Crashing Into Tess (The McGreers)

by Christine, Lilly

  Despairing, her eyes scanned the room. Gertrude gave her a big smile. Next to Gertrude was Jake, who glanced her way. When he realized she was alone, he stood up.

  Smiling, devastatingly handsome, he motioned for her to join them. Tess’s breath caught, and she started down the crowded aisle, trying not to wobble. He’s waiting for me!

  She passed Stuart and Brett, ducking and chewing and gesturing enthusiastically, all elbows and angles. A bowl of stew skittered off the table, landing on the floor in front of her. As it spattered her boots, Tess realized it had come from the little girl who’d made the testosterone comment, now seated beside Stuart.

  Oh. Keeping her plate level, Tess started around the giant puddle, wondering if she should offer to help clean it up. An ice-pick heel shot out, tripping her. She slipped, losing her balance, sliding on the gravy. Suddenly, there was too much room inside her new boots. A piece of cornbread skidded off her plate and bounced on the floor, and she was going down, she just knew it. She caught a glimpse of Jake’s concerned face as she floundered, then fell, sliding face first through the puddle of stew.

  The room had gone dead quiet by the time her plate clattered to the floor next to her. She heard titters from Vicki’s girl posse as she lifted her head, hair dripping into the puddle of stew. “Stewhair,” someone whispered, but no one laughed.

  Above her, Aaron asked, “Tess, you okay?”

  Too mortified to be certain if the pain in her left arm was real or imagined, Tess stayed silent, very still, waiting for the floor to open up and swallow her.

  Then Alice was there, wiping her off with a towel, wrapping a big white kitchen apron around her dress. A very real pain seared up her arm, and shot into her armpit. “My arm,” she whispered to Alice.

  “What?” Alice asked, green eyes wide as she helped her up. They both looked at Tess’s left hand, dangling at a weird angle. Sick with pain, Tess pressed against Alice. Don’t dare cry, Stewhair! Just don’t cry! “Oh, my god, Tess, is it broken?” Leaning on Alice, she hobbled towards the kitchen. “It’s broken, isn’t it?”

  Bea and Doc and even Olivia came up, surrounding her with a protective cloud of concerned murmurs. Once in back, Alice helped her to a chair, filled a wine glass and set it in front of her, while Doc tore into a cardboard box, quickly managing a makeshift splint with packing tape.

  Stewhair! Shaking her head, Tess gulped wine, trying to forget the teased hair, vicious red lipped taunts, and finally, the ice pick heel that shot out just as the stew was being spilled. They planned this.

  Numbly, she thought of the look on Jake’s face as she walked towards him, then later, as she fell. Feeling her insides collapse, she reached up with her good hand, squeezing gravy from her hair, focusing on the ladies still bustling around like little hens, ferrying hot pans to the sink, cleaning out chafing dishes and wrapping food, to keep from crying.

  Eyeing her sympathetically, they made up care packages for Bea and Jake and Alice and Doc and Olivia and Gertrude and Cassie, who hadn’t eaten.

  Jake entered the kitchen through a side door, and conferred with Bea and Olivia, whileTess pretended to watch a woman carrying an urn of coffee out to the buffet, calling over her shoulder, “Let’s get those cheesecakes sliced.”

  He walked towards her, dark eyes sober. Queasy with mortification, she was in too much pain to do anything about the stew that dripped from her hair onto her dress, the crumbs of cornbread still smashed against her chest.

  “Pretty rough out there tonight, huh?” he asked quietly, shocked concern on his face.

  Tess only nodded. If I open my mouth, I’ll start wailing.

  Under the din, Jake’s voice was steady and comforting. “I’m taking you to the hospital, okay? I’m just going to pull the truck around. You want Alice to ride along, too?”

  “Just you,” Tess managed, afraid to say any more. Alice bustled up, spread Tess’s magenta coat around her shoulders, helping her through the side door into the lobby, while Doc held her splint, careful not to jiggle it.

  The high school girls are all gone. “They had a pitcher full of tips, all for marching band,” someone was saying, before they saw her and quieted.

  Chris Carson held the door for her, looking concerned and solicitous. Then Jake opened the door from outside, and a rush of cold air blew in.

