A Perfect Homecoming

by Lisa Dyson

  Ashleigh was about to get back to work on her hospital fund-raising duties but decided to take advantage of the quiet house and see if she could drum up some interest in contributing to Kyle’s children’s charity.

  She found several people interested, but not ready to write a check without more information. She offered to provide it very shortly—just as soon as she could pull it together. Perhaps a leaflet would be useful. She added a note to the file she’d already begun for the charity.

  Kyle would be furious if he discovered she’d gone against his request for her to stay out of it. But she felt it was something she had to do—plus, the charity was important to her, too.

  Her cell phone rang—it was Jack, her boss in Richmond. She couldn’t avoid the inevitable so she answered.

  “Ashleigh Wilson.”

  “Ashleigh! I’ve been trying to get you for days,” Jack said. “You haven’t returned my calls.”

  “Sorry, Jack, I’ve had family business to take care of.” In an attempt to gain some sympathy, she added, “My sister was admitted to the hospital.”

  “So sorry to hear that,” he said.

  Ashleigh went right into a rundown of what she’d been doing for her clients and, thankfully, Jack sounded pleased with her progress.

  “When are you coming back to Richmond?” he asked. “We need you here as soon as possible.”

  “I’m not sure.” She was taken off guard to discover she wasn’t as anxious to leave Grand Oaks as she’d once been. She placated Jack by promising to be better at keeping in touch and they disconnected.

  She had no sooner set her phone down than it rang again. This time Kyle’s name appeared on the caller ID. “Hello?” Hopefully he didn’t want to continue discussing the possible pregnancy.

  “It’s Kyle,” he said unnecessarily. “We’re finished with soccer practice.” Was it that late already? Ashleigh checked her watch. 6:15 p.m. “I was going to take the boys to my house for a quick dinner if you want to join us.”

  “Thank you, but I’ll pass,” she said. “I’m trying to catch up on work.”

  “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I hope you’re not skipping meals.”

  Ashleigh didn’t know how she felt about his warning. She said simply, “No, I’m not.”

  Kyle was silent for a split second before saying, “I’m working tonight and the boys want to see Paula. Can you meet us at the hospital to bring them home?”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  “Great.” He named a time.

  They disconnected. Unlike when Tom wouldn’t let Theresa say no to a drink, Kyle had taken her “no” to dinner much too easily.

  She shook her head. She didn’t play games. There truly was a lot of work for her to catch up on. Kyle had simply been his polite self, offering to include her in their dinner plans. She had done the same the other night.

  Ashleigh cleared her head and focused on her clients. She still had a few phone calls to make, but most people had gone home for the day and she’d take care of them tomorrow.

  Knowing Kyle’s shift began at eight that evening, Ashleigh made it to the hospital ahead of time. She was standing at the bank of elevators when a familiar voice greeted her. “Hello, Dr. Wilson.”

  Ashleigh spun around. “Hello, Mrs. Thornton,” she said. “How are you?”

  “I’m visiting a dear friend,” the older woman explained. “You reach my age and your friends start spending more time in the hospital than at home.”

  “That must be difficult for you.” This was the perfect opportunity to broach the subject of the funding for Kyle’s charity, but how could Ashleigh do it casually without being too pushy? Kyle might think she “played” people to get what she wanted, but it wasn’t a skill she consciously used.

  “I hate to say it.” Mrs. Thornton lowered her voice as they both entered the empty elevator. “But it doesn’t upset me nearly as much as it used to. Better them than me.” She maneuvered her walker to face the doors.

  Ashleigh drew herself up and gathered her courage. “Mrs. Thornton, do you have a minute for us to speak about something?”

  Mrs. Thornton puckered her lips and narrowed her eyes. “If this is about the funding for Dr. Kyle’s charity, then we’d both be wasting our time.”

  “But Mrs. Thornton.” Ashleigh spoke quickly when the elevator doors began to open on Mrs. Thornton’s floor. “You don’t know the whole story.”

