HisMarriageBargain (31 page)

“It’s going to be some time before Samuel can leave.”

“I brought him some tea. It’s always made him feel better in
the past. Might it help him now?” She produced a goddamned thermos of tea from
her purse. Had the woman even brought her own tea when she visited Autumn’s
house?

“Maybe when he’s awake, but for now I think we’ll have to
hold off on the tea.” The doctor glanced at Autumn, but she shook her head.
“I’ll be by again tonight. You ladies take care.”

Autumn was too numb to think anymore. She’d scribbled notes
furiously all day yesterday after talking with Isaac and Kellie. From the
nurses’ names to the drugs they gave him and the tests ran, she had a messy
record written on the back of a paper bag. It was all there, just in case.

She slumped in the chair and closed her eyes.

“He will come home with me. I can better care for him,”
Tamara announced to her audience of one.

“Yeah, well we can ask Sammi what he wants when he wakes
up.” Autumn wasn’t about to fight with her when they didn’t know if he would
wake up.

“What he wants is irrelevant. I am his mother.”

“And I’m his wife!” Autumn sat up. Maybe she did have some
spunk left in her.

They glared at each other, for a moment neither speaking.

Autumn shoved to her feet. So what if she was wearing stale
clothing, had dry shampoo in her hair and hadn’t eaten anything that wasn’t
from a vending machine in twenty-four hours? This woman was not better than
her.

“He chose to be married to me. You don’t have to like it. You
don’t even have to like me. But come on. He’s a grown-ass man and you act like
he needs his nose cleaned and his ass wiped by someone else.”

It was the hospital version of an Old West showdown, with
poor Sammi in the middle. Neither woman spoke.

“Excuse me.” A nurse stepped through the door, nervously
glancing between both of them. “Can you please keep it down for the other
patients?”

“Yeah, no problem. I need something to eat anyways.” Autumn
left the room to keep the peace and went to the break room with its army of
vending machines.

By the time she made her food selection and returned to the
room, she was alone again with her husband.

So much for the poor, pitiful me act.

Autumn went to stand by the side of the bed and ruffled
Sammi’s hair.

“Come back to me, baby.”

* * * * *

Another day, another Pop-Tart.

Autumn popped the microwave open and accepted a dark cup of
coffee from one of the other ICU waiting room regulars.

“How’s your son doing?” Autumn broke a corner of the pastry
off and munched on it.

“Good. Real good. He’s ready to be out of here. How’s your
husband?” He leaned against the counter and sipped his coffee. Something about
haunting the ICU, waiting for news about your loved one, created a bond between
the waiting room residents. They all asked for updates, supported each other.
It made being alone a little bit easier.

“The same.” She shrugged. “He should wake up any moment.”

“They’re letting you sleep back there, aren’t they?”

Autumn nodded. The accommodations were big enough for one
person and uncomfortable as lying on concrete.

“My wife stayed back there last night.” He shook his head.
“She went home this morning. Said Richie kept her awake most of the night
anyway.”

“You do hear every sound back there and the nurses coming in
every couple of hours. I thought I heard him wake up a few times but it was
just my imagination.” The sick feeling of getting up in a rush to go to his
bedside only to find him still asleep hurt her heart.

“Autumn Zimmerman?” A nurse leaned into the break room and
all gazes went to Autumn.

“Here.” Autumn took her coffee and pastry and followed the
nurse, who led her to one of the fishbowl rooms without comment and held the
door for her. “Dr. Minowitz will be up in a minute to talk to you. If you’ll
wait here, please?”

“Sure.”

Autumn sank into one of the plush armchairs and tried to
puzzle out exactly what Sammi’s primary care doctor was doing there. To her
knowledge he hadn’t been to the hospital to see Sammi since he’d been admitted.

She didn’t have to wait long for more information.

