Chapter Fourteen #2
His dad gave him a shame-faced smile. "I want to be sure, that's all. It seems such a simple solution. Although—hang on a moment. What is the solution? Diet, I would imagine. And…" He nodded to himself. "I'll have to have a word with Faye."
"Slow down, Dad. Of course we'll talk to Faye. Although she knows better than either of us about nutrition."
"True. True."
"Alara has to go in for iron infusions."
"What does that mean? Infusion? Isn't that…" He frowned. "It sounds serious."
"It's okay, Dad. It's not that serious. We have to go back into Henry's office, and the nurse will do the infusions.
Apparently Alara has to sit there for about half an hour to forty-five minutes.
That's all. And for the B12, they'll give her injections.
" He frowned. "She said intramuscular injections.
That sounds scary, do you know what it means? "
His dad shrugged. "I haven't the faintest idea.
But we can look it up, can't we?" He turned back to his computer screen, tapped away at the keyboard, and then read aloud.
"An intramuscular injection delivers medication directly into a muscle, where the rich blood supply allows it to be absorbed steadily into the bloodstream.
" He nodded. "That doesn't sound too bad.
It is commonly used for vitamin B12, which isn't well absorbed through the stomach.
The injection is usually given in the upper arm, thigh, or…
" He cleared his throat before muttering, "buttock," and hurrying on.
"It takes only a few seconds, and most people experience nothing worse than brief soreness at the site. "
He looked up. "All right. So now we know what we're dealing with. She must be relieved."
Reaves leaned back in the chair.
"She's not?"
"I think…" He glanced over his shoulder toward the door. "I'm not sure that I should tell you this. I don't believe Alara would ever have told me herself. It's something that Zia let slip."
"Then perhaps you shouldn't."
"You're right. I probably shouldn't. But I'm going to anyway. Because I think, over the next few weeks, you're gonna need to understand it in order to be able to help her."
"In that case, go ahead."
"I told you Henry talked about undernourishment. Well—from what Zia said—there was a time, before they came to Napa, when they didn't have enough food."
His dad turned to stare out the window and murmured, "That breaks my heart."
"I know. Mine too, Dad. From the way Zia said it, they didn't have much at all.
And what they had, Alara gave to Zia while she went without.
" He shook his head. "Zia said Alara used to give her all her good stuff so that she could grow up big and strong.
She said she could stop growing for a while now, so that Alara can have all her good stuff. "
His dad covered his mouth with his hand and blinked a few times. "God bless that child." He cleared his throat. "Well, Reaves. We know what we need to do. Oh—but wait. Was the food everything?"
"Food and rest."
"Then tell her she mustn't work anymore. Not until she's back on her feet. She needs to get well; everything else can wait."
"I don't think that's the right move, Dad. It was my first reaction too. But—"
"Reaves, that girl's health is more important to both of us.
" He looked around. "If this rebrand thing and those Sterling Hartman men all fall through, it'll be worth it, as long as Alara is well again and has a healthy future ahead of her.
" He held Reaves's gaze for a moment. "Hopefully with you. But either way…"
"No, I know, Dad. I know what you mean, and I love you for it.
I kind of said the same thing to Alara myself.
But… if we take away the work, we're taking away the one thing she still feels in charge of.
She's going to have to rest. She's going to have to eat.
But if she doesn't work on the designs, then the deal will fall through.
And I don't think having her health restored will be any consolation for the feeling of letting you down. "
His dad stared at him for a long few moments. "She does love her work."
Reaves nodded.
"But she mustn't overdo it."
"I know."
"That Delaney woman's coming this afternoon. I'd like a word with her when she gets here."
"I can talk to her, Dad. I was going to anyway."
"And you can still have that conversation with her as well.
I believe that underneath the brash exterior there may be a heart of gold lurking.
" He let out a short laugh. "I may be wrong.
I may call for you to rescue me if I am.
But I'd like to have a word with her. She's another young woman alone in the world.
And I think I can recruit her as an ally, rather than have us all at odds. "
~ ~ ~
Alara perched on one of the stools at the island in the kitchen. Zia had run ahead of her, and by the time Alara arrived, she was already telling Faye that her mom needed a transfusion.