SH Medical 09 - The M.D.'s Secret Daughter

by Diamond, Jacqueline

  “And now you can’t find a good reason to turn it down?” he responded edgily.

  “That’s why I’m showing it to you!” Her temper flared, as well. “If Kimmie and I are moving I’d like to get settled before Christmas, and this place meets my specifications. Or it will when it’s cleaned. Once it’s advertised it won’t last more than a few days, so I have to decide quickly.”

  “How quickly?” he grumbled.

  “By Sunday.”

  Zack nearly blurted, “Turn it down.” But then what? There’d be no guarantee of finding another suitable place next month. If he insisted she stay, he ought to make a commitment at least until the end of the school year. Given the hospital grapevine, that practically amounted to a public declaration of their involvement.

  He wanted to keep on waking up in the same house, hearing Jan’s voice in the morning and inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Sharing meals, seeing how smoothly she corralled the girls for school and at bedtime. Talking things over with her. Enjoying the merriment on her face when they kidded around, the rush of warmth whenever she brushed against him. And for weeks he’d been longing to arrange another night alone.

  He couldn’t decide what step to take next. Not in his current mood. After tomorrow, no matter how the contest turned out, the pressure would be off and the two of them could discuss the future more sensibly.

  “Hold off till the weekend, will you?” Zack asked.

  She glanced down at the picture. “Okay. Do I smell like dog?”

  “A little.”

  “The place reeked of it.” She clicked off the phone.

  Curiosity pricked him. “When did you learn about this place?”

  “Monday.” Catching his startled expression, she said, “I didn’t want to say anything with the girls around. I kept putting it off and it slipped my mind.”

  No sense getting snarly over a minor omission. “It’s okay. But, Jan, no more surprises, please.”

  “I promise.” She leaned against him. “By the way, the girls are out of school tomorrow. It’s one of those teacher prep days. Kate volunteered to watch them and I thought that would be okay.”

  “She’s been very helpful,” Zack said. “We should return the favor.”

  “Good idea. I’m sure she and Tony would enjoy a night out.”

  As she snuggled against him it occurred to Zack that until Jan moved in, he’d kept track of the school’s schedule himself. He’d come to depend on her more than he’d realized.

  They functioned well together. He didn’t like to think about her moving out—not at all.

  * * *

  THE STAFF GATHERING WAS set for noon on Friday. The press and those who couldn’t attend could follow the proceedings via a live internet feed on the hospital’s website.

  That morning in her office Jan tried to review the latest state regulations affecting her program, but her mind kept drifting to last night. Zack had seemed displeased at the idea of her leaving. Afterward, they’d read side by side on the couch in companionable silence. He hadn’t asked her to stay, though. Perhaps it was time for a serious discussion.

  Long overdue, really. She disliked bringing up touchy issues, but avoiding them didn’t make them go away.

  They also needed to compare notes about the girls, who’d become increasingly secretive. This morning Jan had meant to drive them to Kate’s house, to ask Brady’s mom straight out what the children were planning. Then Zack had offered to play chauffeur, to Berry and Kimmie’s delight. Unable to speak frankly in front of them, Jan had suggested he have a friendly chat with Kate, and hoped he’d taken the hint.

  She emerged from her office at a quarter to twelve. Caroline had called in sick, while Cole, Melissa and Karen had already left for the auditorium. When the outer door opened and she spotted Zack, Jan’s spirits rose at the idea he might want to sit with her in public.

  Then she registered his scowl. “What’s wrong?”

  He glanced around before answering sharply, “I thought we’d agreed, no more surprises.”

  Jan searched her mind in vain. The morning had gone smoothly, as far as she could tell. “What do you mean?”

  “When I dropped the kids off, Kate mentioned how kind it was of you to help Dr. Forrest save her program.” Zack gestured in frustration. “You’re the one who proposed the business plan. And from what I’ve heard, practically drew it up single-handedly.”

  “That’s not true!” Well, not entirely. “Sam was helping with the brochure for donors and we got to talking about the center. I do have a background in business. I couldn’t refuse to help just because it’s inconvenient for you.”

  “And you saw no reason to mention this to me?” His low tone brimmed with anger.

  “I just...” Jan stopped. Why was she on the defensive? “It’s a worthwhile project, even if it is competing with yours.”

  “Every time I start to relax and feel like I can trust you, I get blindsided.” How well she remembered that judgmental tone.

  “Not everything in the world is about you!” Jan shot back.

  “I see.” Arms folded, Zack waited sternly. For her to apologize?

  It was on the tip of Jan’s tongue to do that, but it felt wrong. She wasn’t sorry she’d helped Dr. Sam. “Isn’t it time we went to the meeting?”

  “Yes, but...” Zack shook his head. “Nora Franco, who happens to be Kate’s sister-in-law, just asked me if it’s true you’re backing the counseling center over my grant project. You’ve made me feel like an idiot and embarrassed me in front of my colleagues.”

  “That’s not fair!”

  “Not from your perspective, obviously. Oh, what’s the use?” He swung around and stalked out.