Dr. Minowitz entered from the opposite door, his face deeply
lined with worry. He was followed by a police officer who immediately began
scrutinizing her. Autumn shifted in her seat and repeated the mantra
I have
done nothing wrong
.

“What’s wrong?” Autumn gripped the armrest and her cup of
coffee. She’d seen Sammi an hour ago. What could have happened in such a short
amount of time? And why was a cop involved?

Dr. Minowitz and the officer settled into the seats across
from her, the desk between them, neither one acknowledging that she’d spoken.
The doctor laid his papers out in front of him and removed his glasses. The
officer glanced at the doctor, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What’s going on? You’re starting to freak me out.” Autumn set
the cup of coffee down before she crushed it.

“I’m Officer Ryan.” The policeman extended his hand toward
her and she shook it.

“Why are you here? My husband is sick.”

Dr. Minowitz sighed and placed his glasses back on. He
spread out several sheets of paper that read like a foreign language. “The
toxicology results came back.”

“And what does that mean?”

“These here,” he circled a list as long as her hand on the
paper, “are not supposed to be in the human body, but there are sizeable traces
in Samuel.”

“I don’t understand.” Autumn felt like a broken record.
Wouldn’t they just tell her what was going on already?

“We’re trying to figure that out too. There’s no reason for
Samuel to have the majority of these in his system. The conclusion we have come
to is that someone did this to him.” He tapped the list.

Autumn glanced from the list to the doctor and the officer.
“Someone’s been pumping him full of shit while we’ve been in the hospital?”

“No, no, no.” The doctor shook his hand.

“What Dr. Minowitz is trying to say in as gentle a way as
possible is that someone has been poisoning your husband. Intentionally. Many
of these substances are found in household products.”

The officer’s mouth kept moving, but all Autumn heard was
the phrase
someone has been poisoning your husband
on repeat in her
head. She clapped her hand over her mouth and tears sprang to her eyes. Who
would do such a thing? Why? Fear and anger battled within her.

“Ma’am?” The officer held a box of tissues out for her.

Autumn snatched a few and held them to her face.

“Who did this?” she demanded.

“We don’t know. We were hoping to talk to you, get some more
information.” Officer Ryan seemed to soften and show more compassion.

Autumn nodded. “Whatever you need.”

“I am required to also tell you that you are entitled to a
lawyer.” His brows lifted.

Was he testing her? It wasn’t his words so much as his
expression that made her pause.

“Sammi’s best friend is a lawyer. I don’t think he’s a
criminal lawyer, contracts and stuff. He’d be someone to ask about all this
too. Should I call him?” Autumn didn’t know the answer. She didn’t know what to
do.

“If you’d like.”

Autumn nodded. Even just having Isaac next to her would make
her feel better. “Let me call him real quick.”

“I’ll be at the nurses’ station.” Dr. Minowitz made a hasty
retreat, leaving Autumn alone with the officer.

Autumn dug her phone out of her bag and dialed despite her
shaking fingers.

Septum Piercing—A hoop or horseshoe piercing that goes
through the cartilage between the nostrils.

Autumn flopped on the couch and accepted the burger Kellie
passed her. “Thanks for coming, guys”

“And thanks for bringing me food too.” Isaac shoved almost
half the burger in his mouth. He’d discarded the suit jacket and rolled his sleeves
up halfway through their interview with Officer Ryan, which had been uneventful
if emotionally disturbing.

“No problem.” Kellie glanced at Isaac but her attention was
on Autumn. “You’re seriously thinking someone is trying to poison Sammi?”

Pandora and Mary handed out the drinks while Carly engaged
the brake and grabbed her bag of food.

Autumn picked dispassionately at her burger. “It would seem
so.”

Isaac shook his head. “It’s hard to wrap my head around
that.”

They’d worked out a list of people. Or really, Isaac had
suggested people who might have been in a position to do the poisoning, but
they both agreed that there was no motive.

The only person with a clear motive would be Autumn, but she
hadn’t done it, nor did she know what half the poisons were.

