Lightning Game (GhostWalkers #17) -Christine Feehan Page 0,138
woman. Jonquille wondered if the healers worked on her all the time or if it was genetics and her diet and the work she did.
Jonquille felt Rubin’s sudden stillness again. He’d found something he didn’t like. He was very cautious now, going through the arteries and veins surrounding her heart and neck. He inspected each one. Jonquille could see the damage in two of them, the buildup that had significantly narrowed the artery, that sudden buildup of plaque that threatened to close off the much-needed blood supply.
Rubin worked with extreme care. Nonny was older and her arteries were a little thinner than normal, although in remarkable condition. She was the epitome of a woman in good health at her age. Jonquille found it a bit shocking that Nonny could have a buildup of plaque when she ate right and did manual physical labor even at her age. She kept a large vegetable garden as well as an extensive herb garden.
Once Rubin had taken care of the arteries, he moved on to the heart, checking to make certain there were no repercussions to it. From there he examined her lungs thoroughly. Jonquille could tell he was expecting to find something there. When he found nothing, he moved on to her brain, clearly looking for evidence of small brain strokes. When he found none, he once again checked her legs to be certain he hadn’t missed anything. Only when he was positive she was going to be fine did he pull back.
He staggered and sank down onto the bed, reaching back to find the mattress as if that could hold him up. Jonquille inched her hand toward his. Their fingers touched, and he moved his hand enough to envelop hers.
“Just sit there for a minute, Nonny,” Rubin instructed. “We’ll talk when I’m up to it.”
Nonny remained quiet. She’d known something was wrong. She’d had the symptoms of a blockage and she hadn’t complained. Women like Nonny rarely did, but she’d known all along. Her son was a doctor. She was surrounded by doctors, and she should have spoken up right away. She could have had a stroke at any time.
Eventually, it was Nonny who moved first, rinsing out the soothing cloth she’d been using on Jonquille. She put the bowl aside. “I know you have to talk to Wyatt and Gator about this, Rubin. Is it somethin’ bad? I suspected. Is it the cancer?” She looked as if she braced herself for the worst news. “From my pipe? I do so love my pipe at the end of the day. I try not to smoke it every night.”
Rubin reached his other hand out to her. Nonny’s hand trembled as she took his. “You can tell me, boy. I don’ fall apart, you know. I was scared to face it for a while. Upstairs, at night, in my room, but once you got home, I knew I had to say somethin’.”
Jonquille wasn’t certain Nonny had said anything. Rubin had been listening and interpreting what she’d been saying or he would have missed it. Jonquille wouldn’t have thought to examine the woman from the little she’d said. In fact, she’d reassured them all that she was just fine. Diego had taken her at her word. Only Rubin had been alarmed. She respected Rubin all the more for his ability to understand women like Patricia and Nonny. She wanted to be able to do the same. Was it experience? Or just natural ability? She had the feeling it was a little of both.
Rubin sat up a little straighter. Jonquille sensed that he was still weak, but Nonny needed to hear his assessment. She’d lived with her fears much longer than she wanted to admit. She was a healer, and one very sensitive. She’d likely noticed the symptoms coming on earlier than most people would have. Shortness of breath. She worked hard. She wouldn’t have said anything, but she gathered her own herbs and mixed her own medicines for the people in the swamp who came to her when they were ill. She gave cooking lessons to the women there in the household and cooked nightly for the men. She would have noticed having difficulty breathing or extreme fatigue.
“You don’t have cancer, Nonny,” Rubin said decisively.
Nonny looked shocked. She had braced herself to receive the news. She was so surprised she nearly slumped down on the bed. Instead, she got up and turned away from them, clearly working to get her emotions under control.