Serenity

by Dixie Land

  Lil stepped up to him. “Ross, if that’s Maggie, don’t hang up, l want to talk to her.”

  “Honey, I’m going to turn you over to Lil now. I love you, bye.”

  Lil took the receiver from Ross and pressed it to her ear. “Hi, Maggie.”

  …

  Ross began filling the first prescription. Lil joined him a few minutes later. Between them, they had most of them ready for pick up in a little over an hour. Lil began calling the patients. Between calls, the pharmacy phone rang.

  “I’ve got half a mind to let that ring,” Lil mumbled. “Now, Lil, you know better. We can’t do that.” “R.H. Pharmacy. How can we help you?” she said into

  the receiver. She looked a little puzzled. Not recognizing the voice she asked, “Who’s calling?”

  As she listened, her face paled. “You want to speak to Ross? Wait a minute.” She removed the receiver from her ear and pressed it to her breast. “Ross,” she said quietly.

  He turned to face her. “My God, Lil what is it?” Without a word she held the receiver out to him.

  ChapterTwenty

  ello?” Ross listened. He, too, looked shaken.

  Lil tried to busy herself, but she was unable to force herself to concentrate on anything other than Ross’s conversation. She could only make out a word here and there, as he spoke so softly it was barely discernible.

  “Call me after ten at the house,” she heard him say. “We’ll discuss it then. Do you have the number?”

  After he hung the phone up he seemed very agitated. “Lil, finish up the calls,” he told her abruptly. Then you can leave. And please, don’t mention this to anyone, and that means Maggie, too. I’ll handle it. Do you understand? I may not be in until tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Okay, Ross. Whatever you say.”

  She finished her calls, put on her coat and hat and said goodnight, leaving the front door unlocked for their customers.

  As she drove home, she mumbled to herself. “Dear, Lord, what next?” she kept asking. “What next?” As she pulled up to the front of her house and turned into the driveway, she noticed that Maggie had already arrived. “Oh, dear Lord,” she said again.

  Maggie was waiting on the front porch as Lil closed the garage door and came around to the front of the house. “Hi. I knew you’d be late, so, I picked up a chicken and some fixin’s from the deli at the market. Since it’s a new addition, I thought we should give them a try.”

  “That’s thoughtful of you, honey. Thanks”

  “You look beat, Lil. You sit down on the sofa and put your feet up, I’ll have this on the table for us in no time. Or,” she added as an afterthought, “we can eat off of TV tables, if you’d rather.” She carried the food into the kitchen and laid it on the counter then rejoined Lil.

  “Let’s do that, but Maggie, you must be awful tired too.” Lil kicked her shoes off and propped her legs up on the sofa.

  “Oh, Lil, I feel so good these days. I can’t believe it.” Maggie sat at the opposite end of the sofa and began to massage the older woman’s feet. “You know when all this happened with Michael, and then I realized I was pregnant, I felt as if I’d never smile again. And I definitely thought I’d never trust a man again, let alone fall in love. Then, Ross came into my life as a friend and confidant. He was so wonderful, so thoughtful, and he knew just what I’d been through. Day after day, I was falling so deeply in love with him. And the funny thing is, it was so natural and so gradual, that I really didn’t see it coming. I think it happened the same way for him. Suddenly that night that I went out to his place for dinner, it just hit us both right between the eyes.” Maggie laughed. “Listen to me rattling on and you so tired, Lil.”

  “Maggie, Honey,” Lil’s eyes teared. “How I hope this all works out for you. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt again.”

  “Don’t worry, Lil. I know exactly what I’m doing now. Everything about it feels right.”

  …

  Wednesday morning

  Midway through the morning Maggie received a phone call. Mildred buzzed her in the examining room. She picked up, said hello and listened.

  “Well, good morning yourself,” she responded, a flirtatious tone in her voice.

  “Maggie, I have to cancel our lunch. Something urgent has come up. I have to attend to it today.”

  “What is it Ross? You sound so serious.”

  “I can’t go into it now. I’ll get back to you just as quickly as I can.”

