Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1600

In Jindale City, Elysia Thorne was chopping vegetables when a sharp, sudden pang of dread caused her hand to slip. The blade bit into her finger, and blood immediately bubbled to the surface. Tarquin Bradford, working at the adjacent stove, caught the flash of red and his expression immediately sharpened with concern. He quickly turned off the flame and went to her. "What's wrong? Did you cut yourself?" "Yeah, don't worry. It's not deep. Just grab the first-aid kit and help me clean it." Tarquin looked tense as he hurried to the living room. He returned with the kit and, frowning, carefully cleaned Elysia's wound. The cut was indeed shallow, but his heart still ached. "How could you be so careless? Is something on your mind?" Elysia frowned slightly. "I feel a bit… anxious." Tarquin immediately asked, "Are you sick?" Elysia shook her head. "No, I just feel uneasy… Have Elliot and Evan contacted you in the last two days?" "No. Are you still worried about them?" "It's not that. With Great-grandpa and Great-grandma in the mountains, I know they're safe. It's just… I can't put my finger on it. My heart is racing, like something bad has happened." Tarquin asked, "When did you start feeling this way?" Elysia answered with a furrowed brow, "I've been a little on edge for the past few days, but it's worst today. The shadow had been hanging over her all day, a cold, restless dread that had only intensified as the sun began to sink. " Tarquin was worried. "I'm taking you to the hospital." "No need. I'm a doctor myself. I'm not sick, it's more… psychological…" "Are you just missing the kids?" Elysia frowned. "…It doesn't feel like that." Tarquin asked again, "Did you call my parents?" "I did, around noon. Everything's fine on their end. That's why I'm wondering if something happened in the mountains? Something bad?" Tarquin's brow tightened. "…" He didn't know either. They couldn't initiate contact with the mountain compound, so he had no way of knowing the situation there. To find out, he'd have to go himself. But with the 8th generation virus now introduced to the mountain, and his great-grandparents needing to remain hidden, it wasn't a good time for him to go. Not when the 'Mysterious Man' was still watching him. All he could do was comfort Elysia. "…Don't scare yourself. Elliot and Evan can contact us. If something bad had happened, they would have called." Elysia let out a long breath, a sense of unease still lingering, her heart periodically pricked with a sharp pain. "Tarquin, I feel so miserable. My eyes are stinging, and there’s this lump in my throat I can’t swallow. I don't know why, but I just feel like breaking down." Hearing this, Tarquin's thoughts suddenly jumped to Bernard… He'd felt uneasy ever since Elliot told him Bernard was sick. At his age, even a minor illness could be fatal. And Elliot had said they would return once Bernard recovered. The fact they weren't back meant Bernard wasn't well yet. A man in his seventies, sick for this long… Besides, Elliot was a thoughtful boy. If it were just a common cold, he probably wouldn't have waited for a full recovery before coming back. Could it be… Tarquin didn't dare to think further, and he certainly didn't dare tell Elysia. If something had happened to Bernard, Elysia would be devastated. So would Elliot and Evan… He secretly tightened his brow, then reached up to gently smooth Elysia's forehead, trying to soothe her. "You're probably anxious because of Winona Newsom." He was trying to distract her. Elysia looked stunned. "What about Winona?" Before Tarquin could answer, Elysia said, "Are you talking about the pregnancy rumors that have been flying around? I know about that. Jess already asked me privately. I can confirm, Winona isn't pregnant, and there's no way she's carrying Keaton Huber's child." Winona had gotten her period last month; she knew that for a fact. Tarquin said, "It's not that. It's… there's something fishy going on between Keaton and Winona."