Dark Price of Paradise

Friends

They were half-way through their meal when Charlie and Sefina joined the two of them. Sefina hugged Teuila and sat beside her. They both noticed that Teuila seemed more active, alive. Her plate was empty of food.

"Kane called, she was worried when you left the clinic." Sefina said after she placed her order. "You should have told her. You were there for observation, you know."

"I know. They had a chance to observe me all morning." Teuila was tired of being observed. Analyzed. Judged. "I wanted to see Nash, get something to eat, and enjoy life again."

"You scared us all, taking off like that." Sefina was put out. They were trying to help Teuila and she kept fighting them.

"I'm sorry, but I told everyone I have to work this out in my own way." Teuila snapped back.

"Teuila, we all love you. We want to help." Charlie hoped to avoid a fight between Teuila and Sefina. "We don't mean to smother you. We just want you to know we are here for you."

Teuila turned to Charlie. Her temper was still up. She suddenly remembered how he had sat with her on the patio. Told her about how he had to kill another person. She saw how it had affected him. What it had took to confide in her that secret. Teuila couldn't be angry at the man who had confided in her.

"I'm sorry. Sefina, forgive me, I didn't mean to snap your head off." Teuila calmed herself down.

Nash looked concerned. He didn't know why, Teuila was known to have a temper that could suddenly flair up. Sefina accepted the apology, but she was still stewing over the argument. Short as it was. Charlie went back to eating as if nothing had happened.

Kane arrived in the Jeep with Li. "I'm not going back to the clinic." Teuila said as they approached the table."

"You should have said something." Kane was as furious at Teuila as Li had been with her earlier. "I called all over the island trying to locate you."

"I'm not a child, I don't have to answer to any of you." Teuila's temper flashed again. She was sick of being fussed over.

"Then don't act like one." Sefina let her own anger show again.

"Then stop treating me like one." Teuila shot back.

"Lets not bicker." Li said. Li pulled a chair over to the table for Kane, then grabbed one for himself. "Teuila. You are suffering from anxiety and depression. Now. I don't want to pressure you, but I have a drug with me called isoniazid. If you feel you need it, you can take it."

Li handed the bottle of thirty pills to Teuila. "Take one now, if you feel better. let me know. It won't hurt you. It's not addictive."

(Author's Note: In actuality Isoniazid and Iponiazid caused blood toxicity and liver damaged. There were few other drugs for depression at that time. Both of these drugs were originally developed for Tuberculosis. Their use for depression was considered when it was noted that the drug caused euphoria in patients. From what I read, B6 vitamin helped with this side effect.)

Li and Kane drove Teuila home so that she could prepare for the baby's funeral that night. Teuila took the bottle of Isoniazid and placed it in her medicine cabinet next to the barbiturates that she had been given earlier. If she did need them she would take them.

Teuila dressed in a black sleeveless dress. She put a black shaw over this. Because of where she was going Teuila put on a pair of gray boat shoes. She found her black hat. A pill box hat. It had been a little while since she attended a funeral. The last one was for John Tamati.