8

Cleared for takeoff, finally. My jeans and boots trumped that hospital gown big time. Armed with a list of dos and don’ts a mile long and a blood pressure prescription, I waited for my uncle to pick me up. My whole body longed for my home. I needed to be in the prayer garden behind the inn. I wanted to kneel at the benches on the gazebo and try and make sense of this crazy man living inside my head. I kept having that crazy dream where my mother said she’d never leave me. But she had. I just didn’t understand. The prayer garden my parents built together, where we’d spent so much time as a family, would surely give me a sense of peace.

The door opened, but it wasn’t Toppy. I’d only seen her once before. Phoebe Waverly. She posed as if in a photo shoot while the door swung shut behind her. “Scott, oh, my, bless your heart! Has it been just awful?” She clasped her hands to her chin and posed again.

I didn’t even know her, except as the woman who’d caused Bailey a lot of trouble and then helped her in the end.

“I’m all right, just leaving, actually.” I was already in a precarious state with Bailey. If she came in and found Phoebe here, oh, man. I scanned the room for an escape route.

“Is that any way to treat your new employee? I declare.” She sat down next to me, a little too close.

“What?” I scooted to the end of the couch. “I don’t understand.” I stood and inched toward the door.

“I dropped by the diner to visit poor Bailey. I had a terrible fall there, by the way.” She lifted her skirt to reveal bandaged knees.

No wonder she fell. You could kill somebody with those shoes.

“Sorry about that, but what do you mean new employee?” I opened the door. I thought I might have to bolt without hearing an answer, because she came toward me like a moth to the flame.

She put her hands on my shoulders. “Why, your uncle said he could use some help, so I volunteered. I just came by to see how my boss fares in the hospital.” She squeezed my shoulders.

I backed out the door. “I’m going home today, so extra help isn’t necessary. Thanks for the thought, but we won’t be needing you.” My boots scooted down the hall with the clicking of her heels close behind.

“But I was told I could start today. The truth is, well, I’m in between jobs just now and could use the money. You won’t fire me before I even get to start, will you?” Tears.

Ordinarily tears would trip me up. Not today. I didn’t know if she told the truth or not, but I couldn’t fathom that Phoebe at West House would be OK with Bailey. Had Toppy really hired her? “Listen, Phoebe, I’ll speak to my uncle about it. He’ll be here any minute to take me home. I’ll give you a call.” I stopped at the nurse’s station for reinforcements. Where was Mom?

“That’s more like it. I’ll just wait with you.” She leaned against the counter.

The nurse looked up from her paperwork with wide eyes. “I was just about to bring a wheelchair to your room for your exit ride, Mr. West,” she said to me, but looked at Phoebe.

“I don’t need a wheelchair.” Come on, Toppy, get here.

“I’m afraid it’s hospital policy. You have to ride to the front door in a wheelchair.”

“Look, Phoebe, you run along. I’m fine, and I’ll give you a call after I talk to Toppy.” What if Bailey came along with him?

“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll wait.” She crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter. “Oh, just the man we wanted to see.”

Toppy walked up. “Ready?” he asked, but his questioning eyes were on Phoebe.

“Yes,” I said, but before I could squirrel him away for a discussion, Phoebe pounced.

“Scott doesn’t quite seem to believe that you’ve hired me. Go on, tell him I start today.” She stepped close to Toppy and put her hand on his shoulder.

“Well, uh, yeah.” His normally pale skin blushed crimson. His words seemed to choke him.

“Still, Phoebe,” I tried to sound authoritative, “I’ll be there now, and we really don’t need the extra waitress.”

“All right, then. But that brings me to another reason I came to see you. I don’t think I’m suited for waitressing anyway. Perhaps something in management might be available?”

Laughter chuckled from my throat. “Phoebe, we’re a mom and pop establishment. I do all my own paperwork. Thanks for your interest, but there really isn’t anything for you now.”

“You don’t think...” Toppy started.

“No. I don’t. See you later, Phoebe. I’m anxious to get home.”

An angry scowl flushed across her face. She clicked away but with a limp she didn’t have before. She dabbed at tears and slapped the front door of the hospital open. Not a pageant exit, but dramatic nonetheless.

Toppy opened his mouth to speak.

I shook my head. We’d talk about it on the way home. “If I have to ride in a wheelchair, could you just let me go from here? I don’t have to go back to my room, do I?”

“I don’t think that’s a problem. Here you go.” The nurse wheeled a chair around the station. She helped me get seated and positioned my feet and then rolled me to the front door with Toppy following behind.

“You’ve forgotten your things. I’ll just grab them and be right back,” the nurse said and left me alone with my uncle.

An uncomfortable silence hung between us. It might be unfair for me to deny this good man the extra help. He, actually everyone in my life, had changed their schedule to help me out. But Phoebe Waverly? Not a chance.

The nurse returned and handed my bag to Toppy.

“Mr. West, that bouquet of roses. Don’t you want to take them home?”

The roses. Such an abandoned and neglected effort. Too many hard feelings were associated with them. Melissa meant well, but it just didn’t turn out the way either of us had hoped.

“Please give them to someone who doesn’t have any.” Maybe the flowers would accomplish something for someone else.

“Thank you. I’m sure I can find someone who needs cheering up. Goodbye, Mr. West. Take care.” She turned and rolled the chair back inside.

Once in the car, I started in on Toppy. “I don’t know what made you think that would be OK. I’m sure Bailey must not like the idea.”

“It’s just that she needs help. My gut, or rather, the Holy Spirit, nudged me in that direction. I know it doesn’t make sense, and you’re right, Bailey didn’t like it. She did agree to pray about it, though.” He sighed as he steered the car onto the highway.

“I’m having a hard enough time keeping things right with Bailey. I do have respect for your reasons, but it’s just not going to happen.” I’m in charge again. I’d appreciated everyone’s help, but I was back at the helm.

“I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first. You know, I just thought about how your parents helped people who wandered into the diner. She just seemed to need help.” He bounced his thumbs on the steering wheel.

“I get that, but now is not a good time. Let’s drop it. I can’t wait to get home.”

He pressed his lips together and nodded his head.

I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and texted Bailey.

Bailey, Phoebe is not coming to work for me. She came by to see me, but I let her know it wouldn’t work out. Be home soon.

I relished the thought of taking up where we’d left off, but without the fractured heart I’d let mar our happiness before I’d hit the concrete. I anticipated a smooth landing back on Exit 477, back in my domain, wedding plans in full swing, and getting on with my life.

“Swing me by that flower shop on Main. I want to get something for Bailey.”

My uncle didn’t answer, but just drove to town. He stayed in the car while I popped in and bought a small autumn bouquet recommended by the florist. Bailey would love that.

My cell phone buzzed a text from Bailey.

I can’t wait to get you home! Let’s don’t nix Phoebe yet. We’ll talk about it when you get here. I love you!

What?