The Wager by Rosemary I Patterson PhD Read Free Book Online

present. He would never let me even enter the ocean, I'm sure."
    Turk gave her a lecture about the importance of exercise in maintaining muscle strength and mobility. He told her how he had been seriously injured in a car crash but managed to almost fully regain his strength by exercise and certain herbal products.
    "We'll go to Hawaii and I'll have you scuba diving again in no time," he promised.
    Bea suddenly thought again of her son, John, and her daughter-in-law, Orphelia? "I wonder how they would take that news?" she laughed to herself. Turk was giving her new hope that she could live a normal life. Bea suddenly realised that Tyneburst was one of John and Orphelia's favourite restaurants. She felt momentary sadness and a strange anger descend on her again at her son's unexpected insistence on her moving to a care facility.
    "I"m really not ready to let go of my house," Bea decided. "And that assisted care home won't take animals, I'm sure. Whatever would I do without Angus? Perhaps this man is right and I should revoke my 'Power of Attorney," Bea found herself worrying. "It must be Orphelia's influence but John doesn't seem to be disagreeing with her at all."
    The waiter arrived with the drinks and lit the candle on the table just as the sun set in a dramatic fashion. Bea could swear that a blinding fash of green had occurred just as the sun had sunk behind the horizon. The sky lit up with the
    downed sun's refection illuminating the clouds in the sky. It was as if an artist had splashed a series of red and oranges across the sky in a dazzling fashion.
    "Just for us," Turk O'Brien proclaimed. He lifted his ale glass and Bea clunked her Lava Flow cocktail glass against his.
    "That sunset was an omen. They're always like that in Hawaii. To the rest of the fall," Turk announced. Bea felt a shiver up her back as he gave her full eye contact.
    "This man is such a romantic," Bea thought in surprise. She downed her Lava Flow much too quickly.
    "Another?" Turk asked as the waiter arrived with the steaks. Bea nodded.
    "Two refills!" Turk ordered.
    "What's happening to me?" Bea wondered as his voice caused her body to quiver with excitement. She plunged her knife into the largest steak she had ever seen. "And I'm a vegetarian," she thought. Bea realised that something from deep in her subconscious was coming to the surface. She found herself eating the steak with unexpected gusto.
    "Repressed sexuality," her mind suddenly informed her. Bea strangely remembered that while her husband, Thomas, had demanded per functionary sex regularly, he had never provided the foreplay that would have heightened her appreciation of the act. She reached suddenly for her second Lava Flow.
    "Maybe this man is different," Bea felt some part of her mind hoping.
    As Bea downed her second Lava Flow, her feelings of deep pleasure suddenly vanished as she realised a familiar voice was addressing her in anger.
    "Mother, whatever are you doing here with this man?"
    Bea turned and realised with shock that her son John was standing slightly beside her and was addressing her in a very angry tone. His wife Orphelia was glaring at her two empty Lava Flow glasses.
    "Oh, Turk, allow me to introduce you to my son John and his wife Orphelia. This is Turk O'Brien.
    Turk O'Brien stood up and offered his hand to Bea's son. John Broughton just ignored it.
    "Turk? What kind of name is that?"
    Bea realised that Orphelia was glaring now at the large tattoo of a naked lady on Turk O'Brien's arm.
    The table suddenly lurched sideways as Dogzilla heard the anger in John Broughton's voice and moved, trying to get in front of Turk. He growled menacingly. Trump, now Dogzilla's close buddy, joined him in a sharp growl and the table moved closer to John Broughton dragging little Angus whose anxious barking filled the porch.
    "What the Hell are you doing here with this man and his savage dogs?" John Broughton challenged his mother. Bea was completely mortified.
    "John, you're being