Tessa's Gift

“Oh, you’ve brought Rufus!” Her mother bent down to politely pat his ears, and Rufus grunted a greeting.

She knew her mother found her choice of canine companion odd, but at least she didn’t criticize him like Paige did.

“Everyone else is in the dining room. We were just waiting for you before we started.”

“Sorry if I’m late. I had to swing home and pick up Rufus after work.”

“Oh, that’s no trouble, darling. You know we keep ourselves entertained. How was your day?”

Tessa recognized the hesitation in her mother’s tone. Her family was relieved that she had left her job at the animal shelter for something more distinguished. But they were still baffled because she hadn’t told them the real reason behind her radical decisions from the year before. They’d given up asking since she’d stubbornly refused to share any details. But she knew they worried about her. They were all hopeful this new job was the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. She didn’t quite see it that way. Her life, her hopes for the future, would never be what they once were. But she, too, was hopeful for some kind of new beginning.

“Do you think we should lock Rufus on the patio while we eat?” her mother suggested. But the question came too late. Molly and Zoe had caught sight of him and were emitting girlish squeals of delight as they descended on him.

Rufus woofed and wagged his tail at the attention. Tessa had to smile as the girls knelt down to scratch his ears. He flopped onto the floor and rolled onto his back, inviting them to scratch his belly.

The rest of the family greeted her, but she couldn’t help noticing how Paige eyed Rufus’s presence with pursed lips.

“Tessa, we weren’t aware you’d be bringing the dog.”

Tessa shrugged. “He was home alone all day. I didn’t feel it was fair to leave him while I came over here.”

“Well, perhaps he’s not the right pet for you, then. After all, with this new job, you’re bound to be working some late hours. How is it going?”

“Slow down, Paige.” Their father, Allan, held up a hand. “Give her a chance to sit down first.”

Tessa was relieved for the intervention. She unclipped Rufus’s leash as the girls continued to pet him, pausing to offer them both a kiss on the head.

“Zoe,” Paige chastised, “that’s enough playing with the dog.”

Zoe reluctantly stood. She sneezed and wiped the back of her hand across her nose.

“Now go wash your hands. No wonder you can’t get rid of that cold with all the germs you pick up.”

“I’ll go with her,” Tessa offered. “I should clean up anyway.” She took her niece’s hand, unconcerned about the germs, and led the way to the bathroom. They took turns at the sink as Tessa asked questions about her day. Zoe sneezed again as they finished up.

Tessa’s medical training kicked into gear, and she felt her niece’s forehead. “Let me check your lymph nodes, munchkin.” She felt around Zoe’s neck, noting her lymph nodes were slightly enlarged. “You’ve had this cold on and off for a few weeks now, haven’t you?”

Zoe shrugged. “Mom says I need to wash my hands more.”

“Well, that certainly can’t hurt,” Tessa agreed. “Has your mom or dad taken you to the doctor?”

Zoe nodded. “They gave me annie botics.”

“Antibiotics?”

“Yeah. Annie biotics.”

Tessa smiled. “Okay, then. I hope you start feeling better soon, kiddo.”

She took her niece’s hand again as they made their way back to the dining room. Dinner proceeded as it usually did. She, Harper and Connor talked about mutual friends in town, along with how the restaurant was doing. Her mom chimed into their conversation occasionally while Paige and her husband, Weston, discussed current events and business with their dad.

Molly and Tessa’s mom chatted about school and summer plans, but Tessa couldn’t help noticing that Zoe remained relatively quiet, only poking at her food instead of eating it. No one else seemed to pick up on Zoe’s strange mood, but then again, Tessa had always had a special bond where Zoe was concerned.

At one point during the meal, she was able to stretch her leg under the table and knock Zoe’s foot with her own. The six-year-old looked up, startled, and met Tessa’s gaze. Tessa winked, and Zoe grinned. She experienced some relief at the sight. Zoe had lost one of her baby teeth a month ago, and there was still a small hole where her adult tooth hadn’t quite filled in yet.

