A Doctor's Vow

by Lois Richer

  Chapter Four

  “But Dr. LaForge is a member of our group.”

  “She can’t be! She’s a member of ours.”

  Two days later the presidents of Hope’s two women’s committees glared at each other on Main Street—because of her. Jaclyn gulped. What had she gotten into?

  “Can’t I be a member of both groups?” She heard the timidity in her own voice. Two heads swiveled to stare at her.

  “Pro ladies have no relationship with Hope Circle. We stand for different things.” Heddy Grange’s rigid shoulders tightened even more.

  Jaclyn swallowed hard and searched for some middle ground.

  “But at the last meeting you discussed doing something to start restoration on the church. Hope Circle is also going to initiate fundraising for that.” The moment the words left her lips, Jaclyn knew it was the wrong thing to say.

  “You copied our project?” Heddy’s voice rose with every word. “How dare you?”

  “How dare you?” Missy Sprat snapped back. “We chose it first.”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  “Ladies, please. Does it matter that you have both chosen to help the place where we all go to meet God?” Jaclyn thought the role of peacemaker ill-suited to her, but in this instance she had little choice. This was her fault. “Aren’t both of your groups really trying to extend God’s love? Can’t that be done better by working together? Won’t He bless all efforts to restore His house?”

  The two frowned at her. Their silence lasted only a few seconds before the wrangling began again. Jaclyn laid a hand on each arm.

  “I’m sorry, ladies. Perhaps it’s better if I resign from your groups,” she told them in a no-nonsense tone. “The church is an important part of my faith which is why I wanted to help restore it. I never meant to cause problems between you. I apologize.” Then she turned and walked down the street, aware the women were staring at her retreating back.

  “Trouble?” Kent stood in front of his father’s building clad in jeans and a faded chambray shirt. His blue gaze hid behind sunglasses. “The three of you don’t look very happy—you least of all, Doc.”

  “Happy? No, that would not apply to me at this precise moment in time.” Jaclyn grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. “Please, can we go inside?”

  “Need to escape, huh?” His rumbling chuckle shook his shoulders as he unlocked the door. “As mayor, I’ve come to know that feeling very well.”

  “Why didn’t you warn me about what I was walking into?” Jaclyn flopped down on the sawhorse and exhaled. “I’ve probably ruined any church restoration plans.”

  “I doubt it.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Those two were vying for supremacy long before you showed up in Hope. I don’t think your presence here has changed much.”

  But Jaclyn couldn’t laugh. She’d added to the friction in town and she felt awful. “I should have minded my own business.”

  “What happened?” he asked. Before she could finish her explanation he burst out laughing.

  “This is not a laughing matter!” She glared at him.

  “Sometimes you have to laugh. Or cry at the stupidity of it all.” His smile disappeared. “It really isn’t your fault. They would have found something to argue about. That’s how stupid this quarrel is.”

  “But I want to be part of the town. That’s why I joined those groups, to work toward a common goal. I had this dumb idea that maybe I could make up for the past.” She bit her lip. “Instead, I’ve probably alienated them so much they’ll never speak to each other.”

  “Oh, they’ll speak to each other. Otherwise holding the grudge would be pointless.” He smiled at her. “Forget about it. You tried to help. Let it go.”

  “I can’t. Somehow I’ve got to do something to restore that church. If I can do that, maybe the town will find healing there.” She blinked, suddenly noticing the floor. “What happened?”

  “Mildew. I had to tear out the carpet. Then I found some of the floor boards damaged. The roof leaked during the summer.” He scuffed his cowboy boot against a newly installed sheet of plywood. “Renovating this place is like removing an old woman’s makeup. You just keep pulling away layers.”

  “I’m not sure I like the allusion.” She frowned. “Why do men always use women as their scapegoats? Cars are ‘she.’ Fires are ‘she.’” Jaclyn saw his shoulders shake with laughter and sighed. “Now I’m bickering! It’s contagious.”

