Eight

“Something strange is going on,” Elizabeth said as she set down her tray beside Todd at the cafeteria table.

Todd looked up from his hamburger. He swallowed and said, “That sounds like the opening line of a mystery novel.” His brown eyes sparkled with mischief. “Any clues so far, Sherlock?”

“Come on, Todd, I’m serious,” Elizabeth answered as she sat down, but she couldn’t resist a small smile. Todd was such a kidder. His sense of humor was one of the things she loved best about him—plus about six feet of muscle topped by wavy brown hair and a brilliant white smile. “It’s this thing with Steve and Tricia. Steve told me it was Tricia who wanted to break up, but the way she’s acting you’d think it was the other way around. I just know she’s still in love with him. I can feel it, even though she doesn’t say so.”

“You’re too sensitive for your own good,” Todd said, tweaking the end of her nose. Then he grew sober. “I know what you mean, though. I have study hall with Tricia, but I don’t think she’s too interested in studying these days.”

“How do you know?”

“I happened to look over her shoulder this morning as I was walking past. She was just staring at this picture of Steve she had tucked inside her binder. It kind of got to me. It was the way she was looking at it more than anything. Like”—he lowered his voice—“it’s hard to describe, but sort of like Steve was gone or something. Isn’t that weird?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No. I felt that way, too. Todd, what do you think is happening? I know it’s none of my business, but I can’t help feeling involved. Steve’s my brother, and I really like Tricia. It just doesn’t seem right, their being apart if they still love each other.”

“I agree with you,” Todd said. “But what can we do about it? They’d only resent it if we tried to butt in.”

Elizabeth sighed. “I’m afraid Jessica’s already taken care of that. She’s got Steve fixed up with Cara.”

Todd dropped his fork. “Cara Walker? You’ve got to be kidding! Poor Steve! You’d better tell him to watch what he says around her. It could end up in the National Enquirer.”

“I don’t think Steve really likes Cara. He’s probably only going out with her to make Tricia jealous.” Elizabeth picked listlessly at her food. At least she hoped Steven wasn’t falling for Cara.

“Have you tried talking to him about it?” Todd asked.

She nodded. “He thinks Tricia has another boyfriend, but I’m not so sure. Why would she be so miserable if she had someone else?”

“You’re right. I don’t buy it either. Somehow I can’t imagine Tricia with anyone but Steve. They seemed so perfect together.”

“Like us, you mean?” Elizabeth fed Todd a french fry off her plate, yanking her hand away with an outraged giggle when he began nibbling her fingers.

Todd laughed. “Face it. Nobody is like us. If we were any crazier about each other, they’d have to send out the little men in the white coats.”

“You’re so romantic, Todd.”

Todd kissed her lightly. His lips were a delicious combination of sweet and salty. Elizabeth felt warm all over. No matter how many times he’d kissed her, it always affected her this way. As if he were kissing her for the very first time. Maybe that was why she was so concerned about Steven and Tricia. She knew what it was like to love someone deeply. The thought of losing Todd was unbearable.

“Maybe you should talk to Tricia,” Todd suggested. “You know, woman to woman. Maybe it’s something she’s too embarrassed to tell Steve.”

“I thought of that. I tried talking to her today, but she never mentioned Steve once. Besides, Tricia and I don’t really know each other that well. I wouldn’t want it to look like I was spying for my brother.”

“I doubt if she’d think that. Tell her the truth—that you’re just trying to help because you can see how unhappy they both are. Why shouldn’t she believe you? Anyone can tell just by looking at you that you’re the sincere type.”

“You wouldn’t happen to be the teeniest bit prejudiced, would you?”

“Me? Not a chance!” Todd grinned before shoveling in the last of his hamburger. “Anyway, my advice is to act fast—before Cara gets her claws in any deeper.”

Elizabeth groaned. Todd was right. But what could she do if Tricia wouldn’t confide in her? Nothing, that’s what. Just sit back and watch her brother and Tricia mess up their lives.

It was an awful thought.

*   *   *

Today is the day, Jessica thought the next afternoon as she slipped into her candy striper’s uniform. This time she was really going to make sure Jeremy noticed her.

“Wake up, Jessica,” Elizabeth said when her sister didn’t get off the elevator on the first floor. “The maternity ward is on this floor.”

“Uh—I left something upstairs last week,” Jessica mumbled, praying the elevator door would close before Miss North caught up with her and forced her into dirty-diaper detail again.

Jessica’s heart was pounding as she neared Jeremy’s room, but she felt confident she’d be able to get his attention this time. Who knew? Maybe she’d even get a chance to help him for real. Cheered by that thought, she filled a pitcher of water to take with her in case he was thirsty.

She sailed into the room, prepared to win Jeremy over. She glanced toward the bed, frowning slightly as she noticed the nurse standing over him. But she put on her most dazzling smile and continued forward anyway. Jeremy had to see her at her best. Jessica came up alongside the nurse—and froze in her tracks.

Jeremy was stark naked!

The nurse was giving him a sponge bath, and there he lay without a stitch on. Jessica gave a little yelp, and the pitcher in her hands tipped forward, dumping ice-cold water on Jeremy’s bare stomach.

Jeremy roared in pain, nearly hitting the ceiling. He tried to sit up, but his broken leg was suspended too high, and he could only flop helplessly from side to side while the nurse made a frantic attempt to mop up the spillage with her towel.

