Matters of the Heart Page 7

  Andrea soaked Darcy’s hair, warmed some shampoo in her hands and massaged it in. Doctor and nurse grinned at the moans of pleasure coming from their patient. There was still some blood in her hair and the shampoo turned pink and barely foamed. “We’re going to rinse now, then shampoo again. Are you comfortable, Darcy?”

  “Yes, please don’t stop.”

  Andrea rinsed, then applied more shampoo. This time it foamed as she worked it through Darcy’s hair and onto her scalp. When she was satisfied that Darcy’s hair was clean, she rinsed until the water ran clear, then rubbed conditioner in, eliciting more moans. She went to the bathroom and filled the pail with warm water again. After she rinsed the conditioner away and wrapped a towel around Darcy’s head. Francine quickly dismantled the makeshift sink, and they removed the pillows so Darcy was flat on the bed.

  Darcy lay with her eyes closed, a smile on her face. “Was it as good for you as it was for me, Doctor? Francine?”

  Damn, Darcy was always ready with the sexual innuendo, but still, Andrea was thrilled that Darcy seemed so pleased. She smiled and shook her head.

  Francine giggled. “You are too much, Darcy.”

  “Moi, too much?” Darcy said, her eyes still closed.

  They dumped the water from the pail and the tub in the bathtub, then while Francine washed them out, Andrea removed the plastic bags from the extra pillows and picked the bags off the floor.

  Andrea slapped palms in a high-five with Francine when she came back. “Thanks, I can take it from here.”

  Darcy opened her eyes. “I love you, Francine. Thanks.”

  “I love you too, Darcy. See you tonight, ladies.”

  When they were alone, Darcy smiled. “But I love you most of all, my sweet doctor.”

  Andrea pulled the towel over Darcy’s face and began to rub her hair dry. Darcy’s shampoo and conditioner both had that sexy, spicy fragrance that she found so tantalizing and it was difficult to stay professional even without Darcy murmuring endearments and staring into her eyes. It was annoying. No, it was damned irritating. And it was getting to her. Darcy moaned but kept her eyes closed as Andrea moved on to combing her damp hair. Maybe it was time Andrea started dating again. She’d definitely call Julie about the woman she’d been wanting to fix her up with.

  She bathed Darcy and rubbed lotion over her body, changed the sheets, then dressed her in one of her scrub tops. She finished just as Maria arrived with breakfast.

  She glanced at Darcy. “Good you washed her hair, Doctor. She was stinky.”

  Darcy’s eyes popped open. “I wasn’t that bad.”

  “Oh, yes, cara, your hair was sporco, dirty. Now is nice.” She patted Darcy’s head and left.

  “Did it smell so bad, Doctor?”

  “There was blood from the accident. And, you do sweat a lot, so, maybe a little?”

  “I’m embarrassed.”

  “It wasn’t something you could do anything about, Darcy. Besides, I assure you I’ve dealt with patients who smelled a lot worse than you did.”

  “But Darcy Silver doesn’t smell.”

  “Well, Ms. Silver, you smell good now and as long as I’m with you, you will never smell bad for any reason. How about we eat some breakfast?”

  “I knew it felt dirty and was a little funky but I didn’t know anybody else could smell it.”

  “Calm down, Darcy. Most people wouldn’t notice it. But Maria always leans in to kiss you and I scratched your head and got close to wash you and comb your hair. I assure you most people probably had no idea. So calm down or I’ll shove this breakfast in to keep you quiet.”

  “Are you about to abuse me, Doctor? I mean shove my breakfast—”

  Andrea spooned some cereal into Darcy mouth. “Hush. You’re going to raise your pressure.”

  Darcy chewed slowly, then swallowed. “What I meant to say was thanks for figuring out how to wash my hair so I feel clean and smell like myself again.”

  Andrea smiled at the abrupt turnabout. “My pleasure.”

  “Where did you get the pails and buckets and plastic bags?”

  “I went shopping last night.”

  Darcy opened her mouth for some coffee but kept her eyes on Andrea, watching her drink her coffee and take a spoonful of her own cereal. “Don’t forget to send the receipts to Candace.” She opened her mouth for some berries.

  “My treat. It wasn’t that much.”

