Letters from Peaceful Lane (New Americana 3)

“Still there. Maybe a little better.”

“Any confusion?”

“How the hell would I know?”

“Well, let

’s get you to the bathroom and into a clean gown before your wife arrives. Then you can rest and have some breakfast.”

Burke submitted to the indignity of letting her help him. So far his plumbing was pretty much out of control. The doctor had assured him that would change. But what if it didn’t? How could he expect Allison to do the things a nurse would do? And what if the accident and the surgery had left him unable to perform in the bedroom?

All the more reason she needed to call that divorce lawyer.

Back in bed, he could feel the oxycodone working. It dulled the pain in his back and head, but it also made him drowsy, not what he wanted. Sleeping through the pain was tempting, but he had decisions to make and people to deal with. He needed to be sharp.

Burke willed himself to stay awake, but as the minutes passed and the medication took effect, his eyelids began to droop. He was sinking into a fog when, suddenly, it cleared at the sound of Allison’s voice. He opened his eyes again.

“Hello, Burke.” She was standing next to the bed, holding a tray. She placed it on the over-bed table and moved it within his reach. “The nurses let me bring your breakfast. You must be starved.”

“Take it back. I’m not hungry.”

“At least have some coffee, and maybe some of those scrambled eggs. You can’t get strong by starving yourself.”

Grumbling his displeasure, Burke took a sip of the black coffee, which wasn’t bad. But the eggs were too bland for his taste. He gave up after a few bites and put down his fork.

Allison had pulled the chair close to the bed. She looked fresh and pretty in a red cashmere sweater and gray slacks, with her honey-gold hair falling over one shoulder. Burke resisted the urge to reach out and skim his finger down her cheek. He’d meant what he’d said about that divorce, even though the thought of her finding someone else—and she would—was almost more than he could stand.

“Brianna left me a voicemail,” she said. “I’ll be picking her up at the airport this afternoon. I’m guessing she’ll want to come straight here.”

“And you couldn’t talk her out of coming? She doesn’t need to see me like this. It’ll only upset her.”

“Cut her some slack, Burke. She’s already lost one parent. She’s bound to be worried sick about you.”

Burke finished the coffee and sank back onto the pillow. “I’ve never wanted Brianna to be worried about anything. But if my business goes belly-up, I don’t know how I’m going to manage tuition at Northwestern. And that new car I promised her might have to wait.”

“She could have my Lexus. I’ve driven old cars most of my life. And if need be, Brianna could move back home and go to College of the Ozarks. The students there all work for their tuition.”

“I know. But she wants to be a journalist, and Northwestern is the big league. She wouldn’t be happy if she had to leave.”

“Maybe not, but if she’s as tough as you are, she’ll do fine wherever she is.”

Right now Burke didn’t feel tough, but he wasn’t about to say so. “Somebody needs to take care of the car,” he said, changing the subject. “I’m assuming it’s totaled.”

“I can do that,” Allison said.

“Fine. The policy is in my desk—lower left-hand drawer, where the files are. I’m guessing the police had the car hauled away. You’ll want to get me my phone if it’s still in there, and clean out the glove box and the trunk.”

“I’ll take care of that this morning. Anything else?”

“The divorce lawyer.” As Burke spoke, he saw her cheerful expression freeze. “I mean it, Allison,” he said. “At least talk to somebody so you’ll know what you’re looking at if I go under. It’s your only chance of salvaging anything out of this mess.”

“I told you, I don’t want a divorce. That’s the last time I’m going to say it.” Her voice was cold. “Is there anything you want me to pass on to Garrett?”

“I’ll deal with Garrett myself. I’m sure he’ll be coming by. Meanwhile, I know you’ve got better things to do than babysit me, so you might as well get out of here and get on with your day.”

“All right.” She rose. “I’ll check on the car and see you later, when I bring Brianna by.”

“Fine. I’ll be right here. It’s not like I can get up and leave.”