In a Doctor's Arms

by Lisa Mondello

  Dennis turned and blew his whistle when he saw Benny and a few others come out of the locker room.

  “If you just got here, start with a warm-up and shoot some baskets before we start the game.”

  Right away Teresa could see this was the last place Benny wanted to be. Not only were his shoulders sagging but he looked as if he was dragging his feet as he walked. This had nothing to do with his shoulder injury. He just didn’t want to be here.

  As he walked, he cast his eyes low and looked from side to side at the other boys as they gathered around. None of them treated him any different than how they treated each other, but it was clear Benny felt a little paranoia.

  “Hey,” he said to one kid, who lifted his hand and slapped Benny’s in a handshake. “Looking good.”

  “Better, anyway.”

  Teresa watched as Benny thrust his hands in his sweatpants pockets, wincing at the pain in his shoulder from the abrupt movement. Still, the acceptance of the other teen had obviously lifted Benny’s mood. He took the basketball from his friend and got in position to shoot a basket.

  She’d watch him, see how he interacted with the rest of the boys. But she couldn’t help but watch Dennis with the teens, too. Dennis seemed to be a natural, one of them. And they accepted him that way.

  In Hartford, many of the teens were wary of adult authority. They’d seen enough to make them distrustful of adults, but they still needed and even wanted direction, even if they didn’t know it. She wondered how Dennis would fit in there. There were many strong role models for kids in Hartford. Teresa had been fortunate enough to work with many of them and had seen firsthand the good that could be done on a child’s behalf.

  But Dennis…he had a way with these kids. They didn’t just listen to him. They admired him. That was rare.

  Dennis blew the whistle one more time, and the boys moved quicker to form a group under one of the baskets.

  “Not bad out there, Lambert. I don’t think you missed a single shot.”

  The teen answered with the cocky attitude suggestive of larger-than-life confidence. “You know how it is. Just comes naturally, doc. Want me to teach you a few moves?”

  The jeers from the boys echoed in the gym as they laughed.

  “Modest as ever, I see,” Dennis teased. “Let’s tone it down a bit, though. All that sunshine you’re throwing my way is blinding me.”

  The boys laughed again, and Teresa couldn’t help but chuckle herself. The kid called Lambert grinned smugly. “I’ll get you my old man’s sunglasses. How about that?”

  Dennis chuckled then got down to business.

  “I want to introduce you all to Ms. Morales. She works with kids in Hartford, and she’s new to Stockington Falls. I invited her here today to watch us play, so I hope you’ll make her feel welcome.”

  He talked as if she’d made a permanent move to Vermont when in truth she was really just staying for a little while more. The sublease on her condo was up in the first week of March.

  A few of the boys waved or said a shy hello. Most didn’t pay her any attention and began circling under the basketball hoop, dribbling the ball.

  “She playing, too?” Benny asked.

  Dennis squared Benny with a sharp eye. “Why don’t you ask her if ‘she’ is playing. The rest of you can break out into teams so we can start.”

  Teresa stifled a smile as Benny looked at her.

  “It’s okay, Benny. I’m going to sit it out and just watch today.”

  His shoulders lowered just a notch, apparently with relief.

  “Hey, Uncle Den,” he called out. Dennis turned. With a swift motion, Benny snatched the ball from Dennis’s hands and quickly dribbled in the opposite direction as if he’d just snatched a prize.

  Laughing, the two of them wrestled to get control of the ball until they were standing with the rest of the boys already split up in teams. Benny winced and then dropped the ball, rubbing his shoulder.

  “Okay?” Dennis asked.

  “Yeah, it’s cool.”

  Teresa walked over to the bleachers and climbed to the third row and sat down. Being just a little higher than floor level would keep her out of the way of any stray basketballs that might get too close to the sideline.

  There was a time she’d happily pop her head into the gym just to say a quick hello to some of the students before they practiced. Someone was always running over to her to tell her some little tidbit about a boyfriend or college they’d just been accepted to.

