Game of Hearts

by Sara Logan

  Alex parked the car and escorted her into the towering white building. They soon found out where her grandfather was.

  "How is he? Can I see him?" she burst out to the nurse.

  The nurse shook her head. "He's with the doctor now, Miss Lennox. I don't think they'll be much longer. Goodness, don't look so worried," she said kindly, seeing the white, distraught face of the slender girl. "Sir," she added, glancing at Alex, "it would be better if you took her into the waiting room over there. I'll tell Dr. Benton she's here when he comes."

  Alex nodded and gently led Christina into the waiting room and pressed her into a chair. "Stay there. I'll get us some coffee."

  When he returned with the coffee, Christina looked up at him. "You don't need to stay, Alex," she said, watching him sit down and sip his own cup of coffee. "There's nothing you can do."

  "I'll wait," he said briefly. "We'll see what the doctor says."

  "Well, O.K." she agreed, knowing that he wasn't going to budge.

  "Do you have any other family, Chris?"

  She shook her head. "Not really. Dad was an only child. There are some distant cousins, but we never see each other. The four of us were very close," she explained, referring to her grandfather, her parents, and herself. She choked down a little sob at the thought of none of them being with her anymore.

  For twenty minutes or so they sat quietly, deep in their own thoughts. Christina was so sunk in misery that she didn't notice how often Alex's gaze rested on her or his gradual change of expression. The hard anger was gone, replaced now by a thoughtful consideration of her strained face and a determined tightening of his jaw.

  About the time that Christina was deciding she couldn't sit there another minute, the nurse came into the room and said, "You can see your grandfather now, Miss Lennox."

  Christina jumped to her feet and left the room, barely hearing Alex say that he would wait for her.

  With great apprehension she opened the door to her grandfather's room and peeped in. To her complete surprise, she saw that he was propped up in bed, smiling at—but it couldn't be—Margery, who was sitting on the side of the bed, holding his hand.

  "Gramps!" Christina ran to his side and hugged him.

  "Hello, honey. Did you have a good time?"

  "Gramps… I thought… but… the attack must not have been very bad this time," she stammered.

  "What attack, honey?"

  "The heart attack."

  Richard and Margery exchanged puzzled glances. "Christina," Richard began, "didn't Bess tell you? I didn't have a heart attack."

  "But…" she began, thoroughly confused, "everybody said… I thought…" She stumbled to a halt as she realized nobody had said "heart attack." She had just assumed it. Now she remembered that Bess had tried to tell her something but she wouldn't wait and listen. "Why are you in the hospital again, Gramps?"

  Margery spoke then. "Richard, if you don't mind, I believe I'll leave. You and Christina want to talk. I'll be back."

  She leaned down and kissed him, and he clung to her hand for a moment. Then, smiling at Christina, Margery crossed the room with her brisk, light walk and disappeared.

  Christina watched her out of the room and then turned back to the bed. "Gramps?" she said.

  "Sit down, child. I'll tell you everything." When she pulled up a chair and seated herself, he continued. "Christina, surely you've noticed how short of breath I've become lately?"

  She nodded.

  "Also," he said, "I've had trouble sleeping. I feel as though I'm smothering and have to lie on several pillows. Well, a week or so ago, I went to Dr. Benton and he suggested I return to the hospital for observation. He had been in contact with a cardiologist who would run some tests."

  "But, you must have gotten worse, or…"

  "No, it's not that way. I planned to enter the hospital on Friday…"

  The day she had left for the games, Christina thought. "You've been here since Friday," she said. "Why didn't you tell me? And I've been off at the games… That's why you had to call me back! You weren't even home! Oh, Gramps, why did you let me go?"

  "Chris, I wanted it that way. Why should you sit around the hospital when there was nothing you could do? Besides, I had Margery."

  Christina digested that in silence for a moment. "Gramps, do you know the results of the tests?"

  He smiled at her. "Indeed I do, and they're very encouraging. Dr. Benton and Dr. Munsen, the cardiologist, have conferred and they agree that surgery is indicated."

  "Surgery… ? Oh, no!"

  "It's necessary, honey. There's… well, I can't explain it very well, and not in medical terms, but there's a weak spot in my heart that they can go in and repair."

  "But isn't it dangerous?"

  "All surgery is dangerous, Chris. But I have little choice. If I don't have it, well… but if it's a success, I should be as good as new. So, they operate tomorrow."

  "Oh, Gramps!"

  "Don't look so upset, honey. It's the only thing to do. Now, I have something else to tell you. I sold the firm while you were gone."

  She was aghast. "You conducted business from your hospital bed?"

  "Indeed I did. That man from Florida I told you about… he made me a very good offer."

  "That's fine," she said. "I'm glad the burden of that is off your shoulders."

  "Now, tell me about the games," he demanded.

  They talked for a while about the trivialities of the weekend. Christina even managed to keep James out of the conversation. She was almost relieved when the nurse stuck her head in the door and said, "Miss Lennox, your grandfather needs to rest now."

  Christina said she would be back later, kissed her grandfather, and went out into the corridor, where she found Alex waiting for her.

  "How is he?"

