ʺYou wouldnʹt fake it now, would you?ʺ ʺNo. Well. . maybe a little,ʺ she admitted. ʺIs this all I get for breakfast?ʺ
He lifted the lid and saw that the plate, like the tray, was empty. ʺI guess youʹre not faking it. You know, if word gets around, weʹre going to have religious pilgrim types flocking here, wanting to touch your head. I have no idea how that head wound stopped itself from bleeding, or how, given the EMS description of the amount of blood in your car, your hematocrit could be normal. But it is. The doctor said heʹs seen a case like yours before, but between you and meʺ—Andy lowered his voice—ʺthe guyʹs full of it.
He just doesnʹt like to admit that there are some things he and medicine havenʹt figured out.ʺ Like angels, Ivy thought. Had Tristan healed her? Had he saved her?
ʺYou have visitors. Mom and little brother first?ʺ the nurse asked.
ʺPlease.ʺ
Andy headed toward the door, then turned back to open a drawer next to Ivyʹs bed. He set an extra box of tissue on the table top. ʺYou might need this.ʺ
ʺOh, baby!ʺ her mother said, rushing in with Philip behind her.
Andy was right. A handful of tissues later, Ivy said, ʺIʹm glad you didnʹt wear your eyeliner, Mom.ʺ
ʺOr lipstick,ʺ Philip added. His eyes, green like Ivyʹs, were now rimmed with red. ʺOr her cheek stuff. She left it all home.ʺ
Maggie and her makeup kit were rarely parted. ʺIʹm sorry I upset you, Mom.ʺ
ʺShe even forgot her comb,ʺ Philip said. ʺThat’ s why her hair looks like that.ʺ
Maggie patted her head self‐consciously. ʺMy mind was all on you, baby. But donʹt worry, I did think to bring you something to wear while youʹre here.ʺ
Uh‐oh, thought Ivy.
ʺFortunately, the nightgown and robe I gave you last Christmas looked barely worn.ʺ
Mostly because they hadnʹt been. Ivyʹs friend Suzanne, who was in Europe for the summer, had suggested that Ivy wear the gown and robe combo to the senior prom — or a Halloween party. Of course, it was nothing compared to the bridesmaid dress that Ivyʹs mother had chosen for her when Maggie and Andrew were married. Scarlett OʹHara dropped in a bucket of glitter was what Ivy thought every time she looked at the wedding photos. But it made her smile, because among several informal photos stuffed in the back of the wedding album was a picture of Tristan, in waiterʹs garb, launching a tray of fresh vegetables over the bridal party.
ʺIvy, are you listening?ʺ her mother asked. ʺDo you want me to help you get this on?ʺ
ʺIʹll wear just the robe,ʺ Ivy replied. Like the gown, it was filmy pink and trimmed with lots of feathery stuff. ʺSee now? It puts color in your lace,ʺ her mother said.
Philip played with the feathers for a moment, then unzipped his backpack. ʺI brought you two things.ʺ
ʺA Yankees cap! Thanks.ʺ Ivy put it on. ʺThis is going to make me real popular with the doctors and nurses here among the Red Sox nation.ʺ
He held up his second gift, a coin, then dropped it in the palm of her hand. The gold piece, an inch in diameter, had an image of an angel with wings spread, stamped on each side. ʺIt came in the mail.ʺ
ʺPart of a solicitation for a religious charity,ʺ her mother explained.
ʺItʹs beautiful. Thank you, Philip. Iʹll keep it right by my bed.ʺ
ʺI forgot — Dad told me to give you a hug. Heʹs in Washington at a conference,ʺ
Philip added, amusing Ivy by giving her a light hug, the way Andrew would have. Only a few months before, Philip had started calling Andrew ʺDad.ʺ Her brother was young enough to make that adjustment, especially since he couldnʹt remember the man who was their father.
ʺAnd how is Tarantula Arms?ʺ Ivy asked. ʺIsnʹt he going to miss you at camp today?ʹ
ʺTomorrow, too,” Philip said happily. ʺWeʹre staying overnight.ʺ
ʺMom, really, thereʹs no need. Iʹm fine. Look at me — Iʹm fine!ʺ
ʺWell, Iʹm not,ʺ Maggie replied. ʺAnd Philip and I have already taken a room at the Seabright.ʺ
ʺWillʹs taking me kayaking,ʺ Philip announced. ʺIs he?ʺ
ʺAnd heʹs getting us fishing rods.ʺ
ʺGood.ʺ
ʺAnd he said he saw an awesome kite shop on Route Twenty‐eight.ʺ
Ivy smiled and swallowed hard. Philip loved Will, as he had loved Tristan. If she and Will broke up… Ivy didnʹt want to think about it.
ʺWe should let Will visit you now,ʺ her mother said. ʺHeʹs been very upset. Ivy.
He saw your car before they towed it. In some ways, I think this was more frightening for him than for you.ʺ
ʺYes, I can see how it might be,ʺ she said. ʺWould you ask him and Beth to come in?ʺ
ʺTogether?ʺ her mother asked, sounding a little surprised.
ʺSure.”
As soon as Maggie and Philip left, Beth rushed into the room and threw her arms around Ivy. Then she pulled back. ʺAm I hurting you?ʺ Ivy hugged her. ʺThereʹs nothing to hurt.ʺ Will came in quietly behind Beth. Glancing past Beth, Ivy smiled at him.
“I canʹt believe youʹre okay,” Beth said, gently touching Ivy just above her temple, In the car, when I looked over at you. She shuddered. ʺI wish I could get that picture out of my head. I–I donʹt see how I could have imagined it.ʺ
Ivy looked into Bethʹs eyes, wanting to know what Beth had seen and longing to tell her what she had experienced. Had Beth, who was psychic, sensed something? Ivy wanted Beth to confirm that Tristanʹs embrace had been more than a dream, but Bethʹs eyes were clouded with confusion and worry.
ʺBeth, you look worse than I do,ʺ Ivy observed. ʺAre you okay?ʺ ʺYeah, sure.ʺ
ʺI donʹt remember anything from the ER. They checked you over, didnʹt they?ʺ
Beth nodded. ʺItʹs just a minor concussion.ʺ
ʺBut a major headache,ʺ Will said, speaking at last. ʺIʹm trying to get her to take it easy.ʺ
He was standing behind Beth, looking at Ivy over Bethʹs shoulder. Could he see it in her eyes? Did he guess that, more than ever, she was thinking of Tristan?
Maybe not, Ivy thought, and reached for Willʹs hand. He reached back, cradling her hand in both of his. Ivy knew Willʹs hands by heart, long‐fingered and strong, almost always flecked with paint. She loved his hands.
ʺYou scared the heck out of me/ʹ Will said, his voice shaking.
ʺOh, Will, Iʹm so sorry.ʺ