  “Okay, call me as soon as possible. I love you,” she added.

  “I will, Maggie.” He broke the connection.

  Strange, Maggie thought, he didn’t seem himself at all. She was curious all morning. At 12:30, they closed the office for lunch. It was the first day this week they had been able to do so. Doc, Katherine and Mildred were going home for lunch and invited Maggie to join them.

  “Thanks, but I think I’ll just run down the street and grab a sandwich at As You Like It,” she told them. Besides, she thought the walk would do her good.

  Five minutes later, she stepped inside the little lunch shop. Carl Warner greeted her.

  “Hello, Maggie. How are you today?”

  Maggie thought his voice sounded strained. He didn’t look directly at her. Perhaps he was tired.

  “We’re kind a busy this noon. I doubt you’ll want to wait. Can we fix you something for take-out? You can sit right here at the counter, and we’ll have it ready in no time.”

  “That’s all right, Carl. I don’t mind a little wait,” she said walking toward the sitting area. “Maybe there’s someone I know in there who wouldn’t mind having me join them.”

  “But, Maggie,” he said trying to step in front of her.

  He was too late. Maggie stopped dead in her tracks and stared straight at the corner table at the far end of the room. The table she and Ross had shared the first time they had lunch together.

  Ross was seated at the table, and Maggie could see the profile of a blond woman. They looked quite intent on one another as they spoke. The woman was very beautiful and quite tastefully dressed. The brown suit she wore had a leopard skin collar and cuffs; it looked expensive. As Maggie watched them in stunned silence, the woman reached across the table and laid her hand on Ross’s forearm. Her nails were manicured and polished a deep plum hue. Ross leaned toward her. He made no move to withdraw from her touch.

  Maggie gasped. Carl put his arm around her to steady her. She turned to look at Carl. “You know her, don’t you? Tell me who she is, Carl.” Her voice was barely audible.

  “That’s Melanie Harrington,” he said softly.

  His words confirmed what her heart and mind already knew.

  ChapterTwentyOne

  omehow, Maggie had managed to retain her dignity and leave the sandwich shop without Ross seeing her. She returned to the clinic. She had to use her key to let herself in, as the others hadn’t returned from lunch. She made it back to the break room before dissolving into tears.

  Why ? She wondered. Why was this happening to her all over again? Why has Melanie chosen now to come back into Ross’s life? What does she want from him? That looked apparent enough at lunch. And Ross, he wasn’t smiling. His expression was serious, and he allowed her hand to remain on his arm.

  Maggie knew how deeply Ross had loved Melanie. Everyone in town knew it. If Melanie no longer meant anything to him, why hadn’t Ross just told her, “Melanie’s back and wants to talk to me. I’ll have lunch with her to see what’s on her mind. But it’s you I love, Maggie. Don’t worry. I’ll see you tonight.”

  But he hadn’t said that; he hadn’t mentioned that the important matter he had to attend to was Melanie. Why? Why was he keeping this from her, and why were they there at the diner for everyone in town to see? Why had she let herself love him, opened herself up for another hurt?

  She heard the door bang shut and voices in the hall. She took a Kleenex from her pocket and wiped her eyes. She blew her nose. Kathryn stepped into the break room.


  “So, you beat us back, did you?” She smiled at Maggie. When Maggie looked up Katherine said, “Maggie! What’s wrong?”

  Maggie burst into tears again. Kathryn stepped into the hall and called Doc.

  He came immediately, and seeing Maggie’s condition, he nodded at his wife. “Go ahead, Dear, I’ll be out directly.” Kathryn Miller left them, closing the door behind her. “Now, Maggie, you calm yourself, and tell me what’s wrong.”

  “Oh, Doc! Melanie’s back in town,” she blurted out through her tears. “And Ross cancelled with me to have lunch with her. He didn’t tell me she was back. I just walked into the sandwich shop, and there they were. Carl tried to keep me from going in and finding them together.”