  “Dr. Kyle is being sued for malpractice and I can’t put my support—financial or otherwise—toward someone who may not be able to follow through on his obligations.”

  “Wait,” Ashleigh begged as Mrs. Thornton was about to step onto her floor. “Have you read the allegations? It’s an unwarranted lawsuit and he and his lawyer are sure the suit will be thrown out.” Ashleigh pressed the door-open button so hard her finger began to hurt.

  Mrs. Thornton turned away from Ashleigh.

  “At least let me send you some information so you have a better idea of the case.” Ashleigh sucked in a nervous breath, prepared to chase her down the hall if necessary. “There are lots of needy children counting on you, Mrs. Thornton.”

  The older woman’s head spun in Ashleigh’s direction. “All right, Dr. Wilson, send me everything you have.” Her voice was stoic. “But I’m not promising anything.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Thornton, thank you!” Ashleigh called out as the woman was already making her way slowly down the hallway to see her friend.

  A few minutes later, Ashleigh arrived at Paula’s room and stood at the open doorway. The curtain was drawn around Paula’s bed. Ashleigh didn’t hear the boys, but Paula was speaking to someone.

  “I didn’t want to worry you, Scott.” Her sister spoke in a choked voice.

  “I can handle it, P.” Her husband’s voice was as clear as if he were in the room instead of through the computer by video chat, which Ashleigh assumed was going on. “I want to be there for you. You don’t have to handle everything by yourself.”

  “I know.” Paula sniffed.

  “You should have told me how bad things were,” he said. “I had the feeling there was something you weren’t telling me when Ashleigh showed up.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I should have been honest.”

  “There’s nothing we can’t work through together,” Scott told Paula, his voice thick with emotion. “I love you so much.”

  Ashleigh stepped backward into the hallway and leaned against the wall for support. Without turning her head in their direction, she knew Kyle and the boys were coming down the hall toward her.

  Scott’s words to Paula kept repeating in her head. There’s nothing we can’t work through together.

  Would Ashleigh’s life be different if Kyle had said that to her?

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  ASHLEIGH DIDN’T PAY ANY notice to her nephews because her attention was on Kyle in his green hospital garb. He strode confidently toward her down the hallway.

  “Hey,” Kyle greeted her. He had a nephew on either side of him and he rubbed their heads. “These guys wanted to come with me while I changed for work. Sorry we weren’t here when you got here.”

  “That’s okay.” Her voice sounded funny to her ears. She cleared her throat and hoped her next words came out stronger. “Paula’s talking to Scott.” She gestured toward Paula’s room with her head.

  “Yeah, the boys have already talked to him. We got lucky that he was available to chat.” Kyle lowered his voice, although the boys were preoccupied with small wooden mazes anyway. “Paula had no choice but to let Scott in on what’s been going on.”

  She lowered her voice. “How did he take it?”

  “We didn’t stick around,” he said. “They needed to discuss it privately, but Scott sounded more worried than angry t
hat she didn’t tell him earlier.”

  “That’s good,” Ashleigh said. “Paula doesn’t need any more stress.”

  “True. I’m glad Scott knows now, though.” Kyle gave Ashleigh a pointed look that she couldn’t help translating as his disapproval.

  He checked his watch. “I’m on duty soon.” He looked at the boys and back at Ashleigh. “You good?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thanks for meeting us here.”

  “You’re welcome.” Her tone was more formal than she intended.

  Kyle gave a little wave and lightly tapped each of the boys on the head. “Behave for Aunt Ashleigh. See you tomorrow.”

  Kyle jogged down the hall in his typical effortless manner. His arms were bent at the elbows and pumped rhythmically at his sides, his back straight. His well-muscled legs, hidden by scrubs, made him appear to smoothly glide away from Ashleigh.

  She wanted to speak to Paula for a minute, having decided, with Kyle’s backing, that she would coach her sister through childbirth. She stood at the doorway and didn’t hear any voices. Turning to the boys, she said softly, “I’m going to talk to your mom a minute. Can you two stay out here quietly?”

