A ruling passion : a novel, page 70
Chad beamed. She really was happy to see him. She really needed him. He bent down and kissed SybilJe's cheek, twice. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." He grabbed another cookie from the plate, and sprinted from the room and down the stairs. The butler was waiting at the front door, to let him out. As he did, Chad heard the sound of four television sets begin again.
Lily was asleep when they returned. They had stopped along the way to get Chad a hamburger, and when they walked into the hospital room Valerie was reading in her armchair. She looked up and saw Chad's sleepy face. "That was a good thing you did," she said, going to him. "Fm so proud of you."
Chad put his arms around her, nuzzling his face into her neck. "It wasn't frin."
"I'll bet it wasn't. But it's no frm to ignore people in trouble, either. You don't like yourself much if you do." She held him away from her, his face between her hands. "I love you, Chad. I'm awfully glad to know you want me to be part of your family."
"Yeh. I love you, too, Valerie. I love you, I love you, I love you." In a burst of energy, Chad made love seem real again after his confusion with Sybille. It oughta be easy to love, not hard, he thought, but he was too sleepy to pursue it. "Are we staying here?" he asked Nick. "I'd kind of like to go to bed."
'We're leaving this minute," Nick replied. But when they turned to go, they saw that Lily was awake.
"Was it all right?" she asked Chad. "It must have been hard."
"Yeh, but it was okay. I'll tell you about it sometime, if you want."
"I'd like that." Half sitting in the hospital bed, wearing the same blue robe she had worn on television, Lily looked at Valerie and Nick, close together, their arms around each other. "I wish I could marry you. Wouldn't that be wonderftil? But I can't, not after what's happened. In a few years, maybe... but you don't want to wait that long."
"No," said Nick emphatically. "We've waited fourteen years. Not another day, if I can help it."
"But you could give us your blessing," Valerie said, and looked at Nick.
He smiled at her. 'Tes. That would be wonderftil. After so many storms, we'd like very much to begin with your prayers."
Lily's face was radiant. She sat up and stretched out her arms. Still holding each other, Valerie and Nick put their hands in hers.
S74 Judith Michael
"May the Lord bless you and keep you," said Lily softly Her voice was steady and confident; the voice of a woman who had begun to find her way.
"May the Lord make his countenance shine upon you...
"And give you peace."
Michael, Judith, A ruling passion : a novel
