Friday morning, Maggie and Jeb were headed for the picnic table area, where nine morning campers awaited them. “Just look at them,” Jeb said to her as Ben helped Sally into the saddle.
“I’d rather not, and I could also use your help here, if you’re finished ogling.”
Despite her pronouncement, Maggie had noticed Ben’s hands all over the petite, perky Sally, decked out as she was in jodhpurs and what appeared to be brand new boots. Hands that were all over me, sending me to the moon, only a week ago.
Except when he checked in to see if she’d heard anything about Emma, Maggie and Ben had barely spoken in days. The following week, he stopped by the house on Wednesday evening to take Emma for ice cream. Maggie declined to accompany them, claiming she had a headache.
Ben treasured his time with his daughter, even as his conflicted heart ached for her mother. Maggie was visibly shaken and no doubt terrified about the prospect of more surgeries and hospitalizations for Emma.
“Come with us, Maggie. ”
“Not tonight, thanks.” She smiled at Emma and closed the door before he could glimpse the tears in her eyes.
Ben and Emma took their cones to the park near the Daily Scoop and sat side by side in the shade of a mesquite tree, watching a group of children about her age playing on the slide and jungle gym.
“Hey, Peanut. After we finish our cones, how ’bout a slide?”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Mommy doesn’t let me. ’Sides, I can’t climb up.”
“What if I helped you, or we go together?” he asked, mentally calculating if he would fit on one of the several sturdy slides that branched octopus-like from the playground structure.
Emma gazed from the slides to Ben, her soft brown eyes studying him. “Okay.”
Having observed Emma with ice cream on their previous outings, Ben had brought a bottle of water and wad of napkins. He soaked the napkins and cleaned up her hands and face. After discarding them, he came back to the bench.
“Ready, kiddo?” His heart nearly broke when he saw the terror in her eyes. “Hey, sweetie, we don’t have to slide.”
Chin jutted, she let go of her white-knuckled hold on the bench and reached her arms up to him. “I want to. Let’s go.”
Gently he lifted and carried her to the shortest and widest of the four slides. “Let’s try this one first, okay?” He climbed the steps and sat down with her on his lap, holding her against his chest. As she wrapped his arms tighter, Ben could feel her heart beating. “Okay, Em, you say go.” He craned his head around to see her face and saw that her eyes were shut.
“Okay, ready!”
Her hands gripped his forearms, and off they flew for the first of many slides together. Finally she asked to go alone, with him holding her from the side. They lost track of time as they graduated from the shortest slide to the longest, which Emma insisted upon going down alone on her first try.
As darkness descended, Maggie grew worried and walked the two blocks from the house to the park, assuming that’s where they would be. As she approached, she heard Emma’s laughter, her delighted cries of “again, again, again” punctuating the evening stillness. They were the only people still in the park, and it was clear as she watched that Ben was having as much fun as her daughter. This is what I took from him. No wonder he hates me.
They hadn’t noticed her approach, so Maggie leaned against a shade tree and enjoyed this rare glimpse of her daughter at play. Tears rimmed her eyes as she watched them, talking and laughing as he lifted her again and again, carting her from one slide to the next. Since the accident, this was what she had not been able to give Emma—play and the free-spirited abandon every child deserved. Thank you, Ben Morgan.
Emma spied her at last and waved. “Hi, Mommy!”
Maggie waved and came to greet them. “Hi, you two. I was beginning to wonder if you’d been carried off by javelinas.”
“Look at me!” Emma cried, holding Ben’s arm at the top of the tallest slide.
“Wow, such a big girl!”
Maggie watched, heart in her throat as Emma pushed off and flew down the slide into his waiting arms.
They walked home in the dark, Emma on Ben’s shoulders, chattering away, Maggie pushing the chair.
“Wait till Grandpa hears! Can we go tomorrow, Ben? I’m gonna tell my friends at school.”