  “You shouldn’t be spending your money on me.”

  “It was worth it.” She snorted. “Now I don’t have to smell that awful smell.”

  Darcy opened her mouth. Closed it. Stared. Then burst out laughing. “You are a terrible person. If I wasn’t such a calm, easygoing woman, you’d be in big trouble.”

  They laughed together, then finished breakfast.

  Darcy was listening to the political book Andrea had downloaded to the iPod. Andrea sat nearby reading a mystery. “Doctor, I’ve had it with this book for now. The partisan analysis of the current political situation is making me angry so I think I’ll stop before I figure out a way to toss your iPod against the wall.”

  Andrea removed the earbuds and put the iPod on the table next to the bed. “What kind of work do you do, Darcy? Are you in politics?”

  Darcy flushed. “No, I’m not in politics. I do a little of this and a little of that.”

  “So being laid up for a couple of months is no problem?”

  Darcy looked away and didn’t respond. Andrea didn’t want to push what seemed to be an uncomfortable subject. She certainly understood Darcy not wanting to talk about why she wasn’t working. She picked up her book.

  Darcy cleared her throat. “I actually don’t have a job. I went to Harvard Law after college and worked for a few years for Brandon, Corwin and Diamond, one of the biggies, but I hated it. I hated the pompous asshole partners, I hated the unsavory attitude toward the law and I hated the dog-eat-dog competition to make partner so you could be the one in charge of abusing the lawyers working on abusing the law. After that, I spent some time as an Assistant DA and another year or two in the Public Defender’s Office. I found all of it beyond depressing. It’s rarely about justice. None of it was what I expected the law to be like.” She grinned. “I bet I’m the last person you’d have thought was idealistic.”

  Andrea thought about it. “I don’t know you well enough to have an opinion about that.”

  “Anyway, while I was at the Public Defender’s Office I got a masters in political science from Columbia. After that I got a Ph.D. in Modern European History, also from Columbia. I wanted to teach but it was a bad time to be looking for a college-level job and it didn’t happen. Since then, I volunteer at a women’s shelter and as a big sister, and I worked in Obama’s first campaign, things like that, but nothing I get paid for.”

  Her smile was full of regret. And something else Andrea couldn’t interpret. Shame?

  “You must think I’m a dilettante, flitting from one thing to another.”

  Andrea thought for a minute. “No, I don’t imagine that you’re a dilettante. But I do wonder why someone as intelligent as I think you are hasn’t found her niche. I mean a law degree opens doors to many different careers. Surely you had some dream, some idea of what you wanted to do when you went to law school.”

  Darcy bit her bottom lip. “It wasn’t my dream, it was my dad’s dream that I be a lawyer like him, that someday he could add another Silver to the name of his firm. I did it to please him. But ultimately I disappointed him. He didn’t understand why I couldn’t find my place in the law like Candace. He thought I wasn’t serious enough. It never occurred to him that it wasn’t what I wanted.”

  Chasing someone else’s dream rather than your own would make anyone bitter. “It must have been torture being in law school when you hated the law.”

  “Quite the opposite. I love learning new things. I graduated at the top of my class at Harvard and passed the bar with no trouble. But I found the practical application of the law tedious
and disappointing.”

  “What would you have done instead of law?”

  “I always wanted to teach college history or political science and if I’d gone for my Ph.D. right after I graduated Smith, it’s likely I would have been able to follow that dream. But by the time I got around to it, teaching positions were few and far between. I did have an offer from a small religious school in Indiana but I didn’t think I’d do well in a religious environment, so I turned it down.” She shrugged. “So for all my bluster, doctor dear, I’m a failure.”

  And underneath all the sexual bluster and rage and nastiness, Darcy was vulnerable and unsure. Andrea was touched by Darcy’s willingness to share her feelings. “I don’t think you’re a failure, Darcy. I would say you just haven’t found your place. Maybe teaching isn’t the only way to use your degrees.”

  “I’m almost forty. Don’t you think I should have found my place by now?”

  “It’s never too late. Some people are late bloomers. And you did spend a lot of years chasing your father’s dream. Maybe when you’re back on your feet, you can chase your own dream for a while.”

