Now, I glanced up. I hadn’t even noticed that Sonya had moved; she’d come across the room and was standing over me. “Yes,” I said, though I shook my head as I returned Jeremy’s phone to the table.

“Are the children all right?”

“Yes,” I said, sounding as if I were talking while holding my breath. Then, I added, “but my assistant. She’s babysitting and she’s not.”

“Oh, my goodness.” Sonya pressed her hand against her heart.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Reverend Douglas said as he and Jeremy returned to the living room.

“It’s their babysitter,” Sonya said with urgency.

“What? Dru?” Jeremy’s eyes were filled with concern.

I had no idea what he saw when he looked into my eyes. Every emotion I could possibly have ebbed and flowed through me. I was angry enough to slap him, but sad enough to cry. I was confused enough to question him, but too embarrassed to say anything in front of the Douglases.

And I was definitely too upset to stay and break bread. The thought of food....

“We have to go,” I said to Jeremy.

“Of course,” Sonya said.

I snatched my purse and bounced from the sofa as Jeremy grabbed his cell and the elevator key.

“I just hope everything is all right,” the reverend said. “We’ll call down and tell them to have your car ready.”

At the door, we did what we’d done less than thirty minutes before. We hugged and said our goodbyes. But when Sonya hugged me, she whispered, “Call me if you need me. I’m here for you.”

I leaned back and looked into her eyes. What did she know? But then, I shook that thought away. She was just telling me that she was worried about my children.

Jeremy and I rushed through the door and then, into the elevator. Once inside, he asked, “What happened to Dru?” He sounded so worried. “What did she say?”

Turning, I faced my husband. But when I did, bile rose within me. “Oh, my God,” I said. “I’m going to be sick.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I can’t....” I held my stomach and when the elevator doors parted, Jeremy held me and helped me outside where our car was waiting.

He helped me into the passenger seat and all I could do was lean back and close my eyes. He started the car and as he rounded the driveway, he said, “I’m gonna get Dru on the phone.”

“No.” The word came out in a whisper. “She’s not the one who’s sick.” I opened my eyes and looked at him. “But I am.”

He stared at me for a moment and I wasn’t sure what made him not question me anymore. All he said was, “All right. I’m going to get you home as soon as I can. Just lay back and close your eyes.”