“So?” Aunt Charity said, looking at Megan again. “When are you calling a press conference?”
The women had been concentrating so intently on the conversation, they hadn’t seen Ben approach. He placed both hands on Megan’s shoulders as he stood behind her. She jumped slightly, unaware that he was near.
“Megan hasn’t reached a decision about that yet, Aunt Charity,” he said. “That’s not the only choice available to her.”
“Don’t be silly, Benjamin,” Aunt Charity said. “If Megan keeps silent, that polecat might end up being governor of Arizona.”
“Charles Chastain might also choose to remarry,” Aunt Prudence said quietly. “May the saints help that unknowing young woman, whoever she may be.”
Megan stiffened. “I hadn’t thought of that possibility.”
“Cable Montana did,” Ben said, tightening his hold on Megan’s shoulders. “He dropped that bomb on me about a half an hour ago.”
“Oh, dear heaven,” Megan whispered.
“Don’t upset yourself, dear,” Aunt Prudence said, leaning over and patting Megan’s hand. “I do believe, however, that you know, deep within yourself, what you must do.
“You think about it, and always remember that your family is here to support you. You’re not alone, Megan, not anymore.” She straightened and looked at Ben. “Isn’t that right, Ben?”
Ben nodded. “That’s right, Aunt Prudence. Megan is not alone.”
“Neither are you, Benjamin,” Aunt Prudence said, looking at him intently. “We’ve been your family for so many years, you may have forgotten that we’re here for you, as well.”
“Yep,” Aunt Charity said. “We sure are. We’re playing true confessions here, Ben. If you don’t come clean with your secret, we’ll boot you out of the clan.”
“What secret?” Janice said. “Ben, do you have a secret? Am I missing something?”
“Yeah,” Ben said, producing a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “A biggie. The truth is...I have a fetish for toy trucks. If Joey doesn’t watch out, I’m going to cop the one that Megan and I gave him today.”
“Oh, pot,” Aunt Charity said, frowning. “What a bunch of bull.”
“Charity, please,” Prudence said, “mind your language. You do upset my sensibilities when you speak like that. Tsk, tsk, shame on you.”
“Well, for mercy’s sake,” Aunt Charity said. “You know yourself, Pru, that Ben has had something heavy preying on his mind for months. It’s time—”
“That Megan and I were leaving,” Ben interrupted. “We forgot to buy her a jacket when we went shopping, and it’s getting chilly. Come on, Megan. Let’s go.”
“Oh, Ben,” Charity said, shaking her head.
Megan got to her feet and a moment later Andrea leveled herself upward.
“I arrived in Prescott in the middle of a snowstorm at Christmastime with no jacket,” Andrea said, smiling. “Since then, Brandon has bought me more than I’ll ever be able to use. I’m ready to get off of this folding chair and put my feet up. Why don’t you and Megan come back to the hotel, Ben, and I’ll give Megan a coat?”
“Thank you, Andrea,” Megan said. “That’s lovely of you. I certainly don’t want Ben spending any more money on my wardrobe.”
“Cripes, Megan,” Ben said. “It doesn’t matter how much—”
“Ben, please,” she said. “I’ll be more comfortable borrowing a jacket from Andrea for now.”
“Whatever,” he muttered.
Goodbyes were said and Andrea, Megan and Ben started off in search of Brandon.
“Ben,” Aunt Prudence said.
He stopped and half turned to look at her.
“Yes?” he said, raising his eyebrows.
“Charity and I love you, you know,” Aunt Pru said. “You and Megan.”
“She’s got that straight, big boy,” Aunt Chanty said. “And don’t you forget it.”
Ben looked at the aunts for a long moment, nodded, then walked away.
During the restoration of Hamilton House, Brandon had had two apartments constructed on the fifth floor, one for himself and one for Aunt Prudence and Aunt Chanty.
When Megan, Ben, Andrea and Brandon entered the apartment in the hotel, Ben glanced around.
“I’m continually impressed with how great these apartments turned out, Brandon,” he said. “Are you still planning on buying a house, though?”