  She smiled. “Thank you for the vote of confidence.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Two days later, late in the afternoon, the recliner arrived. Darcy’s face lit up when they carried it in. After the men had stripped off the plastic wrapper and left, Darcy turned to Andrea. “Can I inaugurate it tonight?”

  Andrea looked at her watch. “Gregg will be up in about a half hour to help me move you into the chair, so which of the outfits Candace got you do you want to wear for dinner?”

  “The red one.”

  “Good choice.” Andrea retrieved the clothing from Darcy’s closet, threw the covers off and removed the scrub top Darcy was wearing. She slipped the scooped neck red top over the left arm cast and then over the right and buttoned it. The scattered red stones glittered in the afternoon sunlight. She eased the red pants over the casts one leg at a time, shifted Darcy left and pulled the pants up over her hip and then shifted her right and did the same.

  Darcy lifted her head trying to see how she looked. Andrea brought her the hand mirror from the bedroom. “You look beautiful, Darcy. Everything Candace bought for you is perfect. And speaking of Candace, you do remember she’s joining us for dinner tonight?”

  “How could I forget? She called Maria three times today about the wine. I think she’s more excited than me.”

  “Would you like her to feed you, just for variety?”

  “Are you saying you’d like a break from feeding me?”

  “No. I’m asking if you would like your friend to feed you.”

  “Absolutely not. I know Candace. She won’t be able to resist making choo-choo and airplane sounds with every forkful. You know my rhythm and you’re able to do it without making me feel two years old.”

  It only took a few minutes for Gregg and Andrea to move Darcy into the chair but instead of dashing out as he usually did, he stared at Darcy. “You look nice, Darcy.” He blushed. “Um, I’d better go help Maria with dinner.” He ran for the door.

  “Thanks, Gregg,” Darcy called after him. She grinned. “Well, at least someone around here finds me attractive.”

  It was lovely to see Darcy’s joy at being dressed and out of bed and admired. She couldn’t seem to stop talking about how different everything looked from this angle, how different she felt, when was Candace coming and how long until dinner.

  “Doctor, could you come here, I want to show you something.”

  Andrea walked over. “What?”

  “Come closer. Lean over, it’s there on my shoulder.”

  Andrea leaned in to see what she was talking about and Darcy kissed her cheek. “Thank you for this.”

  “Geez, did I catch you two kissing again?” Candace stood in the doorway grinning.

  Andrea straightened. “No—”

  “If you must know, I kissed her cheek to thank her for this chair. Don’t you dare say another word about it.”

  Candace stuck her tongue out. “Wow, you look gorgeous in that outfit, Darce. Be nice to me, I come bearing gifts.” She held up the bottle of wine she was carrying. “Maria was assembling the trays when I came up.” Candace looked around. “Ah. I see the bed tray I ordered arrived. I figured if I was going to have dinner with you from time to time, it should be as civilized as possible, given the circumstances.”

  The sound of the dinner cart rolling down the hall got their attention. Maria was beaming as she brought the cart into the room. “I made fish stew for you tonight. I know you love it, Candace. And Darcy, you learning to love fish since the doctor come, so enjoy.” She kissed Darcy and Candace on their cheeks. “You know where to leave the dishes, Doctor. Goodnight.”

  Maria loves Darcy, Andrea thought, and the fact that Darcy was happy and starting to see friends made Maria happy. And Maria was connected to Candace, as well. Andrea felt a twinge of jealousy. She was sure it was feeling excluded from their close-knit circle, not that Darcy and Candace seemed to be more than friends.

  Candace poured the wine. Andrea thought about cautioning her to give Darcy just a half glass but reconsidered. At worst she would get tipsy. But Darcy surprised her.

  “Only half a glass, Candy, I haven’t been drinking for a while and,” she shot a mischievous look at Andrea, “I wouldn’t want to throw up all over the good doctor.”

  “Good thinking, Darcy. After all, you don’t know what I might do to get back at you.”

  Andrea’s mouth watered as she arranged the bed trays. First, the stew, a fragrant tomato-based broth filled with shrimp, scallops, clams and chunks of fish that reminded her of Sicily as did the couscous, then the mixed green salad glistening with an olive oil dressing and a sprinkling of cranberries and pecans and, finally, bowls of melon and berries for dessert.

