Handle With Care

by Patrice Wilton

  “I have my own pains, my own devils to fight.”

  “Lauren … I know you’re trying to help, but …”

  She reached a hand toward him, hoping he’d take it. “You’re the best person I know. And you’re the only person I want.” When he didn’t move, she folded her arms and sighed. “More importantly, I’m confident that you’ll succeed in AA. You have the strength. More strength than me, that’s for sure.”

  “That’s not true,” he said stubbornly.

  “Will you please sit down, so I can tell you something?”

  He finally took a seat on the couch, as far away from her as he could get. “Okay. Shoot.”

  “You know how my husband died. That he was on his way home from work and was killed by a drunk driver. What you don’t know is that he called me on his cell. Josh had been acting up all day, and instead of waiting until Jeremy got home, I got into it right then and there.” She paused for a second, remembering her role clearly. “I told him I wanted to have Josh tested for ADHD, and he got really mad. Told me to do whatever the hell I wanted. Said that I always did anyway.”

  Shane didn’t say anything, so she rushed on. “Well, that was the start of a really big fight. Jeremy refused to believe that Josh had a problem, telling me he was just an active little boy. But I knew differently. I was around him all the time and I suspected that he had a learning disorder. Jeremy was totally in denial.”

  “Having a disagreement on the phone doesn’t mean you were the cause of his death.”

  “You’re wrong. It was raining, and he was on a busy highway. I got him angry and distracted.”

  “You can’t blame yourself for what happened.” He reached across the distance between them and caught a lock of her hair, twiddling it with his fingers. “You weren’t in the car with him. He was the one driving. It was his responsibility to stay focused.”

  She shook her head, forcing him to drop his hand. “I’ve had this on my conscience since the night he died. It was easier to put all the blame on the alcoholic than to admit I might have had something to do with it.”

  “You didn’t. That’s ridiculous.”

  “Is it?” She angled her body so she could watch his face. “Shane, I’ve never told anyone this story, and I don’t ever want Josh to know. But you need to know the truth about me. I’m stubborn, impatient, and nearly always right. Even when I’m not.”

  He gave a wry smile. “You forgot bossy.”

  “Yes, I did. I’m bossy too.”

  “Well, sugar pie, it seems like we are both quite a mess.” He leaned into the corner of the sofa, again as far away as he could get. “Now that we’re in a confessing mood, I’ll tell you my deep, dark secret.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  “When I was a prisoner in that guerrilla camp, I was forced to perform surgery on a high-ranking Iraqi officer. A grenade had exploded near him, and when they brought him into the camp he was barely alive. His torso had been blown up, exposing his organs. Very little of him was left intact. I told them I couldn’t save him, but they didn’t have a real doctor, only me.”

  He closed his eyes and drew in a long breath. “He lived for nearly a week and then died from an infection.”

  “So you did the best you could.”

  “It must have been a hundred degrees in that shack that was my operating room. Flies were always buzzing around and the sweat poured off me. I remember swatting at the flies, and then I returned to patching up the patient without washing my hands.” He shook his head. “My hands and instruments weren’t sterile.”

  “You were forced to perform surgery under threat of death, and you said yourself that he was beyond repair.”

  “I should have refused. Let them kill me. I never should have given in to the buggers in the first place.”

  “You chose to survive. There’s no shame in that. And from what you tell me, you performed some kind of miracle keeping this officer alive as long as you did.”

  “Guess they didn’t see it that way, and neither did I.”

  “So that’s it? That’s your deep, dark secret? That’s the best you’ve got?”

  He looked angry. “I was weak, frightened. Pathetic. No damn hero, that’s for sure.”

  “I see it differently. I think you’re extremely brave, and you did something really heroic. You performed surgery, something you were not trained to do, with guns pointed at your head and men only too eager to blast you to kingdom come, and you kept him alive. He didn’t die on the table. That’s amazing. I’m proud of you.”