  Both boys nodded but didn’t look up from where they were now sitting on the floor, backs against the wall, and concentrating on their mazes.

  Ashleigh’s lips curved into a smile as she enjoyed her nephews’ quiet time before knocking lightly on Paula’s doorframe.

  “Come in,” Paula called out in a scratchy voice from behind her curtain as if she’d been crying.

  “Hey.” Ashleigh tried for a cheerful tone as she pulled the curtain back. “How are you?”

  Paula shrugged. “They say my blood pressure is a little higher than they’d like, but the baby looks good on the last ultrasound they did.”

  “That’s good,” Ashleigh said. Paula clearly didn’t want to talk about her conversation with Scott. “Did they say how big the baby is?” She mentally prepared herself to care for her new niece or nephew in the NICU.

  “They’re estimating five and a half pounds,” Paula said. “If I start productive labor again they’ll let me deliver.”

  “That’s good,” Ashleigh said. “Are you having any contractions at all?”

  “Just some annoying Braxton Hicks.” Paula referred to the “practice” contractions most women experienced for up to several weeks before actual labor began. She suddenly changed the subject. “I talked to Scott and he knows everything.”

  Ashleigh was unwilling to raise Paula’s blood pressure even more by saying it’s about time. Instead she asked, “How did it go?”

  “Better than I expected.” Paula’s mouth turned down and she sniffed. “I’m afraid he’ll worry too much. He has enough to be concerned about as the ship’s XO.”

  Ashleigh came closer and clasped a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “He’s a big boy. He can handle it.”

  Paula brushed at the tears on her cheeks. “Are the boys still with Kyle?”

  “No, they’re right outside, playing with mazes. I told them I wanted to speak to you a minute.”

  Paula smiled slightly, her eyes red rimmed. “Mom got those for the boys and I put them away and forgot about them. A few days ago I told Kyle where they were and he must have been saving them for when he needed to keep them occupied.”

  “They’re working like a charm.” Ashleigh was anxious to get to the point of why she’d come in to talk to Paula. She drew in a fortifying breath, suddenly parched. “I wanted to talk to you about being your labor coach,” she began.

  Paula waved her away. “Don’t worry about it,” she said.

  “But—”

  “My friend Stephanie is going to do it.” Paula reached for the water pitcher on the portable bedside table.

  “Oh.” Ashleigh’s response was barely a mumble through the crushing ache in her chest. She’d agonized over Paula’s request. She’d set aside her own painful memories and mixed feelings to support her sister. All for nothing.

  “Stephanie’s a nurse and has had two kids.” Paula poured water into her cup, oblivious to Ashleigh’s discomfort. “You were hesitant to do it and I don’t blame you. I know how hard it would have been for you. I’m sorry I wasn’t more considerate of your feelings.”

  Ashleigh swallowed the lump in her throat and drew in a shaky breath. “It’s...okay. I...I wanted to tell you that...that if you didn’t have someone else—”

  “I know, you could find someone for me.” Paula sipped her water through a straw. “Don’t worry. I have plenty of other friends who can fill in. Thanks for the offer though.”

  “Sure.” Ashleigh clamped her mouth shut, ignoring the urge to lash out at her sister. Anything she said right now would upset Paula. Her health, as well as her unborn baby’s health, was more important than letting her sister know how much she’d crushed her. “I better get the boys home. I’ll send them in to say good-night.” She cleared her dry throat and tamped down her feelings. “While they’re in here, I have to check on something, but I’ll be back to pick them up in a few minutes.”

  She rushed out the door. “Go say good-night to your mom,” she told the boys as calmly as possible.

  Then she hurried down the hall in the same direction Kyle had taken. Her brain said stop, but her legs wouldn’t listen.

  * * *

  KYLE WAS ABOUT TO enter curtain three to examine a patient complaining of a low-grade fever with no other symptoms. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ashleigh at the end of the hallway that intersected with the main corridor. Her head turned frantically in all directions as if searching for someone or something.

