Chapter 26: CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Ahhhh!” Savannah screamed from her hospital bed. The pain shooting through her was different from any pain that she had experienced before, even her labor pains weren’t as bad as this. She squeezed the bed railing so hard that her knuckles turned white, and her veins popped from the top of her hand. With her other hand she managed to press the call button that would send the nurse as well as the pain medicine into her room.
She heard her cell phone ring but could not open her eyes enough to see who was calling. As the pain radiated to another part of her body, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and fell back against the pillows. It was the burning. She could not, for the life of her, take any more of that burning. It was a radiating sensation that seemed to send some type of wet, intensely hot wave of fire down through her nerves. She expected it to sear the skin right from her body. The treatment that was supposed to save her life was making it miserable.
Kim and Kenneth had taken the boys home a few hours ago. No need for them to be there, watching her like some horrifyingly interesting specimen. And what a specimen she was.
Her face was thinner, her dimples more pronounced since her recent 20-pound weight loss. Her clavicles were protruding through the flesh of her chest. The bones in her hands were sharper. She didn’t look like a skeleton yet, but she didn’t look like herself. Those love handles that she wanted to get rid of were gone though and her hips and thighs slimmed down. Too bad she was losing her hair and didn’t have the energy to run along the beach to show off her new, thin figure.
Nicky still pressed his whole body against hers when she was home, but Jake had already started to distance himself from her. In small, subtle ways it was as if he were preparing himself for when she passed.
Silly of her to attribute such planning to her six-year-old. Savannah reached for the sweating glass of water and brought the cool liquid to her mouth. She was always so thirsty. Her feet were cold. She was angry that she forgot her socks. But she had only planned to come in for treatment when they noticed that her pressure was high as well as her cholesterol.
She finally reached for her cell phone to check the missed call, but she already knew who it was from. Dwight called every day: once in the morning and once in the evening. It was always well after she and the boys woke up and before they went to bed at night. His messages were simple: ‘Savannah, I miss you. Call me.’ ‘Savannah please.’ ‘Savannah I just wanted to make sure you’re ok. Savannah.” She could never bring herself to answer.
It was hard enough looking at and smelling the many bouquets of flowers he had sent from the moment he found out she was in the hospital. The hospital gift shop had brought her about seven vases so far. In addition to that, he sent messages via his uncle. She was tempted to bar Duncan from visiting her at all. Surely, he wouldn’t fire her for that.
Savannah threw her leg over the side of her bed and brought the rest of her body around to where she was sitting on the side of the bed. Sometimes sitting up made the pain more bearable.
“Ms. Dennis. You’re up?” The nurse said, walking into her room which felt like a deluxe suite. Duncan Clarke had arranged the whole thing. Another reason why she was hesitant to ban him.
Her nurse was tall with long legs that barely filled out her scrub pants. Her long, auburn ponytail hung down to her back and she smiled all the time. It invigorated and irritated Savannah. She was young too. Too young to have done any type of medical school successfully. She had rosy cheeks. Rosy cheeks for crying out loud. Her nurse filled a syringe with a clear liquid. When she noticed that Savannah was staring at her, she held the small jar up. “Morphine. To take the edge off.”
“Yes. After the pain I just had, I think that’ll do fine.”
“I’m sorry to hear about that. Did you want me to talk to the doctor about a different type of medication?”
“No. This seems to be working fine now. Has the doctor been in yet?”
“He’s making rounds. Don’t worry, he knows that he definitely has to see you today. I left a notice with his office as soon as I heard your beep.”
Savannah eased herself back into her hospital bed and reached for the small photo she had brought from her house of her boys.
“Those your kids?” The nurse came over to assess vitals.
Savannah smiled. “Jake is five. Nicholas is two.”
“Little heartbreakers. They doing okay with all of this?”
“As best as they can, I guess.” She winced as the nurse adjusted the tape holding in her IV. “I’m not sure how children are supposed to respond. In all my research I only focused on what was happening with me. I never researched what to do for my children.”
“We have a host of pamphlets in the lobby area, some that even talk about that. I’ll bring some in a little bag for you. To read on your own time.” She inserted the syringe into the IV and clocked the time on her watch.
“Thanks Rita. You deserve a raise.” Savannah giggled.
“Oh gosh I wish.” She removed the syringe and checked the machines. “Buzz if you need anything, Ms. Dennis.” And with a twirl of her hair, she was gone.