Tessa leaned back as she finished the last bite of her dinner, feeling full and a little sleepy after the long day. Rufus had loyally curled up next to her chair, and she reached down to pat him as a reward for his quiet behavior during the meal. As she straightened, Connor stood and cleared his throat.

Around the table, everyone’s attention shifted to him.

“I made something special for dessert since today, Grace turns three months old.”

Tessa felt a tug in her chest. Her eyes fell to Harper, who was cradling her infant daughter in her arms. A stab of jealousy struck her directly in the stomach, decimating any desire for dessert, no matter what delicious dish Connor had cooked up.

“And I just wanted to take this opportunity to say how thankful I am to be part of this family. As you know, my mom died when I was still a lad, and my father’s been gone for several years now...” Connor trailed off, his Irish accent more pronounced as his voice filled with emotion. Harper used her free hand to reach out and grab Connor’s.

“Aye, well.” He sniffed. “I am a very blessed man.” He looked down at Harper with a smile that was achingly sweet. “I have a loving, supportive wife. And I never thought I could be so lucky as to have two gorgeous daughters.” He winked at Molly before his eyes came to rest on Grace, who slept like an angel in her mother’s arms.

“So before I bring out dessert, I just wanted to offer up an Irish blessing.” He reached for his glass and raised it. The rest of the family followed suit, except for Zoe, who yawned and leaned against Tessa’s side.

“May your troubles be less,” Connor said, “and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.”

The rest of the family voiced their agreement with these words and drank to little Grace and all the blessings of family.

And while Tessa sipped from her water glass right along with them, she couldn’t help feeling removed from her family’s joy. Because how could she share in their happiness when the one thing she’d always wanted—a biological child of her own—could never be hers?

* * *

NOAH SCANNED THE common area of the assisted care facility for his father-in-law. He found him by the window, staring out at the courtyard. Noah felt a moment of hope that his father-in-law was aware of the beauty of the day. But as he approached, his wishful thinking dissipated. There was no awareness in the other man’s eyes. Only a blank, unseeing stare.

“Hey, John,” he greeted, dropping a hand onto the other man’s shoulder and squeezing by way of greeting. “How are you today?”

John said nothing. Not that Noah had expected him to. The stroke had rendered him catatonic.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Noah said. “Why don’t we go outside?”

Since John could neither agree nor protest, Noah took hold of the wheelchair and navigated the older man into the courtyard. When they were outside, he made sure to tuck the blanket tightly around John’s hips. The spring weather was pleasant, bright with sunshine and only a very mild breeze, but Noah knew how quickly his father-in-law could become cold. He pushed him around the concrete walkway until they reached the opposite side of the courtyard, where a bench awaited. He parked John beside it and sat down.

“I see the daffodils are blooming,” he remarked. “I know those have always been some of your favorites. There are several planted along a walkway at the hospital, and whenever I see them, I think of you.” He drew a breath. “You’d love the landscaping there. In fact, you’d probably keep the staff tied up for hours, telling them facts about different flowers. I remember the first time we met, and you kept me out in your garden forever, just talking about plants. I was so petrified to be meeting Julia’s parents that I hardly said two words, and you just kept talking about soil acidity and compost techniques.” He chuckled softly at the memory.

John kept staring straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to the beauty of the day as well as Noah’s conversation. Noah sighed, humor evaporating, and leaned back on the bench.

“Speaking of the hospital—they’ve brought on some new marketing coordinator. Her name’s Tessa. She and I are supposed to work together to elevate the hospital’s reputation and my role there.” He made a face even though he knew John wouldn’t register it. “Can’t they see it for the distraction it is? My focus is patients, not publicity. That’s what they hired this Tessa woman to do. Let her worry about garnering public awareness and leave me to do my job.”

He stood and started to pace. “The first time we met, she made me spill my coffee all over myself. I had to go back home to change, so I was late getting to the hospital. And then she tried to tell me how I should talk to my patients.” He shook his head. “In any case, it’s not my job to worry about publicity. My patients need my undivided attention. All it takes is one wrong judgment call, one distraction, and it could cost a child their life.”

