scattered around the room. I'm sorry, Mrs. Asbury, there's a lot to clean up. Do you have someone to go home with you?" He rubbed his hands together. "I don't think you should go there alone."
"I have a friend to take me home." She lied.
"Who?" Emma intruded. "Your only friend is lying upstairs. You have no other friends, unless you ask Stephen."
Sergeant Pilsner nodded his approval and left. The doctor came in before she gave it another thought.
"How are you feeling today?"
"Better." At least she didn't have to lie about that. She did feel better today and the crying jags had become less frequent.
"Do you feel up to going home?"
Rose sat up straighter in the bed. Home, from what she understood there wasn't any home. But she wanted to get out of here. "Yes."
"Here's the name of a psychologist, I recommend you make an appointment as soon as possible." He smiled at her. A sympathetic, slow smile that started with his lips and reached his eyes. "You've had a lot to deal with, you've gone through a traumatic experience," he said. "You need to talk to someone. You can't deal with this alone."
She promised she would make an appointment, waited for him to leave and took her clothes out of the closet. Just as she thought about calling a cab, Stephen came in, carrying a light pink rose.
"Rose, are you going home?"
"Yes. The doctor just released me."
"Do you have a ride? I mean is someone picking you up?"
"Uh..." Rose thought about lying to him, but she didn't really feel like being alone. She had to go back to the house for some clothes before she checked into a motel. She didn't want to go back there alone. "Actually I thought about calling a cab." She hoped he'd offered her a ride.
"Nonsense, I'll take you. A cab, what are you thinking?"
"I have to go to my house first. I need some clothes."
"Not a problem. Go on get dressed I'll be here when you're ready."
Rose gave him a half smile and went into the bathroom.
* * *
Stephen felt awful. Damn, he couldn't stand seeing her in this state. So fragile, so alone. What was it going to take for her to trust?
After he left her yesterday, he went to talk to her friends about her. She'd probably be furious with him if she found out, but curiosity had gotten the best of him. Stephen told them if they didn't want to talk to him, he'd understand. But George was especially talkative.
"I've known Rose a long time." George said. "When Frank died so soon after her parents, she went into a shell. Louise tried to get her to join in with the volunteer group they had enjoyed together through the years, but she wouldn't participate." George didn't even give him a chance to ask a question.
Stephen listened, saddened at what he heard.
"After her sister died she really fell apart, withdrew from life. She even pushed her kids away. I'm surprised she stayed in touch with Louise," George said.
Stephen figured it was something like this just from the little Rose told him.
"But Louise wasn't the type to ignore a friend in need." George got up and paced while he talked.
"I think she tried to distance herself, but Louise wouldn't have any of it." George went on to explain how she had vowed never to marry again after Frank died.
"She locked herself away only seeing Louise and Emma. After Emma died, she wouldn't even see or talk to Louise. It took months of phone calls and uninvited visits before Rose resumed their friendship."
"What happened with her kids?" Stephen asked. He wanted to know everything about Rose.
"The kids gave up calling so often. She hardly talks to them. Whenever they call, Rose makes some excuse or another to hang up. They think she isn't interested in them anymore. People can only take so much rejection. Kids aren't any different." George sighed and poured a cup of coffee.
"Rose doesn't know they keep in touch with Louise. Those kids are worried sick about their mother." George stopped and sipped his coffee. "Rose told Louise they're young and
"I have a friend to take me home." She lied.
"Who?" Emma intruded. "Your only friend is lying upstairs. You have no other friends, unless you ask Stephen."
Sergeant Pilsner nodded his approval and left. The doctor came in before she gave it another thought.
"How are you feeling today?"
"Better." At least she didn't have to lie about that. She did feel better today and the crying jags had become less frequent.
"Do you feel up to going home?"
Rose sat up straighter in the bed. Home, from what she understood there wasn't any home. But she wanted to get out of here. "Yes."
"Here's the name of a psychologist, I recommend you make an appointment as soon as possible." He smiled at her. A sympathetic, slow smile that started with his lips and reached his eyes. "You've had a lot to deal with, you've gone through a traumatic experience," he said. "You need to talk to someone. You can't deal with this alone."
She promised she would make an appointment, waited for him to leave and took her clothes out of the closet. Just as she thought about calling a cab, Stephen came in, carrying a light pink rose.
"Rose, are you going home?"
"Yes. The doctor just released me."
"Do you have a ride? I mean is someone picking you up?"
"Uh..." Rose thought about lying to him, but she didn't really feel like being alone. She had to go back to the house for some clothes before she checked into a motel. She didn't want to go back there alone. "Actually I thought about calling a cab." She hoped he'd offered her a ride.
"Nonsense, I'll take you. A cab, what are you thinking?"
"I have to go to my house first. I need some clothes."
"Not a problem. Go on get dressed I'll be here when you're ready."
Rose gave him a half smile and went into the bathroom.
* * *
Stephen felt awful. Damn, he couldn't stand seeing her in this state. So fragile, so alone. What was it going to take for her to trust?
After he left her yesterday, he went to talk to her friends about her. She'd probably be furious with him if she found out, but curiosity had gotten the best of him. Stephen told them if they didn't want to talk to him, he'd understand. But George was especially talkative.
"I've known Rose a long time." George said. "When Frank died so soon after her parents, she went into a shell. Louise tried to get her to join in with the volunteer group they had enjoyed together through the years, but she wouldn't participate." George didn't even give him a chance to ask a question.
Stephen listened, saddened at what he heard.
"After her sister died she really fell apart, withdrew from life. She even pushed her kids away. I'm surprised she stayed in touch with Louise," George said.
Stephen figured it was something like this just from the little Rose told him.
"But Louise wasn't the type to ignore a friend in need." George got up and paced while he talked.
"I think she tried to distance herself, but Louise wouldn't have any of it." George went on to explain how she had vowed never to marry again after Frank died.
"She locked herself away only seeing Louise and Emma. After Emma died, she wouldn't even see or talk to Louise. It took months of phone calls and uninvited visits before Rose resumed their friendship."
"What happened with her kids?" Stephen asked. He wanted to know everything about Rose.
"The kids gave up calling so often. She hardly talks to them. Whenever they call, Rose makes some excuse or another to hang up. They think she isn't interested in them anymore. People can only take so much rejection. Kids aren't any different." George sighed and poured a cup of coffee.
"Rose doesn't know they keep in touch with Louise. Those kids are worried sick about their mother." George stopped and sipped his coffee. "Rose told Louise they're young and
Similar Books
