276 wivesbehavingbadly

. there were a couple of glasses , a half -drunk mug of tea , and a  package of aspirin by the bed .
it took only  one look to conclude that the situation had progressed way beyond asprins . within fiffteen minuutes . i had bundled her into the car and driven her to the nearest emergency room .
the unpleassant hours later , during which we had witnessed a drunken fight , a screaming  girl  put  into handcuffs , and a man covered with blood begging for help , a a doctor announced " prieumonia " over the flushed  , almost comatoe . veiled suggestion that it was my fault , he explained  that eve required a couple of days in the hospital to stabilize  her , then a period of careful nursing . again , i caught a hint that it was up to me to make up for defiencies in my duty of care .
i left the hospital  , furrious with him , with eve , with myself  with everything .
paige delivered the boys  back  to me . when i answere te door at number 7  , the twins , who had not   been expecting me , let out a collective  shriek and windmilled at high speed into my stomach ." careful , you two ."
" you smell funny ." said lucas , sniffing my arm , which , only this morning , had been so carefully  anointed by the hand-maidens at claire manor .
" don't you  like it ?" it has roses and thyme in it ."
" dis...gus...ting."
paige brushed aside  my profuse thanks and declined to come in . there was no mistaking the new coolness between us ." hopw is everything ?" i probed gingerly  , but she was not having any of it .
" before you ask , i can't help out tomorrow ."