What You Wish For Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Davis Clinic.” She listened a moment before she said, “I just came in, let me put Dr. Davis on the phone.” The color drained from Helen’s face when she saw Isabel put her finger to her lips. Daniel.
    Isabel opened the kitchen door that led into the clinic. “Dr. Davis, there’s a gentleman on the phone who needs to speak to you.” She mouthed the words, Helen’s husband.
    Helen struggled up from the chair she’d been sitting on to join Isabel in the doorway, her eyes wide with fear.
    â€œGerald Davis speaking. No, I haven’t had any emergencies in over a week, Mr. Ward. As a matter of fact, I haven’t taken on any new patients in over a year. You could try the Sanders Clinic. They’re open twenty-four hours a day. Good-bye.”
    â€œHow . . . how did he ... sound?” Helen whispered.
    â€œNormal. Said he was walking his dog and she ran into the road, got grazed, and then ran off into the night. He said he’d been searching all night for her.”
    â€œHe’ll come here. I know he will. I have to leave. You don’t know my . . . You don’t know this man.”
    â€œYou can’t leave, Helen,” Isabel said. “Lucie can’t be moved yet. You’re safe. I’m going to sit at the desk all day. You are going to stay back here with Lucie. Gerald keeps the doors locked and the buzzer opens them. You have to trust us, Helen.”
    â€œI do trust you. It’s him I don’t trust. You don’t know him like I do. You don’t know what he’s capable of doing to get what he wants.”
    Isabel wrapped her arm around Helen’s shoulder. “It’s true, I don’t know the man, but I know thousands of men just like him. Those thousands of men have not gotten to one of the women in the shelter. In all the years we’ve been helping battered women, we only lost two. They elected to return to their husbands. One is now dead at her husband’s hand, and the other one is still with her husband. She is still being battered.”
    â€œI’m going to sit with Lucie,” Helen said. “If you need to know anything else, just ask me.”
    â€œI have enough for now. Take your tea with you. Gerry will help you make up a bed. It’s going to be all right, Helen. You need to believe that,” Isabel said gently.
    â€œI want to believe you. I need to believe you. Why am I still afraid?”
    â€œWe’re strangers. This is new to you. Your mind isn’t ready to accept or believe there are people who truly care about you. It comes in time the way trust does. Go now, sing to Lucie.”
    When the door closed behind Helen, Gerry said, “Seems to me I remember you singing to that stray mutt you found when we were kids. You actually had him a whole year before your father found out.”
    â€œI couldn’t have done it without you and Artie. God, how I loved that dog. You’re right, I used to sing, ‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine’ until my ears would ring with the words. He loved it. He’d bark and whine and howl.”
    Gerry laughed. “The best was when the three of us used to sing together. All off-key. As I recall, the dog loved it!”
    â€œIt was all so long ago, Gerry. Sometimes I can’t believe I was ever young. My father . . .”
    â€œWe aren’t going down that road today, Izzie. He’s dead, let him rest in peace.”
    â€œHe doesn’t deserve peace. You’re right. That road has too many potholes. It’s almost ten o’clock. I’ll sit out at the desk. Let me know if there’s any change in Lucie. I’m going to get a head start on Helen’s new life. I want to thank you, Gerry, for everything, especially for being my friend. Getting to this place in time wouldn’t have been easy if it weren’t for you and Artie.”
    â€œI hate maudlin women,” Gerry said gruffly.
    â€œNot as