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A slow smile spread across Kenyon’s face, the expression making him even more appealing. “I do have deputies who are more than capable of filling in for me. Once the roads are plowed I will give you a police escort to Jonesburg.”
Mia lowered her arms. “I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”
“No, you don’t.”
Selena glanced at her watch. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m going to try and get at least four hours of sleep before I have to get up and start baking. Mia, you’re a guest, so you can sleep in as late as you want.”
Mia wanted to tell Selena she doubted if she was going to get up late because she’d slept during the flight from Philadelphia to Pikesville. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“It’s already morning,” Kenyon said, reminding her that it was after four in the morning.
Selena took Kenyon’s arm. “Let’s go, wise guy. Mia, the bathroom is the middle door in the landing.”
“Thanks.”
“There’s no need to thank me. After all, we are family.”
After all, we are family. The five words stayed with Mia as she opened her luggage to retrieve a nightgown and grooming supplies. Selena may have considered her family, but she doubted whether Kenyon did. There was no doubt he thought of her as an outsider, an interloper who should’ve stayed in the big city. Well, it didn’t matter what he thought or how he viewed her, she wasn’t going anywhere. She’d come to Mingo County to practice medicine and no one—and that included the law—would stop her from fulfilling her commitment to give the residents of Jonesburg the best care she could provide.
Even though the attic bedroom was warm, the lace-trimmed silk garment was definitely not warm enough for West Virginia’s winter. It seemed as if she would have to trade in Victoria’s Secret for L.L. Bean. She took out a matching robe, placing the garments on the foot of the large bed. Sleeping in the bed draped with yards of fabric must have made Selena feel like a princess.
Walking out of the bedroom with the quilted pouch filled with toiletries, Mia opened the door to the bathroom. A light came on automatically when the door opened. The space was small, but homey. A claw-foot bathtub, with a shower attachment, pedestal sink and a commode harkened back to a bygone era. A bleached pine table cradled an assortment of towels, cloths and bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel.
She turned on the faucets, and added a dollop of bath gel under the running water, and within seconds the distinctive scent of lavender filled the space. Mia brushed her teeth and cleansed her face, rinsing it with cold water, before she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the bathtub. A soft moan escaped her parted lips as she sank lower in the warm water. It was the perfect way to end what had become a very long day.
Eyes closed, the back of her head resting on a folded towel, Mia mentally counted the number of married Eatons. All of her Uncle Dwight’s children were married—Myles, Belinda and Chandra. Married only months apart, Denise and Xavier had made their mother, Paulette, deliriously happy. Two of Uncle Solomon’s sons were married. The exception was Levi. Then there was Uncle Raleigh, who was now on his fourth marriage. His daughter, Crystal, who lived with her longtime boyfriend, refused to marry because of her father’s inability to remain in a committed relationship.
That left her and Levi. Not only were they the last two unmarried Eatons, but they also had chosen medicine as their career. Dr. Levi Eaton and several other doctors had set up a medical practice in an affluent New York suburb. He’d invited her to New York for a housewarming celebration after he’d purchased a condominium in a luxury building overlooking the Hudson River.
It was Levi and not her father Mia had talked to when her anatomy professor predicted she would never become a doctor. Levi told her that if she did nothing else, she had to prove not only would she become a doctor but also a very good one. She studied longer and harder for his class than the others combined, and when she saw her final grade she called her cousin, screaming that she had done it. She’d earned the highest grade in the class. She knew there would be roadblocks in her life, but Mia hadn’t expected someone to dislike her on sight. The experience made her even more determined to accomplish her goal and earn a medical degree.
The water was beginning to cool when she picked up a bath sponge and lathered her body. She stood up and, using the retractable shower attachment, rinsed off the bubbles. It was another fifteen minutes after she’d patted her skin dry, slathered on a scented moisturizer and cleaned the tub before she walked out of the bathroom. The scent of lavender trailed behind her as she entered the bedroom and pulled the nightgown over her head.
