Page 41 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls

A slight knock sounded against the glass door to the clinic. Silvio gave me a brittle smile. Mrs Vanderpool was a different story.

‘Why the hell am I being summoned here?’

‘Because we need to go over your treatment and care.’ I waved them toward the office and got a scowl in return.

Silvio reached for her hand and I followed them down the hall. My gaze lingered on their intertwined fingers.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen my parents show any kind of affection toward each other. It was another element of Harpeth Manor I hated. It was like people walked a thin tightrope between being human and what society defined as appropriate. There were too many forced smiles that never wrinkled thanks to Botox. A vacant look in the eyes as if no one could remember the last time they’d experienced any kind of joy. A half-life where every person worried more about their reputation than making genuine connections.

It was a big reason why I never wanted to go back there. I didn’t care how many zeros were on a bank statement, living a sterile and loveless existence was a deal with the devil I had no interest in negotiating.

Once Silvio and Mrs Vanderpool were seated in front of my desk, I shuffled through her reports. They sat stiffly, Silvio’s hand resting on top of hers. Again, that quiet signal of reassurance was endearing.

‘Get on with it, doc,’ she demanded.

‘Let’s start with the good news,’ I said, flipping through the paperwork. ‘Your cholesterol and creatinine numbers look good. White blood cells in range too.’

‘I appreciate the rundown, but you didn’t bring me here to blow sunshine up my rear.’

This woman was really full of fire. So much like Piper. Now I got why they were so close.

We had a brief staring contest before I recognized the twitch in her lower lip. A flicker of fear behind her clear blue eyes. She knew what I was about to say.

‘Dr Engel at Vanderbilt told you about the atrial fibrillation, right?’

‘Yep. My heart’s not pumping right.’

‘That’s correct, and he gave you medication. A blood thinner?’

She nodded.

‘Have you been taking it?’

The way her skin paled said she understood the real reason for this impromptu visit.

‘This is serious. That medicine will regulate your heart rhythm. If you don’t take it, you could faint again. Possibly have a stroke.’

Silvio took a thick gulp. ‘Doc, I’ve been telling her…’

She shot him a traitorous look and he went silent. After shifting uneasily in the chair a few times, she said, ‘I’ve never been too good about taking medicine, doc. Won’t even swallow a pill when I have a headache. Something doesn’t feel right about putting it in my body. And that paper that came with the medication.’ Her voice caught. ‘It said I could have nausea, severe stomach pains or confusion.’

‘Mrs Vanderpool, this isn’t a headache,’ I said gently.

‘Doc, you’re treating me now. Call me Greta,’ she huffed.

‘All right, Greta, you need to do this if you want to go back to a normal life. What do you think people would do around here if you weren’t setting them straight and doling out sage advice? Giving them support when they needed it?’

She quirked an eyebrow at my not-so-subtle reference to Piper.

‘There are side effects. But worse things can happen besides a nosebleed or stomach cramping if you don’t take it.’

Her lower lip trembled as she sank against Silvio.

As a physician you never got used to giving this kind of diagnosis. You fooled yourself into believing that if you practiced long enough you’d build an iron cage around your heart. That you’d become immune to the sadness that comes with the job. But then you had to witness the look of terror like the one currently pinching Silvio’s face, and it was like twisting a knife in your gut.

Mrs Vanderpool looked at me for a long beat, her breaths coming in unsteady spurts.

‘Sweetie, are you hearing him?’ Silvio said.