What The Doctor Ordered

by Cheryl Wolverton

  “It’s going to be okay, honey,” her mom said softly.

  Rachel didn’t release her mom’s hand. “I’m so scared. I don’t want another doctor telling me she needs to be put in a home or that nothing can be done.”

  “Morgan would never suggest you put Lindsay in a home.”

  “I know, but…” Rachel sighed. “I know the schools aren’t supposed to be bad, and they have some wonderful things—”

  “Honey, this isn’t about that at all, is it?”

  Startled, Rachel glanced at her.

  “You’re allowing Morgan to examine her. That’s something you haven’t allowed with any other doctor.”

  “Yes.”

  “You trust him, at least as far as that goes.”

  Rachel shrugged, and her gaze slid to her hands, which she noted were clasped together, an obvious sign of tension.

  “You’re afraid you’re going to see Lindsay rejected again, just like Jim did.”

  Rachel flinched at her ex-husband’s name. “He’s just a doctor, Mom. It doesn’t matter—”

  “He’s more than just a doctor, isn’t he?”

  Fear crept into Rachel. That was one thing she wanted to avoid thinking about.

  “Did you see how gentle he was with Maggie when she announced her news?”

  Betty nodded. “He’s a good man, a caring man. Not all men are like your husband—self-centered and unwilling to try to make a marriage work.”

  “Is he Maggie’s doctor?” Rachel asked, to change the subject. She had no desire to discuss Morgan and her husband in the same conversation. It made her mind drift to more permanent things, things she definitely shouldn’t be thinking about, things that just weren’t meant for her.

  Betty stood and went back to working on the potatoes. “I’m not sure. I really think Maggie is too old for a pediatrician. Heaven knows, she is going to need a good doctor. I heard her brother is moving back to town.”

  “Brother?”

  “Luke. You know how rumors are. And you know how Emma hears them all.” Betty chuckled.

  “You really enjoy your job at church, don’t you?”

  That was something Rachel still couldn’t quite grasp. Betty had always been a work-at-home mom who fixed cookies, kept an immaculate house and doted on the children. She’d never dreamed her mother would want anything new. But there was a sparkle in her eyes each time she mentioned work.

  “Yes, honey, I do. I know it shocks you that your mom enjoys working outside the house, doesn’t it?”

  “A bit.”

  Betty smiled at her before slipping the potatoes into the oven. “I loved taking care of your dad and you kids, Rachel. But this has opened up an entire new world. It’s been wonderful to experience new things.”

  “Like Mr. Sinclair?”

  Her mother blushed. “Warren is simply working on the day care. He had some questions and I was answering them.”

  “You know, Mom, it seems weird seeing you with another man, but if you, well, if you decided to…date him, or whatever you’d call it, I would approve.”

  Her mom’s shoulders eased, and Rachel realized her mother had been worried about her reaction.

  “Thank you.” She sat down. “Not that I ever thought I’d be discussing this with my daughter, much less that it would happen…” Betty took Rachel’s hands. “I loved your father more than life itself. But he’s gone. I miss him, honey, and always will, but sometimes you just have to get on with life.”

  Rachel shifted, hearing the double meaning and realizing her mom hadn’t forgotten at all about Jim or their discussion of Morgan. “Yes, eventually.”

  “That’s right. And Warren is a nice man. I enjoy talking with him. We’re friends. We have a lot in common. I don’t know if it’ll go further. I’m a grandmother, for pity’s sake. But then, he’s old enough for that, too. Anyway, sometimes you just have to realize that there’s more in life and reach out and grab it.”

  Rachel dropped her gaze. “And hope it’s not fool’s gold instead,” she whispered, and wondered if she even knew the difference.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “She’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

  Morgan stared at the little girl in his arms and smiled at her. “Right, Lindsay?” he signed, then smiled.

  Lindsay hugged him.

  “I just—” Rachel started and then broke off.

  Morgan slipped an arm around her. “I think Mama needs this more than Lindsay at the moment.”

