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Tina
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Tina confided to Doc the next morning. Lying there next to him, soaking in the warmth of his body, was the only time when everything made sense. Beyond his arms, her world was pure chaos.
His hand gently stroked the length of her spine, providing the soothing comfort that enabled her to speak from her soul.
“Obermachers have lived and worked that land for over four hundred years. I can’t imagine it in the hands of a developer. The thought makes me ill.”
Yet there didn’t seem to be any other option. Rick had them so far in debt that they’d never dig themselves out. If they didn’t sell out, they’d not only end up losing the land, but they’d be destitute as well. Or as Rick had suggested, worse.
“I can’t help but feel partly responsible. I knew Luther was shady. I mean, I didn’t trust him with my personal finances. Why did I stand by and allow my brothers to trust him with the family business?”
Sure, she’d been outvoted three to one, but it wasn’t the first time they’d teamed up against her. She should have fought harder. She should have demanded to see the books on a regular basis or at least insisted on an independent audit every year.
The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. The tears came, unable to be kept back any longer. Doc didn’t tell her to stop. He didn’t ply her with false platitudes. He just held her and stroked her back, letting her get it out of her system.
“I’m sorry. It’s just ...”
“I know,” he said quietly.
“And what about everyone who works for us?” she asked. “Do you know how many people are going to be out of work? It’s not like Sumneyville has a lot of job opportunities. Some of them have been employed by Obermacher Farms since they were old enough to work.
“You know what the worst part is?” she asked, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. Farming was in her blood. She loved what she did, but the physical demands were hard on her body.
“Part of me is actually relieved that I won’t have that responsibility anymore. I feel like a traitor. Like a rat fleeing a sinking ship.”
“You’re not,” he assured her.
“I feel like it though. That land has been so good to me. To my family. Not being able to work it anymore is one thing, but seeing it destroyed is going to kill a part of me inside.”
Doc hummed slightly and then tapped her lightly on the backside. “Get dressed.”
“What’s the point?” she asked, punctuating the question with a sniffle.
“The point is, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Who?”
“Get dressed, and you’ll find out.”
Reluctantly, Tina pried herself away from Doc, immediately feeling a sense of loss. “Can’t we just stay in bed? I’ll make it worth your while.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “Tempting, but hold that thought. Go on now; get dressed. I need to make a phone call.”
Doc smiled when she pouted. She didn’t know what he had in mind, but he seemed determined to introduce her to someone. After everything he’d done for her, it was a small ask.
Minutes later, they were in Doc’s Jeep, heading away from Sanctuary.
Surprisingly, the first stop he made was at The Mill.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“Creating a gift basket of your finest products.”
“Why?”
“Jeez, you ask a lot of questions. Just trust me, okay?”
How could she not?
They walked around the store, picking up items as they went. Since it was off-season, most of the products were canned or preserved in some way. They gathered mead, cider, and an assortment of jams, jellies, chutney, and jars of peaches in various flavors.
Ten minutes later, they were on the road again, heading south of Sumneyville.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Pine Ridge.”
“Who’s in Pine Ridge?”
“Maggie Callaghan. She owns a farm there.”
The name was vaguely familiar.
“When I was younger, my grandparents used to take me to a farm in Pine Ridge, but I knew it as the Flynn farm. Of course, that was probably twenty-five years ago. There was a girl there named Maggie. She was a few years older than me. I think she was their granddaughter.”
Tina had always liked Maggie. They’d bonded almost instantly over an intense dislike of doctors. From what she remembered, Maggie had had her share of health issues, too. Those homeopathic remedies Maggie’s grandmother used to make were just as effective as the medicines the doctors prescribed—plus, they had far fewer side effects.
Her father hadn’t approved, however, and when he discovered where Lottie had been taking Tina on their weekend drives, he had put a stop to it.
“Might be the same one. Callaghan’s her married name,” Doc told her.
“And we’re going to see Maggie because ...”
“Because she might be able to help.”
For a few moments, Tina wondered if Doc had discovered her secret. He was a medic after all, and her symptoms had been flaring as of late. She’d been explaining them away, citing her recent bout with the flu, stress, and long hours, but it was only a matter of time before he figured it out—if he hadn’t already.
“Help how exactly?”
“From what I understand, Maggie was in a similar situation. She almost lost her farm to developers.”
Tina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Things were going so well with Doc, and she didn’t want to ruin it. Did she really believe he would see her differently if he knew about her autoimmune disease? No, but then again, she hadn’t believed her brothers would lose the farm either.
She would tell Doc everything. Eventually.
“I don’t see how anyone can help at this point.”
He gave her a mysterious Mona Lisa–like smile but said nothing.
Tina didn’t ask again, choosing instead to enjoy the moment. It was a beautiful morning, the drive to Pine Ridge was scenic, and she was with Doc. If he wanted her to listen to what Maggie had to say, she’d listen.
