dancing nude on top of the Space Needle.
âYou are coming, arenât you? If your friendâs feeling better, that is.â
I didnât answer.
Emmyâs voice grew more insistent. âI know youâre probably tired, but I do hope youâll come, at least for a little while. Iâd like to introduce you around and drum up some interest for your classes.â
I suspected that what Emmy really wanted was a five-foot-three-inch human shield. I didnât blame her, but sheâd have to look elsewhere. Nothing short of a volcanic eruption would force me out of my cabin tonightânot to hang out with her dysfunctional family.
I gave her an insincere smile. âWeâll give it a try.â
The office door opened. Rene limped into the hallway, followed by Bruce.
âWhat do you think, Dad? Should we call a doctor?â Emmy asked.
âSheâll be OK.â Bruce turned to Rene. âBut remember, if that vomiting continues, let me know. We donât want you to get dehydrated.â He handed her a piece of paper. âHereâs my cell number. Call any time. If I donât answer, Emmy will know where to find me.â
âThanks,â Rene said. She put the paper in her purse and looked at Sam. âIâd like to head back to the cabin.â
âWeâll all go,â Michael replied. âItâs time to call it a night.â
six
Mount Saint Rene erupted two hours later. Multiple times. In multiple rooms. By the third, Michael and I were more than happy to honor Reneâs request to give her some space and go to Emmyâs event at the Retreat House. I couldnât decide who looked worse as we walked out the door: Rene, who was about to throw up again, or Sam, who was obviously frustrated and heartbroken.
He stomped behind us, erratically bouncing the beam of his flashlight along the path. âI canât believe she kicked us out!â
I gave him what I hoped was a supportive look and tried to soothe him with platitudes. âWell, Rene is sick, and misery doesnât always love company. You canât blame her for wanting to throw up in private.â
âGive it a rest, Kate,â he snapped. âThatâs not it, and you know it.â
I froze, both surprised and insulted. I might let Rene get away with that tone. But Sam ?
Michael cringed and moved several feet away, wisely giving us some space. I glared at Sam across the darkness. âI donât know anything. What are you talking about?â
He shined the light in my face and peered intently, as if searching for answers in the minutia of my expression. After a moment, he lowered his arm.
âYou really donât know, do you?â His voice caught. âIt must be even worse than I thought.â
âSam,â I said softly. âWhatâs going on with you two?â
âI wish I knew. Reneâs been acting weird for almost a week now. Iâve asked her whatâs wrong at least a dozen times, but she keeps insisting itâs nothingâthat Iâm imagining things.â He barely lifted his feet as he shuffled along the dark path. âAt first I thought she had the flu. But you know Rene, nothing keeps her down longer than a day or two. Sheâs barely eaten for an entire week. Rene never stops eating.â
He had a point, but he hadnât told me anything that I didnât already know. I kept listening.
âAnd sheâs been acting all furtive.â
âHow so?â
âLittle things, but they add up. Not answering the phone when I call, closing her laptop when I enter the room ⦠Even worse, she goes to bed early every night. We havenât had sex in five days!â
That got my attention.
A few days of celibacy might not be unusual for most couples, but for Rene and Sam, five days had to be a record.
âI know Rene. Sheâs definitely sick, but thatâs not the only thing wrong with her.