  “I’m sorry, Morgan. I just— I’m scared.”

  Rachel’s petite body leaned into him, provoking feelings of comfort in Morgan. She was so small and had been through so much with her daughter. He ached for her, wished he could heal the hurt and distrust within her.

  But, though he was a healer of the body, he couldn’t heal souls. He had to leave Rachel in God’s hands and trust Him to do the healing she required.

  She stepped back.

  So did he. “We’re going to start with the simple hearing tests and then we’ll go on to the more advanced tests. If you’d like to watch, there’s a viewing room. I promise you, honey, we aren’t going to hurt Lindsay.”

  “I know. Yes, I’d like to watch.”

  “Ah, well, it looks like you might not be alone.” He motioned, and Rachel turned.

  “Mom? Reverend Ben?”

  Morgan watched as her mother smiled. Such a sweet, loving smile. Betty loved her daughter very much. “I just thought, dear, you should have someone here with you. I was talking to Ben about it, and he decided to come along.”

  “Oh, well, I…thank you, Reve—”

  “Just Ben.”

  “Thank you, Ben.”

  Morgan interrupted them. “My nurse will show you where to go. Lindsay and I are going before she gets impatient.” He grinned at the little girl. “Make yourselves at home. These tests are going to take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.”

  Rachel knew that. She remembered him explaining to her that Lindsay would have several breaks during the time so she wouldn’t get too tired. She watched her baby being taken off by a doctor once again and wondered how that had happened.

  “It’ll be okay, honey,” Betty said, coming up next to her.

  Reminding herself this was Morgan, Morgan who had shown his desire to be Lindsay’s friend, Morgan who took Lindsay fishing, Morgan who had kissed her…

  “I know,” she said, shaking off that last image. “I know it will.”

  “Shall we go, ladies?” Ben asked as the nurse waved them after her down the hall.

  Rachel quietly followed the nurse, who was dressed in blue and white teddy bear scrubs, down the sterile white halls. The hollow sound of their feet echoing on the tiled floor was the only noise besides the PA system, paging doctors in the background.

  They turned at a side hall and the nurse stopped. “In here. There’s coffee and tea and they usually have muffins. Colas and other foods are in the vending machines near the cafeteria.”

  “We’ll be fine, thanks,” Ben said, and Rachel didn’t object as he led them into the room.

  The room was dark, lit only by two small lamps that sat on end tables. There was an emerald sofa with four matching overstuffed chairs, and sure enough, against the wall were a tiny sink, a coffeepot and disposable coffee cups.

  “Oh, my, look at that room, Rachel.”

  “Yeah, Mom,” Rachel said, moving toward the chair positioned nearest the wall. Wrapping her arms around herself, she sank onto the edge of the chair.

  The room was certainly set up to entertain children. Rachel had expected a room as sterile as the halls outside. But this room wasn’t like that at all. The walls were painted with bright, primary colors depicting scenes of a forest teeming with life. She saw rabbits, deer and birds, all painted in bright colors.

  The carpet was wall to wall and had tiny little roads drawn on it. She noted other pieces of different colored carpet in different areas and realized that each section was a te
sting section.

  “Ah, there they are now,” Ben said quietly, and pulled a chair from the tiny table in the corner next to Rachel.

  She didn’t say it, but in some odd way, that simple gesture meant so much to her. “She’s okay.”

  Ben chuckled. “More than okay, I’d say. She looks downright happy.”

  Rachel relaxed an indefinable amount. “Maybe. But they haven’t started the testing yet.”

  Her mother pulled out a book. “She’s going to be just fine. Just relax, sweetheart.”

  She wondered if her mom really believed that she still fell for that read-a-book-and-look-nonchalant routine. Rachel had learned a long time ago, when her mom brought a book with her somewhere, it was because she was worried.

  “Of course she will,” Rachel murmured and returned her attention to the room.

  “Was your daughter deaf at birth, Rachel?” Ben asked.