The Flynn farm wasn’t as she remembered it. Some things seemed familiar. There was the traditional, old farmhouse, but it looked to be in much better shape than the last time she’d been there. The once-detached garage was now connected to the main house with a glass-paneled breezeway. Flower boxes adorned the wraparound porch, and the yard looked professionally landscaped.
Like Obermacher property, the land sloped away from the main house in a series of rolling hills and semi-flat plateaus, creating a patchwork of fields. Off in the distance, she heard the comforting purr of powerful farm tractors doing their thing. The thought that she soon might not get to hear those again was a depressing one.
Though twenty-five years had passed, Tina recognized Maggie as soon as she opened the door. Curly dark-red hair, brilliant green eyes, and a smattering of freckles. Time had been kind to Maggie. Unlike years earlier, she was the picture of health.
“Tina Obermacher! It’s been a long time.”
“It sure has,” Tina agreed. “You look fantastic.”
“Thanks! I feel fantastic.”
Tina couldn’t help but wonder if Maggie’s grandmother’s remedies could be credited or if there was some other reason for the change. Either way, she thought it would be rude to ask.
“And you must be Doc,” Maggie said. “Please, come in. Michael is in the kitchen. I just pulled some bear claws out of the oven.”
The delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the foyer. “It smells wonderful.”
“I’ll send some back with you. I always make too many, and heaven knows, I don’t need the temptation,” Maggie said with a laugh.
“Oh, here. I brought you some things from The Mill.” Tina handed her the basket.
“These look amazing!” Maggie said, pulling out a jar of spiked peaches. “I can’t wait to try them. I’ve been meaning to take a trip up there. I’ve heard great things about what you’ve been doing, and I was hoping maybe you’d share some tips. Our pears and apples do well, but from what I’ve heard, our stone fruits don’t compare to yours.”
“Of course,” Tina said, wondering if this was the reason for their impromptu visit.
Perhaps if she shared some of her knowledge with Maggie, Maggie would apply it to her orchards and be willing to sell enough of her yield with Tina to keep The Mill running.
“How are your grandparents?” Maggie asked as she led them into a large, cheery kitchen. “Are they still around?”
“My grandmother is. My grandfather passed quite a few years ago now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. They’re good people. Your grandmother was a firecracker from what I remember.”
“She still is,” Tina told her, hoping Maggie didn’t inquire about other things, too.
Thankfully, if Maggie remembered the reason for those frequent visits, she was kind enough not to bring them up.
“Tina, Doc, this is my husband, Michael,” Maggie said, introducing them to the tall, handsome man in the kitchen. To Tina, she mock whispered, “He’s a doctor, but try not to hold that against him.”
Tina grinned. It appeared she and Maggie had something else in common. They were both attracted to men with medical training, which seemed kind of ironic since they’d once bonded over their mutual dislike for the field.
The dark-haired man smiled. Just the slightest hint of silver frosted his temples, but it only added to his good looks, especially with those brilliant blue eyes.
“Tina, it’s good to meet you,” he said, offering his hand and then repeating the gesture with Doc. “I believe you know my brothers.”
Doc nodded. “Ian and Jake. They’ve been very supportive of Sanctuary.”
“It’s a great thing you’re doing,” Michael said.
“And that’s George,” Maggie said, waving her hand toward the ancient-looking basset hound in the corner, looking mighty comfortable in his therapeutic doggy bed. He lifted his head and offered a wag of his tail. “Don’t mind him. He only moves when he has to these days.”
They exchanged pleasantries while Maggie offered them coffee and bear claws, which were every bit as delicious as they smelled.
“So,” Maggie said after a while, “Doc tells us Obermacher Farms is in a bit of a pickle.”
That was an understatement. With Doc’s gentle encouragement, Tina gave them a high-level overview of the farm’s current situation. She didn’t go into detail, simply saying that her brothers had made some bad investments and because of that, the farm would be placed up for auction among developers.
She had to accept that, but it hurt, and it was impossible to keep the emotion completely out of her voice.
Maggie nodded and reached over to pat her hand. “I know how you feel. I came close to losing this place, too. In my case, it was because of shady financial shenanigans and local political corruption.”
Well, that certainly sounded familiar. Tina looked at Doc, but his hazel eyes gave nothing away.
“Thankfully, that was right about the time Michael came into my life,” Maggie continued, “and he and his brothers worked miracles.”
“How so?”
“Shane is a brilliant lawyer. He did a deep dive into the township’s case, which was based on sketchy rezoning and tax requirements. Anyway, he found some substantial holes that got me off the hook and several township officials in hot water.”
“Oh.” Tina tried to hide her disappointment.
Their situations weren’t so similar after all. Legal loopholes didn’t exist for bad investments and illegal arms deals.
“Of course, the deal with the Celtic Goddess didn’t hurt either,” Maggie said and then went on to explain. The deal had allowed Maggie to retain ownership of her land and contract out huge parcels to the restaurant in exchange for exclusive rights to the fresh organic produce the farm yielded.
