Happily Ever After Collection

by Melanie Moreland

  Cool, fresh spring air hit me as I walked out the doors. I stood breathing it in deeply, ridding my senses of the antiseptic smell that lingered. I glanced around, noting the full ambulance bay and hearing the chaos coming from the inside of the hospital every time a door opened. I had no doubt Gail would sort them out fast. She was an amazing charge nurse, and I was glad to work with her.

  I stretched, my back and shoulders creaking and snapping in protest. It had been a busy night in the ER, and between nonstop patients and catching up on charting this morning, I was ready to head home.

  I turned in the direction of the park, deciding I needed some coffee and a breakfast sandwich at the little café in the center. Being the weekend, it was busy, but I waited patiently for my sandwich and took it and a steaming cup of their cinnamon-laced brew over to my favorite bench. A little off the beaten track, it was quieter, fewer people around, so I rarely encountered anyone else when I went there. It was a great place to wind down after a long shift. I sat down, stretching out my long legs and placing my messenger bag on the empty space beside me.

  I sipped and munched, enjoying the quiet. Leaning back my head, I let the breeze ruffle my hair and the solitude settle into my brain. My shoulders loosened, and I began to relax. I finished my sandwich, wadding up the paper and stuffing it into the empty coffee cup. I was about to stand when I heard the sound of running feet and two distinct voices. I turned in the direction they were coming from, the voices getting louder as they approached.

  “Chloe! Come back!”

  “No, Momma! I gots to find him!”

  “Chloe! I said—” The voice cut off with a gasp, and suddenly, from the bushes burst forth a small child. She stopped short seeing me, her brown eyes large and startled in her round face. Corkscrew curls were a chaotic, riotous mass around her head, the color of wheat—bright, golden, and sunny. I judged her age as about four, maybe five. I smiled at her, wanting her to know she was okay with me.

  I waggled my fingers. “Hi.”

  She startled me by racing over, stopping in front of me. She placed her tiny hands on my knees and tilted back her head, regarding me seriously.

  “Hi. I’m Chloe. Have you seen my Stitch?”

  “Pardon me?” I asked, immediately going into doctor mode at the word stitch. I cast my gaze over her, not seeing any open cuts or scrapes. “Stitch?” I repeated.

  She nodded impatiently. “Stitch,” she repeated. “My koala. I losted him. Mommy and me been looking everywhere!” Her voice rose to an almost wail, her chin trembling, and fat tears gathered in her big eyes.

  “No, sorry. I haven’t seen him. When did you last have him?”

  Her brow furrowed, and she wiped away her tears, leaving a smudge of mud on her freckle-covered cheek. She was quite endearing with her serious expression.

  “He was with me on the monkey bars. And when I had juice,” she added triumphantly, looking at me as if that should answer the mystery of the missing koala.

  “Sorry, ah, Pumpkin. I haven’t seen him.” I glanced around. “Didn’t I hear your mommy?”

  She sniffed and looked behind her, clearly surprised not to see anyone. She whipped her head around to face me, more tears racing down her face.

  “Now I losted Mommy too!” she sobbed. Then in a move I hadn’t expected, she launched herself at me. Without thinking, I gathered her up, letting her little arms wind around my neck as she cried.

  “Hey, hey,” I soothed. “It’s gonna be fine. Mommy’s probably in the bushes looking for Stitch. We’ll go find her.” I began to stand when a woman stepped out from the same place my little hugger had appeared. Although stepped might have been too strong a word. Hobbled was more like it. She gripped the small tree trunk as she stared, her mouth agape as she took in the sight of me holding who I assumed was her daughter. There was dirt on her cheek, and her face expressed pain. From the way she was awkwardly holding her foot, I understood the gasp I had heard earlier.

  For a moment, I was speechless. She was the loveliest woman I had ever seen. Average height, with golden hair, the same wheat color as her daughter’s, swept up off her face, and she had the most captivating eyes. Large, wide, dark pools set in a face I could only describe as mesmerizing. Rounded cheeks, full lips, and a stubborn chin that, at the moment, was raised in confusion. I cleared my throat and spoke.

