked at her and she smiled.
“I forgot, I hadn’t told you yet. You’re my hubby and I won’t keep secrets from you, but please say nothing. It’s not my secret to share. Stella is Lacey’s mom. She gave her up for adoption when she was born and has been watching her for manyyears from afar. Philippe is her grandson, too. I know it has bent Lacey up, thinking she wasn’t wanted. I just hope she accepts Stella and doesn’t turn away from her. She’s regretful about it what she’s done, but if she loses Lacey and Philippe, it will crush her.” Sal’s mouth hung agape, and he shook his head.
“Holy shit, you’re right. Total bombshell. I hope she accepts it, too. Here her mother has been right down the street from her for her whole life. I know they are close, but… Wow.” Belle shrugged and headed towards the doors. Sal followed close behind as she moved to the cafe to order theircoffee’s. The young lady stacked the three cups in a cardboard holder and Sal grabbed a large water bottle, paid the cashier and followed Belle to the elevator.
“Say nothing, please, and act like you never heard it when it comes out, okay?” Sal kissed her on the cheek.
“No fears, my love,Stella’s secret is safe with me. You’ve called your mother, right? She’s must have freaked out.” Stella laughed.
“Minnie’scooking up a storm for Mick, Willie, Angel, and Philippe. She’s always happiest when keeping busy, and cooking is her thing. She bakes when she’s nervous, so I expect to come home to a million cookies to go with the wedding cake. Good thing I movedto this island, or I would be huge.” The elevator opened, and they emerged on the second floor. Horst stood pacing the hallway beyond the doors to the recovery roomand moved towards them.
“Ah, coffee, thank you so much.They let Stellain tovisither. I’m not family, so until they move her to a private room, I have to wear holes in the floor out here. Your American rules suck, I just thought you should know.” He popped the corner of his coffee and took a big sip, his face showing the brew wasn’t up to snuff.
