“He’s going to be fine, Mags. I’ll see you in about an hour.”
He left her with an assuring nod, and she made the short drive to the hospital.
Her parents were just checking in when she joined them. An onlooker would have thought her mom was the one facing surgery. She looked as sickly as Maggie had ever seen her, and Maggie realized she was indeed sick—with fear. Her face was pale without makeup, and her eyes were red and swollen likely from crying or lack of sleep—or both.
Her dad on the other hand was the picture of calm. Smiling and joking as if he hadn’t a care in the world—a bravado Maggie recognized as fake but appreciated just the same.
They took him back for prep work, which didn’t take too long. And then Maggie and her mom were allowed to wait with him as the first drugs began taking effect, and he became groggy. His mouth drew up in a loopy grin. “When this’s done, gonna retire, an we’re gonna travel the world, Rosie. See the sigh’s.”
“That’ll be fun, Eli.” Her mom’s smile wavered, and Maggie wondered if her dad could see the lack of belief in her eyes as she smoothed her fingertips across his forehead, readjusting the cloth surgery cap. “Always wanted to see the Grand Canyon.”
“We’ll go an’ ri’ one of them donkeys to th’ bot’m.” Raising and lowering his eyelids seemed to be an effort. “Then we’ll hel’copper out.”
Maggie squeezed his hand. “You be good in surgery, Dad. Don’t give them any trouble.”
“Jus’ hope th’ doc ain’t a damn Yankee.” His eyes closed, and she thought it was for good this time, but he surprised her by cracking the right one just a little. “If I coul’ kee’ my eye ope’, I’d tal’ to ya through m’ eye.” Maggie chuckled at the nonsense, glad it meant he was relaxed and feeling no pain. “See ya la’er, ladies.” The eyelid drooped again. “Love ya.”
“Love you, too.” Her mom laid her hand over his heart for a moment, then gave him a pat. Her shoulders rose and fell with a shudder as the nurse came to take him back to surgery.
“We’ll call the waiting room and let you know how he’s doing,” the young man assured them. “But this surgery takes a long time, so don’t get nervous if you don’t hear from us for a while.”
They watched until the last corner of the bed conveying her dad disappeared around the corner of the long corridor, then she gave her mom a reassuring hug. “It’s going to be a long day. Did you eat breakfast?”
Her mom shook her head. “I couldn’t eat anything.”
“Do you feel like eating now? Want to go to the cafeteria and grab a bite?”
“No. Maybe later.”
They entered the waiting room, leaving their names with the elderly volunteer at the desk who was manning the phone, and staked their claim in an unoccupied corner, away from the other four groups of families gathered in small clusters.
Maggie had brought a book and several magazines, which she offered, but again her mom shook her head. “I can’t concentrate right now.”
Pastor Sawyer and his wife, Faith, showed up a few minutes later. Their calming presence acted like a soothing balm for which Maggie was immensely grateful—especially when Jeff walked in and she heard her mom bristle, “What in the world is he doing here?”
Maggie was fairly certain world would have been replaced by hell had Pastor Sawyer not been there. She herself let out a surprised gasp that could have won an Academy Award. “I have no idea.”
Jeff spotted them, sauntering over with his hands in his pockets. “Hello, everyone.” He nodded as he made eye contact, not lingering on Maggie any longer than anyone else.
“You’re not welcome here, Jeff Wells,” her mom snapped, and jerked her head around to cast an accusing glance at Maggie. “Did you talk to him?”
Before she could answer, Jeff spoke up. “Russ called me. He was upset and wanted to come home for his grandpa’s surgery. I was in Lake Geneva playing golf, and I had a few more days off, so I volunteered to be his substitute. And before anyone has to ask—” he pointed to his black eye “—I got clubbed by a guy trying out a new iron in the pro shop.”
“Man, that’s a shiner!” Sawyer shook his hand warmly and clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you again, Jeff. We’ll consider your presence here a blessing on your son’s behalf.”
