Page 39 of Leave It to Us
Miami is always beautiful but oh how I miss my girls. Can’t wait ’til this tour is over so I can get back to the island and their pretty faces. Daniel was such a sweet blessing to me. A surprise really because Riley and I were happy running around that big ole house by ourselves. But then the good Lord blessed us with the most darling boy. And that boy turned right around and blessed me with the most heavenly girls. My heart bursts with joy each time I settle my eyes on them.
And Tami’s heart burst with grief as she read each word with Grandma Betty’s voice in her head.
Chapter 16
LANA
Two weeks later, the summerhouse was filled with noise. There were people in every room of the house, either covering the furniture that would stay with tarps, tearing out wallpaper, removing windows, pulling up floors, banging on something or other, walking, talking, singing—because Tami had insisted on blaring Motown hits throughout the house during the workday—and just otherwise giving Lana a headache.
Seriously, she’d had a headache for the last twelve days, and no amount of Tylenol was getting rid of it. She was on her way to take another two tablets when somebody yelled, “Look out!” and instead of taking that to meanGet the hell out of the way, she froze.
Terrible choice.
A huge bag fell to the floor just a couple of feet in front of her. The bag exploded, and white dust filled the air. Lana started to choke, using one arm to wave away whatever it was she was now ingesting, and bringing up her other hand to cover her mouth.
“Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!” that same voice now chanted, getting closer.
“Dammit, Frankie, what the hell are you doing?” Deacon appeared in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders and easing her back. “You okay, Lana?”
She was shaking her head now and coughing, which she figured meant she was not okay, but she didn’t bother saying that. Now her head was throbbing, and her chest was burning from the dust.
“What happened?” Yvonne came running into the part of the foyer that was just about to turn into the doorway to the kitchen. “Is she hurt?”
Lana answered for herself this time. “No, I’m not hurt.”
“But she could’ve been,” Deacon said, cutting his eyes at Frank, who now stood a few feet to Lana’s left.
“Sorry ’bout that,” Frank said, rubbing both hands down the back of his head. His gray eyes were wide with what she figured was the same shock hers were probably displaying. “Really sorry, Ms.Lana.”
Frank was a senior in high school who lived down by the docks. He’d been so excited to get this summer gig that he couldn’t help telling Lana most of his life story, which was probably why she resisted the urge to yell at him.
“I’m okay, Frank. Really. It didn’t touch me, and I guess I should’ve heeded your warning when you said to look out,” she said.
“You should’ve been wearing your hard hat,” Yvonne scolded.
“And goggles and a mask,” Deacon added.
With a frown, Lana looked from one to the other. “Okay, Mom and Dad.”
“Don’t get smart,” Yvonne replied. “We have safety discussions every morning. You know that because you lead them sometimes.”
“And I forgot this time,” she said. “I went outside for some air and to make a couple of phone calls; then I just came back in to get some water and some pain pills.”
That had Yvonne’s worried-turned-irritated voice reverting right back to worry. “Why? You still have a headache?” she asked.
Lana nodded.
“Maybe you should stop taking those over-the-counter pills and see a doctor. It’s been a couple of weeks now.”
“It’s a headache, Yvonne, not a stroke.” The minute those words left her lips, Lana knew they were a mistake.
Yvonne’s frozen stare confirmed it, and Lana cursed.
“I just need to get some medicine and sit down for a while,” she said. “That’s all, Yvonne. It’s not a big deal.”
“But it could be,” Yvonne said, her tone noticeably softer. And laced with a hint of fear.
“You could be on the ferry to the mainland in an hour,” Deacon said. “I can call my mother and get a number for one of those urgent-care places.”
