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Then another thought struck Lucy. She and Antonio had been so busy in each other’s love that they hadn’t even brought up the whole wedding fiasco with Toni’s dream Fun Bird wedding to his young bride. Had Antonio changed his mind? Would he call off his silly little ultimatum to shut her down if she didn’t find a way to cancel Toni’s dream wedding? She understood how much he loved his grandfather and wanted to ensure that he was not taken advantage of and that no harm would come to his health in any way by planning such a risky ceremony, but really, he needed to look at things from his grandfather’s perspective. His granddad was in love and Antonio needed to accept it. Why, surely now that Antonio and she were “seeing” each other he would understand and mellow his temperament towards Shelly, his soon-to-be step-grandmother.
“Well, look whose sitting pretty at her desk!” Maxine burst into Lucy’s office with a wide grin.
Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled. “Good afternoon, Maxine. How did it go at Robertson Hall?” She tried to dodge any insinuation.
“Oh, no, girlfriend,” Maxine persisted, pulling up a chair right in front of Lucy’s desk. “You are going to spill the goods.”
“What goods?”
“You know what I’m talking about. You. And Antonio.” Her eyes widened, excitement brimming over.
Lucy sighed deeply, her heart was fluttering about in her chest again. Thoughts of Antonio did that to her. “There’s nothing to tell, Maxine.”
“Oh, yeah, like heck. I saw you walk away with Mr. Hot and Sexy after that dirty dancing y’all did.”
“Dirty dancing?!”
“Yes. You were grinding and wining,” Maxine teased her as she swayed her hips in the chair. “Then, that assistant of his called out your name after the prize draw and you weren’t around. Where'd you sneak off to?”
“What?” This was the first time Lucy heard any of this. “W-what are you talking about?” Anxiety seized her throat and tightened its hold around her windpipe.
“The door-prize, Lucy! You won. Your name was drawn and when she, Miriam, I think, went to announce it, you…and Mr. Hot Guy weren’t around.” Maxine let out a cackle, clearly enjoying herself.
Lucy felt feverish all of a sudden. So everyone knew that she wasn’t at the ball very long. Oh, God! How mortifying.
Then another thought sent daggers to her heart. Did Mariam come looking for Lucy? Was she the one who was snooping outside the bedroom door after she and Antonio…? Oh, God!
“Lucy, are you okay, girlfriend? You don’t look too well.”
“I’m…I’m okay,” Lucy eked out. She swallowed hard and looked down at the file in front of her, scooping it up in her hand, as if to avoid talking any more about the possible fiasco. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. Her mood deflated in an instant.
Just then, their receptionist came bursting into her office. Why hadn’t she pinged on the intercom?
“Lucy, it’s Shelly on the phone.”
“Shelly?”
“Yes, Toni’s wife…I mean fiancée. She’s at the hospital. Toni had an MI.”
“An MI? What’s that?” Lucy asked as horror crept into her voice. That sure didn’t sound favorable, whatever it was.
“I’m sorry,” Darla shook her head. “I’m in nursing school part-time so I’m use medical terminology.”
“Darla, what is that? What happened?” Maxine chimed in, anxiously as she leaned forward in her chair gaping at Darla.
Why did Darla have to be so dramatic?
“Myocardial infarction,” Darla said as if they should know what that meant. Didn't they ever watch TV? Darla had the look of sorrow in her eyes. “He had a heart attack.”
Lucy felt the blood drain from her face.
“What?” she cried out. She shot up from her chair, almost toppling it.
“He suffered a big one, he’s at the General in the ICU. Intensive Care Unit.”
“Oh, God! I…I hope he’s alright. We have to go.”
“I don’t think they’ll let us in. Not in the ICU. Only close family are allowed in,” Darla explained apologetically.
