Shadow of My Heart - By Caryn Moya-Block Page 0,34
very kind,” Cara said, taking the bottle.
“Isanti, please. I am not sure my foster children would agree with you, but I do my best for them.”
“Everyone loves you, Dad, and you know it,” Gwen said, carrying a vase of flowers into the room and setting them on a counter by the door. “How are you feeling, Cara? Well enough to come out to the ranch?”
“Well, I don’t really know. Maybe in a few days,” Cara stammered.
“Drink the tonic. Gwen, give her a moment,” Quiet Thunder insisted.
Cara looked at the glass in her hand, then at Raven. He nodded his head, encouraging her. So, afraid of the taste, she swallowed the tonic quickly. She was finishing it when she realized it didn’t taste bad at all. She was about to ask what was in the concoction, when the room started spinning. Cara cried out, reaching for Raven. But when the room came to a standstill everything went dark.
“What have you given her?” Raven demanded.
“A much-needed healing draught. When she wakes up, her wounds will be completely healed, and her thoughts will be distanced from the trauma.”
“Couldn’t you at least let her eat first? She hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. Isanti, if I didn’t respect you so much, I would be tempted to punch you.”
“See, just as I said. Not all my foster children think I am kind.”
“Oh, Dad,” Gwen said, shaking her head and sighing.
§
Cara woke up to find herself in a large mahogany sleigh bed. Sunlight from the windows shone brightly on her face. Feeling groggy, she wiped her eyes. Where was she? Her mouth felt like it was full of cotton, and her stomach ached. Sitting up, she rubbed it, then glanced around the room. A picture of her taken at the Isanti awards banquet sat on the table next to the bed. On the warm-beige walls were pictures of horses running across the plains. Was this Raven’s apartment?
“Hey, Beautiful. How are you feeling?” Raven asked, coming into the room and sitting on the side of the bed. He looked relaxed in his blue jeans and Western shirt, the sleeves rolled up to show his arms. His hair hung down around his shoulders.
“Confused. Where are we?”
“This is my apartment in the Isanti, Inc., building. We are on the top floor. My office and the conference room are down the hall and to the right. I ordered some food for you. It should be arriving any minute. You must be starving.”
Just then Cara’s stomach growled, and they both looked down at the offending area.
Chuckling, she rubbed it. “I guess I am. How long have I been asleep?”
“Two days. I couldn’t believe it myself and called Quiet Thunder to question him. His reply was that it takes time to heal wounds of the spirit,” Raven said, reaching out and brushing her hair off her face. “You look so much better. Do you have any pain?”
Cara took a moment to really feel. Surprisingly she felt fine, good even. She lifted the hem of one of her favorite cotton nightgowns, and there were no marks on her thigh. Turning her wrists, she noticed that they were also healed. But most important, she wasn’t afraid. She could remember the attack, but her emotions seemed to be muted somehow.
“What exactly did Isanti give me? Whatever it is, you should sell it. I bet you could make millions.”
“No one knows the exact recipe but him. I’m glad you are better, tehila. You scared me.”
Raven turned toward the door when they both heard a knock. “Let me get that. I’m not sure what Dr. Rick recommended for your first meal, but the food here is very good.” Rising from the bed, Raven pulled the comforter up around Cara, before moving toward the door.
Cara smiled and looked around for a clock. The digital display said two p.m. Thinking back, she realized it must be Monday afternoon. Raven walked into the room, pushing a cart with several covered dishes on it, as well as a bottle of orange juice and two carafes.
“Shouldn’t you be at work on a Monday afternoon?”
“I took some time off. Being the boss does have its benefits,” Raven said, removing the covers from the dishes. Looks like the doctor wants you to eat meat. There is a roast beef sandwich with fries, a bowl of chicken soup, some fruit, and a turkey club. What would you like to eat?”
“The fries sound good. I guess I’ll take the roast beef sandwich.”
Raven handed her the plate