“Yep.” Brandon swept one arm in the air. “Sit. There’s no need to rush off. Unfortunately, Andrea and I haven’t found what we’re looking for. I’m beginning to think it might be better to get some land, hire an architect, and have a house built to our specifications—the way you did, Ben.”
Ben and Megan settled onto the sofa. Andrea sat on a straight-back chair and propped her feet on a footstool, as Brandon sank onto a large easy chair close to her.
“That’s better,” Andrea said. “Oh, my poor, puffy tootsies.” She paused. “You’ve been pleased with your house since you had it built, haven’t you, Ben?”
Ben nodded. “Very pleased.”
“With just cause,” Megan said, smiling. “It’s a lovely home.”
Home, Ben thought. Yes, the house had, indeed, been transformed into a home since Megan had taken up residency there.
It would, he supposed, be simply a house again once Megan concluded her unfinished business with Chastain and went on her way. To start over and create a fulfilling life...for herself.
“Brandon Hamilton,” Andrea said, laughing. “You have lipstick on your cheek. I didn’t notice it when we were driving over here. What on earth have you been up to when I wasn’t looking?”
Brandon chuckled as he scrubbed his hand over the telltale evidence on his cheek.
“As we were leaving the party, I told Jennifer that I’d made arrangements for a couple of guys from the staff here to show up at her place. They’ll load the tables and chairs she borrowed from the hotel into a truck, and do whatever other cleaning she wants done in the yard from the birthday bash.”
“No wonder you received a kiss,” Megan said, smiling. “That was a lovely thing to do. You have good taste in men, Andrea.”
“I think so, too,” Andrea said, smiling warmly at her husband.
Brandon shrugged. “Jennifer and Joey are family. I was able to make things easier for her so... Hey, that’s what a family is about, right? We’re here for each other.”
Ben got to his feet. With a frown on his face and his hands shoved into his pockets, he roamed around the large room. The other three watched him with questioning expressions. He finally stopped his trek, standing by the end of the sofa.
“Everyone except me seems to have a handle on this family thing,” he said quietly, then looked at Megan. “You reached out to your new family today at the party, Megan, when you told them the truth about Chastain, about what you’ve been through.”
“Yes,” she said, staring at him intently. “Yes, I did, Ben.”
“Their reaction wasn’t what I expected,” Ben went on. “I thought they’d fawn and fuss, gush all over you with pity and—but it wasn’t like that. You got sympathy, yes, but more important, they let you know they were there for you as you moved forward with your life.”
“Yes, they were wonderful,” Megan said.
“I think...I think it’s time,” Ben said, “that I reached out to my family, too.”
“Oh, Ben,” Megan said softly. “Yes.”
Ben looked up at the ceiling, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly before directing his attention to Andrea and Brandon.
“Andrea, Brandon,” Ben said, “there’s something you need to know.” He shook his head. “No, let me rephrase that. There’s something I need to share with you.”
“Ben,” Megan said, extending one hand toward him.
He hesitated, then joined her on the sofa, sitting close to her and placing her hand on his thigh, covering it with his own hand.
“What’s going on, buddy?” Brandon said,
frowning. “We’ve all been aware for months that you’re struggling with something heavy. We’ve kept silent, but we’ve been here for you, you know.”
“I thought I had to do this alone,” Ben said. “But I was wrong.” He looked at Megan. “I’ve been shown by this lovely lady just how wrong I was.” He shifted his gaze back to Andrea and Brandon.
“I...that is, at some point in the future, I won’t be able to... what I mean is...” Ben stopped speaking and shook his head. “Ah, hell, I’m going to be blind. I’ll no longer be able to see.” His grip on Megan’s hand tightened.
“What?” Brandon said, leaning forward in his chair. “What!”
“Dear heaven,” Andrea whispered.
“Okay, okay,” Brandon said, raising both hands. “Let’s take it from the top. All the details, Ben.”