Her mom gave a disgruntled humph.
“It’s been a long time.” Faith hugged him but threw a questioning look toward Maggie, who gave her an assuring nod.
“How’s Russ doing?” Maggie asked. “I’ve been trying not to call him.”
Jeff nodded. “He’s okay. Worried, of course.”
Maggie glanced at her mom, noting how the muscle twitched in her jaw. “You want to join us?” She motioned to the vacant chair beside her mom, who shifted as far toward Maggie as the chair arm would allow.
“Sure.” As he sat, he threw a surreptitious wink Maggie’s way, and she blinked in return.
Her mom stared sullenly out the window, too much of a lady to make a scene but not trying to hide her fury. One thing was for certain, though—Jeff’s presence had brought color back to her cheeks.
They burned fiery red.
* * *
ROSEMARY KNEW THE earthquake was only inside her, but it seemed as though her whole world was being shaken apart. At the same time, the entire situation felt like an out-of-body experience—as if she’d somehow escaped the ludicrous position and could float above it all and look down on its absurdity.
Jeff Wells, the person from their past she most wished never to see again, was sitting next to her, chatting as if he hadn’t been absent from their lives for more than a decade. Older, still handsome, though not nearly so cocky, which was a terrible thing now she thought about it. Losing that king-of-the-world attitude made him all the more desirable, which might cause Maggie’s head...and heart...to turn toward him again.
Bad. Very bad.
On the other side, Maggie read, aloof and uninterested, practically ignoring him except when he pulled her into direct conversation, which generally focused on Russ and last week’s move. The lack of emotion on Maggie’s part was the scary thing.
Curse at him. Throw books. Scratch his good eye out, Rosemary wanted to say. Just give me a glimpse of the old Maggie. I don’t trust this one who acts untouched by anything that happens. The one who suffers in silence. She’s the one most likely to withdraw from the world again...because she’s already halfway there.
“Mom.” Maggie nudged her with an elbow and nodded toward the old man at the desk. “He’s paging us. We’re here!” She waved.
“Russell family?”
Rosemary nodded and hurried over to the phone he held. “Hello? This is Rosemary Russell.”
“Hi, Ms. Russell. Are you Eli’s wife?”
“Yes.” Her pulse thrummed in her ears.
“This is Diane. I’m assisting with Mr. Russell’s surgery. I wanted to let you know he’s on the cardiopulmonary bypass machine now. I’ll call you when they take him off, but that won’t be for a few hours. He’s doing well.”
Eli’s heart was stopped, his life cradled in the tubular arms of an uncaring machine.
Her own heart did a somersault. “I’m—I’m glad to hear that,” she lied. Gladness was not an emotion she could apply to the most terrifying words ever said to her. “Thank you.”
Back at her seat, she gave everyone the news, which was received with enthusiasm. Sawyer led them in a brief prayer, and then all her companions got on their phones and spread the news of Eli’s condition.
Let them take care of it. She didn’t want to talk to anybody—except Eli.
“Now might be a good time to get something to eat.” That was Jeff...taking control.
“I’m not hungry.” She refused to look at the interloper.
An awkward
moment followed and then Sawyer said, “That’s a good idea. I’m getting hungry myself.”
“Why don’t you go, too, Maggie,” Faith suggested. “I’m not hungry just yet. I’ll stay here with Rosemary.”
Maggie gave Rosemary a questioning look, and she gave her daughter a reluctant nod.
“We can bring you something if you like,” Jeff offered.
“I said, I’m not hungry.” She gave him a glare that should’ve withered a hardened criminal.
Not this one. He shrugged and had the audacity to allow the corner of his mouth to twitch. “Maybe later, then.”
She watched them out the door. “I don’t like this, Faith.”
“That’s obvious.” Faith moved over to the chair beside her and took her hand. “I imagine you don’t like anything happening today, though.”
