Page 108 of The Night the Lights Went Out
“I’m thirsty,” Sugar said. “I hope you have some water. But if you’ve got only your sweet tea, I’m desperate enough right now to drink some.”
And then Merilee began to laugh, absurdly and uproariously, at the circumstances that had brought her and this woman here, to this exact spot, to talk about sweet tea and marvel at the strange power of those who called themselves survivors.
Thirty-seven
SUGAR
Sugar pursed her lips as she studied the hospital gown in an unflattering shade of green that she’d been forced to wear, as well as the needles and IV tubes that were stuck to her skin with tape that would hurt when it was yanked off. Her arm hurt from where they’d had to open up an artery and stick in a wire to put in a stent. That would definitely leave a scar.
She felt unsettled and at loose ends, annoyed at something she couldn’t name. She frowned at her visitor. “Nothing new from the blog? I’m already tired of listening to the news about the storm and Heather Blackford.”
Merilee shook her head. “Not a word—which surprises me. I’m sure the blogger has a lot to say about what’s happened. I’m actually looking forward to it.” She smiled at Sugar. “You’re lucky, you know.” Merilee sat on the side of the bed with the latest edition of theSweet Apple Heraldunder the bandaged arm resting on her lap, her crutches leaning on the bed. “If it hadn’t been for the tornado, we might not have known about that blockage in your heart.”
“You mean if you hadn’t thrown me down the stairs, they wouldn’t have needed to take me to the hospital and run all those tests.”
“I didn’t...” Merilee stopped, then smiled. “You’re right. So you’re welcome.”
Sugar grunted. “So, what’s the final damage to the house?”
“Just roof shingles blown off both houses, and a few bricks from the chimney in the farmhouse, water damage to the tile floor in the cottage bathroom, but that’s about all. The tornado touched down in the woods, then took off the roof of Sweet Apple High School before skipping into the new subdivision behind your property. Toppled a few street signs, but happily no one was seriously hurt. Wade said he’ll have everything fixed at both houses before you get home.”
“Ha. He wants it all fixed up to sell. He thinks if I were in that place with Willa Faye, they would have been able to tell I had a problem with my heart.”
Merilee shook her head. “No. But he does worry about you living on your own. I agree that you’ll need home health care while you recover from your surgery, but as far as any permanent plans, no decision can be made without you, okay? You’ve been making your own decisions about your life for a long time, and nobody’s going to mess with that now. Especially not me. I’ve seen what you can do when you’re angry enough.”
Despite herself, Sugar let out a bark of laughter. “How is Heather Blackford?”
“Hurting, I hope. She has a concussion, and we both broke our ankles. I have no idea how we managed that and continued to run on them. That whole night is such a blur.”
Sugar thought for a moment. “I lost my last plastic bonnet. I have no idea how I’ll replace it.”
Merilee looked back at her, unblinking. “That is a tragedy. But at least the binoculars aren’t hurt. Not even a dent. They certainly don’t make things like they used to.”
“No, they certainly don’t.” Sugar looked at her arm, so pasty against the sheets, her veins a pale blue swimming beneath the skin’s surface. “I’m not going to pretend that I’m sorry Heather’s not dead. A lifetime in prison is a good substitute.”
“They’re charging her with attempted murder for what she tried to do to me. I don’t think it will be too hard to pin Dan’s murder on her, too. They’ve dropped the charges against me, so at least they’re on the right track.”
“Good. But poor Dan. He was a good man. One of the best.” Sugar blinked away a tear that insisted on clouding her vision.
“He was,” Merilee agreed. “And so is Wade. Stupid man. When he couldn’t get through on the phone to either you or me, he drove through the storm to get to us. I still can’t believe he did that, but I’m glad he was there to tell us the coast was clear and to help us out of the cellar. Thank goodness he thought to borrow a cell phone so he could call an ambulance. Still, it was stupid.”
“And you carried me down the steps with a broken ankle,” Sugar pointed out.
“You mean I threw you.”
Sugar tried not to smile.
Merilee leaned over and took her hand. “And you saved my life.” Tears formed in her eyes, and she let them slip down her cheeks.
Sugar looked down at the sheets. “Well, Heather wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t called her and left that message.”
Merilee squeezed her hand. “You saved my life,” she said again. “And that’s all that matters.”
“At least it gave me the chance to give Heather a sharp blow to her head. She had it coming to her.”
Merilee smiled. “The things we do for those we love,” she said.
Sugar pressed her lips together.
