4

The color drained from Bailey’s face.

Her mother winced.

The rasp of my own clearing throat jangled my nerves.

Mrs. Brown, who probably didn’t want me to call her ‘Mom’ anymore, left the room.

Greg took his cap off and held it in both hands, as though someone had just died.

“We’ll catch you later, Boss.” Todd grabbed his brother’s arm and backed them both out of the room.

I really needed a drink of water right then. Words wouldn’t come to save my life. The atmosphere in the room became thick with the inevitable mistakes I’d make trying to smooth this over. I searched my brain for something to make this all right again.

“Scott?” Her tear-filled eyes alarmed me.

How could I have hurt her this way? I found my voice. “Bailey, I’m sorry, so very sorry. It was over so long ago that it never occurred to me to even mention it. She hasn’t even crossed my mind in years. She means nothing to me, nothing. I had no idea she’d moved here. Can you ever forgive me?” If I could just get my arms around her.

A tear dropped down her cheek. She looked at her engagement ring and then closed her eyes. A deep sigh slumped her shoulders, and then she looked at me. “It’s all right, Scott. I understand. When you get better we can talk about it.” She rose to leave.

“Why can’t we talk about it now? There’s really nothing to talk about anyway. You mean everything to me, Bailey, don’t you know that? End of story. Can’t we just put it behind us?” Maybe I could just get up and hold her for a minute if I could just push myself toward the edge of the bed.

She put one finger on my chest and pushed me back down. “Oh, no, you don’t. Lay back down. I guess you’re right. We’ll put it behind us. You just get better.” She patted my arm with the affection of a dead fish. “I’ll check on you later.”

Her tense eyes and fake smile let me know it was far from behind us. She just wouldn’t deal with it while I lay in the hospital.

I’m not a stupid invalid. My regret turned to anger. I had to get out of there and prove to her that she was the only woman in the world for me. “Bailey, don’t leave! I’m fine. It won’t hurt me to talk about it. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” Please, God, I can’t stand that pained look on her face. My anger and frustration energized me. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and attempted to stand. The IV jerked my arm back.

“Scott, you can’t do that. You might’ve pulled it out.” She pushed the call button on the bed rail. “I need someone to come and check this patient’s IV.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Bailey, it’s no big deal. I just want to hold you.” Sitting up that way gave me the chance to see my reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. My hair resembled the result of an electric shock. Graying stubble covered my pale face, and I was still in that ugly hospital gown. Knowing how I must look to her left me limp. What’s the use? She didn’t believe me and felt sorry for me. Could things get any worse?

Melissa Murphy rushed into the room. “Scott, are you all right?” She pulled off the tape and examined my arm. “You’ve pulled it loose. Hold on a minute.” She pushed the call button and asked for supplies.

“You’re in good hands now, Scott, I’ll check on you later.” Bailey didn’t look at me as she spoke, and barely nodded at Melissa as she left the room.

A young nurse brought in the supplies, and Melissa repositioned my IV and taped it down. She checked my blood pressure and temperature. Melissa finished her fiddling with everything. “You two dancing in here? How’d this happen?” She glanced at my chart and then adjusted the drip flow from the IV bag.

“I was just trying to get up.” If I didn’t get my own clothes, a comb and toothbrush within the hour, I’d pitch the mother of all fits.

“Your pretty fiancée didn’t seem very happy. She must be really worried about you.”

“Too worried. She acts like I’m an egg about to break. Mad at me too and won’t talk about it. She thinks I’ll croak or something.” I let her help me swing my legs back onto the bed. She tucked the covers in around me.

“Let me guess. You never told her we were once engaged.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Still such a guy.”

“And what else would I be? No offense, but I haven’t thought about you in that way in a long time. It just never occurred to me to mention it to her. I can’t believe she’s so upset.” My dry throat strained my last nerve. “Water. Can I get some water, please?”

“Old news, yes, but to a woman it is definitely significant news.” She handed me a fresh cup of water. I drained it.

“I apologized, and I figured she wanted the details, but she wouldn’t let me tell her. She’s treating me like I’m sick or something.” I held up the cup for more water.