She glanced at the clock and tried not to grumble. Because
of the questioning, she’d missed the ten-o’clock visitation timeframe. There were
still twenty minutes until the noon slot, and it already felt as if time were
dragging by.

Autumn couldn’t wait to go into the room and see Sammi.
Maybe he’d wake up this time. Or maybe he was awake now.

The thought was enough to have her nerves ratcheting up
again.

“Oh fuck me,” Autumn muttered and rolled her eyes.

Tamara strolled into the waiting room. Her gaze flicked
dismissively over Autumn. She walked to the double doors and tugged on them,
frowning when they didn’t open.

No shit, Sherlock.

Autumn watched with perverse pleasure as Tamara spoke with
the nurse, who shook her head and pointed to the visitation sign several times.

“What is it?” Kellie asked, following Autumn’s gaze. “Who is
that?”

“Tamara, Sammi’s mother. I should go tell the bitch hi.”

Isaac glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll take care of it.”

“You’re an angel. May your children be born without webbed
toes.” Autumn mustered a smile at Isaac’s befuddled expression.

“I don’t even want to know.” Isaac shook his head and
crossed to Tamara.

“I would never have guessed that’s Sammi’s mother,” Pandora
said, keeping her voice quiet.

“Really?” Autumn could see the similarity in the shape of
the mouth, chin and cheekbones, but he resembled his father more than anything
else.

“Yeah, she looks—bitter or something,” Pandora replied,
nibbling on a fry.

Autumn let the chatter wash over her, happy to have her
friends with her and not be expected to carry conversation. She was glad they’d
made up. Hell, it felt as if she’d had her sit-down with Mary a month ago, not
just a few days.

In the end, Autumn was really lucky.

“What’s with the look?” Carly muttered for her ears alone.

Autumn leaned toward her. “I’m being a big ol’ sap.”

“Five minutes, Autumn.” Kellie nodded at the clock.

“Oh.” Autumn began gathering her things, while all around
them people were starting to congregate around the ICU doors. “Are you guys
coming back at all?”

“Nah, we need to get back to open the shop.” Kellie stood
and pulled her into a strong, rib-cracking hug. “Call and let us know if you
need anything, okay?”

“Will do.” Autumn hugged her back.

“Take your food with you. You might actually get hungry.”
Pandora shoved her bag of takeout at her.

Autumn didn’t think she’d get hungry. It was hard to exist
in any state of being except worried right now.

Isaac strolled toward the doors with Tamara on his arm. He
glanced at Autumn and lifted his brows.

Autumn could see how this was going down already. Tamara
would insist on Isaac going back with her, for whatever reason, and try to push
Autumn out.

Well tough titty. She needed to see her husband. Hold his
hand. Fuck the old biddy if she thought Autumn was going to be pushed around.

The loudspeaker announced the commencement of visiting hours
and a nurse from inside the ICU opened the doors. While the crowd moved forward
in an orderly fashion, there was always a sense of a barely contained stampede
in these first few seconds as people rushed to their loved ones’ bedsides.

Autumn strode ahead, directly to Sammi’s room. She dropped
her things on the counter to the left of the door and went to the bedside. He
didn’t appear any different. His eyes were still closed, his hair stuck up and
he didn’t move.

“Hey, Sammi, it’s me.” She took his nearest hand in hers and
stroked his arm. “I missed you. Sorry I didn’t come in earlier. I’m sure you
missed me, didn’t you?”

The muscles on his brow contracted and a grimace passed over
his lips.

Autumn’s heart leapt into her throat.

It was the most response she’d seen from him yet.

“Oh. You’re here.” Tamara’s disdainful tone slid off
Autumn’s back.

“How is he?” Isaac came to stand next to Autumn.

She leaned against Isaac, finding more comfort from her
unlikely friend. “I don’t know, but his face moved.”

“Is that good?”