  From a distance Rachel watched her daughter throw her hands up and take off at a dead run toward a slide. “I’m not sure. We, um, Jim and I, we didn’t notice at first. She was a loud baby. Cried a lot. It bothered Jim.”

  Morgan slipped off his shoes, dropped onto the floor and started playing with her.

  “Some babies certainly can kick up a fuss. I’d say as active as she is, she must have been an active baby.”

  “Not a lot,” Rachel said absently as she watched Lindsay slide down and then toss a ball with Morgan. “Jim didn’t like noise.”

  Morgan played, then led her to a table. They sat down and he put earphones on both of them and opened books. He was signing something to her as he talked, but Rachel couldn’t read what. He lifted his hand and then flipped a page.

  Then he nodded to his nurse, who was across the room, and she realized they were testing and Lindsay had no idea what they were up to. Rachel relaxed a bit more.

  “When did you finally figure out she had trouble hearing?”

  “Hmm? Oh, well, about a year ago. Her speech wasn’t developing like the other children her age, and she ignored us quite a bit. Jim thought she was being stubborn but…but she’s such a happy child. The dichotomy in her just didn’t set right. I took her to a few doctors before that, but this one I took her to, this one said that…”

  When she didn’t finish, Ben changed the subject. “Spring practice for basketball starts up soon. I’m planning to coerce that doctor in there into helping me.”

  Rachel looked around, surprised. “He plays basketball?”

  “Not yet,” Ben said, grinning.

  Rachel laughed.

  Ben returned her smile. “He said he used to play it as a kid. I plan to draft him into it.”

  “I don’t suppose that’s something you forget.”

  “No. And I just got a new hoop put up. I have to constantly thank God for Morgan.”

  Surprised, Rachel turned again to look at Ben. “You have children?”

  Ben shook his head and crossed an ankle over his right knee as he leaned back. “No. But I’m new here and meeting with just a tad bit of resistance.”

  Betty’s snort told Rachel she heard more than she let on.

  “Okay, there are many who think I’m too young to be in charge of the church. Anyway,” he said, tossing a stop-that look at Betty, who had snorted again, “Morgan has been a strong steady friend to me. There are days that his friendship really helped me through problems. He’s a good, godly man. Doesn’t stick his nose in where it’s not wanted—most of the time,” he added, grinning at her.

  “He’s not interfering,” Rachel said softly, and the last of her worry fled. “He and Lindsay have developed a special bond.”

  “I see that.” Ben nodded toward the glass.

  Rachel turned just in time to see Lindsay give Morgan a kiss. A smile touched Rachel’s lips, and tears came to her eyes. “Why couldn’t Jim have been like that? Why did he give up so easily?”

  “I think he gave up a long time before your child was born, didn’t he, Rachel?”

  Dropping her gaze to her hands, she whispered, “Yes. But how can anyone not love a child?”

  A strong, gentle hand squeezed her shoulder. “I wish I had an answer for that one, Rachel. I really do.”

  No more words were exchanged as they watched Lindsay for the next half hour. Then Morgan and Lindsay disappeared into another room. They were gone nearly thirty minutes before Morgan returned with a sleeping Lindsay in his arms.

  “Well?” Rachel asked nervously, standing when she saw Morgan walk in. Betty beat her to Morgan and took the sleeping child from him. Rachel paused to run a hand over her hair before turning to Morgan. It didn’t bother her in the least when Ben walked over and stroked Lindsay’s cheek and said a soft, quick little prayer of healing and comfort. Her attention was focused on Morgan, with what she had hoped never to face again—hope. Hope brought fear. Fear of rejection, of no answer, of suggestions for treatment she didn’t want to think about.

  “There is some nerve damage, it looks like, Rachel. But then, you pretty much had already been told that. I’ll have the test results in a few days and can tell you more.”

  Morgan must have sensed Rachel’s anxiety because he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “The good news is there is probably a treatment.”

  “I don’t want her going through any painful treatments or…or anything like that.”

