Chapter Twenty-seven
WHEN I WAKE up the next morning, I’m wrapped up in a soft, fluffy comforter on Ren’s (replaced) couch. I now understand why Jack insisted on a new couch for Ren’s home. It didn’t have anything to do with comfort.
Ren’s lounging on the other end of the couch, watching me wake up, a thoughtful expression on his refreshed face.
He’d wanted me to take the guest room. I’d refused and took the couch. Ren needed sleep. There was no way we could have driven back to Portland last night. He was beyond exhausted, mentally and physically. Last night was rough.
I was much too tired to drive as well. So we stayed at his home. He gave me one of his shirts to sleep in. The smell of his divine cologne made me feel close to him all night long.
“You doing okay?” It feels like a dumb question. He just found out his wife was cheating on him. Of course he’s not okay.
“I’m all right. It all happened so many years ago. So much has changed since then. I feel…detached. Like it didn’t happen to me.”
The truth will hit him eventually. He’ll need time to process. “I’m here for you.”
“You’re cute in the morning,” Ren says, changing the subject. “I like the whole ‘just woke up’ look on you.”
Ren looks like his handsome self again. A night of sleep did him wonders. He’s still in sweats and a t-shirt, relaxed and gorgeous.
A glance at the clock tells me it’s going on noon. We overslept, but it was needed. Good thing I sent an email late last night before I went to bed to let work know I wouldn’t be in today. “You’re not so bad yourself, Chambers.”
“I could get used to this.”
Me too. Every day for the rest of our lives. “Sounds good to me.” I stretch like a content cat. “Where is everyone?”
“The kids are at school. My parents are working on personal business in the office until you and I wake up. Mom’s going to make brunch. We’ll discuss what we plan to do next then. Try to figure out if it’s even possible that Curtis could be drugging Allie. It feels crazy, but I have to know.”
My face contorts with worry. “I’m sorry I thought the worst of your dad. I can’t apologize enough.”
“Don’t apologize. I thought the same thing. The evidence was there. I’m glad it wasn’t what we thought.”
“Me too. I love your mom and dad.”
“You know what, Bree? I love you. Yes, you. All of you. I love your mistakes and what you learned from them. I love your desire to change. I love the way you love. Once you fall, you love hard. I want to be loved like that.”
“You know what, Ren? You are loved like that. By me. I’ve never fallen so hard.”
Ren blinks long and slow. He’s not letting on, but I know he’s devastated by the news he heard last night. He needs to know he’s loved.
“You love me that much?”
“I do. I love you so hard. I can’t wait to show you how much I love you.”
“No one has ever said that to me before.”
“No one?” Obviously, I’m referring to Allison.
“Never.”
“Do you like it?” If I tell him what’s really in my heart, he’d be blushing.
“I love it. Don’t stop.”
That velvety voice of his makes my insides feel like they’re melting. As though they were made of ice. And he melted me.
Actually, he did.
Jack clears his throat from the direction of the kitchen. “Just thought I ought to make my presence known before your love fest gets any sweeter and I get cavities.”
When Ren starts to laugh, I join him. Even Jack releases a chuckle or two.
I leave my soft cocoon. “I’m getting in the shower before I make a complete fool of myself.”
As I’m heading toward the hall, Ren says, “Bree?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m a fool too.”
That’s the first time in my life I smile throughout my entire shower.
brUNCH IS A bit of a solemn affair, knowing what we have to face today.
“What can I do to help, Mom?” Ren asks.
“Nothing. Let me cook for you. Something tells me it’s going to be a stressful day, and you need to relax.”
Jack, Ren, and I sit at the dining table.
Ren’s dressed now, his hair still wet from his shower. “I’ve been thinking about this over and over. Do you really think it’s possible Curtis could be drugging Allie?” Ren asks his father.
“It’s a distinct possibility. Her behavior matches the side effects of an uncontrolled dose of Adderall. But they also match someone with brain damage. Hard to say. Am I suspicious? Yes. And not a little bit. A lot.”
Ren nods. “Same. I have to know for sure. The only way to prove that Curtis is drugging Allie is to catch it on video. Otherwise, it’s his word against ours.”
I miss relaxed “just woke up” Ren. But this is something we have to deal with today.
“There is a simpler way,” Jack says. “Don’t allow him to visit Allie anymore. If she improves, we have our answer.”
“But not proof,” Ren says. “We need proof. Allie’s room has video monitoring everywhere except in the bathroom. It’s only used if there’s an issue. I’ve never even tried to view it. The hospital will bring it up for us if I ask. I think it’s saved for thirty days before they delete it.”
I clear my throat. “Just ask the hospital to check her labs. The med will show up in her bloodwork, right?”
“No, actually.” Jack twirls his fork as he thinks.
“It will show up in a urine drug screen, though. Adderall is in the same family as methamphetamines, but there’s only a tiny dose of methamphetamine in it.
Adderall has been known to give a false-positive test result for meth.
But if someone is giving Allie an overdose of Adderall, she’d test positive due to the small amount of meth in the drug.