  But today felt strange. Except for Benny, she didn’t know these boys. No one was rushing up to her, least of all Benny.

  They were rushing to Dennis, though. The way he interacted with the boys was telling. He was good with them. They listened and responded to his coaching.

  Dragging her gaze away from the boys, she glanced at the gym and saw two girls come out of the girls’ locker room. Her attention was almost immediately pulled back to the basketball court by harsh raised voices.

  Benny slammed the ball on the ground and let it bounce away. “You take that back,” he insisted.

  “No, you killed her and there is nothing you can say that’s going to change that,” said a boy who looked to be about the same age as Benny, slamming the ball on the ground, mimicking Benny’s reaction to the confrontation. The ball bounced so hard that it flew over Benny’s head and crashed into the bleachers.

  Teresa snapped her attention to Benny, whose face had turned hard, and raced down the bleachers to the floor. She kept enough distance so Dennis could intervene. He was a mentor to these kids. If anyone could help defuse the situation, he could.

  “Easy, Mason. I know you’re upset, but no one killed anyone,” Dennis interjected. “What happened on the bridge was a tragic accident.”

  “You’re just saying that because Benny’s part of your family.” Mason didn’t let up. His face was red, showing his anger, but he kept his body in control by keeping his distance. “But Molly Peterson was my mom’s cousin. She was family, too. And now Drew has no mother.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Dennis said. “I’m sure it’s been hard on your family. It’s really difficult to lose someone you love.”

  “He did it.” Mason pointed a finger at Benny. “You made her car go into the river. She’s dead because of you. I saw you that night. You were probably drunk.”

  Teresa stepped forward into the crowd and was ready to interject until a boy from the back of the group said, “Benny wasn’t drunk.” The boy took a few steps forward. “Mason, you know he wasn’t. You saw him here at the center right before the accident, just like I did.”

  Benny looked as if he was hanging on by a thread. His jaw was tight, and his eyes were cold and hard. “I didn’t make Mrs. Peterson’s car go off the road, either. It was already in the water when I got there. It was probably those kids playing chicken on the bridge.”

  Dennis placed a hand on Benny’s shoulders in an effort to give him support.

  Teresa asked, “What is this about playing chicken?”

  The boy who’d spoken up in Benny’s defense explained. “There are some kids who play chicken on the bridges. Who can make it to the bridge first, you know? They shut their lights off and drive, and whoever has the guts to keep going and make it through the opening of the bridge first wins.”

  “It wasn’t me. I wasn’t playing chicken. I was just driving Chuck home from work. Mrs. Peterson was already in the water. I heard the kid crying, too.”

  Teresa asked, “Benny, did someone from one of the other cars stop to see if Molly was okay? Did they help Drew get out of the Bronco?”

  Benny shook his head. “They didn’t do anything to help. I got to the bridge and saw the hole, saw the Bronco down in the water. I was gonna pull over and see if I could help, but then the stupid truck did a U-turn and started coming back through the bridge again. The driver was going too fast, and there wasn’t enough room. It was too late for me to do anything. I couldn’t right the car after I swerved to mi
ss him. The car started to spin, and that’s when I hit the tree. Chuck flew right through the windshield because he wasn’t wearing his seat belt.”

  “That’s when you went looking for him in the snow?” Teresa asked. “Isn’t that what you told me?”

  “I didn’t know which way he went. All I knew was he wasn’t in the car anymore, and the water was right there. I heard crying coming from the river, so I went in and saw the kid strapped in the car. I don’t know. I didn’t want him to fall out and drown, so I took him to the bank of the river. I was going to go back and help Mrs. Peterson, but my shoulder hurt so bad and I was freezing. I just wanted to get out of the water. I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath anymore.”

  “You got Drew out of the Bronco with a broken collarbone, Benny. You must have been in some serious pain,” Dennis said. “I’m amazed you were able to carry Drew.”

