She cleared her throat. “That’s why I’m very concerned about Hope’s relationship with your grandson. Although I haven’t actually met him, I understand that he’s very nice, but I also understand that he has a reputation.”
Faith took a deep breath. “I don’t want Hope to get hurt. So if he just wants to play around I was hoping that maybe you could suggest he look elsewhere.”
Louise smiled at Faith’s attempt at courage. It was touching to see a younger sister protecting her older sister. “Faith I assure you, a lot of Raymond’s reputation is very well founded. I’ll be the first to admit that my grandson isn’t an angel. He has had his moments. But, in his defense, he is a very responsible man and he would never intentionally hurt your sister. If you’re asking me if his intentions are honorable, I would say yes. Raymond seems very fond of Hope.”
Faith smiled, nodded and stood. “Although,” Louise continued gaining Faith’s full attention, “I would like nothing better than for Hope and Raymond to be together permanently, they seem to be at odds at the moment. Do you have any idea what that might be?”
For the next fifteen minutes Faith and Louise put their heads together, planning, plotting and scheming. They developed what could only be considered a matchmaking blueprint.
Faith informed Louise that Hope had been ordered to attend the fundraiser and of her pending three-day vacation. Louise immediately assured Faith she would make sure that Raymond attended the upcoming event.
They had concluded their discussion having decided on the best strategy to get Hope to Crescent Island. Louise relaxed, assured that Faith would be an excellent ally. “So Faith, tell me, have you met my dear friend Dennis Hayes yet?” Just then the door opened and Raymond walked in. Both heads looked up. Raymond grimaced, guilt was written all over their faces.
Raymond walked into his grandmother’s room expecting her to be happily anticipating her trip back home. Both he and Hope had signed-off on her discharge paperwork and this morning he had arranged for an orderly to wheel her to the exit. When he arrived on the floor he looked around for the orderly and was informed that he was delayed and would be available as soon as possible. So, Raymond went directly to Louise’s room.
He walked in and to his surprise, instead of his grandmother waiting, he was astonished to see her talking quietly with a nurse.
The nurse looked up and Louise turned around. Raymond took a double take. The last time he’d seen two women look so much alike was when he’d first met Madison’s sister Kennedy. But this woman was the spitting image of Hope.
He looked to his grandmother. She smiled broadly and held out her hand to him. Raymond went to her side. He kissed her cheek and looked onto her clear eyes. “How do you feel today Mamma Lou?”
“Wonderful. Couldn’t be better.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
Louise, still smiling, looked over to the woman now standing by the foot of her bed. “Raymond, this is Faith Adams, Hope’s sister. Faith, this is my grandson, Dr. Raymond Gates.”
Raymond came around to the side of the bed to greet her. “I’ve heard a lot about you Dr. Gates.” They shook hands as Louise told Raymond of Hope’s interest in visiting Crescent Island.”
“Please, call me Raymond. It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Faith. Hope has told some very good things about you. Hope should definitely come to Crescent Island. I’d love to show her around. I’m sure she’d love it there.”
Louise and Faith eyed each other slyly.
“Faith works in the maternity ward. She’s a nurse.”
Raymond was impressed and asked questions about her career choice and background.
“Mrs. Gates…”
“Faith, please call me Mamma Lou, everyone does.”
Faith nodded. “Mamma Lou, I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet you before you left. Take care of yourself. I promise to say in touch. And, the next time you’re in the area and would like to spend a little time volunteering in the nursery, let me know.”
“I certainly will. Goodbye dear,” Louise said. “It was nice to meet you Raymond.”
“Likewise.”
Faith nodded to Louise then left the room. Raymond went over to her overnight bag. “We have a few minutes, the orderly hasn’t arrived yet. Do you have everything packed?”
“Yes. Where’s Otis?”
“He’s downstairs with the car.”
“Good. I can’t wait to get back to my begonias.”
