Gates of Paradise (Casteel 4)

"Don't ya jist hate doctors and nurses. They all have these faces that looked pinched. Remind me of muskrats. And I hate hospital smells. Why don't they spray some deodorants in the halls and bring in flowers? If I ever get sick, Luke, so I don't know what I'm doin', hire a private nurse like Annie has and keep me in ma house, y'hear?" Aunt Fanny declared. It w

as as if her grief had been merely a cape she could pull off when she had a mind to.

Luke stepped up to my bed. He looked so handsome, so young, his eyes two pools of fear and pain. "Hi, Annie."

"Luke, oh Luke."

He took my hand softly into his own. The tears glistening in his eyes filled my heart with even more sorrow. He was as deeply in mourning as I was, for despite the way we all had ignored who and what he really was all these years, the truth was he had lost his father, too. And my mother was often more kind and loving to him than his own.

"Now there's no sense in us all jist standin' around an' cryin' our hearts ta pieces," Aunt Fanny suddenly said. "We can't bring 'em back, though I'd give all I have ta do it. I loved Heaven more'n I ever told her. I'm sorry I was so mean ta her all these years, but I jist couldn't help my jealous self. She understood that and forgave me time after time, which was more'n I done fer her." She touched her eyes gently with her lace handkerchief and then took a deep breath and pulled her shoulders back.

"But," she announced, "I jist know she'da wanted me ta take control'a things now. I jist know it." Aunt Fanny nodded in agreement with herself as her pride marched out in full dress parade. "I'm jist as capable as . . . as that dirty, old rich man who calls himself yer great-grandpa." She shook her head and ran her palms over the sides of her hair as if she had walked into a cobweb.

"Ma." Luke touched her left hand and nodded toward me. "This isn't the time--"

"Nonsense. We gotta do what we gotta do. Now he says yer parents' wills put him in control, but I say--" Luke glared daggers at Fanny.

"Ma, Annie is in no condition to discuss all this right now. She has other things on her mind at this moment."

"Well, I think that's good, him gettin' ya the best medical treatment," Aunt Fanny went on, undeterred by Luke's admonishments and pleadings, "but as far as Hasbrouck House and--"

"Ma, please."

Frustration pulled her lips back, her pearly white teeth contrasting sharply with her dark Indian complexion.

"All right, then, wait until yer feelin' better,

Annie. Est don't ya worry yerself none about what that old beantown millionaire's pin' ta do with yer fortune."

"He's been very nice so far, Aunt Fanny," I said, unable to make my voice much more than a loud whisper.

"Yeah, well, he's got reasons."

"Reasons?"

"Ma, please." Luke turned on her, his eyes fiery. "I said this isn't the time."

"Okay, okay."

Mrs. Broadfield returned to lily room and came up behind them, moving so quietly in her soft white nurse's shoes, none of us heard her enter. She was suddenly just there, like a milk-white ghost.

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave now. We are preparing Annie for her trip."

"Leave? We jist walked in. This is ma niece, ya know."

"I'm sorry. We have a schedule to follow," the nurse insisted authoritatively.

"Well, where ya takin' her?" Fanny demanded.

"A Boston hospital. You can get all the specific information at the nurse's desk on this floor," Mrs. Broadfield said. Aunt Fanny shook her head in anger, but Mrs. Broadfield simply went around my bed to adjust the I.V.

"Now Annie, honey, ya don't worry 'bout nothin' but gettin' yerself up and around again, hear?" She kissed me on the cheek and squeezed my hand. "I'll be comin' out to that fancy Boston hospital in a day or so ta be sure they're doin' the right things fer ya," she added, and glared at Mrs. Broadfield, who continued to work as if Fanny were no longer there.

"I'll come with her, Annie," Luke said. He took my hand back into his.

"Oh, Luke, I'm going to miss graduation and your speech now," I cried.

"No you won't," Luke said with his