  Tears filled Benny’s eyes, and he turned slightly away from the crowd of boys who were listening to what was happening.

  He turned to Mason. “I didn’t mean to leave her in the car. But before I could catch my breath, the car blew up. The sky got so bright, and it got hot. I could see on the other side of the river that Chuck was just lying there in the snow. I didn’t know if he was dead or alive.”

  “So you went to him and stayed there until the EMTs arrived,” Teresa said. Benny nodded.

  Teresa glanced at Dennis and knew exactly what he was thinking. The situation could have turned out far worse than it had. The water had been rushing in the river. Being injured, Benny could have easily lost his strength and been swept under, taking Drew along with him. Then there would have been three fatalities that night instead of one.

  “I’m proud of you, Benny. You did a brave thing and saved Drew’s life. It’s sad that Molly died, but it would have been even sadder if John Peterson lost both his wife and his son. Isn’t that right, Mason?”

  Mason wasn’t quick to turn. Teresa sensed that he was more embarrassed by his overreaction to Benny now that he knew what Benny had revealed was the truth. But when the other boys all showed admiration for what Benny had done, he finally conceded. “Yeah, thanks.”

  Unsure of how to react or what to say, Benny just shrugged.

  “Look, I can see we all have a little energy to burn today,” Dennis said. “Why don’t we skip the game and just shoot some hoops for about thirty minutes. We can get ourselves good and hungry and then get a pizza across the street. My treat.”

  The boys looked at each other. Some were immediately pleased with the idea and started whooping and clapping. Benny and Mason took a little longer to be won over but finally nodded.

  “I can’t play though cuz my shoulder is still sore,” Benny said.

  Dennis scrubbed a hand over Benny’s head. “There’s a doctor in the house. Do the best you can, and you can sit out when it starts to hurt.”

  Dennis tossed Benny the ball, which he caught chest center with both hands. Either he was too angry to feel any pain or his shoulder wasn’t as bad as he was claiming.

  When the boys were busy on the court, Teresa turned to Dennis. “That could have gone badly. But believe it or not, this was good for Benny. He needed to get that out of his system. It helps that the other kids were quick to realize that what he did saved Drew’s life. Maybe they’ll help him work past his guilt for not doing more.” She shook her head. “All this time I’ve been thinking it was Chuck that Benny was suffering over.”

  “You think he was really feeling guilty about not being able to get Molly out of the Bronco before it exploded?” Dennis said.

  “Logically, Benny has to know that it would have been a tall order for anyone to save Molly. Even if he had pulled her out, it might have been too late. We have no way of knowing if she even survived the initial crash. But it could be what has been eating at Benny. Now that he’s been able to get that off his chest, I hope he opens up a little more.”

  Dennis turned away from the teens shooting baskets and lowered his voice so he wouldn’t be overheard. “As big as Benny is, he wasn’t strong enough to be in the water that night, especially after a car accident. When I think of what could have happened… I can’t imagine my sister and Frank losing him. I’m proud of Benny, though. I think Karen and Frank need to know what really happened that night.”

  “I think you’re right. Give me some time to talk with Benny, though. It may be good for them to hear it from Benny himself. But don’t interrupt him now. He looks good out there on the court with the other boys. If he gets tired and sits out, I’ll have a talk with him before we go for pizza.”

  Teresa walked over to the bench and sat down, unable to keep from feeling the smile on her face. She hadn’t been the one to pull this information out of Benny. The altercation with Mason had done that. But she wasn’t going to question the how or who.

  It didn’t really matter how it happened. They’d made progress today, and it gave her a measure of hope. The breakthrough Benny had was something they both could build on.

  “I should have you come out to Hartford and work with the kids there. I think they would love you.”

  The lines between Dennis’s brows deepened, and his expression changed from one of quiet contentment to disappointment. The change was barely noticeable. But in these past weeks, Teresa had begun to notice these subtle changes.

  “I’m needed here,” he said. “It’s just as important for me to do good for this community as anywhere else.”

