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  I sat up and tried to see who Dr. Adams was arguing with, but both men were hidden from my view. “Hello?” I called.

  Silence.

  Dr. Adams came into the room smiling that offensive smile again. “Miss Malone, look who’s here,” he announced stiffly.

  Gregg stepped out of the shadows of the hallway and into the room, smiling sheepishly. I felt nothing. I expected some sort of warm feelings to come flooding back to me, some remnants of the time we spent together, but ambivalence was all I could come up with.

  All that flashed through my mind was the pained look on Darrios’ face just before I left, and then his face overcome with fear when the viocomen clawed my neck. Then, at last, I saw the happy, relaxed expression he had that first day we spent at the lake. My eyes filled with tears. Damn it!

  I tried to block out the images in my mind of Darrios and I making love, but they kept fast-forwarding through my brain. Oh God, I missed him so much.

  The realization knocked the wind out of me just as sure as Darrios did when he tackled me to save my life. I loved him. I’d been so worried about doing the right thing and taking care of my responsibilities that I hadn’t realized that I did, in fact, love Darrios. It didn’t matter now, though. It was too late. I was back in Peanut Falls...and Darrios was in Celio.

  “Maggie, you’re awake. I’m so glad,” Gregg said as he approached my bed.

  Thankfully, he didn’t hug or kiss me, although that did seem strange, considering I’d been missing and then in a coma. Both Dr. Adams and his nurse stared hateful daggers at him, distracting me. I turned my attention from them back to Gregg.

  “I was so worried,” he said, rather unconvincingly.

  I wrinkled my brow and glanced back at Dr. Adams’ nurse as she rolled her eyes and snorted. Something obviously wasn’t what it seemed. Gregg heard her too. He wheeled around and, sounding a bit snippy, demanded, “Can we have a little privacy, please?”

  Dr. Adams and his nurse left, but not before she squeezed my hand and said, “Anything you need, sugar, you just holler.”

  Definitely some weird shit happening here.

  “Maggie, the doctor says if your tests go well, you’ll be out of here in a few days.”

  “Why didn’t the doctor know I had a brother?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t mention it. Brendan came, but after a few days, I sent him home. I knew you wouldn’t want him missing work or any of his ridiculous causes and there was nothing he could do here. He argued, but Amanda helped convince him. I can call him right now if you want.”

  I didn’t even bother to point out that his causes were selfless, not ridiculous, but what would Gregg know about that? All I could think of was, oh goody, Gregg’s assistant, Amanda, convinced him. Involuntarily, images of all the ways she could have done that crept into my mind. I blocked them out. Eewww. Focus, Maggie.

  “Listen, Gregg, we need to talk.”

  “Ssshhh, not now. You need to keep your strength. It’s almost lunchtime. How about I go grab us some of that barbecue you always loved and we can talk then. It’s been awhile since you’ve had any real food. What do you say?”

  I nodded warily. He didn’t even sound like himself. His tone struck me as way too sweet, syrupy even. It unnerved me.

  “Okay, sure. That sounds good. Did Dr. Adams say it was all right?”

  “I’m sure it’s fine,” he said, backing out of the room.

  I shook my head. What the hell was going on? Dr. Adams’s nurse came in as soon as Gregg left.

  “Are you all right, honeypie?” she asked, looking at me as if my puppy had just died.

  “I’m fine, why?”

  “I just don’t want him upsetting you, that’s all.”

  “Why would he upset me?” I asked, my hackles suddenly up.

  “Nurse Shelby!” Dr. Adams barked from the doorway, causing both of us to jump. “Can I see you in the hallway, right now?”

  She smiled weakly at me and hurried out into the hall. Soon, Dr. Adams came back in, smiling that suspicious smile again.

  Before he could blow sunshine up my dress again, I asked him, “Doctor, when’s the last time Gregg came to see me?”

  Dr. Adams stood and shifted foot to foot, staring at the floor.

  “Doctor?”

  He looked at me, clearly wishing he was somewhere else...probably anywhere else. I knew he was uncomfortable, but I didn’t break eye contact. I needed to hear the truth.

