Gates of Paradise (Casteel 4)

"No, Luke! Drake, listen! I called Luke. I wanted him to take me from Farthy."

They stepped toward one another, both seemingly deaf to my cries.

"You don't surprise me now. I knew you'd turn out bad. How could you be anything else, living with a mother like that? It's rubbed off and it's finally showing itself. I saw the way you looked at Annie all these years."

"Drake, stop!" I was terrified over what he would say next.

"Well, it's going to end right here. It's going to--"

"Drake! Luke!" I pleaded.

The gazebo suddenly spun like a merry-goround. The railing began to turn and turn. The walker began to roll on its own, moving too quickly for me to keep my balance. I felt myself spinning and dropped my head back. Before either of them got to me, I fell to the floor and all went dark.

I awoke in my own bed, a cold, damp washcloth on my forehead. Aunt Fanny and Mrs. Avery were standing beside me. Luke was seated in one corner and Drake was in the other, both sulking.

"I've sent fer Doc Williams. He'll be here any moment. Ya did too much, didn't ya? I knowed it would happen."

Both Luke and Drake turned to look at me, both looking sorry.

"I'm all right."

"We'll let the doctor decide that, Annie," Luke said softly.

Mrs. Avery replaced the washcloth with a colder, damper one. Then Doc Williams arrived and everyone but he and Aunt Fanny stepped out of the room.

He checked my pulse, blood pressure, and listened to my heart. Then he sat back and shook his head, looking from Aunt Fanny to me, his bushy eyebrows lifted like two exclamation points.

"What happened here?"

"I guess she done too much, huh, Doc? We got her outta bed, let her eat at the table. Then Luke wheeled her down to the beauty parlor and she was there a long time, and then she come back and he and her done some exercise on the gazebo with her walker."

"Did you push yourself too hard, Annie? I warned you about that." He shook his short, thick right forefinger at me in mock chastisement.

"I don't think so, Dr. Williams."

"Uh-huh. Well, your pulse and heartbeat are fine. Blood pressure is a little high, but not terrible. Just rest now and don't try to do too much. I finally got your Boston doctor on the phone and he promised to send your reports immediately. From what he told me, though, I think you're going to make a full recovery. It's just a matter of time."

"I know I will, Dr. Williams. Now I feel sure of it."

"Good, Annie." He stood up and turned to Aunt Fanny. "She'll be all right. Let her go easy for a few days."

"You hear the doctor?" Aunt Fanny warned. "Yes, Aunt Fanny. Thank you, Dr. Williams."

"I'll stop by again soon." He smiled

reassuringly and patted my hand.

Aunt Fanny started out with him.

"Aunt Fanny, please send Drake in. I must talk to him. It's all right for me to do that now, isn't it, Doctor?"

"Sure. Just as long as you rest, too."

Drake returned, his face glum, the anger still burning under the surface.

"Please, Drake, come sit here and let me talk to you Dr. Williams said it was all right"

He remained in the doorway. Then he took a few steps forward, but I saw he wasn't going to sit down and listen calmly.