Peering through the lacy sheers at the window she encountered a wall of white. The falling snow obliterated everything. She was snowbound, but she realized it could have been worse. She could’ve been stuck in an airport, sleeping on a chair or curled up on the floor for hours or maybe even days.
For some reason the bath revived her instead of making her feel relaxed. Reaching into her tote, she retrieved her laptop. Turning on the lamp on the bedside table, she sat up in the middle of the bed and waited for it to boot up. She inserted the USB modem and went online. Mia clicked on her mother’s email address:
Hi Mom, Made it to Matewan safely, but will be delayed going on to Jonesburg because of a blizzard. Will hang out with Xavier’s in-laws until roads are passable. Call or text me once you return to Dallas. Hug and kiss Dad for me.
Love,
Mia.
She clicked on her New Mail folder, smiling. The man she’d dated off and on while in medical school had emailed her. Dr. Jayden Wright had moved to Denver to work as an acute care physician. He was a third-year resident when she began her internship. A year into their relationship Jayden proposed and Mia turned him down, saying she wasn’t mentally and emotionally equipped to juggle marriage and career at that time. They’d parted amicably but continued to see each other whenever they needed a date. Their casual relationship ended once Jayden accepted a position in Colorado.
Hey Mee-Mee,
Hope you’re doing well. Thought about you and decided to write. Let me know what you’re up to. Love always, Jay
Mia clicked on Reply and gave him an update. After typing several paragraphs she sent the message then logged off. She had to get some sleep before meeting the Yateses and the Chandlers later that day.
Chapter 3
Mia woke to diffuse light coming through the sheers. The house appeared to be as silent as a tomb. Then she remembered Selena telling her the third floor was soundproof. Folding back the many quilts, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, walking barefoot over to the window. Sitting on the cushioned window seat, she wiped away the condensation with her fingers and peered out the window to find it was still snowing.
When she’d gone to college in Philadelphia, it had been the first time she’d experienced a real honest-to-goodness snowstorm. It had snowed nonstop for two days, and when it finally stopped Philly was buried under more than two feet of frozen precipitation. It had been a weekend and Mia had found herself snowed in with her cousins Belinda, Chandra and Denise, who’d come over to her aunt Roberta and uncle Dwight’s house to hang out with Chandra. They had talked to Donna Rice—Belinda and Chandra’s older sister—and her twin daughters using a webcam.
Mia felt hot tears prick the backs of her eyelids when she thought about Donna. Her cousin had died, along with her husband, Grant Rice, in a horrific head-on collision when a drunk driver swerved across the road and collided with their car. Earlier, after their daughters had been born, Grant and Donna had named Belinda and Grant’s brother, Griffin, as legal guardians to Sabrina and Layla. Ironically, Belinda and Griffin eventually married and were now the parents of three children with the birth of their son, Grant Rice II.
Mia chided herself for becoming depressed when she should have been looking forward and not reminiscing about the past. As a doctor, she’d experienced the miracle of life and the finality of death. But she didn’t want to become so far removed from the cycle of life that she became indifferent. She was a scientist and a realist, but she was also empathetic—sometimes too empathetic to be a good doctor, she thought.
Stretching her body across the window seat, she closed her eyes, willing her mind to go blank. She’d begun meditating, on the advice of her roommate, who’d shared a two-bedroom apartment with her in downtown Houston. Mia found the exercise calming, and it left her feeling balanced. As an only child she’d grown up pampered and protected. But as she matured, what most people would consider protected and indulged she thought of as being smothered. Even when she’d gotten her driver’s license, her mother had arranged to have a chauffeur at her disposal. Of course her friends loved sitting in the back of the limo pretending they were out on the town.
What they couldn’t understand was that Mia wanted to do things normal girls did: hang out at the mall, have sleepovers, go to the movies, flirt with boys and attend high school football and basketball games. But for Letitia Eaton, her daughter’s sleepovers were catered affairs, and Mia’s sweet sixteen was comparable to a high society wedding.
The clock on the fireplace mantelpiece chimed the hour, and she opened her eyes. It was nine o’clock, time to get up and face the first day of a new year.
