Gray's Domain: Purgatorium Series, Book Two by Eva Pohler Page B

Emma. The table was quiet and still, except for Gregory, who looked up at his mother with eyes of resentment.
    “Come with me, Gregory,” Dr. Gray commanded.
    Daphne expected Greg to put up a fight, but he hung his head and left the table. He followed his mother from the dining hall. Once they had gone, a murmur erupted around the younger crowd’s table, and Emma was in tears.
    “I wonder what that was about,” Sharon said.
    Daphne shrugged and acted like it had been nothing, but she, too, was curious. Was Hortense Gray upset over her son’s relationship with Emma? Maybe she didn’t want him mingling with the natives, so to speak—the natives being the patients.  That seemed a bit ironic to Daphne, since she had walked in on the doctor and her former patient, Arturo Gomez, the previous evening.
    As Daphne, Brock, and her parents were carrying their trays of empty plates back to the bussing shelves, Dr. Gray returned to the dining hall. Greg wasn’t with her, and she wore the expression of a conqueror. Before returning to her table, Dr. Gray walked up to Daphne and her parents—Brock had just gone to the restroom.
    “We have something special planned tomorrow evening. It’s the highlight of the summer,” the doctor said smiling. “Our costume ball.”
    “But we didn’t bring costumes,” Sharon said.
    “Oh, that’s no problem.” Dr. Gray flapped her hand in a dismissive gesture. “We have an entire roomful for you to peruse. I happen to be a costume aficionado and have amassed quite a collection over the years.”
    “Interesting,” Joe said. “Does everybody dress up?”
    “Absolutely,” Dr. Gray replied. “It’s required.”
    Joe wrinkled his nose at Sharon and then Daphne.
    Dr. Gray added, “And it’s an important part of the therapy.”
    “Well, in that case,” Sharon didn’t finish her sentence.
    “I’ll have Cameron show you my collection.” With that, Dr. Gray excused herself and returned to her table where the older crowd still sat, as though waiting, like students, to be dismissed from class.
    “Don’t be a party pooper,” Sharon warned Joe before Daphne’s father could complain.
    They chatted together as they made their way to the elevator, where Daphne forced herself to ride. Her father asked Brock if he knew about any fishing on the island, and her mother asked about the spa, and then they reached the ground level and exited the building. Once they neared the pool, Daphne and Brock parted ways with her parents, who wanted to lounge around a bit. Then Brock put an arm around her as they strolled toward her room.
    “Aren’t you hot in the hoodie?” he asked her.
    “I think I’ll check the gift shop. Something tells me they carry a lot of scarves.”
    Cam caught up with them from behind and took Daphne by the elbow.
    “Hold on,” he said. “Dr. Gray wants to show you something.”
    Daphne glanced at Brock. “Both of us?”
    “You go on without me,” Brock said. “I want to go for a swim.”
    “Meet you later?” she asked him.
    Brock kissed the side of her head. “Absolutely.”
    Cam linked arms with her and took her back toward the main building, while Brock headed for the cabanas.
    “How sure are you about him?” Cam asked.
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean, are you sure he’s the one for you?”
    She cracked a smile and playfully rammed her shoulder against his. “Jealous?”
    “Hell, yeah.” He was smiling, too.
    “What about Bridget? Aren’t you two a thing?”
    “I guess so.” He opened the door of the main building for her to enter first. “I like her alright. I like her a lot, actually. But you’ll always be my number one.”
    Heat rushed to her face, and she was glad he was behind her so he couldn’t see it. She tried to brush it off. “Yeah right.”
    “Seriously.”
    “You’re crazy. We’re best friends, right?”
    “Always,” he said with a half-smile that filled her with guilt.
    They took the stairs up to Dr. Gray’s office and