“You know, he and Maggie were in Chicago together all last week, and now he shows up here this morning out of the blue. He hasn’t been back to Kentucky since Russ was five, yet he’s here today. It just smacks of...of...something I don’t like.”
Faith’s laugh was light as she squeezed her hand. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Stella last year. Let’s accept those healing vibes whatever direction they come from.”
“I saw the vibes Jeff gave my daughter when they split up.” Rosemary shuddered at the memory of Maggie in her dark bedroom, drapes drawn, blinds closed, as if letting light into the room would make the pain more visible...more acute. “They weren’t the healing kind, trust me.”
“I remember.”
Of course she would. Everyone in Taylor’s Grove would remember.
“Things change, though.”
Gah! Faith seemed determined to talk about this.
“Maybe some healing did take place last week, Rosemary. I mean, they seemed to tolerate each other pretty well this morning. And Maggie didn’t turn down the opportunity to go eat lunch with him.”
“I don’t want things to heal between them.” Rosemary bristled. “What I want is for Jeff Wells to go back to California and leave my daughter alone.”
“That’s your head talking. Your heart knows it would be better for everybody—especially Russ—if those two could forgive and move on.”
The mention of Russ shot a pang of guilt through Rosemary. Her grandson had always been such a trouper when it came to his parents. He loved them both equally. Worshipped his mom. Idolized his dad. And the Wells family never shirked in any responsibility when it came to Russ. They lavished him with attention and gifts. If possible, he’d been even more spoiled than Maggie.
“It’s the moving-on part I want to see happen,” she answered.
“Well, then...” Faith leaned her head against Rosemary’s. “Let’s just hope everybody’s heart heals right along with Eli’s.”
The mention of her husband brought Rosemary back to the present and today’s worry. If Eli came through this okay, maybe she would work on forgiving Jeff Wells.
But it wasn’t going to happen today.
Or anytime in the near future.
* * *
JEFF’S PHONE PINGED.
On my way.
He caught the waitress’s eye and signaled for the check, which she brought to him along with the sack of carryout. He paid the bill and went outside the café to wait for his ride.
When Maggie pulled up, he went around to the driver’s side and opened the door, holding up the bag. “The burger and fries are still hot. Let me drive, and you can eat.”
“Ooh, thanks.” She snatched the bag and relinquished the driving duty without a fuss. Once she got buckled in on the other side, she unwrapped the sandwich and flipped back the bun, flashing him an astonished grin. “I can’t believe you remembered!”
“Mustard, pickles, lettuce and onion.” He laughed. “Burgers were our staple back in the day. How could I forget? So how’s your dad doing?”
The nurses’ reports throughout the day had been good. Eli had done well and the surgery had been successful. When the family was told he was regaining consciousness and they could go back to see him, Jeff had decided it was time to make his exit. He’d walked back to the café where Maggie had dropped him off that morning and waited there for her to come pick him up.
“He looks great.” She dove into the burger with gusto, filling him in on her dad between bites. “He was alert and not talking out of his head. The doctor said he’d probably move into a regular room tomorrow. And Mom asked about a cot to sleep on. He said there’ll be a recliner in the room that goes all the way down into a bed, so she can stay as many nights as she wants.”
“How many do you think that will be?”
“As long as he’s in here, probably.” She juggled the cheeseburger to the other hand so she could pat his leg. “But getting that guest room for her tonight was a stroke of genius. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to check on the possibility.”
“When my uncle had his heart surgery, my aunt stayed in one. I figured other hospitals had them available, too.”
“Well, it won you some hard-earned brownie points, that’s for sure. From Mom and me.”
“That’s not why I did it. I couldn’t stand the thought of her sleeping on that couch in the waiting room after enduring such a long, exhausting day.” He smiled to himself at the small victory, though. Throughout the day, Rosemary had turned down everything he’d offered from food and drinks to magazines and newspapers. But when he’d inquired about available guest rooms for the family of patients and secured her the last one, her shocked gratitude had been genuine.
