by Amy Ruttan
There were so many opportunities.
Nathan hadn’t understood that about her. She wanted to keep learning and expanding her curriculum vitae. She wanted to learn from the very best in her field of work. And all Nathan had wanted to do was stay put, have kids and settle down.
You want those things too. You’re just afraid.
Evelyn ignored those thoughts. They were dangerous to have, and she was never going to entertain them. She was never going to have a husband or kids. She didn’t want to put her heart at risk or, worse, have her kids go through the traumatic experience that she had.
Evelyn swore she would never do that. Even if she wanted it badly.
“You’re restless, Evelyn.”
Nathan’s words echoed in her head.
Maybe she was, but she could protect herself better this way.
She took a sip of the instant coffee she’d made from the powder she’d found in a cupboard and winced.
It was awful. Bitter.
She dumped the coffee down the sink before gathering up her things and heading outside. She shivered, even though it was summer. It was brisk compared to Boston, and she was glad she’d brought her sweater.
Down the steps and through the alleyway beside the clinic was a small coffee shop, and she could smell coffee brewing.
The bell above the door jingled as she walked in and a sudden rush of being there before, washed over her. The scent of coffee and the sugary sweet smell of pies wafted in from the back.
She’d been here before, but she was having a hard time remembering it.
A middle-aged woman looked up from cleaning the counter and beamed. “Well, I’ll be...”
“Hi,” Evelyn said unsurely.
“Joe told me that you had come home.”
The woman came out from behind the counter and before Evelyn could stop her she was being wrapped up in the woman’s arms and crushed in a bear hug.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” the woman asked, her smile not disappearing.
“No, I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay.” The proprietor walked back behind the counter. “You left so long ago. Your father used to come in here every day to get coffee. I’m Sally.”
Evelyn smiled at Sally. “Nice to meet you...again.”
Sally grinned. “No worries. What will it be, Evie...? I mean, Dr. Saunders. That’s going to be hard for me to get used to saying. I can’t believe you’re a doctor. Your dad would be so proud.”
Just the simple mention of her father caused Evelyn a pang of longing. And then the memory came back to her.
Yellow curtains filtering in the bright sunlight on those odd days when the sun would peek through the clouds. Chocolate milk and her father blowing the steam across the top of his coffee before he took a sip. And her. That woman Jocelyn with her bright smile and golden hair. The one who’d tried to take her mother’s place.
Evelyn shook the memory away. She had to focus on today.
“Can I have a coffee, please?”
“Of course, Dr. Saunders.” Sally turned and picked up a carafe of coffee. It smelled heavenly. “Would you like it to go?”
“Yes, that would be great, Sally.”
Evelyn took a seat at the counter, her pulse thundering in her ears because nothing had changed. The drapes were faded, but everything was the same. She’d forgotten about this place, but the moment Sally had mentioned her father it had come flooding back to her.
And the pain was just as raw as it had been twenty years ago.
She hated feeling it again.
You knew this would be hard. That’s why you’re here.
The door chimed again and Derek walked in, pulling down the hood of his hoodie.
“Brisk out there today, Sally. Can I get...?” He trailed off as those brilliant gray-green eyes locked onto her, sending a shiver of the dreams from the night before through her.
His eyes were the most intense she’d ever seen.
“Good morning,” she said, breaking the gaze so she could look away and try not to let him see her blush by hiding behind her long hair.
“Good morning,” Derek said carefully, and took the stool next to her at the counter. “I see you got up early.”
“I told you that I would.” She held out her arm and pointed to her watch. “See—it’s set on Alaska time.”
A brief smile flitted across Derek’s face. “So it is.”
“And I have my key. So I’m not going to be a burden for you.”
Sally handed her a coffee. “There you go, Dr. Saunders.”
“Thanks, Sally. How much do I owe you?”
Sally shook her head. “Not today. It’s on the house. A welcome back gift from me.”
“Thank you!”
“Hey, I’ve been your physician for fifteen years—how come I don’t get a free coffee every now and again?” Derek complained.
Sally frowned. “You’re not local.”
“I’ve been here longer than she has,” Derek teased.
Evelyn playfully stuck out her tongue and beamed at Sally. “I’ll see you later, Sally. Thanks for the coffee.”
She felt like skipping out of that coffee shop, but she refrained.
She didn’t get very far before Derek, carrying his own paper cup, came jogging up beside her. “You won over Sally pretty fast,” he said, sounding impressed. “Not many people do.”
“She seems cheerful enough.”
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “She knows you—but you don’t remember her, do you?”
“I told her that,” Evelyn said. “I was young when I left. Are you telling me she’s usually a grump?”
Derek frowned and took a pull of his coffee. “Maybe she’s only a grump with me. She said once that she didn’t like doctors.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I’m a doctor,” she said lightly.
“Yeah, but you’re Thorne Saunders’ daughter, and those who remember you have a warm fuzzy feeling when it comes to you. Which will change when you leave again.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Evelyn asked as Derek sidestepped her to open the door of the clinic. “And how do you know my father’s name? I never told you.”