“Duh, you are a sick person. You have to give yourself some time. Besides, she loves you and wants to cluck over you. Be glad.” She produced a little gasp. “I know! Send her some flowers. Want me to call them in for you?”

She picked up the phone next to my bed. Without even giving me time to think about it, she called the hospital flower shop and ordered a dozen red roses.

A good idea, but I could have done it. Melissa still knew how to take charge. Such a headstrong woman.

“I heard her say she’d be checking in on you tonight. Won’t she be surprised to find roses waiting here for her? Things will be fine, don’t worry. Just don’t make excuses. Tell her what a shrew I was and that you sent me packing.”

A shrew? A handful, that’s for sure. I chuckled and it hurt my chest.

“What are you laughing about? You know it’s true. I was a selfish, spoiled brat, and arrogant as well.” She sat down.

“If memory serves, and don’t be offended, I was more interested in just having a girlfriend. I don’t remember having a down-on-one-knee moment with you.” I risked making her mad again, but I might as well get it out in the open.

She laughed, nodding her head. “You’re right. We just said things like ‘when we get married this’ and ‘when we get married that’. Young and clueless.”

I didn’t exactly mind the conversation, but what if Bailey came back? Wouldn’t be good for her to find Melissa laid back for a chat.

“I didn’t think of you that way.” I tried to smooth my hair. “You just wanted more than I was prepared to give you at the time. You thought I had no ambition, remember?” The memory of that argument surfaced.

“Hindsight showed me that you just had confidence. You knew what you wanted, which was to stay and work with your parents. I just couldn’t make myself fit into that.” She crossed her arms and grinned at me.

“You wanted to go away to school in Dallas. We just went our separate ways. It wasn’t meant to be.”

“You remember it with much more grace than I deserve. I seem to remember kind of bullying you. You’re so much like your mother, always believing the best of everyone.” She took a comb from the pre-packaged hospital amenities and began to comb my hair.

I could do it myself. Precarious at best without a mirror, but no way could I let Bailey come in and find Melissa touching my head. I took the comb from her.

She folded her arms looking down at her feet. “I was too big for my britches, as my Grandpa used to say. I thought of myself as the next Florence Nightingale. Working with real patients has mellowed me a bit. The presence of true suffering has made me cling closer to the Heavenly Father.”

“I hear you. You seem to have found your calling.” Better not mention Dr. Harkin again. There was something there. Definitely.

“Your Bailey seems to be much like your mother. Beautiful inside and out.”

“She’s every bit as wonderful and then some. Things began to change for the better the day she took the Washout Express exit.” I’d do anything if Bailey would just walk back in that door.

“I’m glad. Those roses will be here in an hour. Surely that will help.” She turned to leave. “Do not do anything else to pull on those lines, and you owe me for those flowers.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” I saluted her with my free hand as she left. Maybe the flowers would help. Bailey might not like that Melissa ordered them, but if it came up, I would tell her the truth.

No more secrets from that woman, no sir.

~*~

Scott was engaged before? A little headache started right between my eyes, complete with shooting stars. I managed to put one foot in front of the other until I collapsed on the couch in my mother’s office.

Mom stuck her head in the door. “Want to be alone?”

“Not necessarily.” I motioned her to come on in.

“Coffee?” The answer to that question was always ‘yes,’ so she headed for her cabinet. I waited for her to comment on the bombshell Scott, or rather, Greg, had just dropped in my lap.

“You OK?” She glanced my way as she worked with coffee cups and sugar packets.

“I don’t know. I haven’t processed his heart attack yet, much less an engagement I didn’t know about. It’s kind of a shock. I feel sort of paralyzed. We’ve been so close. I can’t imagine why he didn’t tell me about her. I’ve told him everything.” The little headache marched to a throb.

“A glaring oversight, I’d say, but I’m sure it doesn’t diminish his feeling for you in any way. I wouldn’t worry about it.” Mom handed me a hot cup of coffee and sat beside me with hers.

“I suppose you’re right. Of course you are. I should be ashamed of myself.” I took a sip.

