by T. C. Clark
“Thank you for your help, Dr. Mitchell.” Leslie followed behind him quietly and waved him off as he got into his truck.
When she turned back, the sweet smile was gone. “What was that all about?”
“What do you mean?”
“The attitude. Why were you acting like that with the doctor?” She walked back to the kitchen and pulled a large pot out of the fridge and placed it on the stove. He followed her and took a seat on a stool. He paused while he considered his words. He knew Leslie was looking for more reasons to shut him out, but he refused to lie to her.
“I didn’t like seeing you laugh with him,” he said honestly.
She stopped as she reached down to grab a cutting board. She stood with her back to him for a minute and then took a deep breath.
“Why are you doing this? Am I some sort of game for you?” she asked. She turned to face him and he stiffened when he saw real pain on her face.
She opened her mouth to speak and then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t need you checking in on me. I can take care of myself and you shouldn’t have kissed me. Don’t do that again.”
“You could never be a game to me,” he said. He could sense that she was on the verge of tears. He didn’t want to upset her two days in a row. He needed to take his own advice and give her some time. She looked relieved and he knew he had to remind her of his intentions.
“I’ll go but I can’t promise I won’t ever steal a kiss from you again. All you have to do next time is to remember to say no if you can.” He walked to the door aware that she was following closely behind.
He paused once he stepped outside and she took a step back obviously intent on avoiding another kiss. She crooked her head to the side and watched him carefully. He wondered if she knew how fragile she looked.
“I can’t walk away from you, Leslie not now. When you were shot, I promised myself that if you made it, nothing would stop me from pursuing you. I’m trying to give you time. But I need to know what happened so we can move past it. I’m not arrogant. I can recognize when someone isn’t interested in me and all though you keep saying you aren’t that’s not what I felt yesterday. You can’t tell me you feel nothing for me at all.”
She was silent for a minute as she considered his words. “I do have feelings for you, Maks,” she said and he was surprised by her honesty. “They are complicated and ugly, but they are real. But I don’t want to. You’re something I don’t need in my life. I feel like you think I’m a challenge. I’m just a woman trying not to get hurt.”
Before he could respond she shut the door. Maks took a deep breath and turned to go back to his cabin. He shielded his eyes from the bright sun as he walked away. He wished he could simply shut off his feelings for her; it would make life much simpler for both of them. When he got to his door, he looked back at her cabin and shook his head. She was worth the fight. His feelings for Leslie hadn’t developed overnight. In fact, it had taken a while for him to recognize them at all. He couldn’t walk away now.
* * *
Leslie heated up her pasta with a scowl on her face. Maks wasn’t going to stop coming after her. She’d seen it on his face when he’d cast one last look in the direction of her current home. When she’d been shot he claimed he’d recognized the depth of his feelings for her.
He wasn’t the only one who’d felt something that day. That’s what was making his pursuit of her so hard to resist. Immediately after she’d been shot, Maks had found her bleeding out. He’d whispered sweet words into her ear. He’d pleaded with her to stay alive. She’d felt so close to him and for a moment the past had slipped away.
He’d looked so tortured that it wasn’t hard for her to believe that he truly believed he had feelings for her. She knew if she let her guard down for even a second he would have her. She wouldn’t play the fool twice.
She finished chopping up her salad and heated up a bowl of spaghetti. She needed to control her emotions. Luckily control was something her mother had taught her a long time ago. Dr. Ruth Rodriguez hadn’t been a typical mother. There had been no cookies waiting for her when she got home from school, no one to hold her hand while she walked to school. As for her father he’d loved his music more than anything else in his life. No, her childhood had not been a kind one but it had left her with the ability to bury the pain and keep moving forward.
She took a deep breath, picked up her fork, and started eating. She forced her mind to focus on her book and allowed the tension to drain from her small body. As she relaxed she sent out a prayer to her shitty dad and her workaholic mother, at least they’d left her with a useful skill.
* * *
Maks watched Leslie back the truck out of the garage with a frown. He wondered if she even knew how to drive a stick shift. It had cut off three times since she got in. He hesitated to go out there because she kept casting anxious looks in the direction of his cabin. He didn’t know if she was embarrassed or if she didn’t want to be bothered by him, it was probably a mixture of both.
He slipped on his jacket and grabbed his keys and wallet. He didn’t know if he could get an invite to wherever she was going but he was going to try. He walked her way quickly. He smiled when he got to the door and found her resting her head on the steering wheel.
He knocked on the window and she jumped. She looked flustered. She rolled down the window. “How long have you been standing there?” she asked.
“Not long. Do you need some help?”
“No, I know how to drive a stick,” she said defensively. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Every muscle in her body looked tense.
“I’m not saying you don’t. I just wanted to see if I could help.” He stood quietly waiting for her to calm down. He kept his face clear and after a few seconds she relaxed.
“I had one in college. I thought it would be like riding a bike. But this truck is different than my small Honda Civic, I think it hates me,” she said honestly.
