Cat (Wildflowers 4)

realization moving in a wave from one face to the

other, and with it, an explosion of pity, fear and

disgust in their eyes.

It felt like all the blood in my body was rising

and gathering at my throat. Suddenly, I couldn't

swallow, but I couldn't breathe either. I guess I was

getting whiter and whiter. Doctor Marlowe's face

erupted into a look of serious concern. She rose from

her chair.

"Let's give Cathy a short break," she suggested.

"Come on, honey. I want you to splash your face in

cold water and relax for a few moments."

I felt her helping me to my feet, but I wasn't

sure they wouldn't just turn to air and let the rest of

me fold to the floor. Like a sleepwalker, I followed

Doctor Marlowe out to the bathroom and did what she

prescribed. The cold water revived me. The blood

retreated and I could swallow again and breathe. "Feeling better?" she asked.

I nodded.

"You don't have to continue, Cathy. Maybe I'm

rushing you," she suggested.

I considered it. How comfortable and easy it

would be for me to agree and go home, return to my

room and go to bed. I could pull the blanket up to my

chin and shut my eyes and squeeze my legs against

my stomach and wait for sleep to open a door into a

happy place, someplace where I could just drift, float

on warm clouds and forget and forget and forget. But another part of me wanted to come out, to

leave the room and be in the real world again. How

would I ever get back to the real world if I just ran