  "He seems to be O.K. It wasn't a heart attack at all."

  "I know. Mrs. Lyons and I had a talk. Is he really going to have an operation?"

  "Apparently," Christina answered. "He's very optimistic about it. Did she tell you the operation's scheduled for tomorrow? Did she tell you that he knew all along that he was going to the hospital? That's why he was so anxious to get me out of town… so I wouldn't worry. Oh, Alex…"

  Tears swam in her eyes and she found herself enfolded in his warm arms, drenching his shirtfront with her tears.

  "Hush now, darling; he's going to be fine."

  Darling, she thought. He called her darling. If only…

  After confirming with the doctor what Richard had told them, Christina and Alex left. The doctors had advised them not to return that night; Mr. Lennox would need all the rest he could get.

  Alex took Christina home but didn't go in. She went in the house, dropped her luggage, ate whatever Bess had fixed for supper, and went to bed. To her great surprise she fell asleep immediately and when she awoke it was already eight o'clock in the morning.

  After a sketchy breakfast and a quick shower she drove to the hospital to find Margery and, strangely enough, Alex already there. Her grandfather had just gone into surgery, so the three moved into the waiting room to sit and try to talk, to pace from one end of the room to the other, to go for coffee and then forget to drink it. Afterward, Christina felt sure that she could never have survived the agonized hours of waiting if it had not been for Margery and Alex.

  Alex didn't say much, but he always seemed to anticipate her needs. When she wanted to talk about her grandfather, he listened gravely and agreed that Richard Lennox was a fine man. When she felt like being quiet, he was quiet.

  Margery, although sincerely concerned, was determinedly optimistic and cheerful. Christina knew she wasn't putting on an act, either. She sat quietly, her hands folded in her lap. Her soft white hair was pulled back in its usual bun on the back of her head, but small, unruly curls escaped around her face to frame it. Her blue dress, with its pleated skirt, displayed not a single wrinkle.

  After a while she called Christina over to sit by her. "Everything will be all rig
ht. The specialist that Dr. Benton has called in is one of the best in his field. He's internationally known."

  Margery went on with the subject of doctors, talking about her son and what a hard time he had had in medical school and what a fine doctor he was now. Christina tried to make the proper comments and ask sensible questions, but after a while even Margery's cheerfulness began to fade somewhat. Then they sat in silence.

  "I'm going down to get some lunch," said Alex. "Come with me, Chris."

  "No, no. I don't want to leave."

  "Go ahead, dear," reassured Margery. "I'll come find you if there's any word at all. I promise I will."

  "No, I can't go. You go ahead, Alex."

  "Can I bring you up something?"

  "Coffee, maybe."

  But before Alex could leave, Dr. Benton, who had assisted at the surgery, came into the room.

  "He came through beautifully, Chris. He'll be in Recovery for a time. You can peep in on him when they get him up to Intensive Care, but that will be a while. I warn you, he'll look pretty bad, but that won't last and in three or four days you'll see a lot of difference."

  Christina didn't trust herself to speak. Alex and Margery thanked the doctor while she sat there, dazed. Then Alex came over and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, Chris. We're going to eat—right now."

  Christina realized she was starving and she didn't have to be told twice.

  For the next few days, Christina ran back and forth to the hospital so she would be there when her grandfather was allowed to have visitors. When she wasn't at the hospital she was at home, showering and changing, eating whatever Bess put before her, lying down to rest before the next trip to the Intensive Care Unit. Slowly, Richard began to improve. He was taken off the respirator; his color got better; he was even able to talk briefly without getting exhausted. As he improved, Christina began to relax and take some notice of her surroundings again.

  It finally made an impression on her that Alexander Stewart was still in town, driving her to and from the hospital, providing coffee and encouraging conversation. She wondered vaguely why he was still there. Did he still have business in Charlotte that she knew nothing of? Had Lorna managed to escape from Rory and show up in Charlotte? Christina's senses were so dulled by her worry over her grandfather that she found she had been accepting Alex's presence matter-of-factly and had asked no questions at all. She saw a lot of Margery during those trying days, and when she was with the older woman she felt optimistic, too. But when she was alone, doubt gnawed away at her. Slowly, though, she began to adopt Margery's attitude, and after a while she felt that things would turn out all right.

  One afternoon, about a week after the surgery, she slipped into her grandfather's room. Margery was already there, and the two were smiling.

  "I have something to tell you, Chris," said Richard Lennox, after she had kissed him and said hello to Margery. "Margery and I are going to be married."

  Christina was stunned and delighted. "When did all this happen?" she asked.

  "We've talked about it for a long time, Chris," said her grandfather. "And then I had that heart attack in the winter, and after that we didn't know what to expect. But we talked again not long ago, and Margery agreed to be my wife, provided I went through with the operation. And I certainly did that," he concluded proudly.

  "We're planning to take a long cruise as soon as the doctors agree that Richard is able to go," said Margery.

  Christina kissed both of them and gave them her very best wishes. "I'm going now," she said. "They'll be coining to run us off in a few minutes, and I know you two have a lot to discuss."