Ben set Emma in her wheelchair at the end of their walk. “Hey, sweetie. I have to work tomorrow, but maybe I can come by and we can slide after dinner, if Mom says it’s okay?”
They made arrangements to meet the next day at the stables for the drive into Tucson. This time it would be just the two of them. Their appointment with Dr. Heavers and his team was scheduled for 1:30. Ben said good night and headed right out.
* * *
Chapter 37
Thursday morning Maggie arrived at work just in time to see the cozy foursome, Harley, Ben, Joanie, and Sally, heading out on a trail ride.
Jeb crossed the yard, having helped “the girls” into the saddle. “Hope they have their cell phones. Poor babies.”
“They flirted their way into this,” Maggie said, “so they deserve whatever happens.”
“I wasn’t talkin’ about Harley and Ben. I’m worried about Tara and Raine. Those two bimbos have no business being within fifty miles of a horse.”
In spite of her irritation, Maggie laughed. “I can’t disagree with you there. Come on, let’s get started. You know I’m only here until noon?”
Jeb nodded and followed her into the barn. His boss wore the same haunted look she had since the day after Emma’s tests, worry shining in her sky-blue eyes.
At noon, Maggie changed out of her work clothes, washed up as best she could. She met Ben by the Rover, Joanie and Sally long gone. They had arranged to grab sandwiches along the way. She had no appetite and wasn’t sure she could eat anything, but nodded when he suggested a café in Tucson not far from the clinic.
Maggie’s buffalo chicken wrap was delicious, and the sweet iced tea she ordered settled her stomach. Ben ordered a large wrap stuffed with avocado, mixed greens, and a colorful variety of vegetables. They ate in silence for several minutes before Maggie put down her sandwich, pushed her plate away, and sipped her tea. Tears rimmed her eyes and she gulped hard, trying to stop them.
He reached across and took her hand. “Hey, Maggie, it’s gonna be okay. Whatever they say, we know Emma’s perfect just the way she is. Nothing can touch that. We’ll get through this together, okay?”
She turned away to gaze out the window, wishing she had come alone. “I think Sally might object to that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“How was your ride this morning?”
“Jesus, Maggie, you don’t think there’s something going on with Sally, do you?”
“We need to go.”
She rose and asked the waitress to bring the check and a takeout box. Not waiting for either, Maggie grabbed her iced tea and hurried outside.
Ben threw both their sandwiches into the box, paid the check, and followed her, catching up at the Rover. “Wait a minute! Maggie, hold on.”
Before he could stop her, she hopped in and shut the door in his face.
He came around, slipped into his seat, and closed the door. “What’s the matter?”
“Please, Ben, start the engine. It’s boiling hot and we’re going to be late. Let’s get this over with and go home. It’s clear from your behavior this past week that you’ve moved on. We share a daughter, whom we both love, but aside from that, I don’t have a claim on you. If you and Harley want to behave like lovesick adolescents, that’s your business. Let’s just focus on Emma and not pretend to be anything more than coworkers and casual acquaintances.”
He tried to take her arm, but she pulled away. “You know that’s not how I think of you.”
“Do I?” Her eyes blazed. “You’ve barely spoken to me since you found out about Emma, and now you’r
e mooning all over Sally Skeffington. What am I supposed to think?”
“That I’m giving riding lessons to a paying customer. I couldn’t very well say no. And as for the rest of it, I told you, I need time. It was only a few days ago I found out I’m a father. I’m crazy about Emma and as worried as you are about what’s ahead.”
Gazing into his beautiful eyes, Maggie knew what he said was true. He was as terrified as she was. She ached to reach out and fold herself into his arms, to feel the comfort of his strength and warmth.
“Can we just go? I want to talk about this, but not now.”
Rose met them at Reception and led them back to a conference room, where they found Dr. Heavers and three other doctors who had examined Emma the previous week. Dr. Heavers began, taking them through the results of all Emma’s tests. Finally he paused, and his kind eyes regarded Maggie.
“I think your girl has a good chance of walking again, my dear.”
