JК
Danse Macabre :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 16 из 427«Enough, Nathaniel, enough.» My voice was shaky. This had gotten so ugly, so fast. How had I missed it?
Nathaniel moved back from her slowly, and said, «I used to believe in women like you, Ronnie. I used to think that anyone who wanted me that badly must love me, at least a little.» He shook his head. «But people like you don't love anyone, not even themselves.»
«Nathaniel,» Micah said, as if he'd been shocked by that one, too.
Nathaniel ignored him. «You need to find out what you're running from, Ronnie, before it ruins the best thing you've ever found.»
She spoke in a harsh whisper, «You mean Louie.»
He nodded. «Yeah, I mean Louie. He loves you. He really, truly loves you, not just for a night, or a month, but for years. Part of you wants that or you wouldn't still be with him.»
She swallowed hard enough that it sounded like it hurt. «I'm scared.»
He nodded, again. «What if you love him? What if you give him your whole heart and then he dumps you the way you dumped so many others?»
She gave that trembling nod of hers again. «Yes.»
«You need help, Ronnie, professional help. I can recommend someone.»
I knew Nathaniel saw a therapist, but I'd never heard him talk about it with anyone before, not like this.
«I've been with her for a few years. She's good. She's helped me a lot.» His face was gentler than it had been.
Ronnie looked at him as if he were the snake and she were the helpless little bird.
He went to the corkboard above the phone. There were business cards pinned to it; important numbers, notes. He took one of the cards down. He walked back over to Ronnie and held it out to her. «If she can't take you, she'll know someone good who can.»
Ronnie took the card carefully, just by the corner as if she were afraid it would bite. She gave him wide, frightened eyes, but she put the card in her jeans pocket. She let out a deep breath, and turned to me. «I'm sorry, Anita. I'm sorry about everything.» She looked at Nathaniel, then back at me. «And now I'm going to leave the mess behind and let you guys clean it up like I've always done. I am sorry.» And she walked out. We all waited until we heard the door close behind her.
The three of us stood for a few seconds in silence, waiting for the shock waves to settle. But of course there were other problems than just Ronnie's issues.
Micah turned to me, and said, «Are we in a mess?»
«I'm not sure yet,» I said.
«But you think you're pregnant?» he said.
I nodded.
Nathaniel moved back from her slowly, and said, «I used to believe in women like you, Ronnie. I used to think that anyone who wanted me that badly must love me, at least a little.» He shook his head. «But people like you don't love anyone, not even themselves.»
«Nathaniel,» Micah said, as if he'd been shocked by that one, too.
Nathaniel ignored him. «You need to find out what you're running from, Ronnie, before it ruins the best thing you've ever found.»
She spoke in a harsh whisper, «You mean Louie.»
He nodded. «Yeah, I mean Louie. He loves you. He really, truly loves you, not just for a night, or a month, but for years. Part of you wants that or you wouldn't still be with him.»
She swallowed hard enough that it sounded like it hurt. «I'm scared.»
He nodded, again. «What if you love him? What if you give him your whole heart and then he dumps you the way you dumped so many others?»
She gave that trembling nod of hers again. «Yes.»
«You need help, Ronnie, professional help. I can recommend someone.»
I knew Nathaniel saw a therapist, but I'd never heard him talk about it with anyone before, not like this.
«I've been with her for a few years. She's good. She's helped me a lot.» His face was gentler than it had been.
Ronnie looked at him as if he were the snake and she were the helpless little bird.
He went to the corkboard above the phone. There were business cards pinned to it; important numbers, notes. He took one of the cards down. He walked back over to Ronnie and held it out to her. «If she can't take you, she'll know someone good who can.»
Ronnie took the card carefully, just by the corner as if she were afraid it would bite. She gave him wide, frightened eyes, but she put the card in her jeans pocket. She let out a deep breath, and turned to me. «I'm sorry, Anita. I'm sorry about everything.» She looked at Nathaniel, then back at me. «And now I'm going to leave the mess behind and let you guys clean it up like I've always done. I am sorry.» And she walked out. We all waited until we heard the door close behind her.
The three of us stood for a few seconds in silence, waiting for the shock waves to settle. But of course there were other problems than just Ronnie's issues.
Micah turned to me, and said, «Are we in a mess?»
«I'm not sure yet,» I said.
«But you think you're pregnant?» he said.
I nodded.