Mia had showered, shampooed her hair, made the bed and put the bedroom in order when she skipped down the staircase to the first floor. Dressed in a pair of tailored black wool gabardine slacks, a cashmere twinset and a pair of leather ballet-type flats, she walked into a large kitchen to find Selena with three women, all of whom were talking at the same time.
“Good morning.”
The trio turned to look at her. Recognition dawned on the face of Selena’s mother. With the exception of the gray strands in her hair, Selena was a younger version of Geneva Yates. Even without a formal introduction she knew the eldest woman was Kenyon’s grandmother. He hadn’t inherited her coloring, which looked like aged parchment, but he did have her cool gray eyes. Her silky, silver hair was fashioned in a bun on the nape of her long, elegant neck.
“Good morning,” came a chorus of female voices.
Selena approached Mia, pulling her into the kitchen. “I didn’t expect you to be up this early.”
“Whenever I wake up, I usually get up. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the luxury of sleeping in late.”
“Maybe if you had a husband you’d have an excuse for staying in bed,” Lily Yates mumbled loudly.
“Grandma Lily!” Selena and Geneva said in unison.
Lily, a tall, slender, raw-boned woman, waved her hand in dismissal. “Don’t ‘Grandma Lily’ me, because you know exactly what I’m talking about.” Her eyes narrowed when she stared at Mia. “You’re not going to worry much longer about that, because I see you getting married.”
Geneva put down the wooden spoon she’d used to mix a batch of cornmeal. “Grandma Lily, please stop. You’re scaring Mia.”
“No, she’s not,” Lily countered, “even though she looks like she would blow away in a strong wind. No, Geneva. This young girl don’t scare that easily. Do you?”
“No ma’am.”
Lily clapped her hands. “See, I told you.”
Geneva gave her mother-in-law a disapproving look. “Please don’t start with you seeing visions.”
“Why is it everyone else believes me when I see things, but you don’t, Geneva? The only time you ever listened to me was when I told you not to marry that good-for-nothing triflin’ Jimmy Pritchett. Of course he ended up just where I said he would. In prison! But, then you redeemed yourself when you married my son.”
“Mama.” It wasn’t often that Geneva referred to her mother in-law as Mama. But when she did, Lily knew she was upset with her. “Don’t forget that we have a house guest.”
Lily shoved her hands into the patch pockets on her bibbed apron. “Must you be reminded that Mia is family, not a houseguest. In fact, she will…” Her words trailed off before she predicted what she’d seen in the vision that had flashed in her mind.
“She will what, Grandma?” Selena asked.
“Never mind,” Lily mumbled under her breath. She’d learned over the years there were some things better left unsaid. “Mia, can you cook?”
The question caught Mia off guard. “A little.”
“I can see that, because you’re skinny as a rail. Sit down and I’ll fix you something to eat.”
Mia’s gaze shifted from Lily to Selena, who nodded, then back to Lily. “Thank you, Miss Lily.”
“None of that Miss Lily business. Call me what everyone calls me. Grandma Lily.” She said Grandma as if it were a grand title, like Your Highness or Mr. President. Lily Masterson-Yates was proud of her grandmother status, and now at seventy-six she was looking forward to the birth of her great-grandchildren.
“Can I perhaps help out with something? I’m not very hungry.”
Selena reached for Mia’s hand, directing her to a round oak table in the dining nook of the expansive kitchen. “We were all going to sit down and eat breakfast before we start cooking.”
“What about Xavier?”
“He’s still in bed. So is everyone else. The men probably won’t get up until it’s time for the football games. Then you’ll have to blow them out of the family room to sit down to eat. Dinner will last about three hours—sometimes four, then everyone retreats to the family room to watch a movie or sleep it off.”
“How many bedrooms do you have in this house?” Mia asked.
“Six, not counting the one in the attic. Then there’s my grandmother’s apartment in the converted garage. I’ll give you a tour after we finish cooking. By that time everyone should be up.”