  Jan held back. It would kindle even more speculation if they walked in together with tension snapping between them. Besides, she needed to marshal her thoughts.

  She understood his project meant a lot, and that her aiding the competition might feel disloyal. But was this how it would always be—Zack quick to assign blame, Jan questioning her values and perhaps even suppressing her instincts for fear of provoking him?

  That wasn’t her idea of a healthy relationship. And she disliked the prospect of Kimmie growing up believing a woman ought to clip her wings to maintain peace with a man.

  It hurt to think of leaving. Once she did that, they might never be truly close again. But no matter how much she loved Zack, putting distance between them might be the best thing.

  Her heart twisting, Jan hurried to the auditorium.

  * * *

  AS ZACK TOOK A SEAT in the nearly full hall, he supposed he should have saved his confrontation with Jan for later when they’d have more time. There was nothing he could do to change that now. As it was, he’d been one of the last to arrive at this critical event.

  Colleagues from the administrative and medical staff filled the tiered rows of seats in the wood-paneled room. On the stage Dr. T sat between Mark Rayburn and Chandra Yashimoto, vice-president of Medical Center Management Inc. Straight dark hair fell in a sharp slash just above the collar of her lavender wool suit. On the floor, her designer briefcase presumably held a symbolic check for a hundred thousand dollars.

  Zack’s fists tightened. He hated to think of so much money being wasted on a program that wasn’t likely to survive, no matter how many pie charts and rosy forecasts Jan and Samantha created. Meanwhile, he’d had two patients this week decline fertility treatments because insurance didn’t c
over them.

  Jan should have known better than to encourage Samantha. More importantly, she’d promised no more secrets between them, all the while keeping this one.

  The buzz of voices died as Mark took the podium. The administrator exuded a natural leadership Zack admired and wished he could emulate. Even after three years at Safe Harbor, he still felt like the new kid around here.

  “Welcome to the grand finale of the Hope Challenge.” Dr. Rayburn went on to describe the nature of the competition, the prize and the significant growth in the pregnancy rate achieved during the past nine months. Zack assumed this information, well-known to the staff, was primarily for the benefit of the press and public on the internet.

  “Now for my first announcement,” Mark continued. “There’s been some heated advocacy for a couple of charity proposals. I think it’s best for everyone if I remain neutral. Therefore I’m taking myself out of the competition and turning the meeting over to the head of our fertility program, Dr. Owen Tartikoff.”

  Zack released a low sigh of relief. Not that the removal of one leading contender guaranteed anything, but it didn’t hurt.

  The russet-haired fertility director sprang up, shook Mark’s hand and claimed the podium. “Hey, it’s great being up here. I love an audience. How’s everybody feeling today?”

  “Oh, get on with it,” demanded a male voice from the audience. Dr. Rod Vintner was one of the few staffers bold enough to take an occasional poke at the powers that be. Also, as an anesthesiologist, he had no stake in the results.

  “Hecklers will be shot, but okay,” Owen responded with a good-natured grin. “Now, as you’re all aware, I’ve been the front-runner for most of the challenge, but the gap has been narrowing. Also, my toughest critic—that would be my wife, Bailey—informs me I’m being unfair. First, my practice is limited to fertility patients, unlike most of yours. Second, although it was under my supervision, Dr. Zack Sargent actually performed some of the surgeries that led to pregnancies for which I got credit. So, like Mark, I’m withdrawing.”

  Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Zack could hardly swallow. Could he have won, after all? From the row below him, Paige and Nora gave him thumbs-up signs.

  “And since we’ve established the principle that some conceptions can be credited to more than one doctor, that bumps Zack up in the ratings. Now, without further ado...” Dr. T. paused for dramatic effect. “The winner of the Hope Challenge is...Dr. Cole Rattigan.”

  Sporadic applause greeted this announcement, along with some puzzled whispering. No one knew which charity the new head of the men’s fertility program favored. As for Zack, it took him a moment to accept that after the lift he’d felt on learning about the additional credits, he’d lost nevertheless.

  Or had he? Striding up to the podium amid belated applause, the urologist looked a bit dazed. Most likely he’d seen this contest as a game. Now he had to consider how seriously the rest of the staff took the results.

  He might choose to endow the grant program. That was what really mattered.

  “Wow.” After shaking hands with Dr. T, the brown-haired newcomer gazed across the auditorium. “This is quite an honor.”

  “Honor shmonor!” Rod proclaimed from the back row. “Who gets the moolah?” Nervous laughter greeted this crack.

  “There are several worthy proposals,” Cole said. “But even though Dr. Rayburn stepped down, he was ahead of me. So I’m going to designate his wife’s program.”

  Zack sat in stunned silence, along with most of the staff. The grant project had lost. While Zack had already resolved to seek other means of support, without an initial infusion of money it was likely to be a long, hard road.

  “Hang on!” In the row behind Zack, Samantha Forrest sprang to her feet. Tall and forceful, she had no trouble projecting her voice to fill the room. “I have some news of my own.”