  “Here, here, child. You have to pull yourself together. Now I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical explanation, and Ross will tell you when he sees you. Did you eat any lunch?”

  “No. I was too upset.”

  “That isn’t wise, is it?” he said in his calm, fatherly way.

  “No,” she agreed.

  “Look at you, Maggie. Your face is all flushed and your pretty cheeks are streaked with tears. You can’t be seeing our patients like that. I’m sending you home to rest this afternoon. But first, let’s check your blood pressure.” He reached for his stethoscope. He stuck his head out into the hall and asked for a cuff from one of the examining rooms.

  When Kathryn brought it to him, he wrapped the cuff around her arm, pumped it up and listened. He repeated the procedure. His expression became grave.

  “Can you give us a urine specimen?”

  “I’ll try. What’s my blood pressure, Doc?”

  “Too high, Maggie, way too high. 196 over 112.” “Oh my gosh!”

  Maggie went into the hall, opened the supply cupboard and removed a specimen container. She went into the bathroom. Now she had yet another concern. “Please, God, let my baby be alright,” she whispered.

  When she came out, Doc met her in the hall. “You’re going straight home, young lady. I’ve called Caroline. Charlie’s on his way down to pick you up, and Caroline’s making up the bed in their spare room for you. Leave your keys here. I’ll drop your car off at the end of the day.”

  Maggie gave him no argument.

  Charlie came in through the rear entrance five minutes later. Doc walked to the back door with them as they left.

  “You call me if anything changes for the worse. Kathryn and I’ll stop in when I leave your car off. Now, young lady, don’t you worry about anything but getting some rest and staying calm. Like I said, I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for what you saw earlier today. I don’t think you have a thing to worry about when it comes to how Ross feels about you. Ross loves you. I’ve seen the look in his eyes when he’s around you.”

  “I’ll try, Doc. Thanks.” Her eyes began to tear again.

  Doc gave her arm a gentle pat. “You’ll feel better with some rest,” he said as he opened the back door of the clinic.

  As soon as Charlie and Maggie were seated in the car, Charlie wanted to know what had happened.

  “It’s a long story. I’d rather tell you and Caroline at the same time, if you don’t mind.”

  “I understand,” he said sympathetically. They drove the short distance home in silence. Caroline stepped through the back door as soon as Charlie pulled into the driveway.

  “Come on in, Maggie. I’ve put fresh linens on your bed and have it turned back waiting for you. I’ll run up and get one of your nightgowns and be back in a jiffy.” Caroline told her.

  “Thanks, but I’ll go. I know right where everything is. I’ll be right back.”

  Maggie let herself into her apartment and headed for her bedroom. As she passed the phone, it began to ring. Perhaps it’s Ross with an explanation, she thought hopefully as she lifted the receiver and said hello.

  She froze. Her pulse quickened as she recognized Michael’s voice.

  “Maggie, darling! I couldn’t be happier. We’ll be married right away. Our baby needs two parents. I knew we’d get back together. I love you.”

  “No!” She snapped. This is my child, not yours! You’re not going to be part of my child’s life.”

  Michael’s tone changed from elation to surliness. “We’ll see about that, you high and mighty…! If you don’t marry me, I’ll take you to court for custody of our child. When I’m through with you, you’ll….”

  Maggie slammed the receiver down, grabbed her nightgown from the closet and left her apartment in tears. Caroline met her at the door. Maggie fell into her arms, trembling and sobbing.

  …

  When Maggie was finally settled in bed, Caroline and Charlie sat in the bedroom with her as she relayed the events that had lead up to the reason for her temporary bed rest orders. Then she told them about Michael’s call.

  Charlie was furious. “Someone needs to get that man under control. If I ever catch sight of him around here, I’m just the one who’ll do it!”

  He’s not your problem, Charlie. He’s mine. I’ll have to deal with him myself. I was such a fool to ever become involved with him.”