  “A couple of days after you were admitted. He came in to sign some paperwork and told us to call him if you woke up. That was the last time. I know it’s none of my business, but...”

  “What’s a nice girl like me doing with such a self-important jackass?”

  “Well, I wasn’t going to phrase it like that.”

  “Why not? It’s true.”

  “He just hasn’t acted like much of a boyfriend.”

  Not that I could really say anything. I hadn’t exactly acted like much of a girlfriend, now had I?

  Dr. Adams’ pager went off. He glanced down at it and said, “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.”

  ****

  The nurse came in carrying a telephone that probably hadn’t been used since 1965. I didn’t care. I would’ve been happy with string and tin cans if it would have allowed me to speak to my brother.

  She plugged it in and dialed the necessary numbers to reach the outside world. I dialed Brendan’s number and tried not to burst into tears when he answered. Not wanting to alarm him, I took a deep breath before I spoke.

  “Brendan, it’s me. It’s Maggie. I’m okay.”

  I heard the silence of his shock and then pure emotion wash over my brother. “Maggie, oh thank God, Maggie! You’re awake. When did you wake up?”

  “A little while ago. I’m sorry I worried you.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” He choked back a sob. “I’m so relieved. I’m gonna drive right down. No, you know what? It’s only half an hour by plane. I bet I can get a flight. Gregg will pick me up in Springfield, right?”

  “Probably not a good plan. Gregg and I are finished, Brendan.”

  Another short bout of silence. “Holy shit, two miracles in one day. I’m definitely buying a lottery ticket. So I’ll rent a car and you can tell me all the happy details once I get there.”

  I laughed at his enthusiasm.

  “I love you, sis. See you in a couple hours or so.”

  I hung up the phone, feeling my mood suddenly uplifted. Brendan had a way of doing that. He could make anybody feel better about anything. Saying I was anxious to see him was an understatement. I thanked the nurse. She patted my hand and told me it was nice to see me smile. It felt nice too.

  ****

  Gregg walked in carrying enough food for ten people.

  “I hope you’re hungry,” he sang out.

  He set the food down and began busying himself with setting it up. I stared out the window, unable to look at him. Granted, I had slept with Darrios and I was not making excuses, but c’mon! Peanut Falls Medical Center? For a head injury?

  Dr. Adams walked back in, but stopped when he saw Gregg.

  Amanda, Gregg’s assistant, followed the doctor into the room. I couldn’t help but notice the extremely low-cut blouse and skin tight skirt she had on, not to mention the smug smile on her face. Leather leopard print? Really?

  Dr. Adams looked startled when she entered the room.

  “I’ll leave y’all alone,” he muttered as he hurried out of the room.

  “Amanda, I think you made a wrong turn. The strip club is down the street,” I said sarcastically.

  “Hilarious,” she replied flatly.

  Gregg smiled nervously. He glanced over at Amanda, a worried look on his face, and then looked back at me. I suddenly felt a chill.

  “Maggie,” he said.

  I waited; watching him like a hyena watches a lion.

  “You remember Amanda.”

  I narrowed my eyes. Why was
she even here? He hadn’t made a move to touch me or even approach me. He stood there, at least three feet away from me...with Amanda standing less than a foot behind him. I knew then, without a doubt. It was true. He’d done it. He and Amanda were sexually involved.

  “Sure, how could I forget the only other woman who had a key to our hotel room?”

  Gregg winced. Good.

  “Excuse me, Amanda,” I said. “Could we have a minute?” I asked, not really asking, but telling.

  She put her hands on her hips, rolled her eyes, and said to Gregg, “Just tell her, goddammit.”

  Then she sauntered out of the room, the click of her stripper heels echoing down the hall.

  I looked at him, waiting for him to tell me whatever it was Amanda wanted him to tell me, already knowing what it was, realizing I’d known all along. He said nothing, just stood there.

  “Aren’t you going to ask me where I was, for, I don’t know...however long I was missing?” I asked, tiring of his cavalier attitude.