This was so difficult for him, Megan thought, fighting against threatening tears. But he was doing it, baring his soul, reaching out to his family as he should have done months ago. Oh, how she loved him.
“All right,” Ben said, sounding suddenly weary. “Here’s the story.”
With a voice gritty with emotion, Ben told Andrea and Brandon what was happening to his brothers, about the frustration of his doctor friend, who was researching what remained a mystery, of the loss of his own sight that would surely take place sometime in the future.
“That’s it,” he said finally. “Now you know.”
“I hate it,” Brandon said, a rough edge to his voice. “This isn’t acceptable. No. No way. There has to be something they can do to stop this from happening to you, Ben.”
“I’ve been down the denial and anger road already, Brandon,” Ben said. “It’s a dead end.”
“Ben,” Andrea said, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m so terribly sorry. That doesn’t begin to express how I feel, but there’s no purpose to be served by my going on and on. I’m just...just so very sorry.”
Ben nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I’m going to ask you two to tell the aunts, Jennifer, Taylor and Janice, because I can’t go through this tale of woe over and over. I realize that I’m placing a tremendous burden on you by that request, but...”
“You are not,” Brandon said. “We’ll take care of it.”
“You said you have no symptoms yet?” Andrea said. “None?”
“No, nothing,” Ben said. “I’m supposed to check in with my brothers to see how they are, but I keep putting it off because I really don’t want to know. I’ll do it, though. Soon.”
Andrea sighed. “Well, let’s be grateful that you’re in the profession you are.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, Andrea,” Ben said, his voice rising, “but you’re crazy. I can’t be a doctor when I’m blind. Think about it. I can’t fix what I can’t see.”
“No, but there won’t be anything wrong with your mind,” Andrea said.
“Big deal,” Ben said, none too quietly. “What good is that going to do me?”
“You can teach, Dr. Rizzoli,” Andrea said, matching his volume. “You can share the vast knowledge you have, the years of experience, with the healers, the doctors of tomorrow.”
“Yes,” Megan said. “Oh, my goodness, there it is. Yes, teach, and also dictate endless, informative articles for medical journals.”
“Yeah, right.” Ben laughed, the sound bitter and sharp. “How do I get to this ever-famous classroom so I can teach? Oh, I know. My nursemaid will wash and shave me, put on my clothes, take me by the hand and lead me there like a little kid. No, thanks. I’ll pass.”
“Ben, don’t,” Megan said gently. “It wouldn’t be like that. People without sight can learn to be independent and productive. Somewhere in your mind you know that’s true. You do.”
Ben dragged both hands down his face. “I’ve had enough of this for today. Borrow a coat, jacket, whatever, from Andrea, and let’s be on our way.”
“All right.” Megan got to her feet, then turned her head to look at Ben again. “We’ll go home. Together.”
Chapter Eleven
Later that night, Megan came down the stairs to find Ben sitting on the sofa. He was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, the steeple he’d made of his fingers resting lightly against his lips.
Ben had been so quiet, so withdrawn, ever since they left Hamilton House hours before. He’d replied to her questions absently, had hardly touched his dinner and now, even with the physical distance between them, she could sense—feel—the thick wall he’d erected around himself.
It was understandable, she supposed. It had been so difficult for Ben to share the stark facts of his future with Andrea and Brandon. Now it was all out in the open. Ben could no longer hide from his reality because the people who cared about him knew the truth.
How glorious it had all been when she and Ben had existed in their crystal ball world. They lived in the now, made love in the now, had laughed, talked and shared in the now.
Megan crossed the room slowly, hesitated, then sat on the end of the sofa, a cushion away from Ben. Several silent minutes passed as Ben continued to stare into the leaping flames of the fire in the hearth.
“Ben,” Megan finally said quietly.
Ben snapped his head around, clearly surprised to find Megan sitting there.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t hear you come downstairs. I was deep in thought, I guess.”
“You have been ever since we left Andrea and Brandon,” Megan said.
Ben leaned back and stretched his arms across the top of the sofa, shifting his gaze to the fire again.