Raymond picked up the television remote control and turned down the volume on the hospital station. “So,” Raymond said, as Louise looked at him innocently, “How long have you known Faith?”
“Oh, we only just met.”
“Really, you two seem very friendly.”
“She’s a very nice young lady, just like her sister.”
Raymond walked over to the window and looked down. “So what else did you two talk about?”
“Nothing much, this and that,” Louise answered, seemingly distracted as she watched the hospital administrator talk about Golden Heart’s new programs.
“Did you have an opportunity to catch up with your father and uncle?”
“Yes, I spoke with Uncle Matt on the phone. He was having dinner with some business associates. Dad and I grabbed a bite at Spotlight.”
“That’s nice. It’s a shame you two don’t see each other as often as you should.”
“Dad’s busy. He’s always been busy.” A thread of resentment peeked Louise’s attention.
For years Raymond and his father had had a strained relationship. Only recently did Raymond begin to understand his father’s complete and total loss, and the trauma that led to his decision to have Louise raise his only son.
“He loves you.”
“I know.”
“I wish you two had more time together.”
“I dropped Uncle Matt and Dad off at La Guardia earlier. They said that they’d call you later this evening at Crescent.”
Louise smiled and nodded her head.
Raymond looked at her suspiciously. “You look particularly chipper today.”
Louise couldn’t help but smile. “I guess I’m in a pretty good mood.”
“Any particular reason?” Raymond asked, and looked up at Hugh’s smiling face on the TV as he proudly described how Barclay Med was an asset to the community.
“Of course,” Louise said happily, “I’m going home.”
Raymond nodded not completely sure he believed it. For the first time in a long time he had the feeling that his grandmother was up to something. “Have you seen Hope today?” he asked as he turned back around.
“Yes, she stopped by earlier to say goodbye. Did you need to speak with her before we leave?”
Raymond frowned and took a long time to answer. When he did the disappointment in his voice was painfully obvious. “No.” Hugh was now excitedly talking about the hospital fundraiser. Raymond looked away from the television screen.
Louise nodded, knowingly. She’d never seen Raymond look so disheartened. He had the look of a man who was miserable or maybe, hopefully, in love. “The hospital is having a fundraiser this weekend,” Louise began cautiously, so as not to make him suspicious.
“Yeah, I know. I received an invitation from Hugh Wescott.”
“Are you going?”
“I doubt it.”
“Pity, I hear it’s going to be quite wonderful. Faith was telling me all about the planning. She told me that she and Hope would be going.”
“Oh.” Failing miserably at the art of deception, Raymond couldn’t mask his apparent interest.
Louise pat herself on the back for manipulating such a perfect match.
“How was your dinner with your father and uncle last night?” she asked changing the subject.
“Uncle Matt decided to hook up with some friends, so it was just me and Dad. I guess you’ve heard that the fundraiser is a twelve hour event,” Raymond added. He stood at the window after pacing the l
ength of the room several times in a feeble attempt to get more information from her.
“Yes, I heard. Faith told me.” She decided not to give Raymond a break.
“So, I guess Faith also told you when Hope was going?”
“Um hum,” Louise said as she watched the television.
Raymond stood with his back to her. She could tell he wanted to say more but was hesitant. “You know it’s being held at Dennis’s place.”
“Yes, I heard.”
Raymond whipped around quickly. “You’re not still thinking about trying to get those two together, are you?”
Louise looked up. “What two? Oh, you mean Dennis and Faith? I might, I don’t know just yet.”
Frustration had begun to nip at Raymond’s last nerve. “No, not her sister, I mean Hope. You’re not still thinking about trying to get Dennis and Hope together, are you?”
“Well, I’ve already introduced them, so it’s really not up to me anymore.”
“Wait a minute, when you matched Tony up with Madison, you did more than just introduce them, didn’t you.”
“Well, that was different. They already had a spark.”
