Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

"I in all right. Just a little dizzy spell. It's too damn hot in here. Open a window," she ordered.

"They are open." I told her.

She looked at them and shook her head. "No breeze at all today. One of those days my husband calls dead air days. Called. I mean," she quickly corrected. "'Cut that chicken up for us, will you. April?"

Echo was signing at her now, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm fine, child. It's nothing. Don't be upset." she signed. "Go back to your work. Go on. April and I will finish preparing the lunch. Thank you. Tyler. I'm finer"

He glanced at me with concern, nodded, and left the kitchen. Echo lingered a moment until Mrs. Westington waved at her.

"Go on. Don't make me look like a fool. You'd think no one had ever had a dizzy spell," she muttered.

"Are you sure you're okay. Mrs. Westington?" I asked.

"In the pink," she said. "Give me another moment and we'll forget it. Go on, finish working up the salad. Oh. I found the can of peas. They're on the floor in the pantry. Please get them and heat them up. She loves them warm."

I nodded and did what she asked, keeping my eyes on her constantly. When she didn't think I was looking, she took deep breaths and rubbed her temples. I have to tell Tyler. I thought. She has to go to a doctor right away. She will surely fight it, but with his help, we'll make her do it.

I went to the door of the office and signaled him. Looking annoyed, he rose and walked over to me.

"What now?"

"We've got to get her to go to a doctor. What do you think happened to her?"

He thought a moment. "Probably a small cerebral sfroke. My father started having those before his heart attack."

"Stroke? Oh no. Tyler."

"Look, it's none of my business," he said. "I told you my mother thinks I'm too involved with this family as it is. I can't go telling Mrs. Westington what she should and shouldn't do about her own health. She's certainly old enough to know what she should do."

"That's cruel. Tyler. I can't believe you're saying these things. You certainly didn't talk this way last night. What's happened to you?"

"I don't have time for this sort of hysteria. April. I've got to finish up with Echo. She needs to master a few more things before she enters the school and is placed in the correct grade level."

"This sort of hysteria? What are you talking about? Mrs. Westington could die!"

"Of course shell die. We'll all die someday." he said, and returned to the desk. Echo was leaning over her work and didn't watch us talking. I glared at him a moment, but he didn't look back at me. I returned to the kitchen. I don't need his help. I thought. I know what has to be done.

Mrs. Westington was sitting back with her eyes closed. "You've got to go to your doctor

immediately." I said firmly. She opened her eyes and started to protest.

"Don't argue. Mrs. Westington, If you don't take care of yourself. Echo will be at the mercy of Rhona. You said so yourself. And you've preached to me many times about not putting my head in the sand. That's exactly what you're doing right now. Well?"

She nodded. "You're right, of course. Let's just give them lunch. I'll call my doctor."

"Let's do it right now," I insisted. "They can wait a few more minutes for lunch."

She smiled at me. "You're better than a conscience. All right. His name and number is in the file by the phone under B for Battie."

I quickly looked it up and called before she could come up with any other reason for delaying it. When the receptionist answered. I told her I was calling for Mrs. Westington, who had had a serious dizzy spell and fainted. Even though Mrs. Westington would deny it. I told the receptionist she was in some pain as well. She wanted me to take her to the hospital emergency room. When I mentioned that. Mrs. Westing-ton shook her head so vehemently. I thought she would fall into another faint.

"No, please." I pleaded. "She's okay at the moment. We just want her examined and she'll be more comfortable with the doctor."

The receptionist squeezed us into an afternoon appointment between two-thirty and three. We had to tell Echo, of course, but to ease her fears. Mrs. Westington deliberately did more than she should at lunch. The entire time Tyler behaved the way he had when I first met him. He was aloof. disinterested, and only involved with Echo and her lessons. Watchinghim, you'd think nothing at all ever happened between us since that first day we had met and nothing had happened to Mrs. Westington right before his eyes.

"Since you're leaving for the doctor and you won't be back before the lesson normally ends," he told Mrs. Westington. "I'll cut today's work short. I'm sure you'll want to bring Echo along and not leave her here."