The Sick Wife, Lost Loretta [top 10 motivational books .TXT] 📗

to know,” Veronica says, putting her arm around my lower back for support.

I don’t want to stick around to see Michael get hurt. It doesn’t help me feel better about anything. I just want to make sure that Milla is okay.

When we get to the landing, Veronica and I split up to check all the rooms. I limp along the hallway, calling out for Milla and turning doorknobs. Afraid of what I might find. I’m also afraid that she’s in the basement, because honestly, I think my body will give up if I have to take another flight of stairs.

“She’s here!” Veronica shouts. “Oh my god.”

Turning to the side, I see Veronica burst into a room. Then I hear her scream.

My eyes close briefly. What did she see? I use my cane to move myself forward slowly, hoping against hope that Milla is alive and well.

I struggle to put one foot in front of the other, also grasping the walls for support.

Yes, I know that if she’s alive, I’m probably going to lose my husband. But I’ve done a truly excellent job of losing him for years before we even knew that Milla existed.

Besides, my personal trainer, Lukas, is kind of cute. I’ll be okay.

When I turn around the corner, I see Veronica sobbing and hugging Milla’s body. And I see that Milla is lying in a pool of blood. My heart sinks.

Milla is motionless.

Is she dead…?

Chapter 44 Milla

When Veronica bursts into the room, my heart explodes into a million pieces.

Of happiness. Tears begin to cascade down my cheeks.

She throws her arms around me, and I am so frustrated that I can’t hug her back. I just lie here crying so hard I can barely breathe.

“Are you okay?” Ronnie asks. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I tell her. “I just can’t move. But I’m not hurt.”

“Thank god, Milla. We need to get you out of here. Get you to a hospital.”

It takes me a second to realize that there is someone behind her. A beautiful woman has been standing in the doorway, and she steps forward, using a cane.

“Evie?” I whisper.

“Hey, girl,” she says with a weak smile. “Not as much fun as it looks, huh? Don’t mind me. I’m just going to take some pictures of this precarious situation you’re in. We’re going to finally get you some nudes that aren’t amateurish.”

I watch in amazement as Evie pulls out her cell phone and begins to take pictures of my body. I feel really uncomfortable because… well, I’m mostly unclothed and who knows what Mike has just done to me. I can’t feel much below the neck. Or above the neck.

“Evie, why are you here?” I whisper in confusion.

“Crime scene nudes. That’s different,” Evie is saying as she studies her camera. Then she looks up at me. “That motherfucker got me pregnant, Milla. We couldn’t let him hurt you, too.”

“Oh my god,” I whisper. “You figured it out. How?”

“Ultrasound dating,” Evie explains. “We got on a plane as soon as we could.”

I close my eyes, thankful for ultrasounds. Then her words hit me.

“We?” I squeak out, hoarsely.

“Gabe is downstairs, kicking the shit out of Mike. You may not know this about Gabe, but he’s pretty weird for an intellectual type… he likes to fight. I’m pretty sure he’s going to put Mike into a coma, too.” She waves her hand dismissively. “Let’s not worry about that. Let him do his thing. Maybe he’ll finally get out of some of his aggression and stop putting holes in the walls.”

I cannot believe that Gabriel is downstairs. I didn’t want our first meeting to be like this… “Holes in the walls?” I ask her.

“Don’t worry, it’s harmless. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about Mike,” Evie says. “I was just ashamed of cheating on my husband. And I didn’t want you to tell Gabe…”

“It’s okay,” I tell her, as I try to process the situation. “I think I need the morning after pill,” I whisper to both of the women. “How many days have I been here?”

“Well,” Veronica says. “I’ve got some good news and bad news for you, Milla.”

“Give me the good news first.”

“Ummmm. You’re probably not pregnant.”

“How do you know that?”

“Well… it looks like you might be on your period because you’re kind of sitting in a pool of blood.”

“Fuck.”

“The bad news is that you’re sitting in a pool of blood.”

“Thanks,” I tell my friend. “I gathered that. Well… thanks for hugging me anyway.”

“I’m a nurse… I’ve seen worse. And Evie was in a coma so long, I’m sure you had to change her nasty pads.”

“I did,” I say with a smile.

Veronica sighs. “If only a real coma was like the magical fairytales where the princess falls into a beautiful sleep with no bodily functions.”

Evie nods. “Sleeping Beauty never peed or pooped or bled. Lucky her.”

“Lucky nurses,” Veronica adds.

I am just staring at the two women talking, feeling so happy that they are here. Tears gather in my eyes, and I soak up the beautiful sound of their voices. There was a moment or two when I thought that Mike’s awful voice would be the only thing I heard for the rest of my probably brief life. But here I am now, and here they both are. I think I’ve survived.

I hear footsteps on the stairs, and I start to panic.

“Oh my god! Is that Gabe? Shut the door! Shut the door!” I am suddenly sobbing. “Don’t let him see me like this. Please.”

Veronica jumps up and rushes to the door to shut it and lock it. “Crisis averted.”

Meanwhile, Evie has come to my side, and is removing the bloody bedsheets, and using them to clean me off. “What are you doing?” I ask her.

“Give me a break,” she responds. “Since you cleaned me up so much when I was in a coma—the least I can do is return the favor.”

I turn my head to the side and try to conceal my tears. She’s being caring toward me. I thought