The Twelve Tables Ch. 29

"Mrs. Donati," he greeted her after the introductions were made. "Would you come with me please?"

"Oh, of course," she stood, and Dante stood beside her. "Just Mrs. Donati, thank you, gentlemen."

"No," Dante said with a finality in his voice. "I go with her or she goes home. I won't interfere, but I won't leave her alone in this place again."

"Again?" he queried.

"She was a patient herself last year, and is struggling with the memory of it," Dante informed the doctor. "So you can either let me observe, or we can leave." He wrapped an arm around her waist protectively and watched the doctor carefully as he took in the information.

"Follow me," the doctor said after looking at Dante speculatively for several moments.

"If he's observing, I am," Ben murmured to Pete getting to his feet, who shrugged and stood as well.

"Just hang back a little," Pete said. It hadn't occurred to him that Peri would still be so affected by the time she had spent here, and he became concerned for her as well. He couldn't be sure of Emily's reaction if Peri arrived with Ben and himself as well as Dante.

Peri followed the doctor down a long corridor and felt an ominous sensation that something wasn't quite right. "Just a second," she said louder than she had meant to and stopped walking. She turned as if to leave and walked back a few steps making Dante frown. She saw Pete and Ben at the other end of the corridor and took a deep breath. She was surrounded by people who loved her, and she couldn't work out why she had this bad feeling that made her want to run from the doctor she followed.

"Pete, did you hear Emily ask for me?" she asked in a whisper. "I mean I wouldn't have thought she would have asked for me. Wouldn't she have asked for Carmen if anyone? It just feels wrong somehow, especially if she isn't speaking to Ben, yet." She peeked over her shoulder at the doctor who seemed increasingly agitated and the ominous black cloud hanging over her worsened.

"No, I got the call from the hospital and called you. I was at my practice this morning," Pete said with a frown.

"Gentlemen I am going to have to ask you to wait in the lobby," the doctor said authoritatively from where he stood a few feet away.

"I can't explain why it feels wrong. I want to see Emily and make sure she is alright here and help her with whatever she needs. I just feel something's not right, and I can't shake that feeling," she took a deep breath and felt Dante's arm circling her waist again. "Do you think you could bring her out to the lobby? In a wheelchair or something?" her voice had become high-pitched and strained as she spoke. "I'd do anything to help you and Emily, Ben. Honestly but," she looked over her shoulder nervously, "Nothing about this feels right and I can't go in there, I'm so sorry."

"He doesn't seem happy to see us here, that's for sure," Ben said looking at Pete. "Do you know that doctor?"

"No, Dixon is at his practise in the mornings, too," Pete mused thoughtfully. "It's okay, Peri. Ben and I will go and get Emily. D. can take you back to the lobby," Pete reassured her sensing the seriousness of her anxiety.

"Mrs. Donati this way please," the doctor called testily.

"Change of plans, my friend," Pete said stepping forward. "I'm Doctor Peter Donati, the family physician. I'd like to examine my patient before she meets with Mrs. Donati," he said easily. "I'm sure you are aware this is a stressful time for us all, and it is best to ensure no further damage is done to Emily's psyche. I'm sure Doctor Dixon has been quite thorough in his notes on this." Pete said naming the attending specialist whose care Emily was under.

"I'm under instructions that the only visitor today should be Mrs. Peri Donati," the doctor argued.

"Instructions from whom? I think you will find that I am one of the attending physicians listed on her chart and as such you have no authority to keep me from my patient," Pete had drawn himself to his full height and Ben stood behind his left shoulder. The two men made an intimidating sight as they stood blocking the corridor and the doctor's view of Peri returning to the lobby.

"I'm being silly," Peri stopped walking and turned around again her emotions swinging widely.

"No, you're not. If it doesn't feel right then you shouldn't do it," Dante said sternly taking her hand and leading her toward the lobby. "Always listen to your gut feeling," he said his mind working over the Doctors strange treatment of his family. Though it was not widely known, the Donati family owned his hospital. It had been started by his Grandfather and Uncle. A board and qualified professionals managed the day to day running of the facility, but it was reasonably well known who the founders if not the current owners were.

