A FATHER'S RESCUE
Chapter Fourteen
Frances didn't waste any time getting to the
hospital. She knew a potential gold mine when she saw it, and she knew from
personal experience that if one sat on a gold mine too long, one tended to lose
the bounty.
David would be there, but she knew how to
deal with him. Men were all the same. Rose was fully awake and taking tiny sips
of the soup that was left for her. David wasn't there. Frances smiled. This
would be even easier than she thought.
"Hello, darling," she greeted the
patient, oozing warmth. "Where's your man?"
Rose eyed her mistrustfully. "David went
back to work. I insisted."
"Well, you must be feeling better,
then?" Without invitation, Frances helped herself to a seat.
"I am. Why are you here, Frances?"
"I just wanted to come talk to you. You
sure do look better."
"I am, thank you. You wouldn't take up
your own time just to chat about nothing. Did you come here to tell me
something specific?"
This gave Frances pause. She hadn't realized
Rose was quite so sharp. What if she realized what Frances herself had in mind,
and always stayed one step ahead? Casting these thoughts aside, Frances plunged
ahead. This had the potential to bring her too many thrills to pass up.
"The old lady told me what David said
you told him about that new boarder that just moved in. You really think he's
your father, don't you? David said you kept insisting."
"Yes, I did. Do you know something, is
it really him, then?" Rose felt excited, but nervous at the same time.
"That's what the old lady says."
Rose was silent at first as she took this in.
Then, she spoke out loud, more to herself than Frances. "I can't believe
it, yet. It's been so long since I've seen him..." Rose's expression grew
distant, almost dreamy. The voice of her visitor intruded on the memories.
"Yeah," Frances sneered. "But
I think the question is why haven't you seen him?"
Rose saw the sinister look in Frances' eyes,
and decided against revealing anymore before asking a question of her own.
"And why would you be so interested to
know? He's my father, it's my business!"
"Oh, touchy! There is a reason, I'm
sure."
"Yes. And if you won't go until I tell
you why we have been apart, I will tell you...but, I expect it not to be told
to anyone outside of our building. Not anyone. Do you agree?"
The expression in Frances' face changed now.
She knew Rose was quite serious, and if she agreed, a lot of the fun would go
out of this. But at least she would have a juicy bit of gossip, and there were
people in the building who didn't know yet. She would be the only one, for now,
who knew the whole truth about this girl. That was enough.
"Yes, I agree," Frances answered,
looking Rose straight in the eye.
"All right." Rose inhaled--and
burst into a spasm of coughs. Frances sat up straighter and glanced around
nervously in the event help was needed, but Rose quickly recovered. She handed
Frances the tray of soup and tea. "Please, I can't eat any more."
Frances obliged by setting the tray down on the night table, then eagerly
leaned forward to listen.
Rose decided that flattery may help in this
situation, so she began by saying, "You're a smart woman, Frances. You saw
straight away that I'm not quite as street smart as everyone else in our
building." Frances had to smile at that.
"I grew up in a wealthy household. My
father was the kindest, wisest, most generous man I have ever known, and being
an only child I was somewhat spoiled. I wanted for nothing. Until a little over
a year ago. My father began to behave strangely. He would be away from home for
long periods of time, sometimes days, and would tell no one his whereabouts.
Even my mother, who prided herself in never showing emotions of any kind, was
out of her mind with worry. And when he was home, Daddy behaved as though we
were strangers. All the affection he used to lavish on me stopped. On occasion
he would sit in his office, with his face buried in his hands. He lost
weight--"
"So he changed," Frances
interrupted, anxious to get to the heart of the story.
"Yes, he changed. And one day, he just
left."
"You mean, he never came back?"
"No. I haven't seen him in almost a
year."
"There's been no word at all?"
Frances was genuinely intrigued now. "No letters? Not even a
telegram?"
"Not until now." Rose brightened
momentarily, then told the only lie thus far in her story. "A business
associate of my father's finally confided that he may have come to New York. I
decided I would find him here. I didn't realize how easy it would be."
"So you're not running from your
father?" Frances asked. She actually sounds disappointed, Rose
thought.
"Of course not," she said happily.
"I'm running to him." And the sooner she faced him, the better.