Page 9 of Wildflower Hearts
“I’m not worried about her. I’m worried about you.” He shook his head. “You’ve been here for twelve hours straight. If you continue to push yourself, I’m afraid you might burn yourself out, and I don’t mean in a calm, recharge type of way.”
“You don’t have to explain it to me by connecting the dots. I’ll be fine.”
“I mean it, don’t overexert yourself. You’re too important for us to lose due to a bad judgment call.” He shook his finger at her. “I’ll watch your patients while you take a break and talk to her. If you need me, just page me.”
“Thank you, Bruce.”
Wiping the smile off her face, she approached the nurse’s station. She could already smell her mother’s intense perfume. Had she mastered invisibility along with the ability to repel all things human?
Lyla stiffened her shoulders, raising her chin as she came up behind her mother and watched Bruno point, muttering something. Her mother turned; her dark red lips pressed together in a flat line of annoyance.
“I have been all over this damn hospital looking for you!”
Veronica Hamilton had once been a beautiful, vibrant woman, but endless smoking, drinking, and an evil heart had tainted her. She was tall, almost five foot nine, with long black hair and green eyes. Years of the best cosmetic surgery and Botox had made her skin marble. Her lips were usually pressed flat, a straight line of disgust evident, but whenever she smiled, it made Lyla shiver, the look predatory. She was a snake that smiled right before she ate her prey.
“What can I do for you, Mother?”
“I told you not to hang up on me. Now I’ve had to drag myself to this…” Veronica shifted the fur scarf closer around her neck, “wretched place. I’ll simply have no choice but to take another bath to get the stink off me.”
“Why are you here?”
“I’m here to take you home. There’s simply no reason you should be here any longer. Amelia will be delighted you’ve decided to attend her engagement party. You’ll buy something nice to wear and a gift before we go.”
“I already told you I can’t attend her party, Mother. There’s no way I’m leaving the hospital. I have patients.”
“Why not? It’s not like it’s any concern to you when they die.”
Lyla flinched as several nurses look up at the station, Melissa’s hand hovering over the phone. “I’d be most appreciative if you never said anything like that ever again.”
“Don’t you dare try to order me around! I am your mother!”
“Well, you’re not my mother,” Melissa hissed as she rose from her desk chair. “If you can’t control your emotions, ma’am, I will have someone escort you out.”
Bruno grunted in disbelief, but Melissa refused to sit back down. She lifted the phone in warning.
Veronica rolled her eyes before focusing back on her daughter.
“You hang with such low-status people. It’s dragging you down and turning you against me. I’ve given you everything, bringing you into this world and making you into the woman you are today. This is the thanks I get?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I had a nanny from the day I was born until I moved off to college.” She narrowed her eyes, the wave of confidence coming off Melissa and those around her giving her strength. “Patricia was the only mother I knew growing up. She was the only one who ever gave a damn about me. Don’t you ever dishonor her memory like that again!”
“Lyla, you will-”
“I think it’s time you leave.”
Veronica’s mouth dropped. “You better think wisely about your choices, dear,” she hissed. “If you ever want to show your face in this town again with any sort of dignity, you’ll stop this nonsense this instant and come with me.”
“I think she told you to leave.”
Her eyes flashed angrily over Lyla’s shoulder, narrowing as they landed Elias. “And what concern is it of yours?”
“I’m her boyfriend,” he said firmly, moving to stand beside her. “And I don’t take kindly to people harassing my girlfriend.”
Veronica gazed between them, an amused expression appearing on her face. “When I thought you couldn’t sink any lower, you’ve found a street thug of our own. No wonder you’re afraid to come home and show your face,” she smirked. “Let meguess, you got her pregnant, and now she has no choice but to support the both of you?”
“That’s enough. If you insult him one more time, I’ll throw you out of here myself. He’s a wonderful man, and he’s definitely a better man than your horrible excuse for a husband will ever be.” She slipped her hand into Elias’s, holding back her surprise when she felt him squeeze her fingers in a supportive motion. “I think you know the direction of the exit.”
Veronica snorted but threw the scarf over her shoulder dismissively. She flicked her fingers at Bruno. “Let’s go. The contaminated air in this place is beginning to dry out my hair. Do not even think about crawling back to us when this falls apart. From this point on, you don’t have a family anymore.”