He stopped suddenly, the weight of these words settling around his heart, reminding him of Ginny. He sank back onto the bench. John didn’t so much as twitch, and for that, Noah was grateful. He would give anything to restore his father-in-law to awareness, but that was a selfish wish.

He envied John his ability to block out the world and the memories of all they had lost. How pleasant it would be to forget, to be blissfully ignorant of the disease and death that had stolen all that he loved most in this world. And while it might have been nice to speak with the other man once more, Noah thought it was better this way. Let John have his catatonic peace. It was the only thing left to him. At least Noah still had his battle with the disease that had taken his daughter...and, indirectly, his wife. It was a distraction, but it was rarely enough to silence the guilt and grief completely.

“It doesn’t happen often,” Noah whispered, “but sometimes, I’ll get so involved with a patient that I forget. I forget how I lost her. In some ways, I wish it happened more.” He closed his eyes, letting the sun warm his face and fighting back tears. “Is that wrong, do you think? That there are moments I just want to forget? Not forget Ginny or Julia, really, but just to have a bit of respite from the grief?”

He opened his eyes. “But I suppose it is wrong. My memories are my punishment. I don’t deserve to forget, do I? Why should I when I’m still here and they’re gone?”

He swallowed. “There are days when I hate Julia for doing what she did. And there are other days when I envy her. I wish I’d been able to find the courage to do the same thing.” He paused. “But that’s not right. I’m here because I have to make amends. I need to save the others even if I couldn’t save Ginny.”

The burden of this confession overwhelmed him. It brought no relief to speak it aloud. John’s eyes had slipped closed, and Noah wasn’t sure if he was asleep or simply resting. It didn’t matter. He prayed that John had peace now, even if Noah didn’t. That would have to be enough.

* * *

THE DAY AFTER Tessa’s first interaction with Dr. Noah Brennan, she purposely avoided him. She knew Ana wanted them to work together, but she wasn’t up to dealing with the man’s disapproval. She used her morning in other ways instead, writing up several grant applications on the hospital’s behalf and getting a start on the email campaign she had in the works.

Tessa kept the door to her office closed, and to her relief, Ana didn’t pop in to check on her. She liked her new boss, but she didn’t need more pressure where the hospital’s all-star doctor was concerned. By noon, however, Tessa was ravenous. She’d had no appetite that morning, so she’d skipped her early walk with Rufus and hadn’t had her tea latte. Before heading out the door, she’d grabbed a tea bag, and later found a crumbled packet of crackers, two mints and a sealed snack bag of gummy bears that she kept for Zoe and Molly in her purse. It had made for a poor breakfast, and now her stomach was rumbling so loudly she feared the sound of it would draw Ana to her anyway.

By 12:07, she knew she had to give up and venture to the hospital commons. She hoped she wouldn’t run into Ana and have to answer questions as to how she and Dr. Brennan were getting on. She grabbed her wallet, peeking her head out of the office before she made a dash for the main lobby of the hospital and then followed the walkway to the atrium that housed the commons cafeteria.

It was peak lunch hour, and the tables were filled with visitors, nurses, doctors and other staff members. Feeling like the new kid at school, Tessa got into the line and waited, scanning the area for free seats. She could always take her lunch back to her office, but it would be far easier to hide out here, with so many people. Tessa had noticed that Ana often worked through her break, so it was probably safer to be out of her office at the moment.

Once she had her chicken Caesar salad and fruit cup, she looked for a place to sit. She perked up when she saw a small table with only one other occupant. She headed in the direction of the vacant seat, hoping the diner would be willing to share their spot. She was nearly upon the table before she recognized the person sitting there.

Dr. Noah Brennan. She stifled a groan. Then again, if she wanted to keep this job, maybe she should make an effort to get to know him a little better. As she was working up the courage to sit, he looked up and met her eye. She forced a smile, the decision made for her. “Mind if I join you?” she asked, gesturing with her head to the empty seat.

His expression didn’t change, nor did he respond for what felt like a full minute. But then he dipped his head, and she moved forward to slide into the vacant chair.

“Thank you,” she offered. They were both silent for a few minutes.