That way we’d know for sure. But it won’t prove who is drugging her. ”
“Hold up,” Ren says. “How long does Adderall last? Allie’s agitation lasts nearly all night, leaving her irritated and exhausted the next day. Would Adderall do that to her?”
Jack drinks half a glass of orange juice.
“This isn’t my area of expertise. But I had patients on Adderall, so I do know this: Adderall comes in a tablet that only lasts for around six hours.
It also comes in an extended-release capsule that lasts around twelve hours.
If someone is opening up that capsule, crushing the contents to form a powder, then giving it to someone, it would be an instant-release dose.
In other words, an overdose. Like I said, it can cause liver damage. Exactly what Allie is facing.”
“That’s too much of a coincidence. I’m calling Carol.
I need to speak with her. She’s the one on duty when Curtis visits.
She texts me often. I have her number.” Ren pushes the call button on his phone, then puts it on speaker so we can all hear.
It rings several times before a sleepy voice answers.
“Hello? Mr. Chambers, is that you? Is everything okay?”
“Hey, Carol. I apologize for waking you.”
“It’s no problem. What can I do for you?”
“I have a few questions. You’re there when Curtis Rothman visits Allison, correct?”
“Yes, I am. He’s good with her, always sweet and polite. When he visits, he feeds her the evening dessert.”
Ren makes eye contact with each of us, one at a time. “The what? I wasn’t aware that Allie has dessert at night.”
“Yes, sir. We call it a dessert, but it’s really a chocolate pudding packed with protein. It’s given to all the patients who can still take food by mouth. It helps them feel full so they can sleep at night.”
“I see. How often does Curtis visit?”
“Oh, probably three or four times a week. I can get you the exact numbers from the front desk visitor records.”
“That’s all I need for now. Thank you so much for your help, Carol. Get some sleep.”
“Wait, Mr. Chambers, did I do something wrong?” Carol sounds worried. “I don’t want to lose my job.”
“No worries, Carol. You’ve done an excellent job with Allison. I can’t thank you enough.”
We’re silent as we absorb what we’ve just heard. Even Susan is sitting at the table, wide-eyed, as hash browns sizzle on the stove top.
Jack breaks the silence. “If Curtis is drugging Allie, now we know how he does it. It also explains why she’s calm some days and agitated other days.
He’s not there every single day. Still, to keep visiting someone for four whole years, three to four times a week, that takes perseverance and determination.
It’s not a quick drive. Either Curtis is still in love with Allie and can’t let her go, so he visits often, or maybe he’s drugging her as some sort of delusional punishment for leaving him. ”
“I didn’t allow visitors, other than family, right after the accident or during rehab for the first six months or so.
She didn’t have bad nights during that time.
That’s telling. It also tells me that if she has been being drugged, it’s been three and a half years, not four years.
” Ren sighs. “It’s not much, but it’s something good. ”
“No, you’re right. That’s a big deal,” Jack says. “Six months is six months.”
“But how does he get the drug in the pudding without Carol noticing?” Ren asks.
Jack and I exchange a glance. “It’s easy,” we say at the same time.
He winks at me, and I know I’m forgiven. Truth be told, I’m relieved he’s not the bad guy.
“What?” Ren splutters. “It shouldn’t be easy to drug a patient. We’re talking about a top-notch hospital here. Allie has a private nurse at all times.”
“Her food can be tampered with in the foyer, next to the microwave and the mini fridge,” I tell Ren.
“The nurses tend to trust the people who have permission to visit her or feed her,” Jack explains. “If you trust the visitors, then they do too.”
“It never occurred to me that something like this could happen.” Ren hasn’t touched his juice or any of the fruit on the fruit platter. I think he’s lost his appetite.
“That’s because you only see the good in people. It’s a quality I love about you. Please don’t change.” I offer Ren a grape, and he lets me feed it to him.
There’s something intimate about the moment, even though we have an audience.
Ren composes himself. “Okay, here’s the plan.
First, I’m letting Exodus know I won’t be there tonight.
They can do without me just this once. Second, I’m contacting the hospital administrator to arrange a meeting right away.
I’m going to him with our suspicions, even if they sound crazy. I expect him to take us seriously too.”
“Oh, he will,” Jack says. “He definitely will.”
We’re all sobered by the seriousness of the upcoming events. It’s not an accusation we should throw around lightly. Yet there’s enough suspicion to merit an investigation.
Ren goes on. “I realize Curtis has some serious mental health issues. My guess is that Allie didn’t realize the extent of his illness until she was deeply involved with him.
Even then, she’d want to help him. That’s who she was.
But his mental health doesn’t give him a free pass to hurt someone.
He needs help. I don’t think his parents are providing the help he needs. ”
Ren is so much kinder than I would be in this situation. Even the new-and-improved me wants to see Curtis punished if he’s doing what we suspect.
I don’t know how I’m so lucky to have Ren in my life, to have his love. But I’m grateful every day for his soft heart. I want to be good just to make him proud.