  She put a straw into Darcy’s wineglass, tucked a napkin into the neck of her blouse and sat next to Candace, facing Darcy. As she speared a shrimp, Candace raised her glass.

  “To a speedy recovery.”

  Andrea put the shrimp back, raised Darcy’s wineglass to her lips. With her other hand she sipped her own wine. “I’ll drink to that.”

  Darcy was watching Candace, probably looking for a sign of disdain at her sipping her wine through a straw. Andrea didn’t dare look at Candace but judging from Darcy’s face, Candace hadn’t reacted.

  “Nice wine, Candace.” Andrea fed Darcy a shrimp, then ate a shrimp from her own stew. She turned to Candace. “I’ve been forcing Darcy to eat healthy but Maria makes everything taste so delicious she hasn’t noticed.”

  “Ah, that explains the healthy glow. Maria must be thrilled that you’re finally eating more than steak, eh Darcy?”

  “Yes.”

  Andrea alternated giving Darcy stew with eating her own. At one point, she held Darcy’s fork in one hand and her wineglass in the other. She met Darcy’s eyes, held the fork up, then the wine. Darcy tilted her head at the wine, accepted the straw and sipped, without breaking eye contact. Andrea’s stomach flipped. What was it about this often obnoxious woman? She cast a sideways glance at Candace who seemed focused on her stew.

  Andrea dipped her bread in the spicy broth, then did the same with Darcy’s bread. Feeding her with her fingers felt intimate and as their eyes met again she felt a warm surge through her body. Darcy licked her lips and smiled into her eyes but let her fingers go without a fight. Why did everything feel so sexual? It had to be Darcy because she’d never responded to anyone like this.

  “You know, Candace, I am enjoying the fish and the healthy food. Who knew it could be so tasty. A little more wine, Doctor.”

  Andrea put the straw in Darcy’s mouth. Something had shifted. Whether it was Candace being relaxed about her being fed, or Andrea’s attempt to be unobtrusive, or maybe the wine, or just possibly that connected moment, Darcy relaxed and began to relate. As she did when they were alone, she asked Andrea for what she wanted. And, she began to talk. They
talked politics and books and laughed a lot.

  Candace helped Andrea stack the dishes and offered to take the cart down to the kitchen and put the dishes in the dishwasher, something Andrea had gotten into the habit of doing after Francine arrived. When she left a little after seven thirty, Candace kissed both Andrea and Darcy on the cheek. “Thank you for having me. This was the most delightful dinner I’ve had since your accident, Darce. Everybody is so boring these days. Please invite me again.”

  “I enjoyed it too. I felt normal again. Aside from being fed, that is.”

  “Don’t knock it, Darce. How often have you had a beautiful woman gently stuff tasty morsels into your mouth, give you wine and pat your lips dry? It’s not worth getting all broken up for, but hey, I say enjoy it while you can.”

  So she had been watching.

  * * *

  “Is it okay if I take your clothing off now, then when Francine arrives we can just slide you into bed? I’ll cover you with a blanket.”

  “You can undress me any time, sweet doctor.” Darcy’s husky voice sent a shiver through Andrea’s traitorous body.

  “Oh, oh, no more wine for you.” She felt Darcy’s eyes on her as she unbuttoned the red top. Her ribs were still tender so she wasn’t wearing a bra and her nipples were erect. Andrea averted her eyes as she slipped the top off.

  “Did you enjoy yourself, Doctor?”

  “I did.” Darcy grunted as Andrea shifted her pants down over her hips and pulled them off. Andrea turned to put the clothing on a hanger. “But, you know Darcy, all this flirting and sexual innuendo makes me uncomfortable. Do you think you could turn it down a little?”

  Darcy flushed. “Sorry. The last thing I want is to make you uncomfortable. I tend to be outrageous sometimes, though it’s usually a teasing game I play with close friends, when I used to have close friends. I’m not denying I find you attractive but I think flirting and teasing helps me feel like my old self. I’ll try not to make you uncomfortable but it’s sort of automatic, not something I can easily control.”

  Andrea turned around. “I’d appreciate it if you would try.” She sat next to Darcy. “Did you enjoy yourself?”