Read Always You (A Magnolia Falls Novel) for Free Online Page B

other words, driving in typical New York City fashion.
    When they came to a stop in front of the hospital she grabbed Jessica’s hand, mumbled a “thank you,” and they ran to the emergency room. She didn’t wait to see if Pete followed.
    “I’m here for Liz Mathison. She was just brought in by ambulance,” Diana said to the woman at the check in desk. She tapped some keys on her keyboard and said, “She is here. The doctor is with her now. He will come out to speak with you as soon as he can.” She pulled out a clipboard with papers attached. “Fill these out, please.” Diana took the clipboard and turned to find seats.
    “Over there.” Pete motioned to three available seats in the corner.
    Jessica climbed onto Diana’s lap. “I’m scared. What if Liz goes away like mommy and daddy?”
    “She’s going to be fine. I promise she will get better.” Diana prayed it was true.
    Pete took the clipboard from her. “Let me fill these out for you.”
    “Thank you.”
    He began filling out line after line without asking her any questions, for which she was grateful because she wouldn’t have had any answers. She knew nothing of Liz’s current life.
    “I knew Liz had a little sister, but she never talked about you. What’s your name?”
    “Diana Mathison.”
    “Address?”
    “Why do you need that?”
    He tapped the pen to the paper. “I’m assuming you are her next of kin.”
    “Oh, yes.” She recited her address in Magnolia Falls.
    He completed the forms, showed her where to sign, and took them to the lady behind the desk.
    “Now we wait,” he said.
    “How long have you known she is anorexic?” Diana asked him.
    “All models are anorexic. You can’t take it too seriously.”
    Diana’s anger flared. “She looks like a sack of bones, and she is lying in a hospital fighting for her life. I’d say that’s very serious.”
    “Let’s wait to see what the doctor says before we jump to conclusions.” His calm demeanor grated on her frazzled nerves.
    “I do not need a doctor to tell me she passed out from lack of nourishment. If you can’t see that, then forgive me for saying you are both blind and stupid, Mr. Wilson.”
    He lifted a brow. “I understand you are upset so I will pretend you didn’t say that.”
    “You seem to be very good at pretending. You’ve been pretending Liz doesn’t have a problem, and now look where she is.” A small voice in her own head was telling her if she’d been involved in Liz’s life she would have caught it sooner. Apparently, Pete chose to ignore her because he did not respond. She went to the desk and asked if she could be given her sister’s cell phone. She needed to get Steve’s phone number and let him know what was going on. The lady returned a few minutes later with Liz’s phone. Diana scrolled through her contacts until she found his number and dialed. It went straight to voice mail. She left him a message letting him know what had happened and where they were.
    Diana hated hospitals. This one was no different than the rest. White walls and floors, plastic seating and that sickening, antiseptic smell. Thankfully, Pete had found them a more comfortable waiting room with actual furniture. Pink-and-blue upholstered couches, loveseats and chairs with a coffee table, blue-and-white striped walls and a flat screen television mounted on the wall that played cartoons. Jessica had fallen asleep on one of the loveseats. Diana wished she could join her, but knew she had to stay awake and wait. Hence she had drunk several cups of coffee from the pot on the credenza in the room.
    Surprisingly, Pete was still there. He had had his fair share of coffee and had been working all night on his tablet and smart phone. How could he concentrate on anything at a time like this? Of course, it wasn’t his sister lying in a hospital room going through heaven only knew what. It had been three hours, and they still didn’t know what was going on. A nurse had come out once