Tacoma Falls: Blazing Hearts

Visitors

Maury

I sat next to my hospital room and looked out the window. People moved to and from their cars. The sun was shining. And the sky was blue as a Bluejay.

My metal stand with the nutrient bag stayed beside me since it became my new best friend. The doctor still refused to remove the feeding tube. Five more pounds, Maury. That was twenty pounds ago.

I sat at the window and watched for Shep. Was I getting my hopes up? Maybe. But he came every day to see me. So, I would sit at the window and watch for him. I didn't tell him I did.

"Find anything interesting?" A voice asked.

I glanced at Ember standing in the doorway. "Oh, I was just checking out the sky. It's so bright today."

Ember entered the room and walked toward me before she stood beside me. "Yes, I would reckon so. It's always nice to see a sunny day with clear blue skies. Don't you think?"

"Yes, ma'am." I nodded.

Ember dragged a chair to me and plucked herself down. "Shep told us you could have visitors. So, I came to see you."

"That was mighty nice of you to visit me. I appreciate it."

"You don't have to thank me. I understand what it's like to have a feeding tube in your nose."

"Excuse me?"

"I've spent a few spells in the hospital with anorexia. The last time I was here was when I was pregnant with Dalton."

"Oh, my. I'm sorry to hear that."

Ember waved me off. "Don't be. It was my own doing. Old habits die hard. You would understand better than anyone, I suppose."

"Yes, ma'am."

"It's rough when you struggle alone. You wish anyone would help you. But you also don't want them to discover your dirty little secret, either. Then, you have no control. Tell me I'm wrong."

I lowered my gaze to my lap. "I can't."

"Maury, most cheaters lack remorse. Their concern is they won't get caught. I doubt you thought that way."

My head snapped to Ember.

"Most cheaters have friends and opportunities to cheat. You can't cheat if people ignore you."

I furrowed my brows and clenched my jaw.

"I'm not saying that to hurt your feelings. But I don't believe you would cheat on Shep."

"But it happened."

"Not by choice. Tell me. Did you plan to take a lover to your home and let Shep catch you in the act?"

"No, ma'am." I shook my head.

"So, why did you take your assistant to your home?"

"Will kept bugging me to let him come along. He said he could help me find what I needed. I just wanted to grab files and finish for the day. It was mine and Shep's anniversary."

"And what happened when you arrived home?"

"I told Will to wait by the front door and not to move. I grabbed the files from my home office and found Will in the kitchen. I questioned him. He said he was making me coffee because I hadn't had any that day. The lawsuits were stressful enough. Coffee was the last thing on my mind."

"Did you drink it?"

"I figured one cup wouldn't hurt since I didn't want to fall asleep on Shep."

"Oh, Maury." Ember knitted her brows in concern.