“Wait—what? Threatened you?” Alec was immediately agitated. He was drumming his thumb on the table. His eyes were angry and intense with concern. “What did he say?”
“Oh, wait. I’m sorry. It wasn’t like a violent threat. He just told me that he’d had some interest from people wanting to buy this house. He said he was thinking of selling and, if so, then I’d have to figure out how to afford a new place to live.” She looked down at her half-eaten pie and put her fork down. “If he does that before I’m ready, it will be devastating.”
“Phoebe, you know I try not to say anything against the man, he is the father of your son, after all. But even though he’s an incredibly selfish man, I don’t think he would just put you out on the street like that. Even for Dan, that seems a little too selfish.” He smiled, but Phoebe shook her head.
“You don’t know him like I do. The devious ways he tricked me about our finances before our divorce is what set me up to walk away with nothing. On paper, we had nothing to split. So, he would do anything to anyone if it suited him and his current agenda.”
The lump forming in her throat was hard to ignore, and she did her best to keep her voice under control. Alec scooted his chair closer to her and took her hand.
“Listen, Phoebe, I know you’re worried about this, and while I don’t think he is going to do anything like that, I just want you to know that I’ll take care of you if it does happen. I’ll help you figure it out. You aren’t going to end up homeless, I promise.”
He gently stroked her hand with his thumb. Phoebe gave him a grateful look.
“Well, thank you for that. I don’t expect you to support me and Jacob, though. Just having someone to brainstorm with helps more than I can say. You’re a good friend, Alec.”
“So are you.” He smiled and stood up. “I hate to, but I need to go. I have early rounds tomorrow. Will you be okay?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. It helped so much to have someone with a level head to talk to.” She stood up to stand next to him.
“You’ll be at the hospital tomorrow, we can talk more then,” he said with a wink. Phoebe felt her heart flutter, as it so often did whenever he smiled at her.
“Goodnight, Alec,” she said softly as she closed and locked the door. She didn’t know if he replied, but she imagined that he did, and part of her wondered what life would be like if she didn’t have to tell him goodbye when she told him goodnight.
12
Phoebe woke the next morning with a jolt. She had been dreaming again and this time it was a bizarre mash up of Alec and Dan. She felt chilled as the scenes flashed into her groggy memory. “Gosh, why can’t I be one of those who never remembers my dreams?”
Climbing out of bed, she couldn’t get the dream out of her mind. It was more of a vivid flashback to past events, but with Alec and Dan’s roles reversed. Eating apple pie with a smiling Dan and Alec telling her how lucky she was to have him with a nasty sneer. With Dan in Jacob’s hospital room and then Alec pestering her at church.
She had to shake this dream. Knowing that neither of these men was like they were portrayed in this dream wasn’t enough to wipe away the eerie feeling.
“Okay, Phoebe. You can’t let this silly dream weigh you down. You have a son to take care of today. Get on with it.” The pep talk to her reflection in the bathroom mirror at least helped her get in the shower and start getting ready to leave the house.
Driving to the hospital, she consciously thought about good times with Alec to try to erase the bad dream. The time with him had given her hope that her future could be happy. Her mind drifting back, she daydreamed.
When he called a few days after their pizza date and asked if she wanted to go out with him again, she was more than happy to accept. At that time, she wasn’t so concerned that he was Jacob’s doctor. Jacob was doing well and only saw his doctor for check-ups every few months. Maybe that had been a little negligent on her part, but she couldn’t change that now.
She remembered how they’d gone to an early movie followed by a long drive. They’d gone through the back roads, stopping at the top of her favorite hill and watching the stars come out.
They sat on the top of the hill for over an hour, sipping coffee and discussing their hopes and dreams with each other. They even talked about Jacob and his cute little boy quirks. They’d avoided talking about Dan or the divorce, and for the moment, Phoebe was almost able to forget the pain of the marriage and break-up.
As she told him about her work, he looked at her with an expression that was still distinctly etched in her mind. Admiration. Respect. Then he’d smiled as he leaned in to her. She had closed her eyes and leaned toward him.
She remembered how her heart pounded in her chest as they were about to kiss. Their lips were only a breath apart. But then her cell phone rang, startling her, and she immediately pulled back. For a split second, she considered not answering, but since Jacob was with his father, she had to see who was calling.
Candy’s voice on the line ruined all the passion she was feeling in that moment, but it was what she said that changed everything.
“Phoebe, I’m taking Jacob to the emergency room. He was playing outside with the boys next door. They were playing tag under the streetlights. He, um, he collapsed. Patrick, the oldest one, came to get me because the boys couldn’t wake him up and they didn’t know what to do.”
Her voice was panicked, and she was running on telling Phoebe what had happened. Phoebe was in shock and listened to Candy’s account of what was going on.
“So, he’s awake now, but says he doesn’t feel well. His color is off and he’s breathing really fast. We’re in the car now and we’ll be at the hospital soon. I think you need to hurry.”
“I’m leaving now, Candy. Where’s Dan?”
“I don’t know where he is. I’ll keep trying to get him.” Candy ended the call before Phoebe could tell her to tell Jacob she loved him.