Stunned, Maggie and Ben stared at him, waiting as he went on.
“I asked Harry, Miguel, and Claire to be with us because, should you decide to go through with the surgeries, they would be taking part. These spinal cases require a team of surgeons, and you are looking at the best. I cannot give you a guarantee, but her spinal cord looks healthy, and the bone replacement will be minimal. The nerve repair is the tricky part and takes time, a good deal of time. Because her injuries are in several places, we will all be working on Emma simultaneously.”
He went on to explain the surgery in detail. As they listened, Maggie held Ben’s hand in a death grip.
When the doctor finished, Ben asked, “What are the risks?”
“There are risks, of course, as there are with any surgery. It’s a very long operation, at least nine to ten hours, which itself carries risks. It’s also very hard on the parents.”
Maggie shivered, picturing her precious child on a cold operating table for ten hours.
“Ten hours! She’s never gone through anything like that.”
“I expect she hasn’t. It’s a very delicate series of procedures. This is not something we want to rush. I must tell you that while the chances are very slim, because of the neural networks involved and what we must do, there is always the chance that in trying to repair the nerve damage, we may do more harm than good. While the chance is remote, your daughter could come out of this surgery having lost the use of her arms.”
Maggie clapped her free hand over her mouth. She shook her head from side to side, her body trembling. “No, no, no.”
Ben folded her in his arms and drew her closer.
Claire spoke for the first time. “I know this is a lot to take in. This is something that you, as her parents, have to decide. Take the time you need. I will tell you that Dr. Heavers is the best. We have been very successful with these surgeries the past year. Emma’s injuries are extensive, but her bones, tissues, and neural pathways are strong and healthy. She is an ideal candidate for what we do.”
Warmed by Ben’s nearness, Maggie sat up and stared at the young, slender surgeon in a white lab coat. Her dark brown hair was cropped short, her blue eyes gentle. She looked about twelve years old.
“How long would she be in the hospital?”
“Two to three weeks, maybe less. We have to keep her completely immobilized for the first few days, and that’s impossible to do at home. Then there’s the physical therapy. We would want to get those routines well established before she leaves. We also need time to train you, her caregivers.”
Claire handed them a folder of paperwork. “Why don’t you read through this, talk together, and let us know.”
Before Ben could assure her and everyone that, if there were any costs, whatsoever, they would be covered, Heavers said, “Remember, my dear, as I told you before, this is a well-supported research hospital. The decision is yours, of course, but cost should not enter into your thinking.”
They talked a while longer and then said their good-byes, promising to be in touch soon. There would be a great deal of pre-op preparation ahead for Emma, then many months of intense physical therapy. The latter, of course, depended upon the outcome of the surgery.
They drove back to Saguaro in silence. When Ben pulled next to her clunker at the stables, he turned to her. “Want to talk about it?”
“Not now. I’d like to see her, sleep on it, and talk later, if that’s okay?”
He reached across, his hand cupping her chin as he drew nearer. “Maggie, I love you and Emma. I will support whatever you decide.” His lips touched hers for a gentle kiss. Then, with a kiss on her forehead, he let her go.
“I’ll be in touch,” she said softly.
* * *
Chapter 38
Saturday morning, Maggie was doing laundry, cleaning, and packing a picnic for Emma and her to take to the park when the doorbell rang.
She was stunned to find Ben Senior waiting on her doorstep.
“Mr. Morgan, hello. Is everything alright?”
“May I come in?”
Maggie blushed and stepped aside. “Of course, please come in. I’m doing housework, so I’m afraid the house is in chaos. Dad has Emma in the backyard, splashing in her pool.”
“It’s you I came to see, my dear.”
“Oh? Can I get you something to drink? Water? Iced tea?”
Kind eyes smiled down at her. “Wouldn’t say no to a glass of sweet tea.”Maggie’s hands shook as she poured the tea and brought two glasses in on a tray with a plate of cookies. What have I done? Is he going to fire me? She couldn’t think why her boss was paying her a visit, something he had certainly never done before.
