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Downing the drink, hewalked over to sit on the recliner by the fireplace. She wasstubborn, and he was afraid that if he continued to push her, shewould do something drastic, such as going out with someone else.
Just let her try, hethought darkly. He had seen one of those detectives looking at herand touching her lightly on the arm. Miranda had told him inconfidence that the man was soft on her.
“He finds allsorts of reasons to come around on the pretext that he was makingcertain there is no trouble here.”
Leaning back in thechair, Cooper closed his eyes wearily. This feeling was new to him,and he feared that he was in danger of messing things up.
Chapter 10
“Darling, areyou unwell?” Marjorie peered at her daughter closely as soon asshe took her seat. “You look as if you have not slept, and yourbraids. Do I need to make an appointment for you again?”
“No.”Brooke lifted a hand reflexively to her hair and shook her head. “Ithink I might be coming down with something.”
“And knowingyou, there is a chance you will not take anything for whatever isailing you.” Marjorie shook her head and signaled for thewaiter, who came hurrying forward to take their orders.
Since it was acharming spring day, she had taken one of the tables outdoors,overlooking the shops on the opposite side of the street. “Wewill start with the turtle soup and then have the delicious salad.
But bring ussomething to drink. I will have the sparkling water with the twist oflemon, and my daughter will have-'' She looked at Brooke forconfirmation. “Her usual tomato juice. Darling, I cannot forthe life of me comprehend how you can stomach drinking that dreadfulstuff.”
“I barely eatbreakfast, and lunch is a luxury I don’t have time for.”Brooke reached for the glass of water and took a long sip to quenchher dry throat. She had not lied when she said she was not feelingwell. Aside from not sleeping, she felt lethargic, and her energylevel was at an all-time low.
Cooper had not beenat the clinic for two weeks and called to inform Miranda that he wasswamped. She had also seen his company on TV introducing a new drugthat, according to them, was a surefire way of slowing down theadvance of dementia.
She also told herselfthat she did not care that he was not there. Gloria had startedworking, and several neighborhood men had volunteered to pitch in andclean the room and put on a fresh coat of paint to make it moreattractive and habitable.
Cooper had more thanlived up to his promise of doing his part. Not only was there theagreed amount to pay Gloria a salary, but he had sent a truck overwith furnishings for the bedroom.
Only he was notaround. He had sent a doctor to replace him. The man was competent,but something was missing. She was also trying to tell herself thatshe was not ignoring him.
“You need avacation.”
“I was thinkingabout that too.”
Her mother stared ather in surprise. “Really?”
Brooke managed asmile as she took another sip of water. “Several more doctorshave signed up to help at the clinic, giving me a chance to take abreak.”
“Darling,that's wonderful! We could go somewhere as a family. Dwayne, the poordear, has been working too hard at that firm of his and also needs totake a break. What do you say, we go to Europe? Madeline Turner hasthis lovely place in Paris and always told me we could stay there.Or, if you prefer, we could cruise the Caribbean.”
“I will thinkabout it.” She nodded her thanks when the waiter brought overtheir soup. “I need to ask you something.” Brookecontinued looking around to ensure they had privacy.
“Did you knowabout Dad?”
“Brooke-”
“No.” Sheshook her head. “I know the last thing you want is to bring upthe past. Whenever I try to talk about it, you change the subject orbecome upset.” Leaning forward, she gave her mother an intenselook. “I just need to know why you put up with him, with whathe was going on with.
Dwayne and I cannothave a normal relationship-” She spread a hand. “I lookat every guy and see the enemy. I cannot move forward, Mother,because of what he did. Just tell me why you stayed with him.”
Marjorie made aproduction of spreading her napkin carefully over her immaculaterose-pink trousers. “If I had known I was in for aninterrogation, I would have come better prepared.”
“Mother-”
“Darling, it’sfine.” Reaching for the glass, she took a delicate sip. “Yourfather was my only man.” She smiled at that. “We metwhile I was at my debutante party, and the first time I saw him, Iwas dazzled. He was this handsome and debonair-looking guy with thischarming smile, and when he asked me to dance, I fell in love rightthen and there.”
She plucked at thenapkin in her lap, a faraway expression on her lovely face. “Hemade me feel like the only woman alive, certainly the most beautiful.We got married six months after meeting each other; it was firstwonderful.
We went everywheretogether, traveled extensively because his business called for it,and he refused to go without me. Then I had a miscarriage a yearafter we were married.”
