Free The Girls on Rose Hill by Bernadette Walsh

next few days. How could I be so stupid to even be surprised?
    Without time to wallow in my regrets, I returned downstairs, grabbed my bag and a pair of sunglasses and walked out of the house. I swooned slightly as I walked down the front steps and had to grab the iron railing for support. With no breeze, the air was hot, muggy and tinged with the stench of rotting seaweed. A wave of nausea hit me, but I fought it as I walked, slowly, to my car.
    "Hey, Ellen."
    Oh, no. Not another encounter with the beautiful Billy when I looked like I'd been dragged backwards through a hedge. I couldn't very well pretend I didn't hear him. With a smile that almost cracked my sore face, I managed to say hello.
    "Ellen, you okay?"
    "Yeah, I had a few too many drinks with my husband last night."
    "Your husband came up? I thought there was a German carmakers convention here on Rose Hill."
    I laughed, and then winced from the pain in my head.
    "Ellen, you sure you're okay to drive? I can give you a ride if you like."
    I'll bet you could, I thought. Oh man, one sexual experience in three years, and now I'd turned into a sex maniac, in my head anyway. I drove thoughts of a shirtless Billy from my mind and said, "That's very kind of you, but I'll need my car later."
    "Okay, whatever you say. See you around, and stay off the sauce," he scolded.
    "Don't worry. I think I've learned my lesson," I said as I sank into the hot leather seats of my much mocked car.
    Twenty minutes later, I walked, somewhat unsteadily, down the cool tile halls of St. Francis. Molly's voice boomed from my mother's room. Great, that's all I needed.
    "Here she is now, Rosie. I told you she'd be along soon."
    "Hi Mom. Hi Molly," I said, with a bright fake smile. "Sorry I'm late, but I had to see Brendan off."
    My mother's face fell. "He had to go back already?"
    "Yes, and he was so disappointed," I lied, "but they needed him back in D.C. His insider trading case is really heating up."
    "I'm sure he's indispensable," Molly said drily, her finely honed bullshit detector clearly going off.
    "I'm sure he'll call you soon, Mom."
    "Tell him not to worry about me," Rose said. "He should concentrate on his work."
    "Okay, Rose, time for your bath," a big blond nurse's aide announced as she entered the room. "Ladies, if you'll excuse us."
    "Sure," I said, "we'll just go outside for a few minutes."
    Molly and I walked out of the room and down to the courtyard. Once there, I collapsed onto one of the wooden benches.
    "Tough night last night?"
    "A little too much wine at dinner last night, that's all," I said, not a little defensively.
    "Well, Sarah's going out clubbing tonight with her friends. Perhaps you'd like to tag along?"
    "Very funny, Molly. Look, I had a little too much to drink last night, so sue me."
    "I don't care if you drink a gallon of vodka every night, so long as you're here during you assigned times and that woman is not left alone. I thought that's what we all agreed was best for Rose, for her not to be left alone."
    "Carol was here until two and I got here at 3:30. She was asleep when Carol left."
    "And when I got here she was awake and alone, staring out the window," Molly snapped.
    "For heaven's sake, give me a break. I took a leave of absence from work, my children are getting themselves ready to go back to college. I'm here day and night doing the best I can."
    "Showing up like something the cat dragged in is the best you can do?"
    I stood up and fought the nausea from the sudden movement. For a moment I stared at Molly, her thin lips set in a prim, disapproving line. She really was a self righteous bitch, one who would always find fault with me no matter what I did. All my weeks of placating her and playing by her rules had gotten me nowhere. Well, enough was enough. "Molly, I am tired of you and your attitude. We've got a few more weeks together at most and then we never have to see each other again so why don't you keep all your advice and opinions to yourself." I