“Can I get in and show you some things about it? I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.” Warily she eyed him. He could feel her thinking. She nodded, unlocked the door, and motioned for him to get in.
“You’re not surprised I have a key to the truck?” she asked.
“No, Alex told me Tara left you one. But I already had a key for you hanging on the mantle outside of the garage door. I’m glad you’re here but I wasn’t trying to strand you here with me,” he explained.
“Well, thanks for that. Quick question, this truck isn’t like a, you break it, you bought it, type of situation is it?” Her nonchalant tone made him smile.
“No, I have trucks for all the cabins, which means I got all the insurances for them.”
She laughed. “That was a smart choice.”
He showed her everything and tried not to wince as she practiced. It took them almost an hour, but she finally felt confident enough to drive it. He still preferred to go with her but she wanted to do it herself.
“Are you sure? You know I don’t mind taking you to town, Leslie.”
“No, you’ve done enough, Maks. I’ve got it from here. Thanks for your help.” She gave him his first genuine smile. He wanted to argue but he didn’t want to undo some of the progress he’d made with her today. He’d made her laugh a few times with his dry teaching method. This was a small start in the right direction. He jumped out of the truck but stayed at the window.
“Don’t forget to watch out for new ice and slow down hen you take curves.”
“Got it,” she said refastening her seat belt.
“And remember this truck has snow tires so the accelerating is going to be different.” He watched her adjust some of the things in the truck with a frown. He didn’t think she was actually listening to him.
“I remember what you said, grandpa,” she chuckled.
“Leslie, I’m serious the roads on this mountain can be dangerous especially in the middle of the day, that’s when some of the new snow can melt.” His tone g
ot Leslie’s attention. He couldn’t keep the anger out his voice. She needed to understand that this was serious.
“You’re really worried about me aren’t you?” she asked.
“Of course, how can you ask me that?” He frowned at her, disappointed that she still couldn’t comprehend that.
“I’m going to be fine. I promise. I remember everything you told me. I’ll drive slowly.” She smiled at him as if she found his worrying cute.
“I still think I should go with you.” His fingers itched to open the door and kiss the indulgent grin off of her face.
“I got this; go back inside.” She waited for him to move and let out a loud breath when he didn’t.
“You have your cell phone?” he asked.
“I do.” She pulled it out and showed it to him.
“Cell service can be spotty up here,” he warned.
“I know that but it still doesn’t stop other people from driving on the roads,” she said in an exasperated tone.
He sighed and let the issue drop. He could just get in the truck. He was bigger and faster than she was. She would resist at first but he was coming to understand Leslie. She was a fighter but she was also rational. She wouldn’t waste her energy on fighting over something like this. But he knew he needed to respect her decision.
“Okay, just let me know when you get back.” He forced himself to move away from the truck. He waved as she drove away. He didn’t examine the extreme nature of his feelings. He didn’t need too, it was already done. Leslie was his.
He didn’t know why and he didn’t care. He respected her need to take care of herself but he couldn’t deny his own need to protect her. He walked inside and grabbed his keys. He would give her five minutes before he followed the same path she would take to town.
* * *
Leslie made her way down the road slowly with a silly smile on her face. She didn’t know why she found Maks overprotective attitude comforting. It was probably because no one had ever been protective of her. She had been raised since birth to be independent and provide her own care.
She couldn’t deny that his nervousness was touching. He’d spent the last hour carefully going over everything she needed to know about the truck. His gentle teaching had softened her feelings for him. She was starting to see another side to him.
She moved down the road at a tortoise-like speed. All of his warnings fresh in her mind. He would be one hell of a father. She could only imagine what he would be like if he had a little girl. She took the corner just like he said easing off the gas.
She accelerated and then slammed on brakes. There was a small silver car pulled over to the side of the road. Its emergency lights blinked ominously. The truck skidded a little, but she controlled it. She pulled up to the sedan and jumped out. The windows were fogged up. She hesitated, what if it was a couple just having a good time? She shook her head; she would check to make sure everything was okay and then head on to town.
She knocked on the window and waited. A small hand hit the glass, and the door opened. A heavily pregnant woman opened the door; she was laying across the backseat with her legs raised. She looked shell shocked. Leslie looked down and her heart dropped.
The woman was breathing heavily and one hand was gripping her side. She spoke in Spanish, “Please help me, something’s wrong. I was having contractions, so I pulled over but now I think the baby is coming. Please don’t let anything happen to my baby. You have to help me.” The woman screamed as another fresh contraction hit her.
Leslie leaned forward and grabbed her hand. She was shaking. “I’m here. I’m not going to go anywhere. Have you called 911?” she asked in Spanish. She pulled out her phone. She cursed she couldn’t find a signal.
“I can’t get a signal but I can’t wait. I have to push. I need to push,” she grimaced again and leaned forward. Leslie ran back to her truck and grabbed a towel sitting on the front seat. She took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. Her baby sitter had been a midwife, and she’d once had to sit through a home birth, could she remember any of it…. hell no, she’d been twelve at the time. But because of that night, she knew women could give birth almost anywhere.