Finally Jeremy managed to point a finger at Jessica and choke, “You!”

The nurse glared at her. “What are you doing in here? Are you trying to give this man heart failure?”

“I—I was only trying to help,” Jessica stammered.

“Help?” both Jeremy and the nurse echoed in unison.

With an injured cry, Jessica turned and fled the room. Did they have to get so upset over a little water? It wasn’t her fault, was it? How could she have known it would turn out that way?

*   *   *

“You did what?” Elizabeth stared at her sister in horror when Jessica related what had happened.

They were sitting in the nurses’ lounge during their break. Elizabeth nearly choked on the oatmeal cookie she was nibbling.

“It wasn’t like I did it on purpose!” Jessica cried in self-defense. “I was only trying to help.”

“Any more of that kind of help and Jeremy may never get out of this hospital alive,” Elizabeth warned.

Jessica smiled tentatively. “Well, at least I got him to notice me. That’s a start, isn’t it?”

Elizabeth groaned. “Sometimes I can’t believe we’re related.”

Elizabeth loved her sister dearly, but at times Jessica was just too impossible. She thought of the time when they were really little and Jessica had talked her into climbing onto the roof of their house. Of course, Elizabeth was the one who slipped and nearly fell off.

Elizabeth knew she’d have to do something to keep Jessica away from Jeremy, or they would both end up losing their jobs. She didn’t want that to happen. In the short time she’d worked at the hospital, she’d grown to love it.

What could she do to make Jessica stop hounding him? Threats wouldn’t work—she knew her sister too well for that. Threatening Jessica was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. It only encouraged her.

Suddenly she had an idea. Maybe they could scare Jessica away. Of course, she would need Jeremy’s help, but she was sure he’d be only too happy to cooperate. She thought about all the times Jessica had had a big crush on some guy, and then the minute he started paying attention to her, she began seeing all his flaws. If Jeremy made a big play for her, Jessica might cool off in a hurry.

The more Elizabeth considered it, the more she liked the idea. She would talk to Jeremy about it as soon as she got off her break.

Jessica glanced at the clock. “Got to go,” she chirped. “Miss North will have my hide if I’m late.”

“I’m glad to see you’re finally taking your job seriously,” Elizabeth remarked coolly.

“I can’t get fired now,” Jessica said, “or I may never get the chance to make it up to Jeremy.”

Elizabeth shook her head as her sister rushed off. The sooner she talked to Jeremy, the better. She got up, crumpled the cellophane wrapper from her cookie, and tossed it into the wastebasket.

Elizabeth was making her way down the corridor when she spotted Carl, the orderly, watching her from a doorway. A shiver rippled up her spine. Why was he staring at her like that? It gave her the creeps. The same thing had happened the week before, on her second day at the hospital. Several times she had had the feeling of being watched even when her back was turned. Once, she had whipped around quickly and had caught the flash of a white coat disappearing around a corner. She was almost certain it was Carl, but it made her nervous.

Even so, she made an attempt to be friendly. One of the nurses had told her that Carl was a real loner. He lived all by himself on the edge of town. As far as anyone knew, he didn’t have a friend in the world. Elizabeth couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him.

She forced herself to smile at him. “Hi, Carl!” she said as she walked past the doorway.

Immediately he dropped his gaze and mumbled something that could have been “hello.” His face had turned a dark, mottled red.

Elizabeth quickened her step. She had gone no more than a few yards past him when she could once again feel his gaze burning into her back. She fought the impulse to break into a run. This is really silly, she told herself. Looks never killed anyone.

What could he possibly do to her?

*   *   *

On Friday of that week Elizabeth was filing patient records for Mrs. Willoughby, the head nurse on Second Floor East, when Jessica came bursting into the office bearing an enormous bouquet of roses. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement.

“Look what Jeremy gave me!” she cried. “Wasn’t that sweet of him? Somebody from the TV station sent them over, so he let me have them. Liz, I can’t believe it! I think he actually likes me!”

“Maybe he’s just allergic to roses,” Elizabeth teased.

Jessica glared at her. “You’re just jealous because he didn’t give them to you.”

“I’m absolutely green,” Elizabeth said calmly.

“Don’t try to deny it,” Jessica went on, not even looking at her sister. “You know he likes me better. He even asked me today if I had a boyfriend.”

“You’re right, Jess. It must mean something. He never asked me that.”

“I know you’re going to say I’m imagining this whole thing,” Jessica babbled on. “But I honestly do think he likes me.”

Elizabeth smiled. “That’s nice.” She slid a rubber band around a batch of index cards.

“Oh, I know what you’re thinking. You think he’s too old for me. I’m only sixteen, and he’s at least twenty-five. But everyone knows girls mature faster than boys. It’s a fact.”

“Absolutely.”

Jessica frowned. “Of course, Mom and Dad won’t see it that way. They’d probably forbid me to go out with him or something medieval like that.”

“True love will find a way.”

“So that’s why I’m counting on you not to breathe a word of this to them.”

“My lips are sealed.”

Jessica stared at her. “You mean it? You really won’t tell them?”

“Promise. Cross my heart.” With an index finger Elizabeth traced an X across her chest.

“Elizabeth Wakefield, you’re the best!” Jessica threw her arms around her sister, roses and all.

“Ouch!” Elizabeth cried as she was stuck by a thorn. But Jessica was already rushing out the door. She couldn’t wait to call her friends and tell them the big news.