  “Of course it is. I wasn’t implying that you should leave Stockington Falls. I just couldn’t help but notice how the boys respond to you. You’ve got an amazing way with them. We need someone like you in Hartford.”

  Clearly still uncomfortable with the conversation, Dennis shifted slightly in his seat and glanced at the boys who were all engrossed in conversation and typical teenage laughter.

  “I’m sure Hartford has its share of bachelor doctors who could lend a hand.”

  She smiled. “It doesn’t have you.”

  “No.” Dennis cleared his throat, a sure sign he wanted to move away from the subject. “I saw you sitting with Benny for a while.”

  She nodded, motioning with her head to where the boys were sitting. “He didn’t say anything more, but he seems to be doing okay.”

  “Good. Karen will be relieved.”

  “It was a step, Dennis. A good one but still only a step. He has to want to continue and work through his feelings.”

  “I know. What about you?” he asked.

  “What about me?”

  Dennis leaned forward and spoke quietly. “You spend your days worrying about Benny and helping him dig for the root of his troubles and yet you ignore your own.”

  “I’m not ignoring anything.”

  “Teresa, you’re talking to me. I’m not some stranger, and I’m not one of the kids you’re trying to save.” He drew in a slow breath. “I’ve been waiting for you to talk to me.”

  She shook her head. “We talk all the time.”

  “Yeah, we talk about Benny and my sister and my work and the weather. We don’t talk about what is important. Not about what’s eating you up inside.”

  Teresa glanced at the boys. None of them had noticed the slight rise in Dennis’s tone.

  “This isn’t the place, Dennis,” she whispered.

  “Is there going to be a time or a place? I need to know what happened to hurt you so badly.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I care a great deal about you.”

  She closed her eyes for a brief moment as his words sank in. She knew Dennis cared. But his eyes said so much more. They echoed what she felt herself.

  She’d never met a man like Dennis Harrington before. And if she was going to be at all honest with herself, she’d have to admit she wanted their relationship to grow and become more permanent.

  “I don’t know what you want from me, Dennis,” she said.

  He straightened in the chair. “Well, if that’s true, then I really c
an’t tell you. You’re going to have to figure it out for yourself.”

  “You know I care about you.”

  His mouth lifted just a notch to show a half smile. “I sorta hoped that’s what you were feeling.”

  Cocking her head to one side, she threw him a wry grin.

  Dennis chuckled, but his smile quickly faded. “We’ve spent a lot of time together, Teresa. I could see us moving toward having a relationship—something important. But we can only go so far if you hold everything about yourself inside.”

  Frustrated, Teresa sat back. “Dennis, let’s be honest. I’m not going to be in Stockington Falls forever. This was never supposed to be a permanent thing.”

  “Why not? It could be.” His face grew serious, and his eyes were filled with emotion so deep that she wanted to drown in them. “I’d like it to be permanent.”

  “But…”

  He sighed. “I can’t be the only one opening up.”

  “I want to have more of a relationship with you, Dennis. Stockington Falls and Hartford aren’t a million miles away. But I just don’t know if I have it in me to give you what you want.”

  “Just trust me. The rest will come.”

  Trust. Too many people had trusted her before.

  “We have another month together before my tenant vacates my condo in Hartford. Why don’t we just see where this takes us?”

  Dennis nodded. “I guess I’ll just have to be satisfied with that. For now.”

  When they left the pizza restaurant and walked to their own vehicles, Teresa could tell that Dennis wasn’t satisfied with her answer. She wasn’t sure she was satisfied, herself.

  She knew what Dennis wanted, but as the days went by, it became increasingly clear that her barriers were going to be much harder to break down than Benny’s.

  Unable to think of anything but Dennis, she watched the taillights of his SUV as they drove home separately. Home. Lord, when did I begin to think of Stockington Falls as home? And what was going to happen when March came and she was forced to decide whether to go back to Hartford and face her demons or stay here in Stockington Falls with Dennis?