Page 143 of Frankly, My Dear

Yes, she knew that. Selene fought back a sob. Even in the depths of her pain, she had felt James calling to her, refusing to let her go. “Where’s James?”

“Gone to Nawleans on bizness. With Fergus.”

“Huh?” Selene said. How could he leave her now? Her brain reeled with confusion. She was so tired.

Through a haze, she heard Blossom explain, “He didn’t leave till yesterday when he saw you was gettin’ better.”

After that, she slept long hours and drank the strong broth Blossom forced on her. Hour by hour, she grew stronger and gradually began to heal.

The next day, Selene sat up in bed and even had a few visitors—Etienne, who fought back tears and told her of a story he was writing for her about a skinny teacher with magical powers, sort of like a bayou superwoman; Reba, who apologized profusely for her sullen silence before the tragic day; and the hovering Blossom, who fretted over her like a mother hen.

The following day, Selene walked about her room on shaky legs and began to really believe she might recover. When Blossom brought her a heaping tray of beignets and a carafe of oversweet café au lait, Selene’s stomach growled loudly. She hugged the black woman warmly.

“Now I knows for sure you gonna be all right.”

“I’ve lost so much weight,” Selene complained when she got her first horrified look in the mirror.

“Yep, and you ain’t got no suntan anymores, either,” Blossom informed her bluntly. “And that cold-gin in your lips has gone away.”

“Collagen,” Selene corrected Blossom with a smile.

“Whatever. Even your hair ain’t so kinky now.”

“In other words, I’m a mess,” Selene concluded.

“Nosirree, honey chile. You is plumb beautiful. You surely is.”

Selene wasn’t so sure about that, especially with no makeup.

The day after that, Iris assisted her in walking downstairs and she sat in the kitchen for a short while.

“When you gonna start our arrow-backs again?” Iris asked. “And the therapy classes? I been leadin’ ’em since you been sick.”

“You have?” Selene asked in amazement.

“Now don’t you be startin’ on the mistress yet,” Blossom admonished Iris. “She ain’t gonna be up to all that for a long time.”

Iris’s face fell dramatically.

“Is something wrong?” Selene asked with concern.

“Well, I wanted to tell you all somethin’ important. But I guess it’ll have to wait till we meets again.”

“What?” she and Blossom both asked at once.

“Rufus and me are gonna get married,” Iris blurted out, unable to hold back her delightful news.

“Oh, Iris, that’s wonderful,” Selene said.

“Humph! I knew it all the time,” Blossom proclaimed.

“An’ we found the Perfect Fit,” Iris added with a mischievous gleam in her huge eyes.

Selene giggled, and Blossom asked, “What fit?”

“I have some news, too,” Reba announced shyly.

“You’re going to have a baby,” Selene guessed, reading the warm blush on her face.