She looked at Alec, anxiety and fear gripping her. “Jacob’s collapsed. Candy’s taking him to the emergency room. I have to go.”
Alec had jumped up and dragged her to the car. They’d said little on the drive to the hospital. He’d called and talked to someone in emergency to alert them that Jacob was coming in and what to do when he got there.
When they were almost there, Phoebe broke down. She’d held her tears until she couldn’t hold them any longer. “I hate it that Candy’s the one who’s taking him to the hospital. Where’s Dan? He’s probably scared that he’s alone with someone he barely knows. Oh, God, please let him be okay. Please don’t let him be scared.”
Alec just reached over and held her hand. She was grateful that he let her cry and didn’t try to make her be rational right then. She needed to fall apart now so she could keep it together later. Looking back on it now, it was amazing that he knew just what to do for her. He’d known exactly what she’d needed.
When they arrived at the hospital, Candy was more than eager to turn things over to Phoebe. “He’s in the back. They haven’t told me anything yet other than they’re running some tests. I need to get back and I’m sure you don’t need me in the way here. I hope he’ll be okay. I’m sure he will.”
“Thank you for bringing him, Candy.” Phoebe was thankful that Candy had acted quickly, but she was also glad when the woman left.
Thinking back on that night now, she wondered what might have happened between she and Alec if Candy’s call had come five minutes later. Would a kiss have made a difference in what happened—or didn’t happen—between them? She shook her head unconsciously and looked in the rear-view mirror out of habit.
Guilt had plagued her in the days following Jacob’s collapse. She hadn’t been there when it happened, and that bothered her. But even further than not being there, she was having inappropriate feelings for her child’s doctor. That was irresponsible. Her son was more important than a kind and caring handsome man.
Then she’d convinced herself that she was merely feeling the str
ess of her son’s illness combined with the pain of being recently divorced. Her feelings for Alec weren’t real, they were simply a reaction to something else.
Unable to argue with herself at the time, she’d accepted the conclusion that she wouldn’t have romantic feelings for Alec if the situation had been different. But now, with how things had gone with Alec in the past week or so, Phoebe wasn’t certain she was right about what she had done. She could argue with herself now all she wanted, but it didn’t change the fact she knew deep down inside that Alec was right for her.
The reality was that all her protests and roadblocks could be dealt with. They could handle the issues together.
But what kind of problems would Dan make for her? He’d be angry for sure. Though she’d told him she wasn’t interested in getting back together, she knew him well enough to know that he probably hadn’t accepted that. He was arrogant enough to believe she didn’t know her own mind.
As long as she was single and forced to live in his house, he could continue to harass her. If she was involved with someone else, someone who wasn’t afraid of his bullying, his power over her would vanish. He wouldn’t handle that well. It would likely be Jacob who took the brunt of his anger.
This situation didn’t have an easy solution. She’d finally admitted what she wanted and that it might just be okay for her to have it, only to realize there could be consequences to taking what she wanted.
Why couldn’t anything in her life be easy these days?
13
Phoebe dropped her keys into her purse as she walked into the lobby of the hospital. Heading to the elevator, she was relieved Dan hadn’t been outside waiting for her. He’d been stopping by so often, she never knew if he’d be waiting in her driveway or not.
She figured she might have a day or two of a reprieve since he was angry at her, but he was just unpredictable enough to push harder. Eager to see Jacob, she pushed thoughts of his father aside and pushed the button for the third floor.
Throughout the struggle Phoebe was having with herself, there was never a doubt that being Jacob’s mother was her priority. When anger at Dan or regret over Alec edged in, she’d often try to focus on her son. Whenever she was with Jacob, she was reminded that he was the most important person in her life. She’d do anything within her power for his health and happiness.
If she could make a decision that would take care of him and ensure his happiness, she knew she would be happy, too. Phoebe rode up on the elevator, absorbed in her own thoughts. She still had brief memories of the dream from the night before, but her talk with herself on the way to the hospital had put that in perspective. Part of her was now looking forward to seeing Alec, though Jacob was the first person she wanted to see.
When Phoebe walked through the doors to the children’s play area, she stopped short, her breath catching in her chest. To her surprise, Alec was sitting in the room and playing with Jacob and Pete Herndon. From the look of the clutter around them, they’d probably been there for quite some time. They were playing with the transformers she had brought from Jacob’s room, his favorite toys.
Phoebe hesitated for a moment and just watched. She didn’t want to interrupt their fun. The boys were both smiling and so was Alec. She was warmed through and through by the sight.
It was so different than the rare occasions she had seen Dan play with Jacob. If he ever bothered to play with their son at all, he was a bully, taking control of everything in the game.
“See? I told you he would be fine! Look at him. If he was so sick he wouldn’t be having fun.”
Phoebe whirled around, her stomach wrenching inside her. Dan stood behind her with a large bag of toys, and he laughed at the look on her face.
“What? Didn’t think I’d show up here, did you?” he sneered. He walked over to Jacob, who also looked up in surprise.
“Hey, Dad.” Jacob’s tone didn’t indicate he was happy to see his father at all. Just the normal monotone he used when he spoke with Dan.
“Hey there, sport.”