  “You have all the time in the world, Rachel, to decide what you want. Why don’t we go get some lunch? It’s almost lunchtime.”

  “Oh!” Rachel glanced at her watch, then at her mom and Ben. “I guess I hadn’t realized it’d been that long. Then again, it seems like it was much longer.”

  “I can’t,” Betty said apologetically. “I need to get back to work, and I think Lindsay here will be ready for nap time.”

  “Ben?” Morgan asked.

  “I should get back, too. I’m meeting with Jason later. He wanted to come by and talk. He’s a good kid.”

  Rachel recognized that name. She remembered an older couple at church who were giving Ben a rather long lecture. Rachel wondered if those were his parents and if the child was anything like them.

  “Well, Rachel. Are you going to desert me, too?” Morgan asked, and gave her such a sorrowful look she couldn’t help but laugh.

  “I have the entire day off because of these tests. I’m sure I can spare an hour for lunch.”

  “Great,” Morgan said, his boyish look pulling another grin from her.

  “Oh.” She turned to face Ben. “Thank you, Ben, for coming over. Your support meant a lot to me.”

  He gave her a gentle smile and nodded. “Anytime, Rachel. That’s what we’re here for.”

  He turned and ambled down the hall.

  “Honey, why don’t you take the rest of the day off and let me keep Lindsay? She won’t mind staying in day care or with me an extra hour or so.”

  Rachel hesitated. The offer was tempting. Finally, she nodded. “Very well.”

  “Give Lindsay a kiss so I can go,” Betty commanded.

  Rachel did just that, hurrying forward and leaning close. Pushing her daughter’s curls out of the way, Rachel kissed her on the forehead.

  Lindsay sighed and turned her head, snuggling against Betty.

  Rachel’s heart filled with love as she watched. Looking at her mom, she said softly, “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Any time.” She walked briskly down the hall to where Ben waited. Together, the two turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

  Then she was alone with Morgan.

  The air seemed suddenly charged as they stood there, the occasional echo of a voice, the speakers, elevators, all flowing together into a cacophony of music that every hospital she’d ever been in sang to its visitors and patients.

  “Well.”

  “Having second thoughts, Rachel?”

  Slowly she shook her head. “No, Morgan. Actually, for the first time, I’m having no second thoughts at all.”

  It was in that instant she realize
d she’d fallen for Morgan, and fallen hard. She stared at him, trying to absorb the shock of her sudden knowledge.

  “You may,” he murmured, and reached to take her hand.

  “What—?” she asked, trying to drag her thoughts into some semblance of order.

  With a grin, he replied, “I confess. I knew you had the whole day off and arranged for a friend to take my appointments for the afternoon. By the time I return you home this evening, you may wish you had never met me.”

  Uh-oh. “Morgan?” she asked, uneasiness creeping into her. “What are we doing? What are you up to?”

  With a grin, he slipped an arm around her and guided her toward an exit door. “We’re going for a jousting.”

  So stunned was Rachel, she didn’t say another word the entire way to the car.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I don’t believe it. A castle? Here? I mean, I’d heard there was a place like this, but seriously, I had no idea—it’s shaped like a castle!”

  Morgan grinned from ear to ear. He couldn’t help it. The look on Rachel’s face was priceless. “A castle for the lady,” he murmured, and pushed open his door.

  And indeed it was a castle, gray stone, banners flying from the parapets, the entire look. It was a facde, of course, but still, it did look awfully realistic. “They have a medieval festival here every spring. It’s not well publicized. But it’s certainly interesting to attend.”

  He watched her gaze go over the people coming and going, some with children, others in groups and couples. She finally turned to him and grinned. “This looks wonderful.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” He slipped a hand to her back and led her to the door, where he paid.

  “This way, ma’am,” the young woman at the gate said after checking her hand for the stamp.

  “Um, wait, I—” She looked at Morgan.

  With a sly grin, he said, “Did I forget to mention certain packages allow costumes?”

  “Yes, you did.” She returned his grin.

  “I’ll meet you out front.”