“He hasn’t done that yet.”

“Lookie there.” Isaac leaned over the bed.

Sammi tossed his head on the pillow and his legs moved, just
a little, but it was more.

“Hello.” A nurse breezed in Autumn vaguely recognized from
maybe the first day. “He’s still trying to wake up, isn’t he?” She busied
around the room, checking the machines.

“When will he wake up?” Autumn gripped Sammi’s hand tighter.

“When he’s ready.” The nurse smiled cheerfully.

Tamara circled to the armchair and sat down without a single
glance at her son. For a woman so concerned about keeping Sammi with her, she
was awfully unconcerned with him.

“What did the doctor say this morning? Anything?” Since she’d
missed the ten-o’clock visitation time, she’d probably also missed the doctor
doing rounds.

“Just keeping him on a lot of fluids, flushing out his
system and keeping an eye on him,” the nurse replied. “If you need anything,
I’ll be right outside.”

“Thanks,” Autumn replied, her attention back on Sammi’s
face.

He grunted in his sleep and the side of his mouth screwed
up.

“Hey there.” Autumn brushed his cheek.

“Hm?” He turned into her touch and the tension lines eased.

“You waking up yet?” Autumn prayed he was.

“Of course not,” Tamara replied.

Autumn resisted informing Tamara the comment had not been
directed to her and focused on Sammi.

Sammi’s eyelashes fluttered and Autumn’s lungs stopped
working.

He blinked and squinted.

“Hey.” Autumn cupped one hand over her mouth, tears
springing to her eyes.

Sammi groaned and lifted a hand to his face, rubbing across
the stubble. He glanced around him, clearly confused.

“Hey. I missed you.” A smile flickered across his lips and
for a moment the whole world felt right. “What’s going on?”

“Sammi?” Tamara shot to her feet, crossed to his other side
and clutched his hand to her chest. “Oh Sammi. I was so worried. Rabbi and I
have been here every day.”

Autumn gaped at the woman. What reality was she from?

“Hi, Mom,” Sammi muttered.

Tamara continued to babble at him, about what, Autumn wasn’t
certain.

“You need tea. Let me get you some tea. It will make you
feel better.” She stroked Sammi’s hair, flattening it to his skull.

“No, Mom.” Sammi shook his head and tried to fend her off
with one hand while the other had a strong grip on Autumn.

“It always makes you feel better.” Tamara returned with a
thermos of tea, which she poured into the cup top.

“Mom, no.”

Autumn stared at the tea as it sloshed around in the cup.
She’d never been much of a tea fan, despite its popularity in Texas, but this
tea looked a little murky.

“If Sammi doesn’t want the tea, he shouldn’t have to drink
it. He’s a fucking adult, treat him like one,” Autumn snapped.

Tamara finally looked at her, and if looks could kill,
Autumn would have died a week after she was born.

“I am his mother,” she snapped.

Autumn rolled her eyes. “I know. You’ve reminded me
both
times you’ve been here.”

“What’s going on in here?” The nurse stuck her head through
the door.

“Sammi woke up. Should the doctor see him?” Autumn said,
grasping for straws.

“Hey there, glad to see you’re awake.” The nurse leaned over
the bed. “I’m going to grab your chart and take your vitals real quick.”

Isaac leaned over and patted Sammi’s arm. “Good to see you
awake, man. I got to get back to the office but I’ll be in later.”

Sammi murmured a goodbye. He seemed pretty out of it so far
but was coming around well.

“You should drink something,” Tamara said again.

“Fine, give it to me.” Sammi reached for the cup.

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea.” Autumn grabbed
his arm and held it back. “You haven’t eaten or drunk anything in days.”

“It’s just tea. What can be wrong with a good cup of tea?”
Tamara huffed.

“Okay, Mr. Zimmerman.” The nurse stood at the foot of the
bed and jotted some things down.

“Nurse, can Sammi have tea?” Autumn asked.