“When Dad talked to Russ, I nearly lost it.” Maggie fished a French fry out of the sack and held it to his lips. He took it, letting his teeth graze her fingers. “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, mister.”
“Not biting. Just nibbling,” he corrected. “And yeah, when I talked to Russ he was pretty excited his grandpa sounded so good, but he got a little choked up.”
Rather than heading straight for the highway, which would have been the fastest route home, Mags directed him through town, pointing out things that had changed since he’d last seen the area. Paducah had always seemed like a nice, small city, and he’d often lamented that they hadn’t moved there rather than staying in Taylor’s Grove next door to Eli and Rosemary. A little distance from her parents may have been all they needed to give them a fighting chance, but now, they’d never know.
They rode in amiable silence for a while, and he didn’t try to push her into conversation. The day had been physically and emotionally tiring. A good, long soak in the hot tub with a wee bit of Scotch was on his agenda.
“Do you think we pulled it off?” She broke the stillness, at last.
“I think so.”
They laughed and talked the rest of the way home about the close calls they’d had throughout the day, how they’d covered well and agreed no one seemed the wiser.
“Thank goodness Sue Marsden was busy today.” Mags finished her burger, wadding up the paper it was wrapped in and tossing it back into the bag. “I’m not sure we could’ve fooled her. She has a knack for rooting out gossip, even when there isn’t any.”
Jeff remembered Sue’s vicious reputation for spreading the word. That was one thing he didn’t have to put up with in San Diego. Living in the city afforded him a nice bit of anonymity.
He made the turn onto Maggie’s lane. Through the foliage of the trees, he saw the lights of the house—a welcoming sight. He could almost feel that hot water surrounding his body and the Scotch burning his tongue.
He’d just made the turn into the driveway when Maggie let out a shriek.
“Oh, no!”
A car was headed toward them up the drive.
“Switch seats with me, Jeff!” He could hear the panic in her voice. “Get down!”
“It’s too late for that, Mags.”
The words had barely left his mouth before the headlights of the approaching car flashed to high, nearly blinding him with their close proximity.
“It’s Sue.” Maggie’s voice was flat, as if shock had knocked all the emotion from her.
The car rolled toward them slowly as he brought Maggie’s car to a stop and put down the window.
Sue Marsden, looking a little older than he remembered but still sporting the same hairdo, gaped at him, not even trying to hide her surprise. “Why, Jeff Wells! I thought you were Russ.”
“No, I’m me. How are you, Sue?” He tried for casual, as if seeing him shouldn’t be the shock she was treating it as.
“Well, I’m just fine. What in the world brings you way out here?” Her eyes darted back and forth from him to Maggie, who was now leaning toward him.
“Jeff was here for Dad’s surgery. He’s staying in Murray, so he rode to Paducah with me this morning.”
Wow, Maggie was a quick thinker.
“No use having two cars going the same direction,” he added.
Sue stuck her head out the window, craning her neck to look back at the house. “I didn’t see your car.”
“Oh, I put it in the garage when we left. You never know when a hailstorm’s going to pop up around here this time of year.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Sue’s smile had a smirking quality about it. “I heard Eli came through the surgery with flying colors, Maggie.”
“Yes, he’s doing great.”
“I was sorry I couldn’t get to the hospital, but I canned some chicken vegetable soup last week, so I brought a couple of jars for you. Thought you could use them for a quick meal after long days at the hospital.”
“That’s very kind of you, Sue. Thank you so much.”
“There’s a loaf of homemade bread and some chocolate chip cookies, too. I left it all in a basket on the bar on your back porch.”
“I’ll make good use of it,” Maggie assured her. “Thanks again.”
Sue was obviously not in any hurry. “If I’d known you were entertaining, I would’ve brought more.”
My Way Back to You (Harlequin Large Print Super Romance) Page 13