"Call Josh, tell him where we are and why. Then tell him how you're feeling," Dante's voice took on a commanding tone that made her do what he asked without arguing. It was unusual for her to hear that tone in his voice outside of the bedroom. He too picked up his phone and made a call as she called Josh.

"Hey there beautiful," Josh answered his phone on the second ring. "I was just thinking of you. How's Emily?" He asked. Peri was glad she didn't have to explain where she was and why and she felt better just hearing his voice.

"I don't know. Being back here has made me feel like something bad is going to happen, and the doctor was abrupt and seemed agitated that I wouldn't go with him by myself, but I just couldn't go with him to see her," she babbled nervously.

"You left without seeing her?" Josh was immediately alert to her distress.

"No I'm sitting in the lobby with Dante, I asked if she could come out of the room to see me. I couldn't go in there, Josh. I feel so silly and scared and just plain awful about it," Peri's voice held all her anxiety. "I couldn't go in that room even with Dante."

"You did the right thing," Josh said in an even tone that belied his concern on hearing her obvious distress. "Can I talk to D.?"

"He's calling someone else," she said looking at Dante. "He asked me to call you and tell you how I was feeling."

"I'm just getting into my car to drive over, I'm putting you on hands-free, keep talking to me," he explained as his voice became hollow and she heard her voice feedback from the speakers. "Is Pete there or Ben?"

"Both, they went to get Emily and bring her out to the lobby," Peri explained. "It's probably just that the last time I was here, I was in so much pain," she said quietly without elaborating that it wasn't only the physical pain she suffered from at the time.

"I understand," Josh said simply. "We couldn't have known it would affect you so strongly. I'm sorry I didn't consider that when D. told me that you were going to see Emily."

"I'm just being silly," she argued again. "You have nothing to be sorry for it's me who is sorry to be making a big deal out of this when Emily asked to see me. I just feel all sorts of awful right now."

Pete emerged with Emily in a wheelchair. Ben, looking like he could murder someone, was close behind them. Peri saw Emily's face blanche as she caught sight of Dante and she lowered her head as if unable to bear the sight of him.

"Josh, Emily's here. Ben doesn't look happy I'll pass my phone to him while I talk to her okay?" she said getting to her feet.

"Yeah Alright, I'm still a good thirty minutes away, stay in sight of D.," he commanded.

She walked to Ben and handed him her phone, "It's for you," she smiled in the face of his obvious anger. She went to Emily then. "Did you ask to speak to me?" she questioned. She watched as Emily nodded but her eyes darted around the room, and a worried expression came over her face. "Would you rather if Ben and Dante waited somewhere else?" Again Emily nodded.

"Pete, could you ask Dante to have Gerrard and Phillip come into the lobby and maybe the three of you could take a small walk?" She asked knowing they would not be happy to leave the women on their own. She turned back to Emily then. "Let's go over to the couches in the corner, we'll be safe there, and they might give us some space," Peri said in a conspiratorial whisper. Emily gave a small nod and Peri pushed her to the corner and sat on a couch in front of the wheelchair, keeping Emily's back to the room. Emily glanced over her shoulder and saw the men watching from a small distance and seemed satisfied.

"I'm sorry for making you come out here. I was in this hospital myself after Nik attacked me," Peri said honestly. "I'm surprised you asked to see me and not Carmen," she blurted nervously.

"Carmen's being punished for my mistakes," Emily said sadly. "She's with the Battaglia."

"She's there because of the mistakes she made, not you," Peri said gently.

"I don't want to be sent there," Emily looked frightened. "Don' let Ben send me there please, Peri. You're the mother you can ask them not to send me there."

"No one is going to send you there. It's two very different things. You were caught up in something, not of your making, and you were scared. No one blames you, Emily. Carmen wasn't being threatened or coerced, yet she still didn't say anything instead she tried to take matters into her own hands. That's why she is there." Peri explained without pulling any punches. "Carmen and I talked before she left and she understood that. She and I made peace and even started trusting each other. She accepted the punishment even though she was scared. She will be back next weekend, and you can see her and make sure she is just the same as always."

"She was always braver than I was. Peri I don't want to be here. I want to be home with the children. Can I live with the nanny as my punishment? I don't want to be sent away to the Battaglia, but I can't face Ben or Dante. Does he have to use that walking stick all the time now?" She closed her eyes as if the thought of it caused her pain.