  ***** Pushing down controlled fury at what he’d seen, Jake put his arm around Tess’s ribs. “Just lean on me,” he said quietly.

  “Thanks.” He saw tears in her eyes. Alice hurried off, but Doc stayed with them, holding Tess’s arm steady. Doc met Jake’s eye chagrined, shaking his head, saying nothing. He saw this happen, too.

  As they helped Tess into the truck, Doc held her splint, and Alice came running out with a mound of clean rags.

  “Oh, Tess, I’m so, so sorry about this, about all of it,” he heard Alice say, as she propped the bundle under the splint, to hold it steady. “Is this okay? Does it still hurt so much?”

  Tess’s eyes were dilated by pain. “Uh-huh, thanks, Alice. I’ll need x-rays. Can you check on Rhiannon, tonight? I’ll call you later.”

  “Of course, Tess,” she answered. “I can take care of the dog, and then come along right behind you, if you want. I’ll be along in a flash.”

  “I’m alright with just Jake. He and I have done this hospital thing once already.” Tess managed a wan smile. Kissing her cheek, Alice shut the door.

  As he pulled away from the curb, Alice and Doc and Bea stood coatless, waving, gusts of cold night air mussing their hair. The parking lot was still jammed with cars. Heading for the highway, he asked, “You warm enough?”

  “I’m okay,” she whimpered. But her right hand went to her face and she started crying for real, sobbing and shaking.

  “Oh, Tess,” Jake said miserably. “I can’t even begin to tell you how badly I feel about what happened in there. Vicki and her friends were gunning for you all night, weren’t they?”

  “Yes,” Tess gasped, choking and hiccuping.“It was terrible. She filed for custody, too, didn’t she?”

  Jake dug on the dash for the tissue pack he kept for Cassie. “Yeah, but I knew that was coming. We don’t have to talk about this now; I know how upset you are. Your arm really hurts, doesn’t it?”

  “It does. I’m pretty sure the radius is fractured, and there’s likely a hairline split the ulna too. I’m just hoping it’s not a spiral fracture, then I’ll need pins.”

  “You’d know,” he smiled, sticking a wad of tissues in her right hand.

  She blew her nose and swallowed hard. “Look, Jake, I think I need to tell you something. It’s not because of what happened tonight, I swear it. I wanted to talk to you before I left for Philadelphia, but you were so upset about the insurance, I couldn’t find the right time.”

  “What’s up?” Jake asked, unable to miss a pothole.

  Tess winced and caught her breath. “I’m worried about Cassie.”

  His eyes met Tess’s, dark with concern. “You’re worried about Cassie? What’s going on?”

  “Remember that day that you were at the clinic, when it got crazy?” He nodded. “After you left, Bea took Vicki into the back, so she didn’t make a scene. I heard Vicki tell Cassie to get ready to go, but she went and hung around in the dispensary.” Tess looked at him. “I think it was so that Cassie would stay out front, out of her way.”

  Jake nodded, brow furrowed, trying to figure out what Tess was getting at. She continued, gasping a little with pain. “I needed some tools from the dispensary. When I went back. . .When I went back, Jake, to put the tools away, Vicki stormed out past me. A door to one of the drug cases was open, the one to the tranquilizers.”

  “What are you saying, Tess?”

  Facing him, she continued, “ My worst fear is that Vicki might have been stealing some. . .”

  “Some drugs?”

  Stunned, he stared out the truck’s windshield, squeezing the steering wheel as his mind worked. Vicki’s sure been erratic,
and she’s capable of it. She’s capable of anything, after what I saw tonight. What’s been going on in my poor kid’s life?

  Dimly, he heard Tess’s pinched voice saying, “I hate to jump to conclusions, but it’s been on my mind for a long time now, especially because Cassie seems so anxious when she’s with her mother. I know it could have been some gum or lipstick or something, but I had to say something to somebody, and I thought it should be you.” He looked into Tess’s pained, worried eyes, and swallowed hard. “You did the right thing, by telling me,” he said. After a few silent minutes, he asked, “Is there anything else? I don’t want to pressure you, but if anything is else worrying you, I’d really like to know about it.”