  “Yep. That’s why I say forget it. It can get you down if you let it.” Kent pulled off his sunglasses and studied her. “We can’t afford to lose you, or let you get caught up in somebody else’s feud. You’ve got things to do in Hope, remember?”

  And suddenly she did remember. “Oh, brother, now I’ve done it.”

  “What?” After a moment he stopped and leaned nearer. “You look funny.”

  “I feel sick.” She slid off the sawhorse onto an upended pail. “How could I be so stupid?”

  “What?”

  “Kent, I promised I’d speak at those ladies’ groups.” She watched his smile die.

  “What, both of them?”

  She nodded. “Separately, of course.”

  “Well, in light of today’s argument, maybe they’ll cancel and find somebody else,” he offered.

  “By tonight?” She shook her head. “Heddy told me how hard it’s been to get speakers. Hope isn’t exactly sitting in the mainstream of a speaking route. She seemed to like my fundraising ideas and wanted me to tell the Pros about them. Truthfully I was kind of looking forward to it, too. I thought it would make things easier if I provided a little history about my night of terror.” She groaned. “Why didn’t I shut my mouth? Why did I even try?”

  “Because you are generous and trying to help. Relax.” Kent pulled out his cell phone and dialed. “Hey, Margie. This is the mayor.” He listened for a minute, laughed and then said, “Is there a ladies’ group meeting tonight?” His blue eyes twinkled as he listened to the response. “Okay. Sounds like a good time. Thanks.” He flipped the phone closed. “It’s on and so are you. Apparently the word has gone out about your fundraising ideas for the church and a fair crowd is expected. Margie said she just talked to Heddy and nothing’s been canceled, not tonight and not tomorrow night.”

  “I guess I’ll show up then.” Jaclyn got hung up on the dimple that sometimes appeared when his eyes crinkled with laughter. “Thanks, Kent. I hope you’ll pray for me while I’m there. It’s funny but walking into the church’s basement makes me feel like Daniel going into the lions’ den.”

  He chuckled but he didn’t say he’d pray.

  She checked her watch. “Yikes! I’ve got an appointment. I have to go.”

  “So I guess that means you won’t be by tonight to work,” he teased before she dragged open the door.

  “I’ll stop in and give you the gory details after,” she promised. “I’ll help you, too, if you want. I have a hunch I’m going to need a good workout before the evening is over.”

  “Positive thoughts,” he ordered.

  “I’m positive I was an idiot to even consider this. Nobody can say Hope is boring.” She stepped outside to the musical sound of his laughter echoing through the building.

  Jaclyn consulted on two cases that afternoon. It felt good to be needed. Later she hurried back to her town home to prepare shrimp salad for the potluck dinner before the meeting. The recipe was Shay’s. If it got any accolades tonight, that would be enough. Tiny steps, she reminded herself.

  She took her time getting dressed, striving for professional yet not stuffy. The chocolate-brown pencil skirt coordinated perfectly with the pinstriped white-and-brown shirt, and her dark brown heels encased her healing foot like a velvet glove.

  “Okay, Lord. That’s the best I can do with what you gave me. From h
ere on in it’s up to you.” The phone rang. “Hi, Mom. How are you?”

  Jaclyn winced as her mother launched into a tirade about her father. She suggested her mother discuss it with him.

  “He’s never here. Golf and more golf. That’s his true love.”

  “Mom, I’m sure Dad loves you as much as he ever did.”

  Her mother scoffed at that. Clearly her parents’ rocky relationship was not improving. In fact it had gone steadily down since the day of Jessica’s funeral.

  “I found a new site for my clinic,” she said, hoping for a diversion.

  “When will you give up that silly idea, Jaclyn? You’re our only daughter. You should be here, near us, in a profitable practice.”

  “Mom, I promised Jess. I have to do this.” It was always the same argument and tonight Jaclyn didn’t want to get into it. “I’m the speaker at a ladies’ meeting in a few minutes. I have to go. I’ll call you later,” she promised and hung up quickly.

