Forget Me Not, Books I, II and III

Momentary Lull

"If you don't make them leave, I'm going to ask Mr. Lockhart to open the apartment again." Teddi's jaw set as she watched her grandmother's eyes shift back and forth over the book in her lap. "Did you hear what I just said?"

Her grandmother snapped the book closed and placed it on the end table beside her. "Yes, I heard you. And you know just how out of the question that is. Especially in your condition."

"Then tell them to move someplace else," said Teddi. She rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead and had a fleeting desire for a tall glass of cold milk. She looked back down at her grandmother, who looked like a shrunken version of herself sitting in her grandfather's old green chair. "Uncle Richard keeps saying he's looking at property, but I don't think he means it. I think he'd just as soon stay here now that grandfather is gone, so he can lord over us women like some sort of a sultan."

"Theodora, you'll make yourself ill worrying like this. Why don't you go and lie down?"

"Is that your answer to everything? Go and lie down. Stop thinking. I should have never let you talk me out of working at the Observer. Now I'm going to have to dip into my trust."

"Oh, no you don't." At this, her grandmother removed herself from the old green chair and seemed to grow ten feet, or was it that Teddi still felt small in her presence? Or maybe it was the fact that the walls suddenly seemed to be closing in.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a child, Grandmother? Grandfather made sure that money was put aside. I'm sure he knew Uncle Richard would show back up and try to steal it all. You know that's why he's here."

And then her grandmother withered again. "You mean he's waiting for me to die."

Elizabeth Donovan changed from one thing to the next in her eyes these days. What it meant she did not know. What she did know was that the room was starting to spin.

"I didn't say that, but you should open your eyes grandmother. I—" The room grew dark and the last thing she heard was a shout of:

"Theodora!"

***

"She really is going to be all right, isn't she?" a voice swirled into her hazy thoughts. Her grandmother was talking to a man holding a stethoscope loosely in his right hand.

Teddi squinted her eyes and tried to focus. "Dr. Reed?"

"No, dear," said her grandmother, leaning over and brushing her forehead. "Dr. Jessup is here."

Teddi sat up at the mention of the name. "Jessup? No." Her lightheadedness caused her to fall back against the pillow that had been tucked onto the sofa for her. "I... What happened?"

"You fainted," said Aunt Olive in a whisper, her hollow eyes watching Teddi from behind the doctor and her grandmother.

"She'll be fine," said Dr. Jessup, speaking directly to her grandmother, "but I think she should take it easy for a while."

She would be fine? Her heart gave a sudden start, then drilled at her chest. "The baby. Is my baby okay?" She sat up again. This time, her head was much clearer.

"Your baby is fine. You're fine. Just relax," said the doctor in a voice that was meant to be calm but only served to agitate her further. "You're nearly six months along now and it won't do to go on upsetting yourself like this."

"Why didn't you call Dr. Reed?" Teddi asked her grandmother. "He's just down the road." She looked at Dr. Jessup, who appeared to be discomforted by her words. "I'm sorry, but your office is on the other side of town and Dr. Reed, well..."