I never realized motherhood could be so awfully lonely.
“What happened, sweetheart? What did the doctors say?”
“I was positive it was a heart attack. I never felt like that before—like I couldn’t breathe, and with this intense pain in my chest. It was awful. I collapsed at my meeting. They did a whole bunch of tests, but I feel fine now. The doctor said he’d be here to give me the results soon.”
I nodded, covering up the raw fear by rationalizing that if it was something serious, it could be fixed. Medicine was amazing nowadays, and she was young. “Okay. What about Allegra? Should I call her?”
“No!” She glared, showing some of her familiar spunk. “I don’t want her to know anything until I hear what the doctors say. There’s no need for her to panic and miss school.”
“Okay. Have you had any of these symptoms before? When was your last physical?”
She glanced away and dropped my hand. I’d already lost her. Irritation glimmered in her brown eyes. “Yes—I go every year, and everything was fine. I’ve had some anxiety issues lately, but I figured it was just the stress of this new account.”
I held my tongue, even though I shook with the need to scold her for being so blasé about her health. “It could be premenopausal,” I suggested. “I had a hard time around fifty. Night sweats and emotional breakdowns. I ended up going on hormones for a while.”
She seemed thoughtful, and I felt ridiculously proud of myself. “That makes sense. Maybe I’ll go to one of those Chinese practitioners that use herbs and holistic medicine.”
I didn’t like the idea of not using a medical doctor but, again, kept silent. She let me fuss a bit and comfort her, and then the doctor came in.
Immediately, I relaxed. He came into the room with a confidence that screamed, I can fix you! He paused in the doorway to clean his hands, which gave me time to study him. He even looked the part—tall, with thick dark hair and a strong face. He wore trendy glasses and his white coat was clean and starched. He seemed old enough to have treated plenty of patients to know what he was doing. He smiled, flashing perfect white teeth, and greeted us in a booming voice. Even better was his ringless finger. Francesca would be a perfect fit for him.
“I’m Dr. Hollingsworth,” he said, reaching out to shake my hand.
“I’m Sophia,” I said, boldly gazing into his bright blue eyes. “Frannie’s mother.”
“Good to meet you. And how is our patient doing?” He reached over and did a quick check on Frannie’s vitals. I noticed my daughter tense when he drew near. Was she attracted to him? I always knew she needed a strong man in her life, one with a respectable career to challenge her.
“Better,” she responded with a smile.
“Good. We have the results of the tests back and I have good news. There was no heart attack.”
My muscles practically collapsed with relief. “Oh, thank God.”
“What caused the breakdown?” Frannie asked. “It felt like one.”
He nodded, a frown creasing his brow. “I understand. What you experienced was a classic panic attack. Very commonly mistaken for a heart attack due to the intense bodily reactions. Have you had one of these before?”
Frannie blinked, averting her gaze. “No. Well, I’ve been having some breathing problems, but I knew it was stress. I never collapsed.”
Shock barreled through me. Dear God, it was happening all over again. I’d watched my husband suffer for years to control his panic attacks, but I never thought Frannie would have the same problem. Somehow, I’d believed she was different.
The doctor continued. “It’s a scary experience. Most of my patients who experience these attacks are under a good deal of stress or going through a big change. Divorce, death in the family, new job, et cetera.”
“What can I do? I never want to go through something like that again. It happened in front of my clients.”
Sympathy emanated from his blue eyes. “Unfortunately, there’s no cure for panic attacks. I’d suggest seeing a therapist who can give you coping tools or prescribe antianxiety medication. Many of my patients have changed their diet or used exercise to help manage the stress. I’d be happy to give you a referral to a therapist who specializes in anxiety. But your blood results came back perfect. You’re in wonderful health, so there’s no need to be concerned. Do you have any questions for me?”
Frannie stared back at him, an array of raw emotions flickering across her face. I noticed the fear the most. The idea that my strong daughter couldn’t control her body would torture her. I knew she’d punish herself, thinking the breakdown was weakness.
Just like Jack.
“I don’t think so,” she said slowly.
He nodded. “Feel free to contact me anytime. I’ll give you the referral.”
I had to interrupt. “Doctor, do you think taking some time off has an effect on stress?”
“Do you have a stressful job, Frannie?”
“Yes, I own an advertising business.”
He cocked his head with interest. “Impressive. Do you know before I decided on premed, I worked at an ad firm for a while. I was a bit lost in my youth and tried a few different paths before deciding to commit,” he said wryly.
“Which one?” Frannie asked.
“Duke and Liebowitz.”
She lit up. “Yes! I was over at Emerson Advertising.”
“Our competitors.” His laugh was deep and rich. I kept quiet, hoping their conversation would keep going. “I’ll have to check out your website. Do you enjoy the work?”
“Yes, when I’m not collapsing in front of my new client.”
He laughed again. “Just remember it’s quite common and completely treatable. And to answer your mother, yes. Taking some time off may be just what you need to reset, if you can manage. I certainly know about demanding work schedules, but health should come first.”
Frannie thanked him, and he gave her a kind smile, but when he turned to leave and she hadn’t said anything else, I jumped in. “Could we have your card, Doctor?”
“Of course.” He plucked one out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Please call me if there are any issues.”
I noticed he gave Frannie a pointed look, but then he quickly exited the room and I had no time to stall him. I’d save the matchmaking for later. Right now, I had to convince my daughter it was time to take a vacation. It hadn’t worked with her father, but this time, I wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“I think you should make the therapist appointment.”