he didn’t feel. He watched Dena’s eyes cloud over again, and turned to Manny. “Did Mom sell these?”
“She sold some in town. Debbie Williams over at the Health Spa bought some as healing beads.” Manny shrugged. “But most of them were donated to the church bazaar that’s held in early December.”
Debbie Williams owned a spa? Zeke frowned. How come he didn’t know that? He really needed to catch up with some of his old high school friends. She had called several times but he’d had Irma say he was out of town, not really wanting to talk. But that was then. Now he realized he wanted to meet people. But what had Manny said about the bazaar? He turned back to Dena who still stood.
“That’s right,” Dena said, and gripped the back of the chair in front of her. Her face flushed with excitement. “I remember now, Carli had mentioned a church bazaar. What is the name of that church?”
Dena was so excited, pale one moment, flushed the next. Irma on the other hand was still making excessive noise in the kitchen. That was unlike her. Usually, when she did the housework, she was as quiet as a mouse.
“St. Matthews?” Zeke kept his voice casual. “But that wasn’t the family church—”
“It’s Rocky’s, remember?” Manny said. “He sells the jewelry at the fair, and gives the proceeds to the church. His stand is called Roberto’s Rocks and—”
Dena’s mouth opened. “Roberto. Robert? Bobby—” Her mouth opened, closed, opened again. She went to sit and the color drained from her face.
“Hell, she’s going to faint!” Zeke yelled and jumped up, catching her just as her body went limp. As he set her in an armchair, he looked around at Manny. “Get some water.”
Hell, here she was again with that Bobby thing. Who was Bobby and why was the name so damn important? He kneeled, lifted Dena’s head then slapped at her hand to waken her. “Dena. Dena wake up!”
“Here.” Manny ran back from the kitchen, slopping water out of a glass so it dampened the front of his t-shirt.
Zeke lifted Dena’s head up. “Dena, honey, can you wake up?” He shook her gently.
“She do this before,” Irma said, standing above them, and wringing her hands.
“What?” Zeke asked. “Faint…she fainted, when?” He looked up at Irma then back at Dena and watched her eyelashes flutter.
“When we clean…before, in here,” Irma said, and waved her arms about. “She not used to the heat.”
Zeke took the glass of water, and sat Dena up. She opened her eyes. “Can you take a sip?” he asked. She took a couple of deep breaths, then some water. Color came back into her cheeks.
“Sorry,” she said, and tried to sit up straighter. Her eyes widened then she paled again. Okay, so obviously she’d remembered something else Carli had told her. He stood, lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom.
“I’m okay,” Dena said, and squirmed against him. “You can put me down now.”
“I am,” Zeke said sternly. He pulled back one corner of the covers, put her on the bed and propped her head up on a couple of pillows. Then he drew the top sheet over her and folded down the duvet.
“Go get some of those electrolyte drinks from the house, Manny. I think she’s dehydrated.”
Manny looked at him, scared.
“It’s going to be okay, she’s probably had too much coffee and wine, not enough water. Go.”
Manny scratched at his chin and backed toward the bedroom door. “Okay. Um…you don’t think she should go to the E.R. do you?”
Dena frowned. “Will you guys cut it out? You’re all such drama queens—”
“Have you ever fainted before?” Zeke asked.
Dena moistened her lips and rubbed them together. “No.”
“Twice in one day—”
“It wasn’t twice.”
“Well, if you count yesterday when you were shot at that makes it three times.”
“Oh, stop it.” She sat up, tossed back the sheet.
Zeke placed the heel of one hand on the top of her chest and shoved her back. “You will lie down and behave yourself. I’m staying here tonight—”
“What?” she said, and struggled to get up again. “How will that help? Rocky will have a fit. The idea of me moving in here was—”
“Shhh,” he said, and stopped her chatter with a gentle kiss. “There’s no phone. Remember? Besides, I want to stay.”
“But I have my cell phone. And Rocky—”
“To hell with Rocky, this is my place. You are my guest.” He pressed his lips tight and scowled.