exuberance. She started staying out all night, partying hard with her friends, smoking, skipping school. Juliet and Nat would have big fights, which would usually end with Natalie slamming a door and leaving the house for a night or two or twenty.
Six months after Steve died, Natalie announced she was pregnant and didn’t know who the father might be.
Juliet had been devastated at her daughter’s choices but she had opened her heart to Natalie, who wouldn’t consider giving up her baby. Nat had sworn off drugs and partying and had focused on her pregnancy. The baby had at least given them all something else to think about during that painful, difficult time.
“I’m just waiting for one more prescription to come up from the pharmacy and then we can get you out of here.” The nurse interrupted her thoughts. “Meanwhile, you can change into your own clothes. Unless you want to go home in our fashionable hospital gowns.”
“I’m good. Thank you,” Juliet said with a grimace.
“Great. You can go ahead and have your daughter help you change. I’ll let you know when the prescription arrives. It might be an hour or so.”
After the nurse left, closing the door behind her, Juliet gave Olivia a rueful look. “You don’t have to help me, whatever she said. I’m still capable of dressing myself.”
“I’ll be here if you need a hand with anything.” She sat down and opened her phone to catch up on business. She was scrolling through her clients’ Instagram feeds, lost in business, when a knock sounded at the door.
“I’m decent,” Juliet said, and Olivia saw she had finished putting on a loose flowered sundress with cap sleeves in a sunny apricot. Olivia helped her up so Juliet could pull it down behind her.
“There. Now you’re decent,” she said, not quite sure how Juliet still managed to look fresh and composed after four days in the hospital.
The door opened and Caitlin burst through, all long limbs and energy.
“What are you doing here?” Juliet frowned.
“Early release Friday and I skipped my last hour. Don’t worry—I talked to Coach Landry and he was cool about it.”
Olivia knew Coach Landry was Shane Landry, a former professional football player who lived in Cape Sanctuary. Last she heard, he was engaged to marry Beatriz Romero, ex-wife of Cruz Romero, the local celebrity.
“You’re all dressed. Is it true? You’re going home today? I heard the nurses out there talking about discharging you.”
“Yes. We’re waiting on some prescriptions,” Olivia said. She and her niece had achieved a détente of sorts while Juliet was in the hospital, mostly staying out of each other’s way.
“Oh yay.”
For the first time since Olivia had arrived, Caitlin lost her sullen, resentful look. If Olivia didn’t know better, she would almost have said Caitlin looked happy.
“How soon can we leave?”
“I’m sure it won’t be long now,” Juliet said.
The words were no sooner out than the nurse knocked on the door, then pushed it open a moment later. Olivia could tell instantly by her expression that they were facing another delay.
“I just heard from Dr. Hall. Your neurologist. Dr. Adeno wanted him to take one more look at you before we send you home, while you’re still an inpatient. He’s with another patient but said he would be in shortly.”
“Why do you need to see a neurologist?” Caitlin asked with a worried look.
“I had a concussion, remember?” Juliet said in a distracted tone, though Olivia was certain her mother had looked slightly panicked. “I’m sure Dr. Hall wants to be sure my head is all right after the fall. But it might take a while before he gets here. You don’t need to stick around. Why don’t you two go grab a coffee or something in the cafeteria while it’s still open?”
Olivia had the distinct impression her mother was trying to get rid of them.
“I don’t mind staying.”
“Who knows how long he’ll be. You don’t want to be stuck here for an hour. Did you have lunch at school?” she demanded of Caitlin, who looked away.
“I wasn’t hungry at lunchtime.”
“You’re probably hungry now, though.”
“Not too bad.”
Olivia didn’t really want to go get coffee but she could tell Caitlin was hungry, despite her protests. She didn’t want hungry to turn into hangry.
“I can wait,” Caitlin said.
“Go on,” Juliet said. “Both of you. The cafeteria here in the hospital isn’t bad. I’ll be fine. I’ll text you when we’re finished.”
“Okay,” Caitlin said, giving Juliet a quick hug and heading for the door. Her willingness to go after