  “Look, Chloe. There’s your mommy.”

  Before she could move, I hurried toward the strange woman, talking fast. “She was upset and jumped up for a hug. I wasn’t—”

  She cut me off with a wave of her hand. “I saw.” She opened her arms. “Chloe, baby, come here.”

  I transferred my little hugger to her mother, frowning when she bit back a grimace of pain.

  “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head. “I twisted my ankle. It’s nothing.”

  Before she could protest, I dropped to my knees, peering at the appendage. It was slightly swollen over the top of her sneaker, and I frowned.

  “You should let me look at this.”

  “And why should I do that?” she challenged, glaring down at me. Her brown eyes were filled with fire, pinning me with her gaze.

  I stood, meeting her fire with determination of my own. “Because I’m a doctor.”

  “A doctor?”

  “A pediatric doctor.”

  “I’m not a child,” she stated dryly.

  I didn’t tell her I had noticed exactly how un-childlike she was. Instead, I smiled. “Bones are bones. That never changes.”

  “S-S-Stitch,” Chloe hiccupped.

  “We’ll find him,” her mother promised, turning to leave.

  “After I look at your ankle,” I insisted, halting her departure by gently grabbing her arm. “Please.”

  She hesitated but agreed. As she tried to step forward, she made a low sound of pain. I stopped her forward motion. “Wait. Give me Chloe.”

  I wasn’t sure who was more surprised when Chloe didn’t argue, but instead, she reached out her arms. I placed her on my hip, then wrapped my free arm around her mother’s waist. “Lean on me,” I instructed.

  We limped to the bench, and I set Chloe on the wooden seat, then helped her mother lower herself down. I bent over her foot. “May I?” I indicated her ankle.

  “Do I have a choice?” she asked humorously.

  I had to chuckle. “Of course, but I’d prefer you said yes.”

  She regarded me for a moment. “Thank you,” she said simply.

  I tugged off her sneaker, then examined her foot, taking care to move it slowly and gently.

  “Not broken,” I assured her. “But sprained.”

  “Okay.”

  I reached into my messenger bag and pulled out a tensor bandage. I didn’t expect the sudden bark of laughter. I glanced up in surprise, enthralled once again by the vision of prettiness in front of me. Her dark eyes were lit with amusement, and her smile was wide. Two deep dimples appeared in her cheeks. She was enthralling, and I found myself returning her smile.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You carry bandages with you?”

  I winked. “Today, yes. Yesterday, I had some enemas in my bag.”

  “Guess it’s my lucky day.”

  “Guess so.”

  Still chuckling, I bent over and swiftly bandaged her foot. After slipping back on her sneaker, I had her stand, and she took a few test steps.

  “It feels better,” she said with a sigh. “Supported.”

  I stood. “Good. Ice it. Try to stay off it. Keep it up. It should be fine in a few days.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  I turned to Chloe, who was watching us quietly, her knees tucked up to her chest. “Now, you, Pumpkin. This koala of yours. You had juice together? Then he disappeared?”

  She screwed up her face, thinking. “Yes,” she stated emphatically.

  “Where was this juice fest?”

  Chloe tapped the bench. “Here.”

  “Hmm.” I scratched m
y neck. “I didn’t see him, ah, her when I got here.”

  “Him. Stitch.”

  “Stitch. Right.”

  I glanced at Chloe’s mom. “With your permission, I’ll walk around a bit with Chloe, and we’ll look for Stitch.” I handed her my phone. “You take this and give me yours. I’ll film where we go so you know I’m not trying to ah, nab, her or anything. You can track us. You stay off that ankle.”

  “On one condition.”

  “Sure.”

  “You tell me your name.”

  I held out my hand. “Ian. Ian Taylor.”

  “Dr. Ian Taylor?” she asked.

  “Yes. Should I just call you Chloe’s mom?”

