Page 74 of Hidden Raphael
Chapter 21
Kimberly returned to the library to check on Michaela. A dullness ached in her chest. His sister needed to be in bed, if she wasn't there already. Kimberly crossed her fingers that Meg showed up. The maid’s icy-cold demeanor would mean someone was close when she left with Raphael.
Kimberly tiptoed into the library as fast she could. Her body had the feeling of being heavy, but it must be her nerves. The crackling fire lit the room. She rounded the corner at the other end and stopped in her tracks. Michaela was hunched over on the couch.
Kimberly dashed toward her, and listened to Michaela's short breaths. She took his sister's hand in hers. She had delayed Raphael already. She couldn't lose his sister. She patted her hand. "Michaela, sweetheart, can you hear me?"
His sister nodded and tried to open her eyes, her gaze stopping at Kimberly's necklace. "Where…did you get that?"
"Let's get you upstairs." Kimberly reached out and tried to hold her at her waist. "Can you stand?"
"Yeah." Michaela swallowed then pushed toward her feet. Kimberly braced, taking her weight as Michaela's arms wrapped around her shoulder. "Don't let me brother see me like this."
Raphael's voice boomed behind her. "Too late."
He hadn’t lied. Kimberly didn't turn around, instead calling out, "Help me get her to bed."
Michaela whispered to Kimberly, "Don't let him go after anything. I'll be fine until the coast guard arrives."
Raphael picked up his sister and held her close to his chest.
Kimberly grabbed Michael's pocketbook. “Why are your meds not in here?”
“I placed them in my backpack with my clothes. It’s stowed behind the pilot’s seat.” Michaela lowered her head. Together they helped her.
On the stairs up near Kimberly's room, Michaela asked, "Where did you get that, Kimberly?"
It was good to keep her talking. Kimberly sucked her bottom lip in. "What are you talking about?"
"The necklace?" Michaela blinked, and Kimberly felt her stare.
Kimberly reached behind her neck to take it off. "I've been meaning to give this back. When Raphael offered it to me, I had no idea I'd see it on half the portraits in this house."
Michaela offered a small smile. "I tried to find it as a girl, but never did. The legend is that the mistress of this castle wears the amulet as protection. I tried so hard to find it so our parents would give me the castle and not Rafe, despite his green eyes."
"Mica." Raphael coughed. "Stay calm."
The family story was even more reason why this stayed in Raphael's family. Kimberly offered the necklace to his sister, but she refused. "It’s not mine."
Kimberly then turned to Raphael, who stared at her arm as he clutched his sister. She lifted her chin and asked, "Did you know about the necklace when you gave it to me?"
Raphael's green eyes opened wider and the flames of the candles danced in his pupils. Kimberly stared at him, momentarily hypnotized, as he said, "I remember Mica mentioning it as teenagers, but I forgot."
Something about him made her believe him. Her fingers latched on to the amulet, though, as she asked, "You forgot a family heirloom?"
He helped his sister up another few steps as he avoided her stare. "Why would I remember jewelry my sister wanted? What would I do with it?"
Michaela reached out and tried to hold Kimberly's other arm. "Whatever my brother did to you, please forgive him. He means well."
Kimberly took her outstretched hand back as her muscles twitched, but she said nothing. She held on to Mica to help her.
Raphael carried her up the stairs and Kimberly walked beside. "What is the medicine you take?"
"Six weeks ago I had bypass surgery." Michaela blinked. "I have memory issues and I bleed easily. I shouldn't have flown the helicopter."
"No, you shouldn't have," Raphael said. “You didn’t have to worry about me.”
Kimberly retied the amulet to her neck, as she didn't want to lose it right now. Raphael used his shoulder to point to the room next to Kimberly's. Kimberly stepped ahead of them and opened the door. Raphael laid her on the bed. This room was almost exactly like her princess room, and only two doors away. Kimberly helped fix the blankets as she asked, "Will you be okay now?"