“Why?”

“He apologized pretty passionately, but I sort of brushed him off. I told him we’d talk about it when he felt better. In his condition, I should have been more charitable. He doesn’t need more stress.” My heavy sigh rippled waves across the hot coffee.

“You’re right about that. But he also doesn’t need to feel like an invalid. I’ve seen men go through stages after a heart attack. Denial, anger, fear. His ego will be pretty sensitive for a while.” She slipped a comforting arm around my shoulders.

I answered with another sigh and leaned into her arm. My headache began to command more of my attention. I’d just have to think about Melissa Murphy later. I decided to call and check on the diner. My hand touched my wedding planner as I reached into my purse for my cell phone.

The wedding. Another little explosion sent my headache to blinding status. The word ‘postponement’ weaved in and out of the little pain stars that floated before my eyes. I pulled the planner into my lap. Tears would not help the headache, but they came anyway.

“Bailey, I know what you’re thinking. There’s every reason to believe that Scott will be able to stand up just fine in time for the wedding. Don’t cry, please, honey.” She took the planner and set it aside.

I reached for it like a lost treasure.

“No, stop. You need sleep, sweetie. No ifs, ands, or buts. Here, lay down.” Nurse mode and mother love combined to tuck me into comfort on her couch.

Two aspirin and a cup of water later, I managed to doze. Whispering awakened me. The blinding headache still tromped across my head, so I didn’t open my eyes.

“I didn’t know he hadn’t told her. Honestly, Gwen, I had no idea. Don’t be mad at me, please? Don’t look at me that way.” Toppy’s voice.

I opened one eye.

Mom stood with the door opened just wide enough for Toppy’s head to partially stick through.

Toppy’s whispering escalated. “I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything. They’ve got bigger fish to fry than this little tadpole of a problem.”

“From a woman’s point of view, it does mean something.” Mother crossed her arms and took a step back.

“Well, I don’t see any reason for it to come between us, Gwennie.” He pushed his way farther into the room and reached for her hand.

She took another step back.

Was I dreaming? Us? They acted like sweethearts having a tiff. The headache must be causing my brain to play tricks on me. I opened the other eye.

My mom uncrossed her arms and took his hand. “I suppose you’re right. I just hate seeing her like this. Our focus should be on getting Scott well.” She pulled him into the room and closed the door behind him.

He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her.

The top of my head sprouted wings and lifted off. I bolted upright. “Oh!” My hand flew to my mouth.

Mother and Toppy looked in my direction with identical, mortified expressions.

Did Scott know about this? Had I been so preoccupied with my wedding that I didn’t see it coming? Apparently so, because they’d kissed, and it obviously was not the first time. Focus, Bailey. I willed my head to settle back on my shoulders. I suppressed the desire to giggle by keeping my hand-covered mouth firmly closed.

“Uh, gotta go,” Toppy said backing quickly out the door leaving my mom alone to answer my questions.

I didn’t even know where to begin.

She just stood there wringing her hands.

“I don’t know what to say. Hadn’t had a chance to tell you, we, um,” she began. Her face rivaled the color of Toppy’s hair.

Poor thing. She deserved to be happy. Of course! I couldn’t think of anyone I’d rather have her be with than Scott’s uncle Toppy. Nothing else made any sense that day, but my mother in a relationship with a sweet, godly man like Toppy made all seem right with the world.

I stood and rushed to her. “Mom, no explanation necessary. I think it’s wonderful. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

She fell into my outstretched arms.

“Every time I visited you over the last few months and took a respite at the prayer garden, he joined me there.” She took my hand, and we walked back to the couch. “I guess he’d see my car pass the diner. We prayed together, and then our conversations grew more intimate. I care for him quite a lot. We just didn’t want to take anything away from your special time. We planned to wait until after your wedding to make it public.”

“Oh, Mom, that isn’t necessary. It makes me happy to know it, and I’m sure Scott would be thrilled. He doesn’t know, does he?”

“Not unless he’s more observant than you,” she teased poking me in the side.