  Gregg looked at me like I was a molterg. He took a step forward. “Missing?”

  “Yeah...when I went missing...in Hollywood?”

  Gregg looked puzzled. “Maggie, what are you talking about?”

  Was everyone dense around here? I slammed my fists down on the bed. “What is wrong with everybody? Remember, we argued, I stormed out of the hotel? Didn’t you wonder why I never came back? Weren’t you concerned...even a little, after I’d been missing for days, and then weeks?”

  “Maggie, what...”

  “You don’t remember the bad-ass tranny that cleaned your clock?

  “Yeah, she...he...whatever...is lucky I don’t sue. But what does that have to do with anything?”

  “I went with her on a studio tour. That’s where it happened.”

  “Maggie, what are you talking about? You were in a coma.”

  “Yeah, and I can tell how thrilled you are now that I’m not, but I need you to listen to me.”

  He cocked his head. I had to get it out before I lost my nerve. I needed to tell him the truth so I could make a clean break...not that he’d done me the same courtesy.

  “I have to tell you something. Please, just listen and let me finish before you say anything.”

  He nodded, still eyeing me strangely.

  “I got lost that day at the studio. I went to the restroom and on the way back I must’ve taken a wrong turn. Then I saw this big metal door and I sort of...fell through it. I thought I’d stumbled upon a movie set, but it wasn’t. It was a real place...like some sort of parallel universe or something—”

  I took a deep breath. Gregg stared at me like I should be locked up.

  “You never went missing. You’ve been in a coma. You fell and hit your head.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the urge to scream.

  “You had your little tantrum at our hotel, ran off to sulk, and the next day you went on a studio tour.”

  “Little tantrum?”

  He continued, not even acknowledging my outburst.

  “You probably weren’t watching where you were going, as usual. You stumbled into something. You hit your head pretty hard and knocked yourself unconscious. The paramedics couldn’t revive you so they rushed you to a hospital in L.A., but I had to get back, so I had you transported here.”

  “Hang on. Wait a minute...you had to return to work, so that’s the reason you brought me back here? I was already in the same building where some of the country's best neurologists were, but that wasn't convenient for you, so you brought me here...to Peanut Falls? Unbelievable.”

  My voice had risen to a level of shrill I wouldn’t have thought possible.

  Gregg shrugged. “C’mon Maggie, let’s not make a big deal of this. Look, you’re awake, right?” Gregg said, ever so patronizingly.

  “Don’t make a big deal of this? Do you ever think about what you say before you say it? Darrios was right about you.”

  “Maggie, that’s enough!” Gregg barked. “I don’t want to hear any more about Darrios or the crazy dream you had when you were in a coma.”

  The chill came back again, but it wasn’t physical. It was purely emotional. No! It was real. He was real. I couldn’t breathe. It couldn’t have been a dream, could it?

  Amanda came huffing back into the room. She glared at me, then at Gregg, then back at me and ordered, “Enough of this dicking around. Just fucking tell her.”

  Gregg suddenly looked like he was in pain. He stepped forward and took my hand. I snatched it away. He looked at Amanda. She nodded and he sighed.

  A few seconds ticked by, but it felt like much longer. Maybe I was still on Celio time. I looked at Gregg, anticipating his words.

  “Maggie...I...you,” he faltered. “You were in a coma...nearly two months.”

  Amanda started to speak again, but Gregg held up his hand and silenced her. He took another step toward me. “Maggie,” he said in a voice that was overly soothing.

  I recoiled.

  “Maggie, I didn’t know if you’d ever come out of it...”

  “How long?” I demanded.

  He gave me a bewildered look. “What?” he asked blankly.

  “How long did you wait before you started fucking Amanda...or were you already?”

  “Maggie, don’t do this. C’mon. I’ll always care about you...”

  “How long, goddammit?”

  Gregg’s gaze dropped. Amanda gave me a haughty smirk. Clearly my answer was “already.” Nice.

  I thought I might vomit. Darrios had pegged Gregg after five minutes without ever knowing him...so how the hell did I end up here, like this? I took a deep breath and let it out, determined to remain calm.