  “Ron showed up this afternoon outside the thrift store, asking about the accident, insinuating that I was too concussed to tell if you were drinking. I stuck up for you, though.”

  He touched her left knee. “Thanks, Tess. I’m really, really sorry about all of this.”

  After they’d wheeled her into x-ray, he called Alice.

  “I’ll have Doc inventory the meds first thing tomorrow, Jake. Whatever the outcome, it surely won’t be held against Tess. You can’t be too careful in this business, we all know that.”

  “Thanks, Alice. Cassie’s with Olivia tonight. The doc’s ordered a room for Tess. It’ll be late by the time the bone is set and she’s casted. I’ll stay and bring her home in the morning. She’s going to need company tomorrow, though, Alice. Cassie will need me, and Tess will need rest and quiet. I can’t be in two places.”

  “No problem. Just text me when you leave the hospital. I’ll grab some groceries, and meet you at her place.”

  “Thanks, Al, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “You bet, Jake. I love you guys, you know that.”

  He stayed with Tess while the radiologist reviewed the x-rays. When they took her in to be casted, he called his attorney at home, and then dialed Aunt Olivia.

  “I’m as concerned as you are, nephew,” Olivia agreed. “But Cassie’s fine here, sleeping soundly. Stella’s coming in the morning, first thing, so don’t worry about us. I want you to stay with Tess as long as she needs you, Jake, I mean that. You and Alice are all she has right now, and this must have come as a terrible shock for her. I still can’t quite grasp what Vicki and friends put Tess through. Judge Reilly may be willing to resolve things right away on Monday, if there’s reason to believe Vicki is abusing medication. He’s no stranger to your ex-wife’s character, I’m afraid.”

  “I’ve seen Vicki do some cruel and destructive things, but what happened with Tess tonight takes the cake.”

  “It certainly does. And it may have been criminal, as well. Tess’s parents’ are attorneys. She may press charges.” After Jake said goodnight to his aunt, he glanced at the clock on the wall. Ten-thirty here, seven-thirty in Philadelphia. What’s a good time to meet the parents?

  Exactly twenty minutes after they’d wheeled Tess to be casted, he introduced himself to her father.

  “Glad that you called, son. Tess explained to us what happened with that police report. I’m, er, very sorry for the confusion. Perhaps we owe you an apology,” Richard said gruffly, after they’d discussed Tess’s injury.

  “I know how I would have felt, sir, in your shoes. I’ve got a little girl, too, you know. You don’t need to say anymore.”

  “I don’t have much background in criminal law or police misconduct, but I can, er, find some contacts in Denver, if you need them,” Richard growled.

  “I appreciate the thought. I’ll let you know if I need any resources, sir.” Jake didn’t dare mention Tess’s case against Vicki and her friends. It was serious, but she’ll have my head if I involve her parents.

  “You’ll stay with her then, tonight?” Richard asked, trying to hide his concern.

  “I will. Tess won’t leave my sight until I’m certain she is okay. Alice has offered to stay at the apartment as long as Tess needs her.”

  “Very good. Perhaps Tess will call us, when the doctor’s finish with her.”

  Jake didn’t miss the worry in her father’s voice. “She’ll be in recovery in just a few minutes, sir,” he assured Richard.“I’ll pass on your request. If she’s not up to it herself, I’ll call to let you know how she’s doing.”

  “I can’t ask for more than that, Jake. She’s lucky to have friends like you and Alice. She was very angry with us, for getting in the middle of things, you know.”

  “You have a very special daughter, Richard, and I’m not only speaking for myself. Everyone here loves her, including my daughter Cassie. We were sorry to hear of your health condition.”

  “Oh, I’m on the mend, thankfully, just worried about Tess. Well, there’s not much more to say now, is there? Thank you again for calling.”

  “Good night, sir.”

  ***** Tess smiled drowsily when Jake came into her room, eyeing the fiberglass around the lower half of her left arm. “How much pain are you in?”

  “I’m okay. It’s going to be a real bitch tomorrow, though, if it swells. Speaking of that, Rhiannon’s tummy is getting huge.”

  “Let Cassie and I take her to the ranch, then. One less thing for you to worry about, with that arm.”