“I know, totally clueless. But I’m glad. Please don’t keep it a secret on our account. You’ve been such an amazing Mom, putting your life on hold to take care of me. I don’t want you to wait another moment if you’ve found happiness.”

“Well, that’s a relief. Not that I thought you’d mind, it’s just that we wanted to let you two shine. It’s been hard keeping it a secret, though.” She fanned her flushed cheeks.

“No more secrets.” Well, if that ugly ‘postponement’ word became a reality, maybe there’d even be a double wedding. That thought eased my growing anxiety about the precarious state of my wedding day.

“Let’s not make a big deal out of it until we get Scott on the mend.” Mom’s silly grin charmed me.

“I hear you. It’s a bit crazy right now.” My thoughts turned to visiting Scott, and how much or little to discuss about Melissa or our wedding. The glow in my mother’s eyes softened my heart. I’d nearly lost the love of my life. No point in staying upset over something that happened long before he met me.

Mother looked at her watch. “It’s getting late. I’m going home. You should too. You’ve been here since yesterday. Scott needs a good night’s sleep, and so do you. Things will look better in the morning.”

We both took a cleansing breath, expelling the stressful day.

I’d just go give him the kind of kiss that would let him know everything was all right. After Mom left, I headed to the hospital.

Dr. Harkin was leaning against the nurse’s station looking over charts.

“Hi, Dr. Harkin. How’s Scott?”

“Scott is doing pretty well.” His tone expressed genuine interest in my fiancé. He wore a lavender shirt under his scrub coat, and his hair stood on end like a baby’s bottle brush. Must have had a long day.

“Do you know Melissa Murphy?” He looked down and clicked his ball point pen over and over.

What an odd question. Or maybe his hushed tone and nervous clicking made it seem odd.

“I just met her today. She seems nice. I’ve invited her to come out to Exit 477, where Scott’s diner is. She’s familiar with it, I understand.” I regretted the sarcasm in my voice. I wasn’t upset about it anymore. I just needed to process it.

His eyes widened, and he ran his fingers through his rooster hair making it even messier. Was there an interest in his assistant that went beyond professional?

“You should come with her. We have Bible study at the diner on Sunday mornings. Very informal. Well, it’s on hold probably this week because of Scott, but I’m sure we’ll start back up again soon. You’d both enjoy it.”

The smile on his face and a slight blush rising on his cheeks told me what I suspected just might be true.

“Who teaches the Bible study?” he asked clicking the pen again.

“Usually Scott or his uncle Toppy leads it. I haven’t met him yet, but there’s a truck driver slash preacher named Pastor Jack Weatherby who preaches when he’s in town.” Would I ever get to meet Pastor Jack?

“I’ll mention it to her. It’s hard finding time off to go anywhere, but I’ll make sure that Melissa is free to come sometime soon,” he said.

“Well, you come with her. I don’t mean to change the subject, but could you give me a little idea of what Scott is looking at in the way of treatment and recovery?” I stepped a little closer and looked into his eyes.

He put his hand on my shoulder. “Bailey, I really can’t discuss that with you now, but I can tell you that he’ll have to delegate his work load. His stress level is part of the problem. Sometimes, hard-working people don’t realize that it’s getting to them. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of stress management.”

“I’ve been telling him that almost from the first day I met him. He loves it, though. That’s why it’s so hard to slow him down.” How could I get my man to take a breather every once in a while?

“I’m headed that way to check in on him if you want to come along,” Dr. Harkin said.

“Good, maybe the two of us together can talk some sense into him about his workload.” Maybe professional reinforcements would carry some weight with Scott.

“I wouldn’t gang up on him, Bailey. He’ll be in a bit of denial and a little ego bruised for a while. Melissa will help him map out a plan. She’s very good at it,” he said.

Melissa. Well it was her job, but I wanted to be his helper. We walked to Scott’s room in silence as I mulled this over.

Scott’s door stood open, and we found him dozing.

“Room 339?” A woman with a huge bouquet of red roses appeared in the doorway. I nodded.

She smiled and stepped inside. “Roses for Melissa Murphy, from Scott West.”

Time for me to go home.