“Come on—you’re not going to be here forever, Saunders,” he said as he stepped through the door and flicked on the fluorescent lights. “It’s just a phase. And I did some research last night. Your father was the first general practitioner to stay in Wolf’s Harbor. He was the first to stay and help the people here. I’m impressed.”
That gave her a punch in the gut that she hadn’t been expecting, because he was right. They remembered her father with fondness, but really they were just being kind. These weren’t her people.
She’d been gone too long.
And you’re the reason why your father’s dead.
“I’m just here to do my job. I can’t control people’s reactions to me. But if I instill some kind of trust in them while I’m here, then all the better.”
“Don’t get your feathers ruffled,” Derek said as he set his coffee cup on the counter. “I’m just stating a fact.”
“Yeah, because you’re annoyed by the townspeople’s reaction to me. My guess is they never really warm up to the other doctors that rotate through here. Am I right? And that gives you some sort of power.”
Those intense eyes flickered with something close to anger and she realized she’d struck a nerve.
Good.
“You have use of exam rooms three and four. One and two are mine for today.” He picked up his coffee cup and stormed away to the first exam room.
Evelyn was going to ask him more when the clinic’s door chimed and a young woman in scrubs came in, stopping dead in her tracks as she looked up at Evelyn.
“Oh, you’re not Dr. Merritt,” she sai
d.
Evelyn sighed and plastered a fake smile on her face, bracing herself to explain who she was again. Hopefully the nurse wouldn’t gave the same contempt for her that Derek did, but she wasn’t going to hold her breath just yet.
* * *
Derek had been managing to avoid Evelyn all morning, but to give her credit she was taking good care of her patients and they genuinely looked happy to see her. Or at least that was what Janet, his nurse and current spy, had said.
He picked up the next file in his pile.
Great.
He always had trouble with this patient, and he couldn’t even begin to think why she was here today.
“Katlian Yazzie?”
The venerable old woman stood up and fixed him with a stare that meant business. “Well, it’s about time. I’m not getting any younger.”
Derek tried not to roll his eyes—and then a thought crept through his head. If Evelyn was related to Mrs. Yazzie’s son Joe, then she was probably familiar with Katlian Yazzie. For one brief moment he thought about palming her off on Evelyn.
Mrs. Yazzie made it clear time and time again that she didn’t trust doctors. “I like you, Dr. Taylor. I just don’t trust you. I don’t trust any of you.” And he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d trusted Thorne Saunders. Most had.
Thorne was a bit of legend. He had been the first doctor to stay and after his death no one had stayed. Not until he came.
Of course the Yazzies didn’t speak of Thorne the way the other locals did, and now he understood why. Thorne had been family, and he understood how grief could devastate. How it was too painful to talk and just easier to bottle it up.
“It’s good to see you again,” Derek said, grinning at her.
“Don’t even!” she teased. “I know you’re not thrilled to see me, but I’m not here to see you. I’m here to see the OB/GYN. This Dr. Merritt.”
“Dr. Merritt isn’t here, Katlian.”
“Joe Jr.’s wife is supposed to see her this afternoon and I wanted to talk to her about Jennifer’s birthing plan. I didn’t trust that Dr. Pearson.”
“That I can agree with you on, but Dr. Merritt got married and sent in a replacement. Have you talked to your son?” he asked gently.
Katlian’s brow furrowed. “What does it matter if I talked to Joe. He knows nothing. Why would I...?” The words died in her throat as Evelyn stepped out of one of the examination rooms.
Evelyn wasn’t paying attention to them at first—she was flipping through a file before she stepped back into the exam room. Not even noticing them.
Katlian turned away and covered her mouth with her hand. She’d gone pale, as if she’d seen a ghost.
Derek reached out and held her shoulders, steadying her. “That’s why I was wondering if you’d talked to your son.”
“Is that...?” Katlian’s voice wavered.
“Dr. Evelyn Saunders,” Derek answered. Then he guided Katlian toward exam room number one, away from some of the curious onlookers in the waiting room. He helped Katlian take a seat and then shut the door.
Katlian was wide-eyed. “I haven’t talked to Joe since the day before yesterday. I’ve been staying with Joe Jr. and Jennifer. They didn’t tell me.”
“Joe Jr. didn’t know who Dr. Saunders was. But I think he told his father, because Joe Sr. and Dr. Saunders had a reunion last night.”
He’d seen the love there in Joe Sr.’s eyes when he’d looked at Evelyn, but he’d seen fear in hers. The way she’d held herself, her body rigid, her smile fixed—she had been throwing up walls.
Derek knew the art of going through the motions. He’d practiced that art so many times after Vivian had died, when all people had done was offer him condolences and feel sorry for him. What he’d needed was help. So he’d learned to put on that act. Worn that armor to shield his heart from pain.
He wondered why Evelyn felt she needed to do that.
What had happened when her parents died?
He knew she’d been taken away, but there must be more to the story.
Is it really your business?
No, it wasn’t and he was annoyed with himself for caring so much, but for some reason he couldn’t help himself when it came to Evelyn.