  That smile appeared again. The one that lit her face and brought out her dimples. “Samantha.” As she spoke, she slipped her hand into mine. I closed my fingers around hers, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin. How well her hand fit with mine. I also noticed she didn’t wear a wedding ring.

  “Nice to meet you, Samantha.”

  There was a strange feeling of regret when her hand slipped from mine. I held out my hand for Chloe. She took it and tugged me away.

  For some reason, I kept looking back at Samantha.

  And every time I did, she was staring right back at me.

  Chapter 2

  Ian

  I sat dejected, the sounds of Chloe’s distressed sobs still echoing in my ears long after she and Samantha had walked away.

  We had failed.

  Despite our search, we never located Stitch.

  I took Chloe everywhere she had told me they had been that morning. The monkey bars, the swings, the slide. Even the café. We asked everyone we came across, Chloe’s description of Stitch getting more detailed as the minutes passed. When Chloe got tired, I set her on my shoulders, and we kept looking. She told me all about the adventures she’d had with her koala and how much she loved him. About his special place on her bed. His favorite food and color. His loose ear he got when she shut it in the door. How much he loved to wear the scarves her mom made him with scraps of wool. I even found out Stitch became her best friend after her dad left, so I had my answer to my unspoken question. With every word, I fell a little bit more under her sweet influence.

  After an hour, we had to give up. We’d been everywhere they had been that morning. Chloe was quiet as we walked back to her mom, who was waiting with open arms for my little hugger. Chloe started to cry, telling her mom that Stitch didn’t like the rain and it was cloudy and he’d be alone.

  Samantha stood, holding Chloe. She handed me back my phone, took hers, her voice cordial but cooler than before. “Thank you, Dr. Taylor.”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t find him.”

  She shook her head. “You were very kind. I hope we didn’t disrupt your day too much.”

  I didn’t like the formal sound of her tone. I preferred her teasing, sweet one. I waved off her apology. “Not at all.”

  I stroked my hand over Chloe’s wild curls. “Will she be okay?” The thought of her being sad bothered me.

  “She will,” Sam assured me.

  “Ah…” I hesitated, wanting to ask for her number, but for some reason knowing she wouldn’t give it to me. She had shut down, and I wasn’t sure why or how to ask her. Before I could figure out what to say, she offered me a tight smile, then turned and walked away, her limp still there, but not as bad. Chloe lifted her sad face and waved before burying her head back into her mother’s shoulder. I hated seeing the tears clouding her eyes. I also hated the sudden change in Samantha’s demeanor.

  I sat, feeling strangely bereft. What had caused the abrupt shift in Samantha’s manner was a mystery. I picked up my messenger bag and headed toward home. My pocket vibrated with a reminder, and I realized I had missed a text. It was from Gail.

  Gail: I’m done with Marv. Meet me later, and we’ll figure out our exit strategy. By midnight, we can be in the Bahamas.

  Normally, her text would have made me laugh. No doubt, Marv had called her with some inane question or, heaven forbid, made a decision without her.

  Except, I knew Samantha had seen the message. She had no idea it was a joke, and she thought—well, I had no idea what she thought, but it was wrong. I wasn’t running away with anyone. She had no clue it was all in fun.

  I shook my head in frustration and shoved my phone back into my pocket.

  “Thanks, Gail,” I muttered. “You’re always going on about me finding someone, then you yourself cockblock me.”

  I passed a garbage can and remembered my cup and wrapper were in my other pocket from earlier. I stopped to shove them into the can, only to miss the opening. I bent to grab them when I saw it. A furry paw sticking out of the corner of the overflowing waste bin. I yanked on it and pulled out a koala bear, wearing a knitted orange scarf with a loose ear.

  I found him.

  Too late.

  Samantha and Chloe were gone, and I hadn’t gotten her number.

  I somehow doubted she took mine after seeing Gail’s message either.

  I was about to stuff Stitch back in the garbage, but I hesitated and for some reason shoved him in my messenger bag.

  After all, it was going to rain, and Stitch shouldn’t be alone.

