by Carsen Taite
Perhaps encouraged by her response, he laid his hand on her shoulder and said, “Jordan, I love you. When you’re ready, I need to talk to you about some things.”
She never thought she’d hear herself saying the words, but they fell from her lips. “I think it’s time.”
His hand tightened. “I want us to heal the hurt between us.
You’re all the family I have and I don’t want to lose you any more than I already have. When Grace called and told me to get to the hospital right away, the first thought I had was about you. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you, especially when we’ve been odds all this time. Seeing Mackenzie hurt like this made me realize time is precious. At any moment, life could be ripped away from us and I could lose the chance to show you exactly how much you mean to me.”
Jordan’s first response was wonder. Her father had just said more in a few seconds than she’d heard in years. Despite the armor she had in place, her resistance melted away, warmed by his declarations. In that moment, she realized she loved him and missed his presence in her life and, apparently, he loved and missed her too. Resolving to explore these feelings, she replied, “I love you too, Dad. We have a lot of repair work ahead. I’m willing to work on us if you are.”
His answer was a hug, at first tentative, then strong and confident.
“Well, I never…”
Father and daughter, still embracing, turned as one toward the voice.
“As glad as I am to see you both getting along so well, I’ve come to throw you out.” Grace’s pronouncement was laced with a smile. “The recovery room nurse has prevailed upon me to convince my ‘friends’ to return to the waiting room. Come on, you two. Let’s go.”
Jordan stood her ground. “I’m not leaving her.”
“Honey, she’s going to be fine. She needs her rest. Besides, all your friends are waiting outside. You haven’t talked to any of them yet, right?”
“They’re here?” Was she the last to know about the accident?
Grace smiled. “Yes, and I’m sure they’d like to hear how Mackenzie’s doing. She’ll be in a room in a few hours and you can visit with her then.”
Jordan wavered, knowing Grace was right. But she had some unfinished business and she wasn’t going to leave the room until she took care of it. “I promise I’ll be right out. You can tell Nurse Ratched, I’ll only be five minutes. Let the gang know I’m on my way.”
“You have five minutes.” Grace took Jacob’s arm and propelled him toward the door, telling Jordan, “See you in the waiting room.”
Jordan sat back down in the chair by Mac’s bed. Grasping Mac’s hand with both of her own, she spoke from her heart.
“There’s never been anyone as special to me as you. You’ve always loved me, even when I have been decidedly unlovable.
I know I’ve been a real jerk lately. Well, not lately. All the years I’ve known you, I never let myself admit I’m hopelessly in love with you. I’ve never been serious about anyone, because that would have been a betrayal of the feelings I have for you.
No one else was ever good enough for you, as far as I was concerned, because they weren’t me. They didn’t know you, care about you, love you the way I do. While I set out to keep you from finding happiness with anyone else, I let my fear of commitment get in the way of telling you the truth. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you. I hope it’s not too late. I hope this knock on the head didn’t cure you of all your romantic notions. Mackenzie Lewis, you’re going to get better soon. And when you do, I am going to sweep you off your feet.”
With her vow complete, Jordan kissed Mac lightly on the forehead and quietly slipped from the room.
“Is she going to be okay?” several people asked at once.
“Yes. She’s got a dislocated collarbone, a few broken ribs, and a bunch of scrapes and bruises. There’s a chest tube pumping air into her lung until it heals on its own. It will take some time, but she’s going to be fine.” Jordan sank into one of the stiff waiting room chairs and signaled everyone else to take their seats as well. She was happy to be surrounded by her friends, but overwhelmed by the rapid-fire questions. The adrenaline rush of the trip from Austin was wearing off and the strain of worry was starting to take its toll.
“Where have you been?” Megan asked.
“I was in Austin. I came as soon as I heard.” Before she could be subjected to an inquisition about her disappearance, she asked, “Where’s the Lewis clan?”
“They’re all here,” Aimee said. “We got the report from the surgeon about twenty minutes ago, and then we sent them downstairs to get something to eat. The kids were going haywire and the doc said they wouldn’t be able to see Mac for a few hours anyway.”
“So, basically, I didn’t tell you anything you didn’t already know?”
Megan chimed in. “Grace said you were here, so we waited. I don’t know how you got past us. Anyway, we wanted to get the skinny firsthand from the doctor we know and love.
Besides, we’ve been worried about you.”
Jordan blushed as Megan hugged her tight. Pulling back after the embrace, she surveyed the group. “It’s good to see you all. I know I’ve been distant lately, but I swear everything’s either okay or going to be okay soon. I promise.”
“Let’s go join the rest of the group for lunch,” Haley suggested. “I bet they’ll be glad to see the prodigal sister.
Jeremy’s been asking about you ever since they got here. He was completely unimpressed to be in the presence of a member of the Dallas Fire Department.”
Jordan grinned at the slight to Haley’s ego, knowing it was all for show. “Relax, stud. All you have to do is break out the hat and siren and I won’t stand a chance.” She ran a hand through her tangled hair. “If you all can stand to be seen with me looking like this, I could use something to eat. What do you say we find the inquiring young Jeremy and give him another report on his aunt Mac?”
