скачать книгу бесплатно
Rod nodded. “Yes, Olivia. It’ll all work out, don’t you worry.”
Rachel had no idea what they were talking about, and felt like an intruder.
“Rachel’s…”
“Here,” Rod interjected.
Mom G. shifted her gaze and Rachel stepped forward. “I’m right here.”
“She’s all grown up, Rod. All grown up.”
Rachel savored the motherly words, tucking the tender feelings they evoked away in her heart for safekeeping.
Rod grinned. “That she is, my dear. And a doctor, to boot.”
The praise in Rod’s voice pleased Rachel.
For a brief space of time, Rod and Mom G. silently communicated. Rachel watched, growing decidedly uncomfortable. The look in Rod’s eyes as he gazed at Mom G. was more than affection.
He loved her.
A funny ache throbbed within Rachel’s chest.
She refused to call it yearning.
But even if it was, she wasn’t stepping off God’s chosen path for her life. No matter what the cost to her heart.
Wanting to give Mom G. and Rod some privacy, and needing a moment to cool her thoughts, Rachel went to the window. The dew on the needles of the pines glinted in the sunshine like little teardrops.
“Rachel, would you mind getting me a cup of coffee?” Rod asked.
“Not at all.” Rachel headed for the door, grateful for the task.
“Cream and sugar,” Rod called after her.
She stopped at the nurses’ station and smiled at the four nurses who bustled about. “Where could I get a cup of coffee?”
“I’ll get you one,” said a red-haired nurse who looked vaguely familiar.
“Do I know you?” Rachel tried to remember where she’d seen the striking woman.
The nurse smiled. “My name’s Jamie. You were in my older brother’s class. Bob Forbes.”
“Okay, I remember him.” She smiled back, remembering the red-haired boy who’d been the class clown.
“I’ll be right back with your coffee, Rachel.” Jamie walked away.
“Cream and sugar, too, please,” Rachel called after the retreating nurse.
It was strange being in a place where people knew her. Not the doctor she’d become but the girl she’d been. That girl was gone, replaced by the professional woman who knew exactly what her life was meant to be. Giving hope and health to those who needed it. She never pretended to think she could save their minds or their souls. That wasn’t her calling.
But their bodies she could fix by making sure the care in the E.R. was better so no one else would needlessly lose a mom. Yet a wave of helplessness swept through her. The one person most important to her needed her skills as a doctor and she didn’t know how—She cut that thought off abruptly. She’d find a way to help Mom G. She had to.
Dr. Kessler came down the hall. “Dr. Maguire.”
She tensed. “Doctor.”
“I was hoping to see you before I made my rounds. We found some chaparral tea.”
“Good.” It may be a long shot but it was all she had.
“You realize the use of this tea is only effective when used regularly over a period of time.”
She shot him a hard glare. She didn’t need the reminder that time was an issue. “I’m well aware of the situation, Doctor.”
She gritted her teeth against the gentle, pitying look in his eyes.
“Here you go.” Jamie sailed up and handed her a disposable cup. Steam billowed from the milky, brown liquid.
“Thank you, Jamie. Doctor.” She headed back to Mom G.’s room. She opened the door and slowly walked in, hovering just inside the room. Her throat tightened. Rod leaned in close to Mom G., still holding her hand. They talked in quiet tones. Rachel stepped back, intending to give them more time, but her elbow bumped the wall, making a dull thud. Rod glanced at her, and the corner of his mouth lifted before he turned back to Mom G.
Rachel continued forward. As she approached the bed, she heard Rod say, “I will do my best, my dear. I promise.”
Mom G. nodded. “We have to try.”
Rod stood. “Here’s Rachel, back just in time. I have to take off, but I’ll return this evening.”
“Your coffee.”
“Thank you.” He took the cup and walked from the room.
“Such a nice man.” Mom G. stared after him.
“He is.” Rachel lifted a brow. “You and Rod have become close. You never said anything in your letters or phone calls.”
Mom G. smiled slightly and a blush brightened her pale cheeks. Rachel laughed, loving the life shining from Mom G.’s eyes. If only she could hold on to that.
“Where’s Josh?” Mom G. asked.
Rachel sat in the chair. “He said he’d be here.”
Mom G. took her hand. “I’m going to rest until he arrives. Please wake me.”
“Of course.”
Mom G. closed her eyes. Rachel listened, thankful Mom G. breathed easier than she had earlier, but she couldn’t shake the fear Mom G. might not reawaken.
Dropping her head onto the side of the bed, Rachel squeezed her eyes shut. Lord, Your word says to count it all joy when we fall into various trials. This sickness is a trial that affects so many people. Mom G., Rod, Josh, me. Where’s the joy, Lord? Show me, teach me. I don’t understand.
The low beeping of the machines, combined with Mom G.’s soft breathing, lulled Rachel’s senses. Heart heavy with concern, she allowed herself to rest.
Josh pushed opened the door to Mrs. G.’s hospital room and stepped in. He stopped short when he saw Rachel sitting in the chair, her body bent forward and her head resting against the blue covers of the bed. He could see the steady rise and fall of the blankets over Mrs. G.
They were both resting. He started to leave, but found himself staring into Rachel’s crystal-blue gaze. She straightened and her black hair brushed loosely across her shoulders. She wore the clothes he’d seen her in yesterday. She hadn’t left and he doubted she’d had more than a few moments of rest.
She blinked several times. “Hi,” she said softly.
She sounded young and vulnerable, more like the girl he’d known. His heart twisted with longing. He pushed the unwanted emotion aside and told himself he felt sympathy for her for what was to come. Nothing else. “Where’s my dad?”