To Tina, it sounded like the ideal solution. Maggie was getting paid for someone else to farm her land. That was far more palatable than stripping the soil and building high-end condos.
“I’m really glad everything worked out for you.” Tina summoned a smile even though her heart felt like it was breaking. “We caught a glimpse of the fields as we drove in. They look great.”
“The Goddess does a good job. They’re serious about sustainable farming and use only the best. Plus, they’re supportive of the community. We host school field trips, promote pick-your-own events, and even run a haunted hayride in the fall.”
“It sounds wonderful.”
“It is, and the best part is, I can be as involved as I want. Admittedly, having kids really changed my priorities.”
“You have kids?” Tina asked.
“Two boys. They’re hanging out with their cousins today or I’d introduce you. Would you like to take a walk? I can show you some of the things we’ve done.”
“I’d love to,” Tina said honestly.
As they walked along, Maggie told Tina about some of the things they’d tried and what had proven most successful. Farming, especially produce farming, was something Tina could talk about for hours on end. Most people tended to get bored quickly when she did, however, so she curbed her enthusiasm and kept her answers short and relevant.
Maggie seemed keen to continue talking though and asked lots of questions about Tina’s experience, especially when it came to hybrid grafts and some of her more unusual products. Apparently, Maggie was something of a mad canner, too.
As they went on, the men fell farther and farther behind.
When Tina thought it was safe to do so without being overheard, she asked, “I wanted to ask ... do you happen to have any of your grandmother’s old recipes?”
“All of them,” Maggie said with a chuckle. “Did you have something particular in mind?”
Tina glanced behind them, finding the men engrossed in a discussion of their own. “A couple of things actually, but the one I’m most interested in is for joint pain.”
Maggie’s eyes softened. “I wondered if you still had issues with that. Does Doc know?”
“No. No one does, outside of immediate family.”
“It must be incredibly hard to keep something like that a secret.”
“Not as hard as you might think,” Tina said.
She’d gotten quite good at hiding it over the years. Not having close friends or a social life made it easier. Even her brothers assumed she’d “grown out of it” or at least it had lessened in severity. But Doc ... it was much harder, keeping it from him.
“He loves you, you know,” Maggie said suddenly.
Tina stopped abruptly, her heart hammering in her chest. “Why would you say that?”
Maggie stopped, too. When Tina looked at her eyes, they seemed to be swirling, just like Maggie’s grandmother’s used to. Some people said she was a white witch; others simply said she was gifted healer. Tina’s visits to the Flynn farm had ceased when those rumors reached her father’s ears.
“Trust me, I can tell,” Maggie said. “He’s the one for you, and you, for him.”
“He’s a good man,” Tina said carefully.
Maggie looked back at the guys, then looped her arm through Tina’s, and gently urged her forward. “Do you know what a croie is?”
When Tina shook her head, Maggie explained, “Think of it as a soul mate. Michael is mine. I think Doc is yours.”
Tina didn’t know what to say to that, but Maggie wasn’t finished. “Let me ask you this. Does he seem protective of you? Do things for you for no apparent reason?”
“He showed up at my doorstep and took care of me when I had the flu. And he gives these amazing massages ...” Tina paused. Was it possible? Could Doc actually feel as strongly about her as she did about him?
“And you,” Maggie continued, the swirls in her eyes moving faster now, “do you think about him all the time? Feel different when you’re with him?”
Those questions were easily answered. Tina nodded.
“There you go. Croies.”
Tina wanted to believe her. She really did. But things were complicated, and Tina didn’t trust her own feelings. She said as much to Maggie.
Rather than be deterred, however, Maggie nodded emphatically. “Exactly! It’s no accident that Doc came into your life at this particular time. You’re meant to be together.”
Maggie was so earnest. But as wonderful as that sounded, she was too much of a realist to start believing in fairy-tale endings. She and Doc were still in the early phases of their relationship, and there was the potential to be so much more, but she wasn’t going to jinx it by making assumptions that could end up breaking her heart.
“You’ll see,” Maggie said with confidence. “But to answer your earlier question, I’ve continued my grandmother’s practice. I can make whatever you need.”
“But you said your husband is a doctor.”
“He is. A brilliant one.”
“How does he feel about your homeopathic remedies?” Tina asked, managing to stop herself before she used some of her father’s more derogatory names for the teas, balms, and poultices.
“He’s come to terms with it. I’ve accepted that modern medicine can be beneficial in certain instances, and he’s accepted that natural alternatives can be effective. I can give you some tea today that I think will help, but the poultices will take a little more time to pull together.”
“There’s no hurry. I can come back another day—as long as you don’t mind.”
Maggie’s eyes were doing that swirling thing again. “No, I don’t mind. I really enjoyed our visit today, and something tells me we’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other in the near future.”