Chapter 2

In the operating room, I barely made it out alive.

My own anemia was severe, and with no reserve blood, the whole surgery ran on cold machines alone.

Afterward I stayed unconscious for five hours. The doctors nearly called my family in to sign the critical condition form.

When I finally came to, they kept me under observation in the recovery area until almost nightfall before letting me go home.

By the time I got there, I was so wrung out I could barely stay upright.

I braced myself against the doorframe and started to call for Angela.

Then I heard a man's voice, low and smooth, with a teasing edge.

"Dr. Gilbert, when's dinner?"

The words caught in my throat.

After a moment I forced myself upright and opened the door.

Inside, Antony Fox was wearing my slippers, lounging against the couch.

When he saw me, the ease dropped off him and he scrambled to his feet.

"Adam, don't get the wrong idea. Edna woke up today and wouldn't stop crying, she didn't want to stay at the hospital anymore. Angela felt terrible for her, so she said we should all come back together. Don't worry, we won't touch anything in the house."

Angela came out of the kitchen carrying steaming dishes.

"Why are you home so late?"

Her eyes swept over me, but she didn't notice anything wrong.

I said nothing and kept walking toward the bedroom.

Antony hurried over to block my way. "Adam, I'll take Edna and leave right now. Please don't fight with Angela. She did two surgeries today and she's been running around for Edna on top of that. She's really exhausted."

As he said it, he went to grab his suitcase.

He'd taken barely two steps when he broke into a violent coughing fit.

Angela caught him at once, rubbing his back to help him breathe.

"Where do you think you're going this late."

Antony managed a faint pull at the corner of his mouth, his voice dropping low.

"Angela, I don't want to put you in a hard spot."

Angela looked at me, something helpless in her eyes.

"Adam, Edna's afraid of the hospital, but she still can't do without a doctor right now. Having them stay here makes it easy for me to look after her whenever she needs it."

"Once she's doing better, Antony will take her home."

"How long is that going to be?" I only asked out of reflex. I'd stopped expecting anything.

She thought about it, then told me, "Probably two or three months."

Our wedding was set for next month.

Which meant that in her mind, even after we were married, I was supposed to give this father and daughter half of our newlywed home.

I lifted my head and met her eyes.

"Stealing the blood I banked for seven years wasn't enough. Now you're bringing the thief in to live in my house too."

"Angela, do you have any respect for people at all?"

Her tone went cold in an instant.

"Adam, that's an ugly thing to say."

"They're just staying a while. There's no need to be so aggressive about it."

Aggressive.

I looked away from her, my chest so tight I couldn't breathe.

Angela thought I'd given in, and started giving instructions.

"Edna's going to come out in a minute. Keep your face gentle, don't scare her."

I didn't answer. I turned and went into the bedroom.

Antony's muffled voice came through the door.

"Angela, does Adam really hate me that much?"

"I know I shouldn't be intruding on the two of you, but I've been raising Edna alone through her illness all these years. I really can't hold on much longer."

Angela's voice went very soft.

"He's just under a lot of pressure lately. Don't take it to heart."

I leaned against the back of the door, my fists slowly tightening.

I didn't go out for dinner. I slept a long time on the bed, feverish and half-conscious.

When I woke, I had a high fever.

I went out looking for medicine. Antony had just finished a shower and was shaving with my razor.

He had on my silk robe.

The one Angela had gone out of her way to buy, the matching set we were supposed to wear together after the wedding.

Angela seemed to catch my mood. She came over and lowered her voice to explain.

"It was the only new sleepwear in the house, so I had to give it to Antony. Adam, don't read into it."

I drew my eyes back, a tiredness I couldn't put into words settling over me.

It wasn't until I opened the medicine box that she noticed something was off with me.

She reached out and felt my forehead, her brows drawing together.

"How did you end up with a fever?"

She brought hot water and dug the medicine out of the box.

Then she went to the kitchen to make porridge, and brought a cold towel to press against my head.

"Lie down for a bit. Once the fever comes down you'll feel better."

She looked after me so naturally.

As if none of the day's conflicts had ever happened.

As if there were nothing wrong with us at all.

But a weak little voice from the doorway smashed that surface to pieces.

"Mom, what are you doing?"