“Looks like you’re having a good morning, honey.” Phoebe stepped over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek which he promptly wiped off with an embarrassed look since he was in front of his friends. Chuckling, she turned to Pete. “Hi there, Pete. You’re looking mighty good.”
“Hi, Mrs. Saxon. I’m doing good!” Pete was beaming, and he looked like a different child than when she’d seen him last.
Jacob looked from one of his parents to the other, clearly not sure what to make of the fact that they’d walked in together. Alec, on the other hand, rose and extended his hand to Phoebe. If he was wondering why they’d come in together, he covered it well.
“We got lab work results this morning and things are looking good. It looks like we’ve found the right combination and I expect to see quicker improvement from here,” he said.
Phoebe smiled, but turned to Dan. “This is Dr. Dawson. He’s been taking care of Jacob from the beginning. I don’t think you ever got to meet him. He’s done a remarkable job.”
Dan scowled and shrugged. “Can’t be much of a doctor if he’s playing with the kids. What doctor has time for that?”
Phoebe looked embarrassed, but Alec just ignored the comment.
“Complications do sometimes happen after heart surgery, especially in the first year with a child. Some are more serious than others. The complications your son is facing have the potential to be dangerous, but we caught it early and he’s been doing well.”
He turned back to Phoebe. “The next steps are to stay with the current antibiotic combination. Tomorrow we’ll do more lab work. If his numbers improve again, we’ll step them down.”
Alec’s focus on Phoebe angered Dan. “I’m the kid’s father, you ought to be including me in this conversation, as well!”
Alec only gave him a quick glance then looked back at the boys. He stepped away from the children and motioned for Jacob’s parents to join him.
As she moved over to join Alec, Phoebe saw the opportunity to speak truth to her ex and took it. “Dan, if you’re so concerned about Jacob’s health, I wonder why you haven’t been involved from the beginning. In more than four years, you’ve never bothered to come to any doctor’s visits and the times you’ve seen him in the hospital have been drop-ins. It’s no wonder you’ve never met his doctor.”
Dan glared at Phoebe. “Your perception is warped for some reason. Unless you’ve forgotten, I work for a living. The very work that keeps a roof over your head and insurance on the kid, um, our son. That qualifies me to be involved as I choose.”
“If you don’t see the difference in providing insurance and being present to support your child, then I don’t think there’s anything I can do to help you get it.” Phoebe sighed heavily and looked over at Alec. “Dr. Dawson, I’m sorry you had to see this from your patient’s parents.”
Alec looked back and forth between them. “Being the parents of a sick child is stressful and upsetting. Let’s just focus on Jacob’s treatment. Like I said, we’ll continue—”
“No, I don’t think that’s what’ll happen here.” Dan cut Alec off in a nasty tone. “We’re going to change doctors and see if someone else can do more than play games with him to get him well.”
“No, Dan. Dr. Dawson is the only one I want taking care of Jacob, and that’s final.” She spoke with crossed arms, and Dan could see that she meant what she said. He shook his head once more, scoffing.
“Oh, I get it. I knew there had to be more going on here than a doctor-patient relationship. I could tell by the way you’ve been looking at him in church. Yes, I’ve been sitting in the back watching and you never even knew I was there.” Dan stuck his chin out waiting to see her response.
Phoebe gasped. “You’ve been spying on me?” She exhaled loudly. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by that.”
“Well, say what you want now, but we’re going to discuss this further when we get back home.” He turned to go, but Phoebe stopped him
.
“Home? We have no home to go to together.”
“Oh, but we do. Don’t you remember?” he looked at her with a smirk.
Phoebe was genuinely confused. She shrugged at him and then looked at Alec. He looked as confused as she did.
“Oh, didn’t she tell you, Doc? We’re getting back together,” Dan sneered.
“We most certainly are not! I told you that isn’t happening. Now or ever. You really need to start listening, Dan. I’m not playing. There’s no way I’m ever coming back to you.”
Dan took a step back. He glanced over at the doctor, then he threw his hands up in the air.
“I knew it. You’re involved with him. You think he’s better than me, but he’ll never be Jacob’s father. You tried to hide it, but I knew there had to be some reason why you wouldn’t change doctors. This isn’t over, Phoebe!” He pointed directly in her face, and Phoebe took a step back. Alec was about to step in, but Dan turned on his heel and haughtily walked out of the room, ignoring the stares from the other patients.
Phoebe was speechless, and all she could do was take a deep breath. She feared if she said anything she would burst into tears.
14
“I’m really sorry about that,” Phoebe began, but Alec held up his hand.
“It’s okay. I should have tried harder to stop it.”
“I never wanted you to see how our conversations go. It’s too embarrassing. I started it by calling him out. I know better than to make him angry. That’s when things usually escalate.”
She looked over at Jacob and smiled weakly as she watched him play with Pete. The two were so involved in their game they had no idea an argument had just taken place only ten feet away from them. They wandered back over to where the children were playing.
“I do hate the way he treats you, and I really hate the way he treats this little guy here.” He patted Jacob on the shoulder, and Jacob looked up.
A Doctor's Patience (Hero Hearts; Medical Romance) Page 5