Tessa picked at her salad, realizing her appetite had disappeared. She felt awkward and miserable and again marveled at Dr. Brennan’s utter lack of people skills. How were they going to work together when they couldn’t even sit at the same table without the atmosphere becoming uncomfortable?

She put her fork down and shifted to face him.

“I feel like we got off on the wrong foot,” she said. “I’m sorry about how I spoke to you yesterday and for what happened at the Lighthouse Café.”

He didn’t respond, but she noticed something in his posture, an easing of the shoulders, so she took it as a good sign and continued.

“I adopted Rufus—that’s my dog—a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still training him.” She smiled at the thought of her pet. “Rufus has a good heart, but sometimes he gets a little too excited...especially when food is involved.” She chuckled to herself. “You should have seen him at the animal shelter where I worked. He always knew when feeding time was getting close. I swear, that dog has an internal clock. If we were one minute late getting the food to him, he would start barking to remind us.”

She smiled at the memory. Rufus had been overlooked because he was a little homely and he seemed gruff. But the truth was, he was the sweetest dog she’d worked with during her time at the clinic. It was why she’d taken him with her when she left.

“You worked at an animal shelter?”

Dr. Brennan’s voice was so unexpected that it took a moment for it to register that he’d spoken.

“What? Oh. Yes. I mean, I did. Before I got this job.”

He cocked his head, and she felt compelled to justify her experience.

“I worked there for a little less than two years. Before that, I was a pediatric nurse at a physician’s office.”

Dr. Brennan pushed his plate aside and looked at her. His eyes were a dark gray, “storm-tossed,” as she’d read in a novel once. She was struck again, as she’d been in the coffee shop, by how handsome he was.

“That’s quite a shift, from pediatrics to pet care,” he said.

His gaze was curious, and his interest rattled her.

“Not just pet care,” she corrected. “The animal clinic also assists abused animals and finds foster placements. In fact, that’s a large part of what they do.”

He continued to eye her with curiosity. “Still, what caused you to make a change like that? Unless...it wasn’t your choice?” he prompted, arching one eyebrow.

She frowned at his implication.

“It was my choice,” she said firmly. “I had a...crisis of faith, I guess you could say.”

It was the truth, without revealing the details. He waited a beat, then when she didn’t elaborate, he looked away...but not before she witnessed a flash of some emotion in his eyes.

“I see,” was all he said.

She poked at her salad again. “Anyway, after I left pediatrics, I took a step back and decided to work with animals. Then I saw this job opening. During college, I spent summers working at my dad’s investment firm as a marketing intern. I even worked there after college for a few months until I moved to Findlay Roads. I had the qualifications for this kind of role, so I thought I’d give it a shot. And here I am!” she awkwardly declared, her voice too loud on the last few words.

She speared a piece of lettuce and forced herself to take a bite.

“How about you?” she asked in an attempt to be conversational.

Dr. Brennan’s head whipped back in her direction but he said nothing.

“How did you end up here?” she asked.

Instead of replying, he stood and gathered up the remains of his half-eaten lunch. She swallowed, the lettuce sticking in her throat.

“The same as you. I gave it a shot. Here I am.”

The clipped reply struck her harder than it should have. She was obviously being dismissed. She felt the sting of rejection. She had only been trying to build a bridge between them, since they had to work together.

She made one more effort to get past whatever dislike Dr. Brennan had for her.

“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?”

He tossed his wadded-up napkin onto his tray.

“No.”

The denial did nothing to reassure her.

“Dr. Brennan, I have apologized for yesterday, but if I have done something else to offend you, I would prefer you tell me. Like it or not, we have to work together, and I think it’s best if we make an effort to get along.”

He fixed her with a cool stare, but she refused to be cowed by him. She stared right back.

“I’m here to do a job,” he said, “and distractions like marketing are detrimental to the care of my patients. I understand we need to work together, but you and I don’t have to be best friends in order to do that. We’re both professionals, and I expect we can manage just fine on that level.”

Her cheeks were flaming with embarrassment and anger by the time he was finished. She had never met anyone so presumptive, so arrogant. She stood to her feet, as well, disliking how he still loomed over her.