  The church parking lot held at least fifty cars. The white stucco church, cornerstone of her childhood and teenage faith, now showed its age. The exterior needed a new coat of paint and repairs on the corners, as did the crumbling stairs. The few undamaged stained windows were cloudy with dust and grime. It looked like birds had taken over the bell tower, and the rosebushes Jaclyn had helped her mom plant as repayment for her vandalism badly needed tending. The carved wooden door she’d ruined ten years ago had been repaired, but it still looked sad and uninspiring. A frisson of despair rippled through her as she saw the gouges she’d made that night. No wonder people hadn’t forgotten her vandalism.

  But inside Jaclyn was amazed at the transformation of the tired old basement, thanks to candles and some beautiful spring flowers in the center of each table.

  Someone took Jaclyn’s salad. A moment later Heddy appeared. The woman’s beaming face showed no sign of their previous altercation.

  “I’m glad you’re finally here. I’ll introduce you to some members who weren’t at our last meeting.”

  Jaclyn knew she’d never remember all the names so she concentrated on learning about interests and ended up agreeing to take a couple of classes. It was a relief to finally sit down to dinner.

  Jaclyn had never tasted anything as delicious as that potluck dinner. She spared a thought for Kent slaving away at her clinic—maybe she’d ask for a plate for him. Before she knew it, Heddy’s introduction was over. Jaclyn stood, her knees quaking at the expectant looks.

  Please don’t let me mess this up. Let me be a help to this hurting community.

  Jaclyn started at the beginning, emphasizing God’s role in her life and the pain of her twin’s death despite so many prayers. She admitted she’d done a lot of damage at the church that night and how sorry she was for it. Then she focused on her reason for returning to Hope.

  “I want to be more than just your children’s doctor though,” she said. “I want to give back to the community.” She laid out her ideas for restoring the church. By the time she finished Jaclyn felt she had the sympathy of those listening, but whether or not they’d accept her wasn’t clear.

  “It’s hard to know if I reached them,” she told Kent later as he sampled the food she’d brought. “They smiled, thanked me and wished me well, but nobody said they’d bring their kids to see me.”

  “Give it time.” He paused and watched her as she looked around the room. “Well? What do you think of the place now?”

  Jaclyn wasn’t exactly sure what he expected her to say. She couldn’t see any real difference in the room, except that he’d hauled out more garbage. So she simply smiled and said, “Looking good.”

  “You don’t see it, do you?” He shook his head. “No reason why you should, I guess.”

  Jaclyn tracked his gaze to the window, studied it for several moments.

  “I put in a new one,” Kent explained. “Zac helped me. He’s working out back.”

  Jaclyn inspected it. “It looks exactly the same,” she mused. “You can’t tell it’s been altered at all.”

  “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He grinned. “My dad was big on southwest architecture so I’m trying to preserve the integrity of the structure.”

  “He’d be very proud of your work here, Kent.” She thought about the ranch. “He must have had plans for the ranch, too.”

  “Some.” Kent’s face closed up. He quickly finished his meal and tossed the plate and plastic utensils into the garbage. “That was delicious. It seems like you’re always feeding me. It’s my turn next time.”

  “Okay.” She smiled at the prospect of sharing another meal with him, until her brain kicked in a reminder that she wasn’t here to enjoy Kent McCloy. She was here to keep her promise to Jessica. “Anything I can do to help?”

  He looked at her, moving his gaze from her head to her toes. “Um, I don’t think so. Not dressed like that. Besides, you’d wreck your nails and muss your hair.”

  “You’re always commenting on my appearance.” Jaclyn frowned.

  “I don’t comment on your appearance all the time. Do I?” He lifted one eyebrow as if he found her comments surprising. “I don’t mean to. It’s just—”

  Jaclyn waited for Kent to complete his thought but when he didn’t, she finished it for him.

  “Just that I look out of place, like I don’t belong here?” She stuffed down the hurt.

  “I never said that.”