  I finished a chart and drained my coffee. I was having one of the unusual, rare days in the ER. We were steady but not slammed. I actually drank my coffee while it was still reasonably warm instead of ice-cold, and I was keeping up with charting. I glanced at the clock. Two hours to go, and I was off for three days. I was looking forward to the time away.

  I headed to the nursing station and glanced at the board. Only three new cases since I’d slipped into the lounge. And only one with my color highlighted, indicating a child.

  “Non-urgent,” Gail said, sidling up beside me. “Little girl fell in the park, her wrist is sore, but the biggest problem is a huge splinter that got lodged in her hand. I can help if needed. Exam room three.”

  “Panicked?” I asked. I hated walking into rooms with panicked parents. They often caused the child more distress than needed.

  “No. Mother and child both calm. Cute pair, actually.”

  “I’m sure the man in their lives thinks so. Not in the market for a ready-made family, Gail,” I declared dryly.

  A flash of riotous curls went through my head, and I shook it to clear my thoughts. That wasn’t ever going to happen. I had been back to the park every day and hadn’t found my little hugger or her mother. That ship had sailed, although I still held on to Stitch.

  I headed to exam room three and walked in, stopping short when I saw the “cute pair” waiting for me.

  Samantha sat on the exam bed, holding Chloe. Chloe’s hand was wrapped in a towel, and she clutched it to her chest. There were traces of blood on the cloth. Her red-rimmed eyes met mine and widened. Samantha looked as shocked as I felt. It was Chloe’s greeting that brought me back to the moment.

  “Dr. Ian! Hi!”

  I strode forward, pulling up the stool and sitting in front of them. I grinned at her. “Hello, Chloe.” I glanced up. “Hello, Samantha.”

  She paused, then spoke. “Dr. Taylor, I didn’t realize you worked here.”

  “Guilty as charged.” I focused on Chloe. “Now, Pumpkin, I hear you’ve been removing wood from the park and hiding it under your skin while doing acrobatics.” I tsked teasingly. “Dangerous stuff.”

  She shook her head, her curls bobbing. “I was running. I fell.”

  I held out my hand. “May I see?”

  Without hesitation, she let me take her hand, and I examined it, then looked up at Samantha. “Well, like mother, like daughter. The wrist is sprained. I need to get that hunk of wood out of her hand, though, and I might have to add a stitch. It’s deep.”

  Chloe’s chin began to tremble. “Will it hurt?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. Promise. I’m really good.”

  Gail walked in. “Dr. Taylor is the best. And he always has a treat for you afte
r if you’re good.”

  Chloe’s eyes grew round. “A treat?”

  I nodded. “The cafeteria here has the best milkshakes ever. If you’re brave, I’ll get you one.”

  I could feel Gail gape behind me. Normally, the treat consisted of a little toy we kept in a wooden chest. It was always fun to watch the child pick out something, forgetting for a moment what procedure had just occurred. But Chloe deserved a real treat.

  “Okay,” she agreed, although her voice was shaky. “Can Mommy stay?”

  “Of course,” I soothed. “She can hold you while I do my job. It won’t take long, and you’ll feel much better once that nasty piece of wood is gone.”

  Samantha was watching us closely, a small frown on her face.

  “When was her last tetanus shot?” I asked.

  “A year ago.”

  “Okay, good. I think I’ll send her home with some pills. I’ll clean it well, but I want to make sure there isn’t any infection. Is she allergic to anything?”

  “No.” Her eyes grew misty. “It happened so fast.”

  Without thinking, I reached out and squeezed her shoulder in comfort. Her hair was down today, the same riotous curls as Chloe’s tumbling past her shoulders. The coils felt soft under my fingers.

  “Kids and scrapes happen all the time. It’s part of growing up. I’m glad you brought her here instead of trying to dig that out yourself.” I’d seen that happen too often, with disastrous consequences.

  She nodded, not saying anything. I noticed her gaze drifted to my hand, and I wondered if she was looking for a ring, the way I had the other day. I knew I had to address the unspoken question between us. I just had to figure out how.