“I know,” he said. “I haven’t been very good company tonight.” He paused. “It’s funny, strange really. I feel...lighter somehow, since I told Andrea and Brandon about what’s happening to me. It’s like I’ve spread out my situation and handed each of them a chunk of it, and given more pieces to the aunts, Jennifer, Janice and Taylor, because I imagine they all know by now.
“It’s as though I’m saying, ‘Hey, this is too heavy of a load, so help me out here, people. Everyone take some of it, get the weight of it off my back.’ Weird, huh?” Ben turned his head to look at Megan.
“No, not at all. That’s what caring and sharing is all about. You know you’re not alone, struggling to deal with your problems in solitude.” Megan frowned. “But what about me, Ben? I wasn’t on your list of those who have a piece of your grim puzzle.”
“That’s because you’ve had the whole damn thing dumped on you. You’re here with me, sharing every crummy detail of it, day in, day out. The next time you fall off a mountain, you really ought to pick a better hero to rescue you.”
“Oh, okay,” Megan said, smiling. “I’ll try to remember that.” Her smile faded. “Ben, were you thinking of what Andrea said about becoming a teacher?”
“Don’t go there, Megan,” he said, getting to his feet. “Not tonight.” He moved around the coffee table to stand in front of the fire, his back to Megan, his hands shoved into his pockets. “I’m not ready to look that far ahead yet.”
“All right,” she said. “I understand.” She paused again. “Ben, while I was upstairs, I made two telephone calls. One was to Andrea to ask if I could borrow her car. The other was to my attorney. I’m...I’m going to Phoenix tomorrow.”
Ben yanked his hands free of his pockets and spun around to face her, his heart beating wildly.
“You’re leaving?” he said. Ah, Megan, no! Not yet. Not yet!
“Just for the day. I should be back home before dark. I hope I am, because I’ve never driven mountain roads before. It will be nerve-racking enough in the daylight without attempting it in the dark.”
She wasn’t leaving for good, Ben thought. She was coming back, coming home. He had to calm down. Easy does it, Rizzoli.
“Why are you going to Phoenix?” he said.
“My attorney will escort me to the house I shared with Charles. It will be a one-time event, so I can collect some clothes and personal belongings. It will be the last time I ever
step foot in that house.”
“Wait just a damn minute here.” Ben moved forward and sat on the edge of the coffee table, his knees touching Megan’s. “I don’t want you running the risk of encountering Chastain. No way, Megan. You’re not going into that house alone.”
“I won’t be alone. I just told you. My attorney will be with me.”
“How old is he?” Ben said, frowning.
“What?”
“You heard me. How old is your suit-and-tie guy?”
Megan shrugged. “Well, I don’t know. Sixty? Sixty-five?”
“Ah, hell. What’s he going to do if Chastain gets rough?”
“We have the law on our side,” Megan said, her voice rising. “I have every right to be there, to remove what belongs to me.”
“Big deal,” Ben said, matching her volume. “There’s also a law that says it’s illegal for a man to beat up his wife. Chastain doesn’t follow the rules, Megan. Come on. Use your head. You’re not going into that house without me.”
Megan scooted past Ben’s knees and got to her feet, turning immediately to look at him.
“You’d like to be there, wouldn’t you?” she said, none too quietly. “You’re just itching to pop Charles in the chops. You want to do that, because it will satisfy some...some macho whatever it is within you. Well, forget it, Rizzoli.”
Megan took a shuddering breath, then rushed on.
“It’s bad enough,” she said, “that your entire medical practice could be in jeopardy because of me, because of Charles’s threats because I’m with you. I won’t have you ending up in jail on charges of assault. I’d never forgive myself if that happened.”
Ben got to his feet. “And I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you while you were down there. No. You’re not going without me.”
He dragged a restless hand through his hair.
“You get back on the telephone and call your attorney,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Tell him we’ll be coming together tomorrow. That’s it. That’s the bottom line. I’m with you, or you don’t go. Have you got that, Megan?”
The Most Eligible M.D. (The Bachelor Bet #3) Page 13