"No one wants to punish you Emily, least of all Dante. You've punished yourself enough. No one blames you," Peri reiterated.

"I blame me," she said sadly. "I betrayed them all, most of all Ben, because I didn't trust him enough to talk to him about what I had done," she began to cry, and Peri reached out to take her hand.

"Emily, Ben's lost without you. Angelina has asked me about her orientation day and school supplies for the other children, but I'm just grasping at straws. Come home with us, talk to Ben, he loves you. You can stay with us as long as you need to, you can have your own room until you are ready to face everyone, you don't have to stay with the nannies."

"You'd let me do that?" Emily asked and there was a tone in her voice that bordered on incredulous but was tinged with something that Peri couldn't quite put her finger on. The ominous black cloud over the her seemed to darken. Maybe Emily also felt uncomfortable in his hospital with that doctor, she thought.

"We were thinking about taking the children to the house so they could have a few days of fun in the sun before school goes back, and it will allow Carmen and Romey a few days of alone time once she returns if they like," Peri said. "Come with us Emily. You might find that being away from the city and everything that's happened, you can put it behind you and talk to Ben about the future. Not to mention helping me with all the back to school plans for everyone. It will be nice to have you there when Carmen returns." Less than a month ago that was the last thing she would have wanted she realised.

"Do you think Ben would let me stay with you?" she asked frowning.

"Josh can handle Ben. He's on his way because I freaked out when I got here. That's why we are sitting in the lobby. I couldn't get as far as your room," Peri admitted. She told Emily of being here broken in body and spirit and how painful that was for her.

Hearing the reasons for Peri's reluctance to come to her room, Emily considered her sister-in-law's resilience. Peri owed her no loyalty or concern, yet here she was in the place of one of her worst memories because she had been asked. They talked quietly until Josh's arrival. He had ignored his brothers and walked directly to where Peri sat scooping her up in his arms and holding her tightly.

"Thanks for looking after her until I got here, Em," he said easily. "This place holds some pretty bad memories for both of us."

"You were here too?" Emily asked incredulously. She hadn't known hat piece of information.

"Every day and she refused to see me. Worst time of my life," he admitted hoping she could see the connection to what she was doing to Ben.

"I don't want to be here Josh," Emily began to cry again. "I just can't face Ben, not after. . ." she sobbed and couldn't finish the sentence.

"Come home with us then. The kids are there already, and Angie needs you," Josh spoke casually "You'll have to face Ben some time, and it might be easier with the people who love you both around for support."

"Josh, I'm so sorry. I don't deserve your love, I got Nik killed, and Dante shot, and it could have been so much worse," the tears continued, and she appeared to be in distress now with loud sobs that sounded strange and almost hollow to Peri who was trying to comfort her.

"It wasn't though, and D.'s a fricken hero now," he rolled his eyes. "As if he needed a bigger head." He looked up then at the approaching doctor. "Take one more step and I will get that guy to give you a lobotomy through your nose," Josh threatened pointing at Gerrard. "She's just fine, better than fine. Tell the doctor, Em," Josh encouraged.

"I'm fine honestly, these are cathartic tears," she dashed them away and gave a sad smile and the distress seemed to have evaporated as quickly as it had started. "I would like to check myself out please, if you could ask Doctor Donati to sign the paperwork," Emily informed him, some authority entering her voice as if she spoke to an employee rather than her doctor.

"Can I please stay with nannies, just for a little while?" she looked at Peri rather than Josh.

"I don't think that's a good idea for the nannies or you, Emily. How about a compromise and you can have your own room on the same floor as the family? I'm sure Josh will explain to Ben that you just need a little more time to be able to process what happened. Josh knows what that feels like," Peri said gently.

"Would you do that for me, Peri? He will listen to you, I know he will," Emily asked in a pleading voice, ignoring Josh almost entirely now.

"I think it would be better coming from Josh. He's been in Ben's place and he gave me the space I needed. At least for a little while," she smiled and touched his cheek. "I thought I couldn't bear to see him again, but he loved me enough to be patient and kind and wait for me to be ready. Within reason, there were small lapses but the Donati men love deeply, and we are two of the luckiest women alive to be given that love," She smiled and clasped Emily's hand. "We have to forgive them for not always being as willing to wait as we would like because of that love."

