"I thought you might be asleep already. You didn't stay in the shower very long."
"Too tired."
Esmeralda frowned and set the mug on the bedside table, then leaned forward and brushed her lips over Saphira's forehead. "You don't feel feverish. You sure you're all right?"
"Just tired... and sore."
"All right," kissing her lips softly before standing and moving to the other side of the bed. "Well, if you think you can drink the tea, it should help with the pain and the swelling. Otherwise, give me five minutes and I'll join you. Sleep is probably the best thing for you," shaking her head when she heard the deep, rhythmic breathing that signified that Saphira was already asleep.
Esmeralda quickly went through her nightly routine, absently giving thanks that she was once more able to provide help and comfort when it was needed as opposed to being the one constantly in need of it. She eased her side of the covers down and slipped into bed next to Saphira, smiling when Saphira naturally turned and tucked herself into Esmeralda's embrace.
Then she closed her eyes and joined her mate in the land of Morpheus.
************
The next couple weeks followed the same pattern - except for the luncheon meeting between Charisma and Brianna. There were committee meetings and legislation and votes, but Charisma and Brianna managed to remain off each other's radar. It wasn't hard, really - there was so much work to do, and since Charisma had returned to making connections in the evenings at least once or twice a week, they had very little opportunity to run into each other.
Brianna still hadn't called Okasa. It wasn't the fact that she didn't believe Charisma - she did. Charisma had never been able to lie to Brianna, even when they had first met. No, it was more that Brianna wasn't certain she was willing to risk everything again. She missed the Tagherty family, but she was adjusting to life without them in it. She didn't want to have to get used to it again.
So things went along as they had been, until one evening when they both happened to be in the Senate office building when Rick came upstairs looking for Esmeralda.
Chapter LXXXVII
Brianna's day started the same way they had since coming back from the holiday break - early into the office to read over whatever legislation was on tap for the day, followed by committee meetings and personal meetings and voting roll calls.... The list went on and on. She always tried to wait for Esmeralda to show up, though. There was always something of interest to discuss, whether it had to do with what Brianna was currently engaged in or their past histories or their plans for their little bit of leisure time.
Charisma was also on a routine very similar to Brianna's, though she did not always remain in the office in the evenings anymore. Laura had convinced her to get out and mingle with her colleagues more often, for although Charisma had the backing of several of the major players in the Senate, if she was serious about making a run for the White House, she was going to need more movers and shakers in her corner when the time came. Still, she made time to be on hand two or three nights a week to talk to Esmeralda. She found her days and weeks tended to go much smoother when they shared a bit of girl talk together. It wasn't as though they talked about anything pressing or important, but just having that time with one another gave Charisma immeasurable comfort.
So it was that several weeks after Charisma's talk with Brianna in regards to her involvement with the Tagherty family, both Senator Walker and Senator Tagherty were waiting in their offices for Esmeralda to arrive. Though Esmeralda was quiet, she could be heard making her way along the hallway slowly if you knew what to listen for, and both Brianna and Charisma did. And they were both in their offices, patiently waiting, when the sound of a ruckus brought them out into the hallway.
Esmeralda had completed almost half the offices on the floor, when Rick emerged from the elevator almost running, and calling out her name far louder than the decorum of this place demanded. Esmeralda turned to shush him, but one glimpse at his face made the blood drain from her own face and her legs shake. She grabbed the cleaning cart for support and waited for Rick to reach her.
By that point, not only had Brianna and Charisma made it to their hall doors, but so had the other few Senators who were also working late. They all stood back waiting to see what had brought Rick, who up to that moment had been a quiet, by-the-book individual, running and yelling through the halls of the Senate office building. He didn't even notice them he was so focused on Esmeralda.
When he reached her, she clutched at his arm with one hand, knowing whatever he had to say didn't bode well for her. Then the words came out of his mouth, and only his grip on her kept her from falling to the floor.
"Es, it's Saphira. She's...." He stopped and shook his head, willing the tears not to come. She gripped his arm tighter and he struggled not to wince at the pain. Instead he focused on what he needed to say. "I don't have any details - all I know is she was just rushed to the hospital at Georgetown. Es... they don't expect her to make it."
Esmeralda stared at Rick like he was speaking a foreign language - a fact that should have been funny given the number of languages she was fluent in. But it wasn't funny and it didn't change the fact that she was having trouble processing what he had said.
Fortunately, Charisma and Brianna recognized the signs of shock and took charge as a team much in the same manner they had done during their college years. Charisma called Turq to pick them up immediately while Brianna called for a police escort to get them to the hospital as quickly as possible. One of the other Senators had gotten Esmeralda a glass of water and another brought out a chair for her to sit in. Charisma called Matilda and Brianna called the hospital and as soon as Turq beeped that the car was out front, they got one on either side of Esmeralda and headed for the elevator. "Rick, you'll take care of things here?"
"You don't be worrying none about that, Senator Tagherty. We'll take care of this business. You just look out for Es and let us know...."
"We will," Brianna assured him as the doors closed.
They were seated in the back of Charisma's limousine with Esmeralda between them when the startling sound of sirens brought Esmeralda's head up. There were no tears - there was nothing at all. And that look scared both Charisma and Brianna, causing them to exchange worried glances.
"What did Matilda say?" Brianna asked.
"Not much - it was hard to make sense of what she was saying. Apparently Saphira just collapsed... no warning, no nothing. Joe called the paramedics while Matilda called Rick. What did the hospital say?"
"Only that things looked grave."
"Why this?" Esmeralda whispered, so softly both Charisma and Brianna nearly missed her words. "Why now?" She looked up, eyes unseeing on the roof of the car. "You can't need her more than I do - You don't love her like I love her!!! WHY??" almost screaming. "Why are you doing this??"
Brianna grasped Esmeralda's hands and Charisma cupped her face. "Es... ES... ESMERALDA!" blowing lightly into Esmeralda's face to force her to take a deep breath. "C'mon now - you need to stay with us here. We'll be with you every step of the way... no matter what. But you need to stay here with us now, all right?"
Esmeralda looked between them and blinked, then looked between them again, actually seeing them this time. Brianna gently chafed some warmth back into her ice-cold hands and Charisma's thumbs gently traced over her cheekbones. Esmeralda looked at them a final time before closing her eyes and swallowing hard. "All right," she whispered.