  He shook his head again, but she caught a hint of a smile. “I think you’re just saying that because you’re too stubborn to give up on someone like me.”

  She slid over to him and cupped his face in her hands. “Not someone like you. Just you! Shane Dawson, you are going to be a great doctor. I’ve seen you in action, and you’re confident, capable, and have a quick mind and good dexterity. You have the makings of a great physician. I’m going to see that you become one.”

  “You forgot one little problem. I’m a drunk.”

  “Don’t make me hurt you.” She leaned over and kissed his lips. “If you continue to talk trash about yourself, I might have to do something drastic, like wash your mouth out with soap.”

  She definitely saw a smile now. “Do people actually do that?”

  “I don’t know. I hope not.”

  “So what’s going to happen the next time I have a major crisis in my life and go for the bottle? You going to stick around then?”

  “Yes. I’ll be your lifeline.” Tears filled her eyes. “From here on in, Shane, I’ve got your back. You hear me?” She gave him little kisses all over his face. “I’ve got your back.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “Lauren, that’s a helluva chore.” He tilted her head to look into her eyes. “You’re one stubborn woman, but I might be too much even for you.”

  “There is nothing you can do to stop me from loving you.” Tears filled her eyes. “I will never give up on you. Not ever.”

  He kissed her lips softly. “Don’t cry. I don’t ever want you to shed a tear for me.”

  “Then stay with me.”

  “I will for now, but if there ever comes a time when you can’t be around me anymore, I want you to take Josh and go.”

  “That won’t happen. I lost one good man, and I don’t intend to lose another.”

  He smiled, but it was a sad smile. “You win.” He pulled her close. “I can’t fight you any longer, and I want you too much to try.”

  She put her arms around him. “Good, but I still have one request.”

  “Anything.” His lips grazed on her earlobe and then trailed down her neck.

  “Will you make love to me right now?”

  He chuckled. “With great pleasure.” His hand slid under her top and found her breast. “I feel your heart beating. I want you naked, your heart beating with mine.”

  “Oh, Shane. I have been alone so long, and now I will never feel empty again. You complete me.”

  He smiled. “Now who’s using the corny lines?”

  She laughed and stood up. “I’ll give you about two seconds to get me undressed, and then I’m coming after you.”

  “Bossy woman.” He lifted her shirt and pulled it over her head. His fingers flew to her zipper, and he tugged her pants over her slim hips. She wiggled out of them.

  When she was gloriously naked, she watched him with half-closed eyes. “Take your clothes off. I want you inside me.”

  When he was undressed, he laid her on the couch and poised himself over her. “Give me your last command, and then I’m going to do whatever the hell I want.”

  She touched him, feeling him shiver, and guided him into her. “Make love to me and never stop.”

  “Last chance to walk away.” He slid halfway into her. “In another second, I’ll never let you go.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. There is no place I’d rather be.” She kissed him deeply, giving him all th
e love she had stored up inside. “I’ve found my home. With you.”

  EPILOGUE

  One Year Later.

  Shane strolled into the kitchen in flip-flops and his boxer shorts. He pecked Lauren’s cheek, and gave her bottom a friendly pat.

  “Hi hon,” she murmured, breathing in his familiar scent. After living together for six months, she still couldn’t get enough of him. “Sleep well?”

  “Not really. I laid awake and watched you sleep until around three or so, then drifted off. I didn’t hear you get up.” He glanced at the clock. “It’s after eight. I’m sorry, I missed seeing Josh off.”

  “I know, but I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” Noticing the empty cup in his hand, she put a fresh pot of coffee on to brew.

  “You should have. I like taking him to school.”

  “His friend’s mother picked him up. Remember? We’ve decided to car pool. It’s easier all around.”

  “Oh, yeah.” He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I forgot about that, but I’ve had some things on my mind.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “Well, for starters, when you were working yesterday, I interviewed a young woman who’s going to take care of Brent.” Shane ignored the look she gave him, and continued his story. “He’s going to flip out on me, but what the hell. Until he gets his eyesight back, he can’t possibly live alone.”