The group hauled her to her feet and proudly escorted her to the fine dining establishment known as the hospital cafeteria.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Mac wrinkled her nose at the wheelchair. “I hate to be the stereotypical stubborn patient, but I’d rather walk out of here on my own. After two days in this bed, I’m ready to be back on my feet.”
“Banish those butch thoughts.” Jordan pushed the chair closer to the bed. “The faster you get in the chair, the faster you get to blow this joint.” Seeing the look of dismay on Mac’s face, she continued, “Seriously, it could take weeks for your ribs to completely heal. Everything you do to minimize physical stress will help them heal faster.”
“She’s right.” Haley added her two cents. “You need to take it easy for a while.”
“What is this? Medical professionals gang up on poor patient day? Megan, you want to get in on this?”
“Not me. This doc prefers to focus on your mind.” Megan leaned in and whispered, “But I promise you’ll feel a lot better if you listen to these two so you can get the hell out of here.”
“Fine, fine. Aimee, do you mind grabbing my bag?”
“Don’t worry about a thing, missy. We’ll pack up all this stuff and get it to your house. You could open your own florist shop.” Aimee gestured toward the many colorful flower arrangements lining every surface. She directed her next question to Jordan. “Are you taking her straight home?”
Mac interrupted as Jordan started to answer. “She is not.
We have a very necessary stop to make on the way.”
“You are not going to work,” Aimee said. “Sally and Nick have everything under control and you’re under doctor’s orders not to overexert yourself.”
“Jeez, lighten up. I’m having a terrible shaved ice craving.
There’s nothing like being stuck in a hospital to make your cravings get out of control. I swear, I have to have one. We’ll probably beat you to the house anyway.”
“All right, addict. Enjoy your fix.
We’ll see you at the house.”
Jordan couldn’t help but notice how painful the ride was for her friend. Her M5 had arrived from Austin yesterday and she insisted on being the one to drive Mac home from the hospital. Over the last few days, she found she couldn’t stand to be away from her and she was glad she had already planned to take the time off work so she didn’t have to cancel all of her appointments. Yet even after spending days by Mac’s side, she hadn’t been able to wrap her mind around a way to bring them as close as she wanted them to be emotionally. Her head was filled with dreams, and in each one she and Mac were a happy couple. The problem was, she didn’t know how to make the dreams a reality. The words had been so easy to speak aloud when Mac was unable to hear them. Now she had Mac’s full attention, and words failed her.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
Startled, Jordan quickly recovered, trying for a jocular response. “They may not be worth a penny to you.”
“That’s kind of a funny thing to say. What do you mean?”
“Nothing. I was thinking you must have a lot on your mind without taking on my mental baggage.”
Mac sighed. “My brain is doing aerobics right now. How will I work? How will I shower? The list is endless.”
“Nick and Sally will take care of the restaurant. They both know how important it is to you that things keep running smoothly.” Jordan paused to consider the decision she was about to announce. “Oh, and I’m moving in with you.”
“You think so, huh?”
“Look, before you get started on how independent you are, hear me out. You need to take it easy for the next several weeks, which means some restrictions. No heavy lifting—even bending over could cause a lot of pain. And, you’re going to have a hard time using your left arm for a while. The first time you need to tie your shoes, you’re going to be glad I’m there.
I have a lot of flexibility in my schedule and I know all your favorite foods, so who better to be your maid?”
“I’ll think about it. In the meantime, I need a raspberry shaved ice with cream. On the double.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Hours later, Mac was too tired to protest when Jordan made herself a bed in the spare room. Friends and family had spent the afternoon into evening celebrating her release from the hospital, and Jordan had fussed like a little old woman at the lateness of the hour before shoving everyone out. Secretly, Mac was glad Jordan was staying. Getting ready for bed had been a monumental task, and if Jordan hadn’t been there she would probably have collapsed on top of the covers, fully dressed.
She knew her brothers were happy Jordan was sticking around. Marty and Alice had initially insisted Mac stay with them during her recovery, but they already had too much on their plate with a raucous eight-year-old in the house, so she’d talked them out of the idea without any difficulty. Besides, she loved her house and didn’t want to be away from her usual creature comforts, cushy goose down bed, sunny kitchen, and the fanciest Italian coffeemaker money could buy. Mac heard light footfalls in the hall and smiled, knowing Jordan was probably tiptoeing across the wood floors in deference to her need to rest. The house fell still. Mac closed her eyes and let sleep claim her.
It had been three days since Mac had traded her hospital bed for the comfort of home. Jordan hadn’t officially worked all week, enjoying the time she was spending with her friend.
This morning, like the two preceding, she entered Mac’s room with a tray of breakfast goodies, and, unlike the days prior, Mac was still snoozing away.
This was unusual. Of the two of them, Mac had always been the early riser. Yet it was nine in the morning and she was still fast asleep. Jordan reflected back on many college mornings. Back then, she would lie in bed until the very last moment, while, no matter what had gone on the night before and for how long, Mac would be up at the first sign of light, ready to take on the day. All through med school and her residency, Jordan had preferred night shifts, always struggling with hours that required her to face the day well before she was ready.