The nurse glanced up. “No, that’s not a good idea yet. I can
get him some water or ice chips.”

Tamara harrumphed and poured the tea back into the thermos.
She set it down on the table and went into the bathroom to wash her hands.

“Actually I’m probably going to need you to leave so I can
get him changed out and get the guys in here to ask him some questions.” The
nurse glanced at her with a look that conveyed orders not to mention the
police. Yet.

“Okay, I understand.” Autumn leaned across and grabbed the
thermos.

“I still don’t know why I’m in here,” Sammi said. “Where are
you going? Can’t she stay?”

Autumn bent and kissed his forehead. “If they let me I’ll
come right back in. You scared me so badly.” She wrapped an arm around his neck
and hugged him gently. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“I’m here.” Sammi hugged her back.

She straightened and wiped her face. “I’ll be back as soon
as they let me.”

Autumn took the thermos straight to the nurse’s station.
“Excuse me, is Officer Ryan still around?”

“No ma’am. Can I help you with something?” The woman had to
be a marathon nurse or something. Autumn had seen her buzzing around ICU more
days than she’d been off.

Autumn glanced over her shoulder. “Are you aware of what’s
going on with Mr. Zimmerman? My husband?”

The nurse’s cheek muscles twitched and she tipped her head
back. The beads at the end of her braids clicked together. “Yes ma’am. How’s he
doing?”

“He just woke up.” Autumn grinned, the relief still strong
enough to make her giddy.

“That’s wonderful to hear.” The warmth in her voice was
genuine and made Autumn smile.

“What I wanted to ask, or find out, is if someone can look
at this.” She set the thermos on the counter. “It’s tea his mother brought him.
He complains all the time about how awful her tea is, and he goes over there
almost every day to see her.” Tremors raced through her body as the thought
formed words. “What if she’s the one doing this to him? Her own son?”

The nurse’s brows rose, but it was the only change in her
expression. She accepted the thermos from Autumn. “I’ll handle it. Don’t you
worry. Officer Ryan’ll be back up here soon.”

“I’ll be here. I want to know what’s in that tea.”

Autumn didn’t know if she hoped her suspicions were true or
false. She might not like the woman, but she didn’t wish anyone that kind of
evil.

* * * * *

Sammi turned the channels on the TV without paying attention
to the content. Physically he was exhausted, but his mind was reeling. After
nearly two hours with the doctors and cops, he didn’t know what to make of
anything. And yet he looked at his fingers. Again.

White stripes ran across each nail. The doctor had pointed
it out as one of the factors that had sent them down the road of determining
the toxins in his system. While many of the poisons could be treated, and there
were plenty that would have no lingering side effects, arsenic poisoning stuck
out in his mind.

Skin damage he’d attributed to too much time in the sun.

Possible cancer in his future for several organs.

The lethargy was a potential side effect.

And coma from lead poisoning in the arsenic.

All this time he’d been willing to blindly accept the end
because there was no cure for Guillain-Barré syndrome. Because he’d been ready
to lie down and die, he’d let someone almost kill him. And they still might.

“Knock, knock.” Autumn tapped on his door, standing in the
entry.

“Hey.” He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. Her
answering grin was a breath of fresh air.

Autumn walked toward him. She still looked exhausted, but
the purple discs under her eyes were covered with makeup and her hair appeared
freshly washed. She’d changed clothes even.

“How are you feeling?” She set her bag in the armchair and
leaned against the railing on the bed.

“Restless. My throat hurts, but they said I had a tube
shoved down my throat so that’s to be expected.” He reached for her hand and
his gaze caught on the wedding set she still wore. For some reason that
comforted him. “How are you?”

“Happy you’re awake. You scared me.”

“It wasn’t intentional.”

“I know, it’s just…been a lot to figure out.” She didn’t
meet his gaze, but stroked her fingers over his hand, wrist and arm.