  “You didn’t have to.” She straightened her shoulders and looked directly into his vivid blue eyes. “It’s sort of reverse prejudice, isn’t it? But I can’t do much about it. I look the way I look. I wear the clothes I have. I am who I am. You and everyone else are just going to have to accept that. Or not. Your choice.”

  “Jaclyn—”

  “Good night, Kent.” She turned and walked out the door, surprised by the sting of betrayal. She didn’t care what Kent McCloy thought of her.

  You just keep telling yourself that, said a voice in her head.

  * * *

  “You’re an idiot, cowboy.” Zac emerged from the back room wearing a grim expression. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “Did what?” Kent muttered.

  “Jaclyn offered to help and you shoved it back in her face.”

  “Did you see what she had on?” he bellowed. “I can hardly ask her to start sanding the wall compound in high heels, can I?”

  “Not the point and you know it.” Zac’s harsh voice left no room for excuses. “You’re cranky with me and that’s fine. I’m used to your orneriness, but I don’t think Jaclyn deserves it. She’s only trying to help.”

  “In those clothes?”

  “Oh, get a grip! As if she couldn’t have gone home and changed. All she wanted was a chance. But you can’t see past her appearance to the heart of her. I never thought you’d be so self-centered, Kent—that you of all people couldn’t see past your own biases.” Zac dropped the tool bag he was carrying.

  Kent didn’t know how to answer. But his brain mulled over Zac’s words.

  “Pete gave me that tool bag. He said he’d be around tomorrow morning and he’d need it then. I have to get home.” Zac walked toward the door.

  “Professor?” Kent waited for him to turn around. “Thanks for your help.”

  “No problem. But can I offer some advice?” Zac didn’t wait for an invitation. “When you get home tonight, take a look in the mirror and tell me if you’re any different from the rest of the naysayers in this town who’ve already judged our new pediatrician.”

  “I haven’t judged her.” Kent ground his teeth at the accusation.

  Zac scoffed. “Forget Jaclyn’s clothes, her hair and her mannerisms. Jaclyn isn’t Lisa, Kent. When you accept that, maybe you’ll begin to see past Jaclyn’s exterior.”

  A moment la
ter Zac disappeared, leaving Kent gaping. His best friend had just called him biased. Was that true?

  Kent replayed his words to Jaclyn as best he could remember them. He’d said nothing wrong. Except that expression in her eyes—he couldn’t get that sad look out of his mind. Like a wounded puppy that expected better of you and was utterly disappointed when you didn’t meet her hopes.

  Zac was right about that. But he was right about something else, too. Something that was hard for Kent to accept.

  Jaclyn did remind him of Lisa.

  The two women were nothing alike and yet every time he looked at Jaclyn he saw her clothes, her hairstyle, her fancy shoes—and all of it reminded him of how much Lisa had wanted all those things, and how she’d never gotten them because they’d moved to the ranch.

  His phone broke through his musings.

  “Hello?” He almost groaned aloud when Heddy, the town’s biggest troublemaker, began speaking.

  “Thank you for suggesting we ask Dr. LaForge to speak to us, Kent. Some of us remember the damage she did to the church. It’s hard to forget. But tonight we realized how much she regrets her past actions. I think we are all impressed by her commitment to reopen the clinic after the fire. According to her, you are the reason she can do that.” Heddy paused for breath.

  “I’m happy to help.” Kent rushed to get a word in before she took off on a new tangent. “I think her ideas to fix the church are amazing, though it’s going to take all of us pitching in to make that and her clinic a success.” Was that a broad enough hint? Just in case it wasn’t, he added, “It takes a lot of patients to make a clinic like hers successful.”

  “I’m sure it does.” Heddy was backing off—he could hear it in her voice. “Of course, I have my own doctor in Las Cruces and anyway, Dr. LaForge is a children’s doctor, but I’m sure she’s very good at it.”

  “She certainly comes with high references.” Kent paused. He decided to enlighten her, knowing it would flash through the town like wildfire. “She had offers from six other communities, but she chose to set up her practice in Hope.”