Raymond turned to the window and looked out at the parking lot. He scratched his head repeatedly, sighed and then turned around. “So, did they have a spark?”
“Who dear?”
“Hope and Dennis? Did they, you know, spark, like Tony and Madison?”
“Hope is such a lovely woman don’t you think. She does have that little scar on her face. I wonder how she got it. But I don’t think any man worth his salt would have a problem with the scar, do you?”
“It’s a beautiful scar,” he said, absently and much too lovingly for his own good.
“Yes, I think so to.” Louise decided that she’d tortured Raymond enough. “Faith told me that she and Hope plan to get to the fundraiser around six or seven o’clock.
Raymond looked at his watch then hurried over to Louise’s side. “Mamma Lou, I’ve got to make a quick phone call. If the orderly arrives before I return tell him to wait for me. I’ll be right back.”
“Is there a problem?”
“No.”
“Oh, have you decided to attend after all?”
“Well, yes. Well, I guess I should maybe stop by. I mean, after all it is for a good cause. Dennis will be there. Hope will be there, oh and her sister, uhmm, Faith.” He kissed her cheek. “So, I’ll be back in a few moments. He disappeared out the door instantly.
Louise could barely contain her laughter. Tears streamed down her face at the thought of Raymond trying to justify going out. Her poor lovesick grandson had been reduced to a teenager experiencing his first crush. She laughed harder and harder until finally a nurse stopped by her room.
“Mrs. Gates, are you all right? Can I get you anything?”
“No dear. For the first time in a long time I’m just fine.” She chuckled again as she picked up the receiver and asked to be connected to the maternity-ward nurses’ station. Faith would love this.
Ten minutes later Raymond came back to the room slightly out of breath. The orderly was sitting on the chair talking with Louise. A wheelchair was sitting in the center of the room.
“All set?” Louise asked still amused by Raymond sudden departure.
“Yes, Colonel Wheeler is parked out front. Shall we go?”
Louise sat down in the wheelchair as Raymond gathered her overnight case and the orderly positioned himself behind the chair. Minutes later and after a myriad of goodbyes, Louise was being wheeled through the hospital’s front doors. Colonel Wheeler’s Cadillac was waiting there for her.
She climbed in easily as Raymond and Colonel Wheeler said good-bye. He got in and started the car. Louise rolled her window down as Raymond came around to her side. She kissed him good-bye then cautioned him to behave himself.
“Oh, you won’t forget to give those beautiful flowers a good home will you?” she called out to the orderly.
“No ma’am, I get right on it.”
“Thank you dear.”
She blew a kiss and nodded sternly to Raymond, he winked back. She couldn’t help but laugh. As Colonel Wheeler pulled off she hoped that she’d done enough. She watched Raymond in the side view mirror. He turned and went back into the hospital. She smiled as Colonel Wheeler took her hand.
“He’ll be just fine. Are you ready to go home?”
Louise took a deep relaxing breath. “Yes, my work here is done.” She sat back and closed her eyes letting Colonel Wheeler take her back to Crescent Island.
By six-thirty, Hope had completed her rounds. She made a point of seeing all of her patients, even those currently assigned to other doctors for specialized treatment. She sat at the nurse’s station beside Maxine and completed her notes.
“You had a visitor.”
“Who?”
“Dr Gates. He said that he’ll catch up with you later.”
“Whatever,” Hope said as her heart jumped.
“You’re not on duty are you?” Maxine asked as she picked up another chart and made a notation.
Hope continued to write but paused just long enough to look at her watch. “Actually, I’m just getting off duty.”
Maxine looked at her strangely. “Day shift?”
Hope nodded absently and pulled an invitation from her pocket and showed Maxine, who instantly began chuckling.
“I thought you might find that amusing.”
“Hugh?” Maxine speculated.
“Yep, I got the request the other night. I was assigned to the dayshift and ordered to attend the fundraiser. Since the board will be there, he probably wants as many people there as possible to make the hospital staff seem committed to their work.”
