BooksBarbecue
Back The Lying House
Chapters (103)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. Epilogue
  102. Acknowledgments and a Personal Note
  103. Excerpt

Bile rose at the back of her throat as she knelt at the toilet and vomited into the bowl. This was the third morning in a row she’d thrown up.

Rinsing her mouth at the sink, her heart was leaping as she stared at the two home pregnancy tests she’d bought at Walgreens the night before. She’d gotten two different brands. She’d followed the directions, peeing on the absorbent test sticks, positioning them as directed.

I can’t believe this is really happening.

She waited the required few minutes before the timer she’d set on her phone sounded. The first test showed two pink lines in the result window. The second test showed a blue plus sign.

Oh my God.

She was pregnant.

Lisa steadied herself, taking a moment to process the result and trying to think. She knew from her sister that home tests were not always 100 percent accurate. But she’d missed her period and knew that it was possible to get morning sickness not long after conception.

She went to her home office, logged on to her computer and began searching for a doctor from the links Michelle Judson, from the community association, had shared with her after the attack.

What if I’m not pregnant? What if my illness is an aftereffect of that time I felt queasy after dinner with Roland and Nell? I need confirmation.

Dr. Niki Tanaka had recently joined Palm Mirage Creek Total Medical and was accepting new patients. Lisa called. The clinic’s rates were expensive. Fortunately, she was covered through Jeff’s insurance at Asgaard. Someone had canceled, and there was an opening on Thursday, the receptionist told Lisa, and she arranged for an appointment.

She decided not to tell Jeff.

I want confirmation first.

Total Medical was in a new jade-tinted six-story professional building near Palm Mirage Creek’s border with Coral Gables.

Lisa entered through the frosted-glass doors on the third floor and reported at the curved marble-topped reception counter. She was given forms to complete while she waited on one of the comfortable sofa chairs next to a potted plant.

After she’d filled out the forms and returned them, Lisa reflected on her life and how she’d dreamed of starting a family with Jeff.

Funny how things had unfolded—she never thought they’d be having a child in Florida, or that she’d be living in such a beautiful home. Never thought she’d be attacked by a monster who’d vowed to come back and attack her again. Never thought Jeff would keep secrets about a beautiful, deranged woman from his past, lie to her or have such a violent, dark streak.

I’ve got to stay calm, think positively.