“Okay, what’s your name?” Leslie asked as she checked her pulse. It was elevated, but normal for someone in labor. She slid a towel under her legs.
“Isabella Santos,” she whispered her light brown eyes filled with pain.
“Do you have any hand sanitizer, soap, or anything like that?” Leslie asked as adjusted Isabella’s legs.
“Yes in the glove compartment,” she said through gritted teeth. Her breathing was starting to change. Leslie was so focused on Isabella that she didn’t hear another truck pull up. Isabella pointed to it and Leslie stood up to see who it was. She relaxed when she saw it was Maks.
“You followed me?” she said shaking her head.
“I did. What have you gotten yourself into?” he asked, looking over her shoulder. His eyes widened in shock as he recognized Marcos Santos wife. She gave him a small wave as Leslie wiped her hands and arms down with the sanitizer.
“Is she…” his voice trailed off as Leslie nodded and climbed back into the car and closed the door.
He ran back to their trucks and locked them. It took him only a second He climbed into the front seat of Isabella’s sedan.
“I’ll drive, you deliver.” He said firmly.
“I think we should wait to move until the baby’s out. I can see the head,” she yelled as he started the car.
“It may take a while to get down the mountain. I think we should head down there now, just in case something happens. Yell, if you need me to stop. I’ll go slowly.”
“I want him to go to the hospital,” Isabella whispered in English and Leslie nodded. She counted the deep breaths Isabella was taking, and she knew the baby was coming soon. Maks didn’t wait on her agreement, he pulled off slowly.
“I want to push. I have to,” Isabella cried. Leslie nodded. She didn’t know when a pregnant woman should push or if it was safe. They would have to rely on Isabella’s intuition. All she could do was be here for her. As Isabella screamed again in pain, Leslie could feel the panic building in her mind.
Leslie could feel Mak’s eyes on them, was he nervous about this too? Yes, women could have babies anywhere, but that only worked if there were zero complications. What if Isabella started to hemorrhage after birth or what if something was wrong with the baby? What the hell were they going to do? There was too much blood. She didn’t remember this from that home birth.
She could feel herself panicking. Her heartbeat started to speed up, and she was losing focus. When she looked up, she caught Mak’s eyes in the rear view mirror. He said, “You got this.”
His expression was calm. He was here with her, she wasn’t alone. This baby was coming either way. She gave herself a mental slap. She had to get her shit together for Isabella and the baby. She adjusted the towel under her legs.
“Is this your first baby?” Leslie asked and prayed that the answer would be no.
Isabella gave another hard push. “No, it’s’ my third. No one told me the more babies you have the quicker your deliveries become.”
“You’re doing great, Isabella. What’s your baby’s name?” Leslie asked as she moved her hands into position. She needed to cradle the head when it came out.
“Sofia,” she whispered.
“Well, we are about to meet her.” Leslie softly cradled Sofia’s head as she started to emerge. She readied herself to catch her. One shoulder slipped out and the other quickly followed, within seconds the baby was out.
Isabella unbuttoned her shirt and opened her arms. Leslie placed the small squealing baby on her chest. Tears filled her eyes; Isabella smiled and cooed to the baby in Spanish. She looked up and smiled at Maks who kept sneaking glances back at them, he was smiling as well.
“What about the umbilical cord?” he asked.
“We should leave it in place and let them cut it
at the hospital. It should naturally seal off after an hour or so,” she said moving back and grabbing another towel to clean up. She still thought there was too much blood, and she secured the towel against Isabella as tightly as she could. She made her lay down and applied light pressure to the towel. The rest of the ride to the hospital was anticlimactic.
Maks pulled up to the emergency room and jumped out to grab one of the nurses. Isabella and Sofia were ushered inside. Maks parked her car, and they walked inside together to wait. Maks guided her to the cafeteria. He called Isabella’s husband, and they settled down to wait.
He made them two cups of coffee and they sat in peace. Leslie couldn’t feel anything but happy that everything worked out. Any negative feelings for Maks were buried under that.
“Now that’s a way to wake up in the morning,” Maks said with an amused expression. They were sitting alone in the cafeteria. The small hospital was never really busy, but it was a haven for the people who lived around here.
“I know, in my original plans for today the most exciting thing I was doing was buying a new type of frying pan.” She smiled and sipped her coffee; of course, he made it just the way she liked.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Like I just delivered a baby. How about you?” She focused on her breathing. Her hands were shaking, and she was still jittery.
“Good, happy nothing went wrong, and we got here in good time. How did you know about the cord?”
“My babysitter growing up was a midwife and my mother’s a doctor; let’s just say my bedtime stories were of the medical kind filled with tips on what to do in an emergency. In my mother’s case, I think she was trying to push me in the direction of being a doctor.”
“How did that work out?” He smiled, he already knew the answer.
“It had the opposite effect. I love words and stories. There was no way I could do this type of work every day and still be happy. What about you, did you ever want to be anything other than a painter?”