“I’m releasing you with the instructions that you get plenty of rest and don’t push yourself. Your body is still healing, and if you don’t behave yourself you’ll be right back here with me,” he said.
“I promise I’ll take care of myself,” she replied. “When can I leave?”
“All I need to do is write up the orders, and then I’ll send the nurse in and we’ll get you on your way.”
“Thank you, Dr. Harmon.” The moment he left the room, she got on the landline on the stand next to her bed and called Dominique to get a ride home. Her cell phone was in her purse, but it was dead. She also asked that Dominique bring her some clean clothes to put on. The blouse she’d worn on the night of the attack was ruined. Thank goodness the two sisters wore the same size.
It was forty-five minutes later when she walked out of the hospital doors with Dominique at her side. She’d had a quickshower and was now clad in a pair of Dominique’s jeans and a button-up sleeveless red blouse.
“I’ll bet you’re eager to get home,” Dominique said.
“I am. I have a lot of things to do to get the shop up and running,” Angelique replied.
“Don’t overwork yourself, sis. You’re not back to one hundred percent yet and won’t be for a while. You’ve been through a terrible trauma.”
“I know, but thank God I’m here to talk about it,” Angelique replied. As she thought of those moments of fighting with Desiree, even now a residual fear worried through her.
They reached Dominique’s car and got inside, then headed toward the swamp entrance. “Are you off work today?” Angelique asked.
“No, I’m working the evening shift. Isn’t it nice that you don’t have to be afraid anymore?”
“That is nice,” Angelique replied. “I still can’t believe it was Desiree who was after me. In a million years I would have never guessed she was the one behind the attack. Thank God it’s all finally over.”
As they continued on, Angelique told her sister about the people who had come to visit her. “George came in and was absolutely distraught about what had happened. I felt sorry for him.”
“He had no clue what Desiree was up to?”
“He said he didn’t, and I believe him. Nola came in to visit me, too. She’s hoping that now that my attacker is in jail, the police will focus on solving Mama’s murder.”
“We all want that,” Dominique replied. By then they had reached the swamp’s entrance. Dominique parked and they both headed in.
“Thanks for coming to get me,” Angelique said when they reached Dominique’s shanty.
“No problem, and you’ll call me if you need anything?” Dominique asked.
“I will, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.” The two parted ways and Angelique continued on to her shanty.
When she reached it, she went inside and looked around. There was no sign of the life-or-death battle that had occurred in here. She sank down on the sofa.
She had consciously not thought about Daniel the whole time she’d been in the hospital, but now her thoughts were filled with him.
The last time he’d been here, he had saved her life. Had he not come in the front door when he had, there was no doubt in her mind that she would have been killed.
She frowned. And why had he shown up on that night? They hadn’t set up a check-in for that night. There had been no reason for his impromptu visit. So, why had he come? And why had it taken her so long to ask him?
It was a question she intended to ask him the next time she saw him. At thoughts of seeing him again, her heart squeezed tight.
She was in love with him. She hadn’t wanted to be, she had absolutely fought against it but it had happened. She had fallen deeply in love with him, but her love for him scared her to death.
She got up and went outside and turned on her generator. She needed to make several orders today of items for the store. Then, a week before opening she would go out into the swamp and gather the flowers and foliage she needed to make the all-natural poultices and tinctures she wanted to offer to her patrons.
It was an exciting time for her…the realization of a long-held dream. Hopefully it would fill up the empty hours of the evenings when she’d become so accustomed to sharing time with Daniel.
As if summoned by her thoughts alone, a knock fell on her door and it was the very man she had been thinking about.
“Daniel,” she greeted him and her heart expanded with warmth. As usual, he looked ridiculously handsome in his official blue uniform.
“Hi, Angelique.” He greeted her with a wide smile that only increased the warmth inside her. “The doctor told me you’d been released today, so I thought I’d come by to see you.”
