Chapter 29

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June 20, 1996

I heard her talking to him again last night. I've known for a while now that she was talking to someone, even before she and my dad decided to split. She has no idea that I saw them together and I need to keep it that way if at all possible. I'm afraid that she may know what happened to my dad. I've been so angry with her for so long but, as much as I despise her for all she's done, I'm struggling with the possibility that she could be involved with this. I just need more time. Please, God, let me be wrong.

The silence that fell over the room after Gloria's statement was deafening

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The silence that fell over the room after Gloria's statement was deafening. Melanie's hand flew to her mouth. She turned to Cameron and Andra unable to properly articulate words for her emotions.

Andra felt as if she were outside herself watching all of this happen. An icy numbness had spread throughout her limbs. Conrad had suggested that the events surrounding Donald's death were questionable. Andra had suspected as much herself, but to have her suspicions confirmed was another thing altogether.

Gloria, completely unaware of the turmoil she had just caused, was sitting up in bed singing quietly to herself. She had pulled her long hair over one shoulder and was slowly running her fingers through it taking no notice of her visitors. She only looked up when a pretty brunette nurse with dark skin and an infectious smile glided into the room. She had a tray of food in one hand and a blood pressure cuff in the other.

"Well hello, Ms. Miles?" She said in a cheery voice. "I see we have some new faces with us today. How exciting!" She exclaimed as she set the tray down by Gloria's bed and picked up the nearby water pitcher. "Are these your children Melanie?" She asked as she poured a glass of water and then passed it and a tiny paper cup containing two small white pills to Gloria.

"Um, What? I mean um, no. This is my niece and nephew." She stammered gesturing in their direction obviously still flustered. "Cameron and Andra this is Mia. "

Cameron waved a little sheepishly. "Nice to meet you." Andra smiled and nodded.

"Nice to meet you too. " Mia replied. "It's so nice of you to come with your aunt. Gloria doesn't get too many visitors and it's good for her to see some new faces from time to time." She said all of this while wrapping the blood pressure cuff around the older woman's bony arm. Gloria was still stubbornly ignoring all of them and studiously examining the pills Mia had given her. Apparently satisfied with what she had seen she tipped the cup up and swallowed both pills dry. She then handed the paper cup and the untouched water back to Mia.

"So she's doing well?" Melanie asked as the young nurse began scribbling things down on a chart by the bed.

"She's as healthy as a horse physically but not much of a change anywhere else." She said giving Melanie an apologetic smile and then patting Gloria's shoulder gently. Turning she pulled a small table around and placed Gloria's breakfast on it. "She's eating a little late today. I came by earlier but she was still asleep so I decided to let her rest a bit since it wasn't time for her meds. She's been having some trouble sleeping lately."

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