AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Yes?" He hardly dared to breathe.
"I'm sick, aren't I? With the neukocytes."
"Yes. My curse is killing you."
"Don't be ridiculous." Her voice, though weak, held it's familiar tone.
He blinked. "But— "
"How is this curse supposed to be killing me?"
"You said it yourself, you're sick."
"I have a fever. My body's immune system is fighting off an infection."
"But that infection is my cursed blood."
"Desmond, listen to me. I don't know how you and Philippe got to be like you are. A Voodoo curse is as good an explanation as any. But everything after that has happened according to scientific principles. What is this institute for if not to research the science behind your condition? Why does your daughter get shots if you can't fight the curse?"
Her words cut through the fog of fear that had surrounded him, letting him think rationally about the situation. "The only time you could have become infected is last night. So the neukocytes were in your system already, before I told you I loved you. I didn't invoke the curse."
She nodded. "Now you've got it."
"And if your sickness is a natural, physical reaction, it can be cured."
"Yes."
His momentary optimism deserted him. "But we don't know how to cure it."
"But you can fight it."
"If it's similar to Gillian's reaction." He tightened his hold on Rebecca, giving her a fierce hug, then disentangled himself and climbed out of the bed. "There are plenty of needles in the kitchen. I'll take a sample of your blood to Doctor Chen. He can have an answer in a few hours."
"Good idea."
He hurried to the kitchen, the apartment's floors cold on his bare feet, the air chill on his bare skin. Grabbing a needle from Gillian's supply, he checked the clock. Gillian and Mrs. Waters weren't due home for another four hours. Good. The last thing he needed was for his housekeeper to see him running naked around the house.
He raced back to Rebecca's side. She held out her arm, looking away as the needle pierced her skin. The reservoir of the needle filled quickly with blood. Pressing her other thumb to the spot, he withdrew the needle.
"Hold down on it until it stops bleeding. I'll take this to Doctor Chen right away."
"Could you bring me a pen and some paper?"
"You want to work while I'm gone?"
Her eyes shadowed. "I have to do something."
"I'll get it for you. Anything else?"
An impish smile lit her face. "Yes. Put on some pants."
REBECCA CROSSED out the last sentence, and frowned at the letter she was trying to compose. She remembered Olivia's letter in her nightstand, and shivered at the eerie parallel. She wasn't cursed. She wasn't going to die.
But just in case...Sighing, she picked up a new sheet of paper, and began again.
Dear Mom,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come around to your point of view. You only ever wanted what was best for me, and thought an imaginary hero made a better father for a little girl than a fallible man. When my father came back, you had no way of knowing if he'd stay, or be frightened into leaving again. And so you didn't take the chance. For you, the promise of love wasn't worth the risk. Then, and now, I'm willing to risk everything. That doesn't make either of us wrong, just different. I hope you can forgive what I said and did when I left, and that I can see you again. There's someone very special that I'd like you to meet. And if anything happens to me before we have that chance, remember that I thought love was worth the risk, and am happy with the decisions I've made.