  “You are our concern. And right now, you need something to eat and drink and some rest, Dear.” Caroline embraced Maggie. “We could all use a little something.” She went out to the kitchen and fixed a sandwich for Maggie and a cup of hot chocolate for all of them. She left Maggie’s on the bedside table. She and Charlie took theirs out to the living room. Thirty minutes later when Caroline peered in at her, Maggie was sleeping soundly.

  “Poor child,” she said, rejoining Charlie. “She’s had more than her share to deal with, hasn’t she?”

  “That she has, Caroline. That she has,” he agreed.

  “That horrid man, Michael. He worries me. And what on earth do you think has brought that tramp Melanie back to town?”

  Charlie shook his head. “I wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to how that woman thinks. I never did much like her even before she pulled what she did on Ross. She didn’t fit in around here from the start. I never did see what he found so irresistible in her. I can’t believe he’d be fool enough to take her back when a wonderful girl like Maggie loves him.”

  “Good Lord, Charlie! Surely you don’t think he would, do you?”

  “I wouldn’t have thought he’d put up with her shenanigans for as long as he did. Remember that he was willing to forgive her. She was the one who wanted to end it.”

  “Well,” Caroline continued, “there wasn’t a wonderful girl like Maggie in the picture then, so let’s hope and pray he has his wits about him now. He’s such a smart man in every other way and such a good fellow.”

  “There’s no sense sitting here hashing this over when we’ve got no control over any of it. You don’t need to get yourself all upset, Caroline. That won’t do you or Maggie any good. No, let’s just be patient and see how it works itself out.” …

  At two-thirty, Lil called Caroline. “I just talked to Doc, and he told me about Maggie. How is she?”

  “She was mighty upset when Charlie brought her in, but she’s sleeping right now.”

  “Poor Maggie. Elsie Hopkins stopped in a few minutes ago. She’d had lunch at the sandwich shop, and she couldn’t wait to tell me that Ross was there having lunch with Melanie.”

  “I know, Lil. It’s just awful.”

  “All I know is that Melanie called here at the drugstore last night,” Lil began. “And, Ross seemed plenty upset when they hung up. He said he was going to deal with it and for me not to tell a soul and that meant Maggie, too. I felt just sick havin’ dinner with her and her so happy and talkin about how she loves Ross and me not being able to say one word. I tell you, Caroline, if Ross takes that woman back after everything she pulled and hurts Maggie, I’ll… I’ll just…. I’m not sure what! I could just shake him for even agreeing to see her!”

  “I know,” Caroline sympathized.

  “The minute he comes back to work, I’m gonna have a talk with him. You can be
t your life on that! He tells me not to tell a soul, and then he has lunch with her down at Carl’s, in broad daylight, where the whole town can see him. I just don’t understand it. Uh oh, the other line’s ringing, I gotta hang up.”

  The pharmacy 2:40 P.M..

  It was Ross. “Lil, something has come up. I have to go somewhere, and I may not be back until tomorrow. I’ve arranged for a pharmacist friend of mine, from Sanford, to cover for me; he should be there any time now. Help him out, Lil. I’m counting on you.”

  “But Ross, Maggie…,”

  He cut her off. “I’ll talk to Maggie when I get back.” “But, Ross.”

  “Lil, I don’t have time now,” he snapped at her. “Bye.”

  He hung up.

  Lil slammed the receiver down. “Fine! You just go on about your business, Mr. Harrington! Don’t say I didn’t try to tell you.”

  She had never felt so angry with Ross as she did right now. He had never been so short with her before. And what on earth is so pressing that he couldn’t even let me tell him about Maggie? She wondered. Has he come under the spell of that Melanie all over again? Lil shook her head. I should have just hung up on her last night and told Ross it was a wrong number. She knew better though. If Melanie had made up her mind to see Ross again, nothing Lil could do would prevent it. She could only postpone it, at best.

  …

  When Ross put the receiver down, he went into his bedroom, took a suitcase from the closet and threw in a change of clothes. Then he went into the bathroom and added some personals. He left the house and got into his car. Melanie waited in her parked car in front of his house. When she saw Ross get into his car, she pulled away. He started his vehicle and followed along behind her.