  He hoped she wasn’t going to brag about her center, now that she’d won, Zack reflected in annoyance. Not that he begrudged her a future for her program. He just wished both projects could succeed.

  “If I’d had any idea how exciting it was to work at Safe Harbor, I’d have joined the staff sooner,” Cole answered. “Care to come up here?”

  “No,” Sam said. “Can everybody hear me?”

  “Eh?” Rod cupped his ear teasingly.

  “We can hear you fine,” Mark called from the stage.

  “Okay, then.” Sam cleared her throat. “With tremendous help from Jan Garcia and Eleanor Wycliff, I drew up a business plan. The goal was to put the counseling center on a firm basis with an endowment and a paid director. But after we ran the numbers, I had to admit a hundred thousand dollars would be a drop in the bucket.”

  “You could raise more from the community,” said childbirth educator Tina Torres, sitting to one side.

  “I’m afraid that’s an overly rosy assumption. Eleanor made a few calls, and frankly, the response was dismal.” Sam took a deep breath. “I’ve concluded the grant program Zack has proposed for fertility patients will not only prove self-sustaining but will grow, whereas the counseling center simply isn’t viable in the long term.”

  “And you just came to that conclusion this very minute?” Rod asked.

  “I’d have announced it earlier, but Mark said I should hold off,” Sam replied. “A little drama never hurts. Anyway, since we’re losing our current quarters as of January first, we’ll be closing the counseling program this month. I’d like to thank all those who’ve worked on our behalf.”

  Sympathetic comments greeted her declaration. Zack’s stomach tightened. It looked as if he’d won, but he hadn’t wanted it to happen this way.

  From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Jan standing amid the overflow attendees. Ironically, her suggestion had apparently contributed to Samantha’s coming to terms with reality.

  Or perhaps not so ironically. Zack hadn’t seen the whole picture. He wished he hadn’t vented his frustration on Jan.

  Sam resumed her seat next to the hospital publicity director, Jennifer Serra Martin. Although the center had been established in honor of Jennifer’s infant son, who had died many years ago, she appeared to be taking this news in stride. No doubt Sam had alerted her in advance.

  “Well...” Cole cleared his throat, and all attention was riveted on him again.

  Zack’s teeth hurt from clenching them. Despite Sam’s withdrawal, Cole could choose any charity he wished. There were plenty of worthy organizations.

  But Dr. T was back on his feet. “Oh, that reminds me.” He did love throwing a monkey wrench into things. “There’s one more charity whose advocates have asked to be heard.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” Zack didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud until faces turned toward him. His cheeks burned.

  “I’m sure Dr. Sargent won’t object when he sees who it is.” Owen indicated the rear of the auditorium, where his wife had appeared. Bailey was smiling so broadly even her freckles seemed to twinkle. “Why don’t you show them in?”

  Puzzled, Zack craned for a better view as the doors opened. He heard people say, “How cute!” and “Look at that!” before he saw the procession marching down the aisle.

  What was Kimmie doing here, holding her teddy bear aloft? And Berry, waving her lion and making roaring noises? Around them surged a group of kids: Tina Torres’s daughter Anna, Berry’s best friend Cindy, Fiona Denny, Brady Franco and a tiny girl who must be his little sister, along with a few child
ren Zack didn’t recognize. Each carried a stuffed animal, while behind them Alec Denny’s wife, Patty, pulled a plastic wagon filled with more fuzzy creatures. Kate Franco shepherded the children, keeping a close eye on the younger ones, while Bailey brought up the rear with her eleven-month-old twins in a stroller.

  His spirits plummeting, Zack figured out this must be the fund-raising scheme the kids had been so excited about. He’d never imagined the animal shelter’s future might come at the expense of his patients.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jan registered Zack’s roller-coaster reactions in her peripheral vision. The past few minutes had been tough on him. And now, just when his cause’s triumph seemed certain, he faced a children’s crusade.

  While he understood how much the shelter meant to the kids, Zack had never wanted pets in the first place. He must be upset they might take precedence over people.

  Kimmie had marched onstage alongside Brady as the designated spokeskids, and her heart was shining in her face. To be rejected by her newfound father might cause a long-lasting rift. Fortunately, the choice wasn’t his.

  The winner, Dr. Rattigan, seemed bemused by the whole proceeding. Even the stern Chandra Yashimoto cracked a smile.

  “Save the kitties and puppies!” Kimmie waggled Mischief the bear.

  “No more youth in Asia!” Brady shouted. Jan heard chuckles around her at the mispronunciation of euthanasia.

  “The Aloha Lane Shelter...” Kimmie began.

  “Oahu Lane,” Brady said.

  “The Oahu Lane Shelter needs to fix up their plumbing and stuff.”

  “Plus build more kennels.” Brady hoisted his green dinosaur above his head. “Save the animals!”

  The other kids echoed his cry. The crowd clapped and cheered.

  “I’m at a disadvantage here,” Dr. Rattigan said into the microphone. “I don’t have kids or pets. But I do have patients.”