His Ransom 6(16)

“Sean told her that I was his cousin, come to visit my aunt.”

“And what about me?”

“I said you were my girlfriend and—that you had to come in with me. That’s all. They normally don’t let anyone but family come in.”

“It’s a small hospital,” Sean explained. My mind was still ringing with the word—girlfriend. Jake had never referred to me in those terms before. I took his hand as we walked down the hall to see his mother.

We stopped outside of the hospital room.

“I’ll stay here in the hallway,” I said, not wanting to barge in on a family moment. Jake looked as though he was about to argue with me, then changed his mind.

“Of course,” he said. “We… we won’t be long.”

“Take as long as you need.”

He bent to kiss me lightly on the lips. I could feel the nervous tremor in the way he held my hand. Then Sean opened the door and led him in. The smell of fresh linen and lavender wafted out, and then the door closed and I was there alone.

I sat on the stool opposite the door. The hallway was narrow, and nurses kept coming back and forth with baskets of laundry and carts full of medical supplies. I sat sideways and waited. I couldn’t hear anything through the wooden door, only murmurs.

It was only five or ten minutes before Jake poked his head out into the hallway. He looked both joyously happy and terribly sad. I wanted to fling my arms around him and comfort him, but I knew this wasn’t the time or place for it.

“Should I go back to the hotel?” I asked, not wanting to bother him at this time. “I can wait for you there.”

“Of course not,” Jake said, an odd expression on his face. “My mother would like to meet you.”



“Meet… she wants to meet me?” My jaw dropped open.

“Yes,” Jake said. “Come on in.”

I staggered to my feet. I didn’t know what I would say. What could I say? This was a woman who Jake had thought was dead for his entire adult life. Why on earth would she want to meet me, a total stranger?

I walked in cautiously. Sean was sitting next to the window. In the hospital bed lay an older woman. Her hair was the same dark brown as Jake’s, only streaked with white strands. It spilled down her pillow and over her shoulders onto a white hospital gown. And behind her thin spectacles, her eyes were the same brilliant, sparkling green.

“Hello,” I said. “I’m Lacey.”

“I’m Denise. Come in, come in.” She spoke brightly, as though she wasn’t sick at all, waving me in. An IV line ran from her wrist to a saline drip next to her bedside. I was careful not to knock into it as I moved closer.

She peered at me over her glasses.

“So you’re the girlfriend,” she said.

Again, that word.

“Yes,” I said. If that’s what Jake wanted me to be, then that’s what I would be. My heart fluttered as she patted my hand.

“Are you in love with him?” she asked, curiosity in her low voice.

I nodded.

“Yes,” I said.

“Why?”

The question startled me for its directness. I answered it honestly.

“Actually, I fell in love with his art first,” I said.

“His art?” Her eyes drifted over to Jake. “You’re an artist? I didn’t know you were an artist.”

“Not much of one,” Jake admitted. “It’s only a hobby.”

“Both of my boys, then…” Denise said, glancing over at Sean. “Both of you are artists at heart. And here I thought you were a businessman all this time.”

“I was only a businessman because I had to be.”

“They gave you his stake in the company,” she said. It wasn’t a question. “You took over. That wasn’t supposed to happen, either.”

“The money was supposed to go to you?” Jake asked.

“Yes. There were no other beneficiaries. The CIA would have dissolved the company’s shares, given us the funds.”

“I’m sorry,” Jake said. “I didn’t know—”

Denise lifted her hand, waving away his apology.

“No need,” she said. “We’ve been fine. Until... this sickness…”

Her words drifted off. I noticed the pale skin drawn tight over her cheekbones. Her eyes, slightly sunken. I didn’t know what she was sick with, and I didn’t want to ask.

“I’ll give you as much as you need,” Jake said. “Anything you want.”

“It’s alright,” she said graciously. “Sean has done a good job taking care of us.”

My eyes darted over to Sean, who was sipping at a glass of water in front of the window. He gave me a calculated look: don’t tell her.