  On the way home it occurred to Christina that she would have to find an apartment. She would never consider making Richard and Margery share their home with her. She was relieved that she didn't have to do anything about it immediately, though. First there would be the wedding and then the cruise, and while they were gone she could start looking. She decided it would be best if she could be moved out before the newlyweds returned from their honeymoon.

  At home Christina found Alex waiting on the screened-in porch.

  "You look like you've just heard some good news," he said.

  She told him about Richard and Margery, and he expressed approval but said he wasn't so surprised to hear that they were getting married. "I came by," he explained, "to take you out to dinner. Now we have an excuse to celebrate."

  "Oh, Alex, I don't know. I'm so tired…"

  "Nonsense; you have to eat. I won't take no for an answer. You have fifteen minutes to change… that is, if you think you have to change. That green dress looks lovely."

  A few minutes later she found her place beside Alex in the car and he drove to the quiet restaurant he had chosen. Christina felt exhausted but more cheerful than she had for days and she enjoyed the brief drive. She was therefore considerably startled when Alex, pulling the car into the restaurant parking lot, commented, "I know it can't be easy for you to see the firm pass out of the family, Chris, but it really was the only thing to do. It would be impossible for you to run it alone."

  "How did you…" she began, then broke off as he slid out of the driver's seat and came around to open the car door for her. Christina stepped out onto the pavement of the parking lot and stared up at him. "Who told you about selling the firm?" she demanded.

  He looked down at her. "Your grandfather. When I was here earlier he mentioned it to me." He saw the surprise on her face and nodded. "We were discussing future orders, and he felt, considering our long business association, that he should warn me that he was planning to sell Lennox's. He hadn't then talked to you about it, but I knew you would agree once you realized how much he was worrying about it."

  Christina didn't answer, as he was leading her into the quiet restaurant. After they were settled and had ordered, she looked across the table at him, her heart contracting painfully as she realized that she would probably never see him again after tonight. He had been kind, doubtless because of his old friendship with her grandfather, and had stayed to offer her help and moral support. But now that her grandfather was out of danger and with a happy future to look forward to, Christina was sure that very soon Alex would board a plane that would take him home to Scotland and out of her life forever.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to sound calm and decided. "Gramps and Margery are going to travel, but I'll have to find a place of my own before they get back. It should be fun, going apartment hunting."

  Alex gave her a strange look, a look that she could not define at all. "And I'll have to look for a job, too," she went on. "I was never trained for that job, you know. I came into the firm when my father was killed because Gramps needed me. Now," she said, as cheerfully as she could manage, "I'm free to find a job in my own field."

  The strain of sharing the meal with him was eased by his interest, real or feigned, in her future career plans. After a while, though, Christina gradually began to realize that his attention was not wholly on what she was saying. He continued to ask questions and make comments that kept her talking about retail merchandising, but she had the curious conviction that he wasn't interested in her answers… or her plans. That realization effectively dried up her flow of conversation, and dinner was finished in comparative silence. Chris scarcely noticing now what she ate or drank, was relieved when Alex paid the check and escorted her back to the car.

  "Where would you like to go now?" he asked. "It's early yet."

  "Home, I think. I hope I get over this feeling of utter exhaustion." Then, because she couldn't help herself, she asked, "Are you leaving tomorrow, Alex?"

  "I'm not sure," he answered vaguely, making a show of paying attention to the flow of traffic.

  "Couldn't you get a flight out?" she persisted, looking at his strong, tanned profile. The warm golden light from the sinking sun threw his strong chin and cheekbones into relief against the deeper planes of his face. The scented breeze coming through the windows had blown a dark lock of
hair onto his forehead, and she had to resist the growing temptation to reach over and brush it back. Instead, she gripped her hands tightly on her handbag and turned her gaze to her own window.

  "I have some unfinished business to take care of before I leave," he murmured, deftly switching lanes and making the turn that would lead them to the street where she lived.

  Christina wanted to ask what the unfinished business was but couldn't bring herself to do so. She was finding this final evening with him very trying and wished that he would drive faster and let her hurry to the comfort of her own room.

  He parked the car on the circular sweep of the drive and held the door for her. "Can I come in for a few minutes?" he asked, waiting for her to step out.

  What could she say? She knew her love was hopeless and she wanted the evening over so she could be alone with her pain. She sighed to herself and led the way into the house, hoping he would say goodbye and leave, but it was soon clear that he had other plans.

  "Good evening, Bess."

  "Mr. Stewart," Bess murmured with a cordial smile that she had never treated James to. She looked from Christina to the tall Scotsman. "I have some coffee ready for you; I'll bring it out to the porch."

  Christina waited for Alex to demur and say his goodbyes, but he smiled at Bess and admitted that coffee would be nice.

  "I thought you had some business to attend to," Christina said, leading the way onto the shady porch.

  "I do," he admitted, looking straight at her with thoughtful eyes. "With you."

  Christina sank limply down on the cushioned couch and stared at him. "Me?"

  He nodded and then turned to take the coffee tray from Bess. "Thanks, Bess," he said.

  "I'll be in my room if you want me, Miss Chris." Bess gave the pale girl a frowning look and then went quietly out.