  They made eye contact as he walked toward her and she practically threw herself against him. In order to avoid making a public spectacle in front of the few people in the waiting room, he guided Ashleigh into the small office used for dictating patient’s charts and updating their computer check-ins.

  He pulled the single desk chair out and directed her into it. She covered her face with her hands.

  He squatted in front of her, placing a hand on her knee. “What’s wrong? What happened?” A sudden thought dawned. “Did you take a pregnancy test?”

  She shook her head vigorously. “No,” she said in a choked whisper. “I...I should have listened to you.” She sobbed openly. “I don’t know what made me think I would be the right person to coach Paula through labor.”

  He waited for Ashleigh to continue because he wasn’t sure what he should say.

  “I went in to tell Paula I’d do it—” She hiccuped. “But before I could say anything she said her friend was going to fill in.”

  She doubled over and her head ended up on Kyle’s shoulder. He brought his arms around her, wanting to comfort her but he didn’t know how.

  When she finally sat up again, he retrieved a box of tissues from the desk drawer and offered it to her. She removed one and gently blotted her cheeks and under her eyes.

  “Don’t get mad at me for saying this, Ash,” he began.

  Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t say anything.

  “Maybe it’s better for someone else to coach her—” He held up a hand to silence her when her mouth opened as if to speak. “Let me finish.” Her lips locked shut and he continued. “This way you can still be there for her when she’s in labor, but if it gets to be too much, you’re not obligated to stick around.”

  Ashleigh stared at him. “Well, it doesn’t matter now anyway. I have no choice. She found someone else.”

  “True.” He waited a few seconds. “Can you accept that?”

  Her mouth softened and she nodded. “I guess so.”

  He rose, his stiffening joints rebelling, and he pulled her up into his arms. She came willingly and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Her heart thudde
d against his chest and his beat as if in reply.

  There was a quick rap on the door and they drew apart, but Kyle kept a hand on Ashleigh’s lower back. The E.R. ward clerk popped her head in. “Sorry to disturb you, Dr. Jennings, but we have a febrile two-year-old. She’s lethargic and nonresponsive.” The clerk then said to Ashleigh, “The patient is Kayla Pratt. Her mother said you prescribed amoxicillin for a possible strep throat yesterday, but she’s gotten worse. Your service referred her here.”

  “Thanks, Betty.” He turned to Ashleigh. Their eyes locked in silent communication. Kyle again turned to Betty. “Would you mind calling Maternity and ask them to let Paula Jennings know that Dr. Wilson has been delayed with a patient?”

  “Yes, Doctor,” Betty said. “The patient is in curtain one.”

  “Thanks,” he said.

  He turned back to Ashleigh when they were alone and squeezed her hand.

  She blinked a few times and he wiped a smear of mascara from under her eye with the pad of his thumb.

  “The child’s quick test was negative,” she told him, “but I put her on antibiotics because I was pretty sure the overnight test would be positive. She probably needs a stronger antibiotic like Ceclor.” Ashleigh wiped at her cheeks with her hands. “Give me a few seconds to freshen up and I’ll be right in.”

  She turned her back to him. Her words were professional. Not as one lover to another.

  As if the comfort he’d provided and their ability to communicate nonverbally had all been in his imagination.

  * * *

  TOM LEFT THE listing real estate agent’s office with a spring in his step and a lightness of spirit. Signing a contract to buy a house was a huge step in anyone’s life, but he had no doubts. He’d offered full price and with his large down payment and loan preapproval, he was confident about his chances for getting the home.

  He drove the few miles to The Grey Goose, the quaint restaurant where he was meeting Theresa. The parking lot was half-full and there was no sign of her car.

  The dashboard clock said he was nearly twenty minutes early. Oh, well. There were no messages on his cell phone so he pocketed it. Several cars pulled into the parking lot, none of which were Theresa’s, but he decided he should go in to get them a table before the establishment became too crowded.