Page 73 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls

Unable to look at her, I turned to Greta. ‘Have you had any episodes since?’

‘Well,’ she hedged.

‘She hasn’t fainted, but she has been a little weak.’

‘Are you eating? Drinking?’ I reached out and pinched a small bit of her forearm skin gently. It stayed tented up in place for a few seconds. ‘You’re dehydrated. I think you should come to the clinic and let me give you an IV. We’ll do the stitches there too.’

I waited for the protest, her stiff upper lip to take hold, but she blew out a shuddering breath and nodded.

With Silvio and Piper flanking her sides, they got her into Silvio’s car.

At the clinic, we found a vein quickly and got some fluids going. It took three stitches to close the gash on her chin. While Greta relaxed, I went out to the waiting area.

Piper sat slumped in an oversized chair, her cheeks wet. I sat down and she collapsed into me, weeping quietly into my shoulder.

‘All that blood. And she’s so pale. I can’t lose…’

‘It’s okay, Bird. She’s getting the right treatment, but it may take a while to work out the medicine and the care she needs.’

Her sobs continued and I held her tightly. I could have told her more about Mrs V’s condition. How Dr Engel at Vanderbilt was one of the best cardiologists in the country. But in this moment all she needed to know was that I was here and she wasn’t alone.