“I hear you, Mom. When I tried to press her on that, she got mad. Like I said, judges are sensitive about people trying to influence them.”
“What are we supposed to do? This isn’t okay. I need to talk to him. Can we get a phone call, at least? Did she say when that might happen?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Can you ask again?”
“No. Not for a while anyway. It would be counterproductive.”
“Madison, please. I can’t go on not talking to my baby. Not knowing how to reach him. It’s killing me. Isn’t there more you can do?”
There really wasn’t. There was nobody to ask beyond Judge Conroy, who now said the topic was closed. And if she’d had any hope of looking into Danny’s case herself by searching court records, Nancy had squelched that by cutting off her computer access.
“I’ll think of something, Mom. Get some rest,” she said, and got off the phone.
* * *
The next day, Madison was grabbing a salad from the cold case at the law school café when her phone buzzed. As her mother’s number flashed across the screen, the guilt hit. She had nothing new to report. Sighing, she swiped to answer.
“Hello?”
“Is this Madison?” a woman’s voice asked.
It wasn’t her mother.
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“My name is Regina. I work with your mom at the nursing home.”
She put the salad down. “Is something wrong?”
“Yolanda’s in the ER. She was having chest pains. I came with her. They’re examining her now.”
“Oh my God. Where? Which hospital?”
“Mass General.”
“I’ll be right there.”
She was running, trying to order an Uber on her phone, when she nearly crashed into Ty coming into the café.
“Whoa, slow down there,” he said, steadying her. “Where you running off to? The law review meeting’s not for half an hour.”
“I forgot about that. I can’t make it today. Will you let them know?”
“Not a good idea to miss meetings unless you want to give me a clear shot at president.”
Great, just what she needed—a reminder that she was falling behind. Exams started next week also, and she was having a hard time concentrating on studying.
“I have to go,” she said, trying to push past him.
“Wait, I have a question,” he said, blocking her way. “I heard you haven’t slept at the dorm the past few nights.”
Anger flared. “Oh, are you keeping tabs on me now?”
“You can tell me if you’re seeing someone. I’ve been open about my relationship with Chloe.”
“Yes. You have. Now, get out my way. I have to be somewhere.”
She got an Uber, hit bad traffic on the bridge into Boston, got out and ran for blocks and blocks. Breathless and sweaty, nearly in tears, she plunged through the sliding glass doors of the ER and hurried to the reception window, where she gave her mother’s name.
“Your relationship to the patient?”
“I’m her daughter.”
“She’s being examined. Take a seat.”
“Can I see her?”
“I said to take a seat, please. We’ll call you,” the woman snapped.
“Madison?”
A woman in a puffer coat beckoned to her from a row of plastic chairs. Madison ran over to her.
“Are you Regina?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for bringing her here. What happened? Did she collapse?”
“Nothing like that. She just felt funny, said her chest felt tight. Our staff nurse said better safe than sorry, so we came here. They’re doing tests to confirm if it was a heart attack, but the—”
“Heart attack. Oh my God.”
“I don’t want to alarm you. It could be the stress. I’m sure you know, she’s beside herself over your brother.”
“She said that?”
“Oh, honey. He’s all she talks about. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll get back to work. We’re short-staffed.”
“Of course.”
“Here’s her phone and her pocketbook. She gave it to me for safekeeping.”
“Thank you. For everything.”
She hugged Regina then sat down to wait. Flicking on her mother’s phone, she saw that the screensaver was a picture of Danny as a little boy. Those ears, that goofy grin, the big, dark eyes. He was adorable.
She put it back in the bag.
An hour passed. She went up to the window several times, but got nowhere. Eventually, a different clerk came on duty. The next time she asked for information, he simply gave her Mom’s room number and buzzed her through. She located her mother lying on an examination table with her eyes closed, in a room cordoned off by thick curtains.
“Mom?”
Yolanda’s eyes shot open. There were dark circles under them. Her cheeks were hollow. She looked old and frail.
“I didn’t know if you would come,” she said, her voice weak.
“Of course I came. I’ve been here for hours. They just let me back now. How are you feeling?”
Madison pulled over a rolling chair and sat down, taking her mother’s hand. It was small and cold to the touch, the hospital wristband flopping around on it. Her heart turned over. What if Danny never came home? What if her mother died? She’d be all alone in the world. She had to do more to find him and fix this situation.
“From the ECG, it’s not a heart attack. They’re just waiting to confirm that with the results of the blood tests.”
“When do they get those?”
“Not for a few hours. The doctor was ninety-nine percent sure it’s just stress. She’s giving me some meds and discharging me. I’m just waiting for the papers.”
“Okay. I’ll take you home and stay with you tonight.”
“That’s not necessary. I know you’re busy.”
“Not too busy to take care of you, Mom.”
Her mother fixed Madison with a grim look.
“You want to take care of me, don’t sit by my bedside. Do something. Find your brother. That’s how you can help. The stress is eating me alive. Next time, I might not be so lucky.”
21
Madison stayed at the hospital until her mother was discharged, then hurried back to campus for a Corporations review session that she couldn’t afford to miss. The turmoil in her life was beginning to affect her academic performance. She forced herself to go to the library afterward, which meant she didn’t get to the Back Bay until nearly eleven. The judge’s car was parked in the alleyway, but the town house was dark. She dealt with the litter box, then went upstairs, pausing on the second-floor landing. The door to Judge Conroy’s bedroom was closed, and no light showed in the gap beneath it. If the judge had been awake, Madison would’ve told her about the afternoon in the ER with Mom. They’d bonded before over their mothers’ difficulties. Maybe if the judge understood that Danny’s troubles were destroying her mother’s health, she’d try harder to help. Or not. She’d seemed so caring when they connected over dinner, but that could’ve been an act.
The next morning, Madison was sitting on the bench in the back hall, pulling on her boots before heading to campus, when Judge Conroy came running in, still in her bathrobe, looking flustered.
“There you are. I’m glad I caught you.”
“What’s the matter? Did something happen?”
“It’s just, I have an extra ticket for the Pro Bono League reception at the MFA tonight, and I’d like you to attend.”