Isabel ate and drank with Evelyn, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up with a splitting headache, not even remembering how she had fallen asleep. She and Evelyn were sprawled messily on the floor.
Just as she got up to wash her face, there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was the children, she opened it.
But it was Adrian standing outside.
He was pushing a food cart. “Have some soup to settle your stomach.”
Isabel didn't say anything, just stepped aside to let him in.
Oliver and Edmund came in too.
“Mom.”
“Mommy.”
Oliver still had mixed feelings when he saw Adrian.
“Dad.”
“Yeah.” Adrian set out the breakfast. “Go on and eat.”
Edmund looked at Evelyn, still on the carpet, and reached out to touch her forehead. It seemed she was just hungover, not sick.
At the door, Adrian didn’t linger. “Call me if you need anything.” He went back to his room across the hall.
Martha came over and asked, “When did Mr. Blackwell get here?”
“Last night,” Isabel said, inviting her to join them for breakfast. She went to check on Evelyn.
“My head is killing me.”
Isabel poured her a glass of warm water and popped a small pill into her mouth. Evelyn took the medicine, rested for a moment, then got up to wash her face and have breakfast.
Oliver and Edmund fussed over Evelyn, peeling an egg for her, putting food on her plate, and blowing on her soup until it was cool enough to drink.
“Wow, when did I start getting this VIP treatment?” Evelyn asked. “What did you tell the kids?”
“Honestly, I’m fine. This isn’t a big deal. It’s not like I was madly in love with him.”
Isabel believed her, so she didn’t try to offer any more words of comfort. Evelyn wasn’t like her, stubborn to a fault.
“That’s just the kids being sweet on their own.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Blizzard First Love and a Wife Who Finally Snaps