She settled herself beside him on the long couch. “How can I help you, Mr. Morgan? Is there trouble at the ranch?”
“No, no, all’s well. I wanted to talk to you about Emma.”
“Excuse me?”
“She’s my grandchild, isn’t she?”
Maggie’s jaw dropped and her mouth went dry. “How did…who did…?”
“No one told me, my dear. Fact is, I hadn’t seen Emma since you were pushing her around in her stroller. I’m ashamed I didn’t come to see you and her after the accident. But one look at her the other night at dinner and I saw my son. She’s remarkably like him in so many ways. Does he know?”
Maggie nodded. “I told him last week, because after talking with Rose Dillon about her clinic, I decided to explore the possibility of more surgery for Emma, surgery that might help her to walk again. As her father, I thought he should know. He went with Emma and me the day she had all the testing, and he came with me to hear the doctors’ findings.”
“And?”
“They think she has a good chance.”
He clapped his hands. “That is wonderful news!”
“I haven’t decided yet. There are lots of considerations, and I’m not sure if it’s feasible.”
“My dear,” he said, setting down his tea and reaching out to take her hand. “I am ashamed our family seemed so unapproachable that you couldn’t tell us about Emma, but I want you to understand that I will spare no expense if it will help my granddaughter. I want all her bills sent to me.”
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary, Mr. Morgan. Dr. Heavers has assured me that money should not enter into the decision, and I trust him.”
“You are a strong, courageous gal, Maggie Williams, and I will respect whatever you decide. I just wanted you to know that our resources are yours.”
“Does Mrs. Morgan feel the same?”
He smiled, taking a long drink before replying. “No, I’m not telling her until you say it’s okay. Just know that if and when the time comes, she’ll be over the moon at having a granddaughter, especially Ben’s daughter. Even though parents aren’t supposed to have favorites, he is, and always has been, her favorite child.”
“Mommy!” Emma called as Ned wheeled her into the living room.
Ben Senior rose and approached the girl. “Hey, honey, how’s the water?”
�
��A little hot, but grandpa cooled it.”
He nodded to his fellow grandparent. “Ned, hello. Good to see you.”
Ned Williams shook Ben Morgan’s, not entirely successful at hiding his surprise. “Been a while.”
“Too long.”
They chatted for a few minutes about the price of feed, the Sonoita Rodeo, and how well the mustang program was going before Ben Senior took his leave.
“Thanks for the tea, Maggie. See you around the ranch. Ned, if you ever want to take a ride with an old cowboy, come on out.”
When the door shut behind him, Maggie turned and mouthed “he knows” to her father before heading to the kitchen with their empty glasses. “Em, I’ll be back to get changed in a minute, and we can go to the park.”
Ned kissed Emma’s head and followed his daughter to the kitchen. “Son tell him?”
“No, he guessed. As you well know, they look like twins.”
“Who has twins?” Emma called from the doorway.
She had forgotten Emma’s incredible hearing. “No one, sweetie. They think one of the mares may be having twins.” She hated lying to her daughter.
“Oooh, can I go and see them?”
“Of course you can. It may not be twins, though, so don’t get too excited.”
“I want to take riding lessons. Please, can I?” This was a familiar refrain. Every time Emma asked, Maggie’s heart broke all over again.
“Let’s see what the doctors say. Maybe in the fall.”
* * *
Chapter 39
Enjoying a leisurely breakfast with his mother, Ben was surprised to find his father gone. “Where’s Dad so early?”
His mother shrugged and pushed her breakfast plate aside. “Errands, he says. Probably headed for one of the greasy taco shacks on the edge of town to eat something he’s not allowed to.”
Ben grabbed a piece of Carmela’s corn bread and a bowl of fruit and had just sat down when they heard the doorbell.
Leonora frowned. “Now, who could that be? Carmela! Can you please get the door?”
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