  I didn’t care that Gregg had been doing the horizontal bop with Amanda. In fact, it kind of made ending the relationship that much easier. It was all the lies that bothered me. Why did he move me here? Why did he make all those promises? I couldn’t fathom his motivation.

  I’d wasted a year and a half on a man who had been unfaithful to me since the moment we arrived in this Podunk town, maybe sooner, but definitely before we ever went to California.

  I wasn’t judging him for that. I mean, obviously I’d operated outside our relationship as well. I never planned on developing feelings for Darrios. But at least I tried to be honest.

  I had no idea Darrios would have been able to bring me such happiness. And now it was over. I’d made so many mistakes. The devastation swirled around me, encompassing my entire being. My head pounded and my stomach churned.

  Gregg was still babbling apologies.

  “Just stop, please,” I pleaded. “I don’t understand this. If you didn’t love me, why did you push me to move here? To leave the job I loved...and my home?”

  Gregg looked at the floor and shook his head.

  “I...I didn’t know. I’m sorry, Maggie.”

  “Stop saying that,” I yelled. “I don’t care if you’re sorry!”

  Amanda turned to me. “Don’t pretend to be so goddamn naïve, Maggie,” Amanda said icily. “Do you really believe Gregg chose to live in Peanut Falls for the ambiance of the town?” She ran her talon-like fingernails down his arms and smiled an evil smile.

  I swallowed hard. I wasn’t heartbroken by Gregg’s betrayal, like he thought. I was heartbroken because I allowed myself to fall in love with a beautiful man and then I left him. I mean, obviously I still would’ve had to come back for my brother and my aunt, but...

  “Maggie, I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “No you’re not. You’re sorry I came out of my coma and forced you to deal with me. You know what though? This is good because I never realized what a cruel, controlling, thoughtless, self-centered son of a bitch you really are.” When he started to protest, I snapped, “Gregg...just go and leave me alone.”

  I looked at him, for the last time, I hoped. He turned, took Amanda by the elbow, and left. I sighed with relief, which then turned to happiness five minutes later when my brother walked in. />
  He smiled broadly and rushed over to hug me. The tears started again, but this time they were tears of joy.

  “Oh Brendan, I missed you so much.”

  “Wow, all the way from a coma? That’s really something.”

  “No, silly, before that.”

  Brendan pulled a chair closer to the bed then sat down. He took my hand and kissed it. “So what do the doctors say? When do you get to leave these luxurious surroundings?”

  I shrugged. “Everybody’s kind of vague around here. I really don’t know anything.”

  Brendan puffed out his chest. “Leave it to me, sis. I’ll find out what’s going on.”

  He started to get up but I grabbed his arm. “That can wait. Please just sit with me for a little while.”

  He nodded and smiled. He ruffled my hair and sat back down.

  “Where’s Aunt Gin? Isn’t she with you?” I asked, looking over his shoulder.

  He shook his head and grinned. “Actually, she doesn’t even know about you, about this. She took off a couple of days after you left on one of her wild adventures. Apparently, she met a man.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “And she ran off with him? That’s not like her.”

  “She sent me a postcard last week. She says she’s having the time of her life. I didn’t have a return address, so I couldn’t tell her about your accident.”

  Relieved, I laughed a little. Leave it to Aunt Gin. At least she was all right. “That’s good. At least she’s having fun and not worrying.”

  Brendan agreed and then asked me what happened with Gregg. I told him how Amanda showed up in our room in Hollywood.

  “That bastard.”

  “He’s been sleeping with her for awhile. At least since he took this job.”

  “I’ll fucking kill him!”

  “No, Brendan, please don’t do anything. I’m fine. You know what? I wasn’t happy with him long before the trip. Before we ever moved. I just didn’t know it. I guess I didn’t know how happiness felt.” I beamed. “But I do now.”

  “So what are you going to do, Maggie?”

  “Brendan, I need to tell you something and I need you to not think I’m crazy.”

  He leaned in smiling and teasingly said, “Too late.”