“I suppose we can,” she returned, keeping her own tone cool, “but I’ll remind you that the very definition of ‘working together’ implies cooperation. I haven’t been here long enough to see how you run your department, Doctor, but you don’t strike me as much of a team player. So may I remind you that a medical community is just that—a community. We rely on each other, elevate each other and encourage one another. But especially, we work hand in hand to provide the best care possible to our patients. You say marketing is a detriment to your job, but you can’t care for those kids without help from others. You are not their one and only savior. Therefore, I’ll expect you to be an active participant in whatever scenario I present you with.”

He blinked, looking surprised. She didn’t blame him. She’d shocked herself with that little speech. She wasn’t naturally a forceful person. In her family, that was usually Paige. And, if pressed, maybe Harper. But never Tessa. Apparently, Noah Brennan had brought it out of her.

“The next time I see you, Dr. Brennan, I hope you have a very different attitude than the one I’ve seen thus far.”

She picked up her lunch tray, and with one last glance at Noah Brennan’s startled expression, she turned on her heel and left.

CHAPTER FOUR

“THANKS, DIANA,” Tessa said as she slipped Rufus’s monthly flea and tick meds into her purse. She’d stopped in at the clinic after work, using the errand as an excuse to check in with her former coworkers. Her week with Dr. Brennan had been rough, making her miss the simple joy, albeit accompanied by hard work, of dealing with four-legged patients.

Diana came around the counter to kneel down and greet the bulldog. He wiggled his behind in greeting.

“Sure thing, honey. I’m glad you stopped in. We’ve been wondering how you’re doing at that new job of yours.”

Diana reached out to drag her famously long nails across Rufus’s spine. He groaned with pleasure.

Tessa thought about Dr. Brennan and their most recent altercation. She liked her job, but she wasn’t sure about the pediatric oncologist. The man was perplexing, leaving her emotions in a tangle. His self-righteousness was irritating, but she couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to him than that. The way he’d spoken about hope... She’d been unable to get the words out of her head.

Do you know what hope is? It’s a disease.

The idea made her shudder. Not only because of the heartbreaking defeat it promoted but also because it made her certain Noah Brennan must have suffered something truly devastating in his life. How was she possibly going to deal with him over the course of the next year? And would she ever be able to win him to her side?

“Tessa?”

She snapped to attention.

“What?”

Diana frowned at her. “I asked how the new job was going?”

“Oh. Right.” She cleared her throat. “Um, good. I’m working on a bunch of fund-raising ideas right now to present to the hospital board.”

Diana beamed. “Good for you, honey. We all knew you’d do all right.” Diana originally hailed from the South, and despite having lived in Findlay Roads for twenty-plus years, she still carried a slight twang when she spoke.

“Thanks. I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

Rufus jumped up on Diana, placing his paws on her knees in a bid for attention. She reached down to scratch behind his ears.

“How are things here at the clinic?” Tessa asked.

Diana made a face. “Well, we’re understaffed as usual, sugar. Alexis up and quit without notice last week.”

Tessa furrowed her brow. “Really? I thought she loved working here.”

Diana waved a hand in dismissal. “She did, but her boyfriend decided he’s moving to New Mexico, so she’s going with him.”

Diana had a penchant for gossip, and she filled the next twenty minutes with details on Alexis’s sudden departure, along with several other items of interest. Tessa listened politely but didn’t add anything to Diana’s dialogue. She’d learned that it was best to just let Diana talk, and eventually she’d run out of things to say.

Fortunately, this happened sooner than expected when a mom and her little boy stepped into the clinic, and Diana was forced to assist them.

The mom began chatting with Diana, but her son honed in on Rufus immediately and asked if he could pet him.

“Sure,” Tessa agreed. The boy looked to be around ten, and something about him reminded her of Kyle Miller, one of the hospital’s leukemia patients. He had the same smattering of freckles across his nose. “He likes to have his belly rubbed,” Tessa suggested, and hearing these words, Rufus obligingly sprawled out on the clinic floor and rolled over.

The boy laughed and knelt down to run his palms up and down Rufus’s abdomen.