She drew him in. Just this short time of getting to know her and he was completely drawn to her. He wanted to know more about her, and that was a dangerous thing indeed.
Katlian Yazzie smiled. “Evie’s mother was my daughter. Evie...”
Katlian wept.
Derek was taken aback by the usually stoic woman’s crying and was at a loss as to what to do. He slipped his arm around the old woman. “Joe mentioned she was taken away?”
Katlian nodded. “By Thorne’s mother. Because a judge deemed that she was better for Evelyn. That Boston was better than Wolf’s Harbor.”
“Why would a judge decide that? Evelyn knew Wolf’s Harbor not Boston,” said Derek.
“Because Boston had access to more healthcare. Thorne was our only doctor... Well, you know no one replaced him after he died. Not until you came. So the judge decided in favor of Boston and not here.”
Derek’s stomach twisted in a knot. He understood that. If there had been a local hospital on the day of that storm that had grounded all the planes to Sitka, Vivian would have had a chance of survival, instead of bleeding to death.
“Thorne died at the scene—no hospital could’ve saved him. Joe and I fought. We fought hard—spent money that we didn’t have—but we lost. We didn’t have the money or the power that Georgina Saunders in Boston had. We had to walk away. I wrote to Evie constantly, but my letters were returned to sender. Once Joe went down there to see her, but Georgina had taken Evelyn away on a long vacation so he had to come back. Georgina had sole custody. We had nothing.”
“I’m sure if you explain...”
Katlian sighed. “I need a moment.”
“Do you still want to talk to her about Jennifer?”
Katlian shook her head. “I don’t know if she would want to see me. I don’t know if I’m ready to see her or even if she’ll remember me.”
Derek was moved by Katlian Yazzie. There was a heart in there. Everyone in Wolf’s Harbor loved Katlian Yazzie, even Mo, but with Derek she’d always been untrusting and a bit cold. This was a different side to her.
“She’s a doctor!” Katlian said in disbelief. “A doctor!”
“Maybe you’ll have to change your stance on doctors now, eh?” he teased.
Katlian’s dark eyes glittered as she frowned, but then she smiled. “Perhaps.”
“Do you want me to get her?”
Katlian shook her head. “No, you let her work today. She’s going to see Jennifer and I want her to be focused on her work. I will see her later.”
Katlian stood up and Derek opened the door for her. She walked out of the clinic, past a few people who were still concerned about the always strong and steadfast Katlian Yazzie breaking down in the waiting room.
Derek ran a hand over his head.
Was this what his rotation with Evelyn Saunders was going to be like? All these relatives coming out of the woodwork and daily emotional reunions? As much as he was all for family coming together, he couldn’t let this keep happening.
The office door chimed and a pregnant woman hunched over came in.
“I need help!” she cried out. “I’m in labor and my husband is out in the bush on a logging run.”
“Evelyn!” Derek shouted over his shoulder as he dashed toward the woman.
He held on to her as she breathed through a contraction.
“Christina...” Derek said in a soothing tone. “Don’t worry we have an OB/GYN here.”
Christina nodded. “But it’s too soon. Dr. Pearson said last week my baby was breech and he was going to try and turn it this week.”
D
amn Dr. Pearson.
“He didn’t turn it?” Derek asked as he helped Christina toward the exam room while the receptionist worked to rebook the couple of patients who were waiting. She knew the drill when an emergency patient came in.
“He was supposed to turn it today,” Christina said. “I was coming here to have it done, but labor started...”
This was why Wolf’s Harbor needed a hospital. The air ambulance to take her to Sitka would be ready in thirty minutes, but this baby might be born before they got there.
Evelyn came out of the exam room where she had been going through case files. Her eyes widened as she saw the woman, but it didn’t take long before she was helping Derek get the woman up on a stretcher in exam room two, which sometimes acted as an operating room.
“I’m Dr. Saunders and I’m an obstetrician. How far along are you...?”
“Christina,” Derek said as he handed Evelyn a box of rubber gloves as if it was second nature.
“Thirty-seven weeks,” Christina panted.
“Well, if the baby needs to come anything over thirty-six weeks is safe, Christina. Let’s get you draped and then I can see how far along you are.”
Derek helped drape Christina while Evelyn helped her remove her clothes.
“Is this your first baby?” Evelyn asked gently.
Christina nodded.
“How far apart are your contractions?”
“Two minutes. They started hard and fast.”
She gripped the sides of the gurney and Evelyn reached out and laid her hand on Christina’s belly, closing her eyes.
“Derek...” Evelyn said.
“What do you need?” he asked.
Evelyn stood up, pulling off the rubber gloves and dumping them in the waste receptacle. “Can we talk briefly outside?”
“Is everything okay?” Christina asked.
Evelyn smiled. “Perfectly. You’re seven centimeters dilated. Still a bit to go, okay? Your water is intact and I’m going to send the nurse in to set up an IV to get some fluids into you and make you more comfortable.”
Christina nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Doctor.”
Evelyn motioned for them both to leave the exam room. “Can you get Janet in here? Get her to set up an IV and stay with Christina?”