“Wouldn’t that logic work better if you weren’t at the fundraiser? That way, at least the board would think that you’re dedicated to your profession.” Hope shook her head and continued writing on the chart. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were being punished.”
“I am,” Hopeofirmed.
Maxine’s head shot up like a bullet. “What?”
Hope shook her head and walked away. Maxine dropped the chart back in the bin and quickly caught up to her.
“Punished? You? By Hugh? For what?”
You said yourself it looked like Hugh was punishing me. I’d say that he probably is.”
“But why you?”
Hope looked around and waited until a couple of technicians walked past. Maxine stepped in closer. Hugh and I have a history.”
“Oh, everybody figured that. Rumor is that you two were lovers at one time.” Maxine’s smile was wide and curious.
Hope held her stomach. “That would be positively insulting if it weren’t so nauseating. No not that kind of history,” Hope sighed. “Years ago when I was still in med school, I was married to his son, Nolan. My married name was Wescott but thankfully, I never took it. Hugh was my father-in-law.”
“Of course, now it all makes sense. That’s why Hugh is so hostile towards you, because you divorced his son.”
“The other way around, Nolan divorced me.”
“Get out. Why?”
“Hugh didn’t approve. He felt Nolan could do better.”
“Then he underestimated you.”
“He always does.”
“So he’s insisting that you go to the fundraiser just to drive you nuts.” Maxine pondered Hugh’s warped logic. It didn’t make sense. She began laughing. “Go to the fundraiser and have a great time for me.”
They walked back to the station. Hope picked up the folded piece of paper she’d been reading.
Maxine looked on. “Find anything yet?” she motioned to the neatly folded newspaper lying beside the pile of folders.
Hope looked over to her then back towards the newspaper. “No, not yet.” She pulled an X-ray from the large manila jacket and attached it to the vertical light box. She switched the light on then carefully scanned the fibula fracture that was barely visibl
e to the naked eye. Confirming the patient number, she pulled a second film out and placed it next to the first one. Studying the second one intensely, she reached into the empty envelope for the third slide.
“How long do you have?”
“A few more months.” Hope picked up the telephone and dialed the radiology department. After a brief conversation about a missing X-ray from the set she ordered, she hung up the phone and continued writing.
“Why don’t you just buy it?”
“Rent it, yes. Lease it, maybe. But buy it, no way.”
Maxine reached over and leafed through the newspaper. It was dotted with tiny red circles. “How many today?”
“Four. And before you ask, no.”
“Patience.”
“Yeah, I know.” Hope stood to leave.
“You leaving now?”
“No, I want to check on an X-ray before I go. It’s not ready yet. I’m heading to the cafeteria. Beep me if radiology calls.”
Maxine nodded as Hope pushed through the doors.
***
It was seven-thirty p.m., too early to go home and too late to go on duty. And, since she wasn’t particularly tired, Hope decided to go to the cafeteria. She squint her eyes against the bright florescent lights as she looked around the empty area. The blandness gave the room an empty hopeless feel. A row of vending machines lined the far wall. It was mostly empty except for a few visitors and cafeteria workers sitting together quietly talking. Hope nodded to the group, and went to sit alone near the side window. Dusk was just beginning to settle across the city.
Hope slid in then slouched down comfortably in the plastic chair. She propped up her feet in the seat across from her. After a slow easy neck roll, she yawned lazily and let her head fall back until she was staring at the ceiling. “One, two, three, four...” She counted the perforated holes in the ceiling tile. Something she’d done hundreds of times before. Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine…”
“May I join you?”
Hope jumped. Then, seeing Raymond standing above her, she sat up straighter in her seat and dropped her feet to the floor. “I’m sure you must have something better to do.”
“Not at the moment,” he continued to stand holding a steaming cup. “May I?”
One Sure Thing (Mamma Lou Matchmaker Series) Page 15