"Em, you want to discharge yourself?" Pete asked softly as he approached them.

"Yes, Peri has said I can stay with her for a while, and Josh as agreed to let me. I don't want to be here, Pete, don't make me stay, please. I need to see my babies," she implored him.

"Ben signed you in Em, you need to talk to him, tell him you want to go home," Pete said gently but firmly. Emily looked in panic at Peri and clutched her hand.

"I'll go talk to him," Josh said and reluctantly pulled his arm from where it rested around Peri's waist.

Peri could see an argument erupt between the doctor and Pete as Josh spoke to Ben who constantly looked at where the two women sat.

"Does everyone know? I'll never live this down. I'll have to resign from the charities I work with," Emily said sadly oblivious to what was happening behind her.

"Aside of Carmen and our husbands no one knows anything," Peri said remembering Emily's love of gossip. Home run for karma she thought to herself. "I doubt any of us are about to confirm or deny any rumours going around." Peri said despite knowing that Emily would have spread the rumours herself had it been anyone else.

"Thank you," Emily said simply. She'd worked hard to have the perfect husband, the perfect family and the perfect life, and she had judged everyone else by that standard. She needed the world and the family to still see her through that same lens. She hated the thought of being judged in the same way she had judged others and would die if she thought her parents would ever find out how badly she had messed things up. Despite being married for over a decade, she still thought of herself as belonging to the Pellegrini family and table.

*****

It had taken a fleet of minivans to move the family from the apartment to the house. It had gone particularly smoothly thanks to the organisation of Peri's core team of Rae, Zara, and Heather.

Once they had arrived and settled in Peri met with the Steward, Jackson, who would be a large part of her team when they were at the house. He oversaw the maintenance and the large army of landscapers who were working on the land surrounding the new house. She had spoken with him via Skype regarding their return and her plans for some fun for the children they would be bringing with them. He took her through the plans he had already started within the last two days.

"The beauty of working for the Donati family is that things can happen in a hurry if the sun is shining," Jackson chuckled. "We have all the equipment to create the kitchen garden, but the children can do most of the work with Zara and a few of the gardeners. Tarsia and Paul sent a small team to start on the tree forts in the old orchard. The older children can help out there in a day or two, and I believe Carlo would like to see you about something he had planned for the weekend."

"That sounds wonderful, thank you, Jackson," Peri said with a smile. "I know I have changed plans more than once in the last two days. I appreciate your flexibility."

"Your most welcome, Mrs. Donati," he replied with a smile to match her. "In fact, I am looking forward to this coming weekend."

Peri had walked through the house to find Emily, who as always was with at least one of her children. It was as if she wore them like a shield from unwanted conversations with Ben or any of his brothers. In stark contrast, she constantly sought out Peri to discuss preparations for the children's return to school and Angelina's orientation day at Fairmont. Peri was busy making plans of her own and her patience with having to hold Emily's hand was wearing thin. She needed to talk to her about breaking her silence with both Ben and Dante. She seemed able to speak to Josh but even when Dante was his most obnoxious self; she would ignore him and hurry away.

"All settled in?" She asked finding Emily in the kitchen with Zara.

"A package arrived while you were meeting with the Steward. I hope you don't mind that I opened it, it was addressed to Mrs. Donati," Emily said sweetly. "Antonia sent us a cookbook I can't wait to try out some of the recipes."

"Why would you think it was okay to open a package sent to me?" Peri asked aghast.

"I didn't know it was for you," Emily said indignantly. "It was addressed to Mrs. Donati," Emily said.

"Who knows you are here that would send you mail?" Peri said trying to keep her voice even.

"Well, Antonia obviously," Emily said.

"Zara could you take that book into my desk in the library please, it is very old and sentimental to Mrs. Donati Senior and she has lent it to me as a favour not to keep. I will transcribe any recipes we may like to try," Peri kept her eyes on Emily the whole time. Emily had regained all her former confidence where the household staff and children were concerned including treating Peri as if she had no knowledge of how the family operated. It was time, Peri realised, to stop tip-toeing around the woman who used her as a shield when it came to her husband and his brothers. She waited until Zara hurried off after shooing the rest of the staff out of the kitchen.