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hadn t approached her sexually, murmuring that she d had too much excitement already for one day.
Besides, he added, they had the rest of their lives for that particular pleasure.
GLORY WORKED IN THE kitchen with Consuelo, as usual, but the older woman was clearly
distracted. Just about noon, the phone rang and she rushed to answer it.
Marco? she exclaimed. Where are you? What? No. No! How could they have found it? Oh, that
idiot boy, I warned you& ! She glanced at Glory. She was speaking Spanish. Glory was working
away, apparently ignorant of what her co-worker was saying. I will find an attorney to represent you.
Yes, I understand. I will. I said I will, Marco! Don t worry, I ll find a way to get you out. Just do what
they say for now. Yes. Yes. I love you.
She hung up, moving back to the stove where Glory was stirring the last batch of peaches.
Bad news? Glory asked.
That idiot boy that Marco hangs out with had the pistol. He was the one who shot at your door,
because he was drunk, Consuelo said. Now he runs away and Marco is charged with breaking
parole by owning a firearm. I could strangle that boy!
Nothing was ever Marco s fault, Glory discerned. It was always somebody else who made the mistake
and blamed Marco for it.
You did not see who fired the gun? Consuelo asked.
Of course not, I was behind the door, Glory told her.
Marco swears it wasn t him.
Glory was remembering Marco s threat, that he d get her. She didn t want to mention it to Consuelo,
or their good working relationship would be over. It did sting a little that Consuelo was taking up for
her son who had tried to shoot Glory.
They are holding Marco at the detention center. I must go and take him some money. Can you
manage?
Yes, Glory assured her.
There is only this last batch of peach preserves and then we have nothing to do until the apples come
in, so it shouldn t be hard to finish, she added.
I ll do fine. Go ahead and see about your son.
Consuelo took off her apron and smoothed her blouse over her slacks. Odd, Glory thought, those
pants looked as if they were made of silk. So did the blouse. That was an expensive outfit to wear in a
kitchen, surely?
I won t be long, Consuelo assured her with a smile.
Okay.
WHILE CONSUELO AND RODRIGO were out of the house, Glory phoned Dr. Lou Coltrain s office
and got an appointment with her for that afternoon. Consuelo would surely eat lunch before she
returned, and Rodrigo wouldn t mind cold cuts for lunch she d leave him a note, although she
wouldn t mention where she was going.
It was a slow day at the clinic, so she got in to see Lou early. The tall, blonde woman doctor smiled at
her as she came into the cubicle.
Miss Barnes? I m Lou Coltrain.
Glad to meet you, Glory said. She sighed. I would very much like for you to tell me that I m not
pregnant.
Lou s eyebrows arched. Why?
It s an inconvenient time. And, she added reluctantly, I have high blood pressure.
Lou was solemn. How high?
Glory told her.
You re medicated?
Yes. She gave the dosage and strength of the capsules she took for the condition.
Are you married?
Glory flushed, and then laughed. Yes. Just yesterday, in Mexico.
Lou hesitated. You know, a blood test the day after you get married isn t going to be conclusive.
It s been several weeks since my last period, Glory told her. This amazing, sexy man came up on
my blind side. I couldn t resist him then, and I couldn t refuse when he asked me to marry him. He
really wants a child.
Lou pulled up her rolling stool and sat down. What do you want? she asked quietly.
Glory hesitated. I thought I wanted my job and no complications. But now the complications are
much more exciting than the job. My doctor and my boss sent me down here to get me away from
stress and danger.
I see. Lou was writing on a pad. Your doctor s name and phone number?
Glory gave it to her.
You re taking a blood thinner as well as the combination hypertension and diuretic drug?
Yes.
Any angina?
Yesterday, Glory replied.
What triggered it?
A man shot at me through my bedroom door.
Lou stopped writing and gaped at her patient. So that s what was going on! We heard the sirens, and
somebody said that a shooter was loose on the Pendleton Farm. Did they catch him?
In the act, Glory replied with a smile. One of them, at least.
Why was he shooting at you?
I have evidence that a drug dealer conspired to commit murder, Glory told her. I just have to live
long enough to give it in court.
All that and a baby& Miss Barnes, you are a wonder!
Señora, Glory corrected in a tone still filled with wonder. Señora Ramirez.
Lou grinned. I still remember the first time somebody called me Mrs. Coltrain. You don t quite get
over the thrill, do you? Okay, let s draw some blood and then we ll talk.
HALF AN HOUR AND ONE emergency later, Lou walked back into Glory s cubicle, sat down and
smiled.
You have decisions to make.
Am I? Glory asked breathlessly.
You are, Lou replied. It could be a false positive this early, but considering the symptoms you re
having, I doubt it. If you re thinking of a termination, this is the time to do it. If that s what you want.
It isn t, Glory said at once. She hesitated. There is a risk, isn t there?
Have you been taking the blood thinners regularly?
Glory sat very still. Yes. I didn t think& !
You need to see your own doctor, Lou said, trying not to sound as worried as she really was.
I can t go back to San Antonio right now, Glory replied. I m a walking target if I do.
Then I can refer you to a cardiologist who comes down here from Houston one day a week, she
said. She s very good. And she s due here tomorrow.
That would be nice.
Let her examine you and make recommendations. Then we ll all talk. Including your husband, she
added. He s part of this. You can t make such a decision alone.
I may have to, Glory said sadly. I haven t told him what I really do for a living, or how bad my
health problems are.
Is that wise?
Not really. But I wasn t thinking of getting pregnant when we&
That s the time you re supposed to think of getting pregnant, Lou reminded her. Especially a high-
risk case like yours.
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