“I’m not the world’s greatest cook, but at least I can help with something.”
“How are you with slicing and dicing?”
Mia smiled. “I know how to use a scalpel.”
Throwing back her head, Selena laughed loudly. “Should I be afraid of you?”
“Nah! If I was going to go after someone I’d use a gun rather than a knife.”
Selena’s eyebrows lifted a fraction. “You know how to use a gun?”
“Girl, please. I’m from Texas. I can shoot the cap off a longneck thirty feet away.”
“Well, damn!” Selena drawled.
“There will be no talk of shootin’ ’round here,” Lily called out. “It’s enough I have to see my son and grandson carrying guns like they were attached to their bodies.”
Mia leaned closer to Selena. “She heard that?”
“My eyes aren’t as sharp as they used to be, but there’s not a darn thing wrong with my ears,” Lily said sharply.
“Would you prefer I carry a slingshot instead, Grandma?”
All gazes were trained on Kenyon as he strolled into the kitchen. Mia hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until she felt slightly light-headed. Kenyon was dressed entirely in black: T-shirt, jeans and thick black socks. He wasn’t wearing a belt, and the waistband on his jeans rode low on his waist. He also hadn’t bothered to shave, and the stubble on his lean jaw enhanced his blatant masculinity. His cropped black hair lay on his scalp without a hint of curl.
Lily glared at her grandson. “You don’t need to be sheriff.”
Kenyon ignored what had become his grandmother’s mantra, approached her and swung her up off the floor as easily as if she were a small child, kissing her cheek. “Good morning and Happy New Year, Grandma.” He released, then kissed Geneva. “Good morning, Aunt Gee.”
“Don’t you dare pick up me,” Selena warned as Kenyon came toward her. She rested her palms over her belly in a protective gesture.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt the baby.”
“What baby!?” Geneva gasped.
Selena affected a sheepish expression. “I’m still not sure. I want to wait until the end of the week to make certain.”
Geneva’s hand shook as she placed it over her mouth. She was expected to become grandmother of twins in another three months, and now the announcement that her daughter could be pregnant had shaken her normally unflappable composure.
“Why wait?”
Selena exhaled an audible sigh. “I don’t have a choice. It’s not as if I can wade through two feet of snow to buy a pregnancy kit.”
“I have a kit.”
Turning slowly, Kenyon stared at Mia. He’d thought her single, but now there was the possibility that she might be carrying another man’s baby. “Do you also suspect you’re pregnant?”
Mia felt a shiver of annoyance and embarrassment flood her body. If she was or wasn’t pregnant, it still was none of Kenyon’s business. Why, she thought, was he so interested in her personal life? “No. I am not pregnant. But I always carry a kit in my medical bag.” She felt a modicum of redemption when he managed to look embarrassed at her come back.
“Sorry about that,” he mumbled.
“Apology accepted.” Mia winked at Selena. “Do you or don’t you want to know?”
Geneva nodded her head like a bobblehead doll. “Say yes.”
Selena stared at her grandmother. “Do you want to know, Grandma Lily?”
Lily sat on a stool at the cooking island. “Take the test, Selena.”
“You already know, don’t you?”
“Stop badgering your grandmother and take the damn test,” Geneva spat out.
Selena jumped as if she’d been struck by a sharp object. She’d never known her mother to be so testy. “Oooo-kay,” she drawled. She sighed at the same time she blew out a breath. “Let’s go, Dr. Eaton. You just got your first patient.”
Mia gave Kenyon her best saccharine grin. “Kenyon, I need you to do something for me.”
Inky-black eyebrows lifted questioningly. “What is it?”
“I’m going to need you to help me get to my car. My medical bag is stored in a locked compartment under the hatch.”
She’d made arrangements for two drivers, one driving her SUV and the other a rental, to leave her car in Matewan. They were instructed to drive north to Charleston, leave the rental at the airport and take a return flight to Houston. If she hadn’t had to attend Denise’s wedding in Philadelphia she would’ve made the thousand-mile drive by herself.