“He left.”
Josh frowned. “We came together, but he sent me to get coffee for him.”
Rachel smiled ruefully. “With cream and sugar.”
“Yes.” He smiled and held out one of the cups in his hand. “I brought you one, too.”
She stood and took the cup from him. Her hands shook slightly.
“Have you eaten?” He didn’t appreciate the sudden need to take care of her.
“No.” She sipped from the coffee cup.
He watched her press the cup to her mouth. He remembered kissing those lips so many years ago. Remembered her soft, pliant mouth beneath his, the way she’d felt in his arms.
Angry at the unwanted course of his thoughts, he averted his gaze. “You shouldn’t drink that on an empty stomach. Why don’t we go to the cafeteria and get some breakfast?”
She shook her head. “She wanted me to wake her when you got here.”
Even though Mrs. G. lay a few feet away, being this close to—this intimate with—Rachel troubled him. It was too easy to remember the past, to remember how he’d once loved her, how she’d looked at him with love in her blue eyes. Too easy to remember that she’d wanted to be a doctor more than she’d wanted to be with him. And being a doctor had changed her. The woman standing before him set his nerves on edge.
“I’ll let you do the honors.” He took her cup and set it, along with his own, on the side table.
Rachel lay a hand on Mrs. G.’s shoulder. “Mom G., Josh is here.”
Mrs. G. stirred. Her eyelids fluttered.
Josh’s chest tightened. Mrs. G. had been such a godsend to him and his family. They’d kept in touch after Rachel left town, and when Andrea died, Mrs. G. had insisted on keeping Griff while Josh had dealt with the funeral arrangements. Then she’d insisted on continuing to care for his son while he worked. She’d become the grandmother that Griff needed.
And now they were losing her. Josh didn’t know if his heart could take much more loss, and he worried what the loss would do to his son.
Mrs. G.’s eyes opened fully and she smiled weakly. “Thank you, Josh, for coming.”
Josh moved closer. “Of course I’m here. I’ll always be here,” he said softly. From the corner of his eye he saw Rachel glance at him.
“We’re both here, Mom G.,” she said softly.
Mrs. G. lifted her hand from the bed and held it out. Rachel immediately wrapped her own hand around Mrs. G.’s.
“Josh.” Mrs. G.’s intent was clear. He hesitated before he slowly lifted his own hand and placed it over Rachel’s. He kept his gaze trained on Mrs. G. and ignored the cool hand beneath his palm.
“I need a promise from…you both.”
He glanced at Rachel. Her gaze met his. The wariness in her eyes reflected his own. Whatever Mrs.G. wanted, they would do everything in their power to make it happen.
As if she’d heard his thoughts, Rachel nodded imperceptibly and turned to Mrs. G. “Yes, of course, we’ll promise you anything.”
“Of course.” Josh murmured his agreement.
His brows drew slightly together as he met the older woman’s gaze. A mischievous glint twinkled in Mrs.G.’s eyes. Josh dismissed it as a trick of the light. Then she said, “Promise me that you two will take care of each other when I’m gone.”
Josh stilled. Mischief nothing, the woman was bent on matchmaking! And he’d just given his word he’d do anything for her.
He hoped that wasn’t a mistake he’d come to regret.
Chapter Four
Dismay sat heavy on Josh’s chest, but he saw the fledgling hope in Mrs. G.’s expression and determination set in. He would do anything it took to fulfill her dying wish.
Hers would be one grave he wouldn’t stand over with regret.
His gaze slid to Rachel. A slow red stain spread over her cheeks. She shook herself, glanced at him with wide, panicked eyes and then began to sputter, “Mom G. I…can’t—You can’t possibly expect…”
Josh tightened his fingers around Rachel’s.
She ignored him. “We can’t make a promise like that.”
Josh applied more pressure. “Rachel, we can do this,” he said with deliberate slowness.
Her head snapped toward him, her expression thunderous. “What?”
He was not going to argue with her in front of Mrs. G. It was bad enough that she was balking. He refused to subject Mrs. G. to the tempest that was about to explode. Because, like it or not, he was going to make sure she agreed. He couldn’t let her live with the kind of regret that plagued him. He lifted Rachel’s hand away from Mrs. G.’s. “We need to discuss this outside.”
Rachel stared at him mutinously. “There’s nothing to discuss. It can’t be done. I live thousands of miles away, Josh.”
He smiled tightly at Mrs. G. “We’ll be right back.” He tugged on Rachel’s hand. She pulled against him but finally stood and jerked her hand from his grasp.
“Fine,” she snapped, her expression softening as she looked at Mrs. G. “You’ll be okay?”
Mrs. G. blinked. “Of course.”
Rachel strode out of the room. Josh watched her go. She’d become quite a formidable woman. He normally chose to defuse confrontational situations long before they came to a head. That skill made him a good manager of the forestry team he was responsible for. But he found a part of himself looking forward to seeing the sparks fly, to being a part of the controlled energy that was Rachel.
Filled with anticipation, he winked at Mrs. G. before following in Rachel’s wake, confident he could manage her.
Rachel’s head was going to explode. Anger raged, pounding at her temples. She couldn’t make such a promise. She wouldn’t lie to Mom G. How dare Josh even consider promising something he had no intention of fulfilling?
She rubbed at her temples, trying for a calm that was proving elusive. She could control her emotions. She was a doctor, a professional, standing in a hospital corridor, after all. She wouldn’t cause a scene.
