to order an ambulance?â
âDoes he need an ambulance?â
âNo.â Another insistent push and he had her outside the room. âJust thought it might be the easiest way to transport him. You canât exactly use your truck.â
âWhatâs wrong with my truck?â She held her hand up. âDonât answer.â
âMoxie, I have a patient to tend to. The sooner I take care of him the sooner you can be on your way and thenââ
âThen what, Li? I donât know how I can handle this alone.â
âYouâre not alone, Moxie.â
âThatâs true.â She clenched her teeth. âIâm never alone.â
âThatâs the way to talk.â He gave her arm a pat.
âI didnât mean it was a good thing. I meant that since the Cromwell family came back to Santa Sofia they are alwaysââ
âIâm here!â Kate came practically careening around the corner. Her cane swinging in one hand, she used her outstretched arm to counterbalance. This kept her rocking gait rolling until she reached them. âLionel? Whereâs Billy J? What do you need me to do?â
âEverything is under control.â Moxie looked to Lionel for confirmation.
He gave her a nod and disappeared into the room to see about Billy J.
Moxie drew a deep breath and pressed on. âSo why donât you deal with Dodie? You can take her home, Iâll stay with my dad and Iâll call you later when we know more about whatâs going on.â
âWhatâs going on, yâall?â Vince rounded the corner then pulled up short when Moxie turned to face him.
She must have looked a sight as he not only stopped in his tracks and in midsentence, but also threw his hands up to keep the people following close on his heels from coming any closer to her.
Jo all but smashed her pretty little nose into the manâs broad back.
Travis had to make a quick side step to keep from plowing into Jo.
However, Dodie, wringing a tattered tissue in her plump little hands, bypassed them all. âI couldnât convince any of them to stay outside. The whole family insisted on coming in.â
âFamily.â That word again! â Family? A couple months ago they were all strangers to me, and to my dad.â
âMolly, sweetheart, we only want to help.â Dodie sounded apologetic and yet firm in her conviction.
âI understand that, but do you always have to help from so close?â She laced her arms tightly over her chest and pulled her shoulders up. This kept her from actually swinging her elbows out to physically create more room and gave her just enough comfort to keep from bursting out crying. Moxie tried to keep her anger and frustration low-key but it wasnât easy. Her fatherâs health scare had really gotten to her and the fact that she only learned about it by accident didnât ease her mind any. âItâs just soâ¦overwhelming.â
Travis stepped forward. âLook, I know youâre under a lot of stress right now, Moxie, but Dodie and the girls only thoughtââ
âOf themselves.â She filled in the blank with quiet conviction.
âWhat?â
âDodie and the girls only thought of themselves.â She spoke softly, saying what she thought had to finally be said. She did not lash out. She did not allow her voice to quiver. She took a deep breath and talked from her hurting heart to the people who claimed to want only the best for her. âYou said when there is trouble, family goesâwell, doesnât family also include each other? Donât they take the other members of that family into account?â
âMolly Christina, thatâs no way to talk to us when we only wanted toââ
âMy name is Moxie.â She almost stamped her foot, just like a petulant child. âAnd donât try to pull that maternal guilt card on me, Dodie.â
Everyone
C. J. Cherryh
Learning to Kill: Stories
John O'Riley
Brenda Sinclair
Christopher George
Stephen Lloyd Jones
Karl Iagnemma
Celya Bowers
Jill Gregory
Aria Cunningham