Jordan smiled as she realized Mac must be feeling more comfortable with each passing day, a sure sign her injuries were healing. Jordan balanced the tray in one hand while trying to quietly rearrange the assortment of items on the nightstand to make room for the morning sustenance. Laptop, lamp, alarm clock, carafe of water, TV remote control, and a well-worn paperback. Finally, she picked up the paperback and moved to the love seat off to the side of the bed.
Mac’s fascination with romance novels had been a source of amusement to Jordan throughout their long relationship.
Mac had challenged her on several occasions, “Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it,” but Jordan always resisted the dare and kept to her own favorites in the nonfiction section. Relaxing into the chair, she decided it wouldn’t kill her to see what all the fuss was about.
She’d been reading for a couple of hours when Mac stirred and pointed at the book in her hand. “Are you enjoying it?”
“Oh, this?” Jordan set the novel down on the bed. “I was moving stuff off your nightstand. Sorry.”
“No worries. As long as you didn’t lose my place.”
Jordan leaned down and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
“Your dog-eared pages are safe with me. I’ll be right back with your java, ma’am.”
The rest of the week passed without incident. Mac’s brothers took turns stopping by each evening with baskets of food sent, with love, from their wives. Nick sent platters filled with new creations he was trying out for the fall menu. Jordan commented she wasn’t going to be able to leave the house because she’d eaten so much she could no longer fit through the doors. Despite the lame protests, she made no other mention of leaving. More and more of her belongings began to appear in the guest room, as she brought in a few new items every time she left the house to run an errand for her patient.
They fell into an easy pattern. Mac slept later than she had in the past and Jordan found it easier to get up and meet each day with the prospect of joining her friend for coffee as an enticement. Mac’s rib cage was still painful, but her agility improved daily. This morning, in fact, she’d arrived in Jordan’s room early and woke her with the aroma of fresh, hot coffee.
The endeavor, hampered by the healing collarbone, had taken three trips, but the sight that greeted Mac was well worth the trip. Gone was the dressed-to-kill Dr. Wagner with every hair in place. The woman in the guest room bore no resemblance to her dandy counterpart. Jordan lay sprawled across the bed, sheets and comforter tangled into knots. Her auburn hair was as rumpled as the sheets. One bare leg dangled off the bed and her torso was twisted in the opposite direction. Like Mac, she was dressed in worn flannel boxers and a threadbare T-shirt from her college days. Amazingly, she looked as beautiful in her boxers as she did in Armani.
Mac took advantage of the time before the smell of coffee woke her friend. She’d never noticed how relaxed Jordan seemed while sleeping. Maybe she never was when they lived together. Back then, she was completely preoccupied with making sure every waking moment was a step along the path to becoming a surgeon. Jordan had worked harder than anyone she knew while in school. Mac was sure her hard work had the dual purpose of blocking her past while ensuring her future.
Mac started to reconsider her plan. It had been over two weeks since their fight. With the intervention of the accident, she and Jordan had yet to discuss what had happened between them. In fact, they both acted as if nothing had happened, falling back into an easy friendship. Mac woke this morning focused on talking to Jordan about the night of her party and putting the incident behind them once and for all.
Pulled by the scent of fresh coffee, Jordan finally began to stir. Opening one blurry hazel eye, she croaked, “Is that coffee I smell?”
“You must be dreaming.”
“You’re right. I must be dreaming if the one-armed patient who’s supposed to be taking it easy is bringing me coffee in bed.”
“Oops. I
was hoping you wouldn’t notice.” Mac smiled down at her sleepy friend. “But if I waited for you to get coffee, I might have bed sores.”
Jordan sat up, pulling the covers over her bare legs.
“Whatever. A little extra sleep would do you good. I’m a doctor, I should know.” Noticing the serious expression on her friend’s face, she asked, “Honey, what’s up? Are you in pain?
Do we need to take you to the hospital?”
“No, no. Physically, I feel fine.”
“Well, something’s wrong.”
“I want to talk about our fight.”
“Oh, yeah, that. I was wondering when the topic would come up.”
“We both said some pretty ugly things to each other.” Mac hesitated. “I’m not sure what happened with Rebeca, but I do know I don’t ever want another woman to come between us.
Our friendship is too important to risk.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I’m not sure which one of us she considered a win, but Rebeca is a player. She was definitely out to get something, and I’m sorry I reacted the way I did. I wasn’t in a very good place when I stumbled on you two.”
“Grace told me about her and your father.”
“Yeah, I didn’t know the half of it.” Jordan relayed Grace’s account of her mother’s affair and its effect on her father. “I guess the important thing is he’s happy now. He and I still have a lot to work out. I imagine we’ve both changed a lot since we were last speaking. In the meantime, if he and Grace are happy, who am I to interfere?”
“Sometimes happiness comes from surprising places,” Mac observed.
Jordan looked into her friend’s open, honest, brown eyes and thought no truer words had ever been spoken. In that moment, she was hit by the raw force of all the thoughts and feelings she’d held at bay. Happiness was right in front of her and though the source was surprising, the surprise was exhilarating. Adrenaline pushed her to say, “Mac, I’ve got a surprise of my own.”