  “Rhiannon will like that,” Tess sighed, closing her eyes. Jake squeezed her toes. “Doc Powell said things went really well in there.”

  “Seems that way. Now I’ll just need to keep it iced, so the pain and swelling stay down. How were my parents?” she asked suddenly, her eyes open wide.

  “I spoke to your dad. He was glad that I called. He apologized about the mix up.”

  “The mix up?” Her brow furrowed, then she rolled her eyes. “Oh, you mean his yahoo assumptions?”

  “The what? Has your anesthesia worn off, Tess?” he teased, smiling affectionately. “It was all very cordial, don’t worry. They want you to call.”

  “Ugh. I guessed as much. Will you stay until it’s over?”

  “Sure, no sense going home, now.”

  “No, I mean the phone call. I don’t want them freaking out.”

  “Sure, I’m here for the duration, Crash. I’m taking you back tomorrow morning.”

  “What about Cassie?”

  “She’s with Olivia. She’s fine.”

  “Can you really swing another night with me in the hospital?”

  “Shhh-h,” he soothed, taking the chair beside her and rubbing her good hand. “It’s me or Alice, and I’m already here. Alice has nurse duty tomorrow. Here, drink your ice water.” He held the capped cup and straw to her mouth. “Anything else?”

  “I just want to sleep.”

  “Why don’t I dial your parents, first?”

  “Oh, okay,” Tess grinned, rolling her eyes.

  ***** Hours after Jake fell asleep on the bed near the window , he heard soft sounds coming from Tess’s bed. “Hey,” he whispered, padding over to her bed in his stocking feet. “Your pain okay?”

  Tess wiped her cheeks with her good hand. “No, and it’s two hours before I get another pill.”

  “More ice might help. I’ll go get some. What’s the matter, Crash?”

  “Nothing, really,” she sniffed.

  “Awww, it’s not nothing. You must have a lot on your mind. I’ll bring you some ice packs, and we can talk.”

  After he packed the lower part of her arm with six ice bags, he rearranged her pillows. “There, let me know if it gets too cold, but your pain should be better in a few minutes.” He took the chair next to her, pulling it over so he was close to her face. “Now, what’s going on?”

  “Well, for starters, I’ve really missed you.”

  Jake sighed, and caught her pained blue eyes, feeling guilty.“I’ve missed you, too.”

  “No, I mean, I really missed you. Why did the insurance thing cause so much trouble for us?”

  “It wasn’t just the insurance thing, Tess. I haven’t thanked you for all your understanding when I freaked out, I know tha
t, and really, I’m over it. It’s just . . .The insurance thing was a wakeup call. Things were really happening between us, and I realized it was probably too much, too fast,” he admitted.

  “It felt like you’d just forgotten about me,” she said, biting her lower lip, wiping a tear from her cheek.

  “To be honest, I keep thinking what your dad’s perspective on all this must be. I’ve got these ranches in the middle of nowhere, and I’m here for the duration, stuck with my crazy ex-wife. Her friends just broke your arm. If I were him, I’d want to keep you far away from a guy like me. I’d want you out of this hick-mountain town, and back in Philadelphia.”

  “Dad and I have talked about it. He wants what I decide is best for me. For awhile, it felt like that was Green Junction.”

  “You’re a city girl, Tess. There won’t be enough to keep you happy here.”

  “Maybe not. I’ve been offered a Fellowship at New Bolton, Jake. It would likely lead to a teaching position there,” she said quietly.

  He felt something smack against his chest, catch and twist. There was a long silence before he recovered enough to say, “Congratulations, Tess. It sounds like a very prestigious opportunity.”

  Her blue eyes were full of questions. “It starts next fall, if I take it. I’ll be here through summer, though, there’s still lots to learn from Doc. It seemed like things were working out for me here, but now maybe...” She looked at her casted arm packed with ice, and tears squeezed from her eyes. She hiccuped, then sobbed, “Maybe they’re not. You seem convinced that I don’t belong in Green Junction, and maybe . . . Maybe you’re right.”

  Jake pulled his chair up close to the right side of the bed and took her good hand, squeezing it to his chest. “Tonight was rough, Tess. Your work matters a lot in this