Savannah leaned back in her bed, pulling the covers up to her neck and reaching for the picture on her nightstand. Before her fingers touched it, she dozed off.
*****
Thomas drummed his fingers against the bar in his nightclub. He had a bit of time before it opened. He beamed with pride as he looked around the place. One wall was made completely of mirrors. He chose light gray paint because he felt that it would help the place look futuristic. It also seemed to brighten it. The cushions for the booths were cobalt blue as well as the glasses for the drinks and the trim around the club.
He also had splashes of candy apple red to add even more allure. He also believed in the power of smells. So, he had purchased oil and wax burners that were lit every night. Sometimes the club smelled like clean laundry. Sometimes it smelled like vanilla musk. It really depended on what type of mood he needed to create.
Normally he found the bar peaceful, a place where he could get his head together before the club was overrun with men and women all looking for a good time. That was before his friend and partner in the business sat down.
“Tommy, you know I wouldn’t tell you unless I knew it was true. I heard she’s been seeing him for a while now. Having him over to the house. Even takes the kids to school and daycare when she can’t.” Ronald had been Thomas’ friend since high school and was more of a gossip than any of the girls he knew. But the boy had an eye for business. It had been his investments that had paid for most of the costs of running the place. “Even goes with her back and forth to the hospital.”
“Oh yeah?” His smile was weak and came nowhere near to how he was really feeling inside. He was still fuming from his meeting with Savannah’s boyfriend. He slammed the glass on the bar and shook it off when the bartender and his friend turned to stare at him.
“I have a few things to do before we open tonight.” He stood up, laid a ten-dollar bill on the counter and headed to his office. Angie was there, sitting in his chair tapping her fingernail against his glass desk.
“I guess we don’t respond to phone calls or text messages anymore, huh?”
“You know I’m busy on club nights.” He undid the buttons on his blazer and gestured at her. She eyed him for a second and slowly got up from his chair.
“I want to know what this obsession with your ex is.”
Angie was pretty. Long dark hair, that wasn’t hers of course, and light skin. A few random freckles littered her nose and the tops of her cheeks. She was slim, slimmer than he preferred his women, but she was good in bed. In fact, the best thing about her was her skill in the bedroom. It was why he kept her around. It was why he often overlooked her smart mouth and attitude.
“What are you talking about?” He reached for the Rolodex.
“You’ve been calling her more. And I just found out you went to jail for breaking her windows in her house? You told me you had to go out of town for business.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’m not obsessed with her. She’s the mother of my children so I have to talk to her. They aren’t old enough to call me on their own.”
“You and I both know that’s crap. I refuse to deal with this Thomas. If I feel like you’re doing something behind my back, I’ll make you sorry.” Angie turned on her stiletto heels and bolted out of the door.
Thomas let out a deep sigh. He’d toss her a few bucks or buy her a purse. Either way when money was involved, it didn’t take long for her to get over it. He opened the locked bottom drawer of his desk and peeked around to make sure he was alone. Inside of a large envelope were the images of Savannah that he had managed to collect over the years.
Not that he was obsessed with her. In fact, he had walked away from her. She was too tame for him. He liked a woman with a wild side… who didn’t shy away from the rough things in life. He picked up a picture of her on a weekend getaway to Vegas with her sister, her sister’s husband and Jake and Nicholas. She was jumping off of a diving board into the swimming pool. Her yellow two-piece was appropriate for her kids but still appealing to other eyes. From the photo he could see a few of the fathers ogling her.
The more recent ones were of her, her boyfriend and all the kids. Sitting in the park. Playing football. Or all of them playing in Savannah’s yard, where Superguy had built a playground area. There was even a large tree house now hanging in a tree that he himself had suggested cutting down.
Damnit! He was losing in a game he wasn’t even sure he wanted to play. Hearing some noise down the hallway, he shoved the pictures back into the envelope and replaced it back into the drawer.
Ronald’s face appeared at the door to his office. “I just heard from Meech’s agent. He may be able to do a show here. Make it a part of his promo tour. Then we can get on that bigger map like we always wanted!” Ronald was in hysterics and already gesturing wildly to the bartender.
Thomas smiled. Things were looking good. He put the phone back on the receiver and stood up. If they could get Meech to show up, they shouldn’t have any issues with getting anyone else. His smile deepened. They would have money coming out the wazoo. Savannah could have her lover boy. He was straight.