  Brent had been successfully evacuated out of Afghanistan; his burns had been bad, but losing his sight had been far worse. Now, after a second operation, the doctors were a little more hopeful that he’d soon see again.

  “You did what?” Lauren cracked a couple of eggs into the frying pan, and popped two English muffins into the toaster. “You hired her without consulting him first?”

  At his nod, she sucked in a breath and released it slowly. “You’re in for it now. So how did you find her?”

  “Called an agency and they sent her for an interview.”

  “You checked her references, I hope?”

  He grimaced. “Not exactly. She just moved here.” He didn’t look at her when he added, “I felt sorry for her. She looked kind of desperate.”

  She smiled fondly. “You and your strays. You’d take care of the whole world if you could.”

  “The only one I want to take care of is you.”

  “You can do that once you’re done with your residency.” She stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. “Now that you’re in med school, your life is going to get a whole lot busier.”

  “Speaking of which. We have the house to ourselves, right?”

  “Right.”

  “So that means we have a couple of hours to be alone.”

  She smiled. “Uh-huh. What do you have in mind?”

  His eyes roamed over her. She was wearing a short robe, and nothing underneath. “Oh, you know. You and me. We need to keep practicing, in order to make a perfect baby.”

  She laughed. “Don’t we have enough on our plates? I can’t get pregnant now. I’m going to be the main breadwinner for the next few years. You can support me once you’re Doctor Dawson.”

  “I don’t want to wait six or seven years to start a family. Josh wants a brother or a sister. Now. So, Mrs. Dawson, what do you say we give it our best shot?”

  “I think I like this honeymoon phase. We’ve been married for six months, you haven’t had a nightmare or a drink.” She smiled fondly at him. “Every day seems like a beginning.” She stood on tiptoe, and kissed his lips softly. “I don’t think I’ll ever take you for granted. You make me breathless, Mr. Dawson.”

  They had been married in a simple service with only his family and hers, and a few close friends including all the Harrington clan. Brent had been the best man and Shane’s partner Rick and his wife Linda were in attendance. Lauren had invited Julie, Margaret, and Trish. Margaret brought her new boyfriend, a young intern, and Trish came with her husband, and that completed the short list.

  They’d been married at a quaint B&B near the beach and the wedding had been held outdoors in the garden. They’d said their vows next to a gazebo decorated in pink and red roses, followed by a moonlit dinner. Along with her father, Josh had handed her over to Shane.

  The beautiful memory made her eyes sting.

  She turned off the burner and moved the eggs off the stove. Then she slipped her arms around his neck, and moved in closer. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

  “Yes, but I never get tired of hearing it.” He reached for her hand. “I can afford to feed our family while you’re on maternity leave.” He nuzzled her neck. “Come on. Humor me.”

  “With pleasure.” She undid the knot on her robe and pulled him toward the bedroom. “I’m not sure how we can afford a baby now with your tuition fees, and me not working, but there is one thing I do know.”

  “What’s that, my love?”

  “Whatever life brings us, we can handle it together.”

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  60 Minute Photos

  Patrice Wilton was born in Vancouver, Canada, and knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to be a writer. She also knew that she had to grow up first and see the world that she wanted to write about, so she became a flight attendant and for seventeen years traveled the world. At the age of forty, she sat down to write her first novel—in longhand!

  She is the proud mother of two, with four lovely granddaughters and a wonderful, supportive man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience.

  This book was originally released in episodes as a Kindle Serial. Kindle Serials launched in 2012 as a new way to experience serialized books. Kindle Serials allow readers to enjoy the story as the author creates it, purchasing once and receiving all existing episodes immediately, followed by future episodes as they are published. To find out more about Kindle Serials and to see the current selection of Serials titles, visit www.amazon.com/kindleserials.