Heart of Love

by Shanna Hatfield

  Room by room, they made their selections. Last on the list was the master bedroom. When Anna and Callan started choosing furniture, Jake took the book from Anna and closed it. “We’re done for the day. No more rooms.”

  Anna took the book back from him and laughed. “Stop, teasing. We just need to finish the master bedroom then we can call it quits.”

  “Anna,” Jake said, taking her hand and looking her full in the face. “I don’t want to do the bedroom today. Please?”

  “Jake, you’re being ridiculous.” Anna stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Let’s just…”

  “Not today.” Jake offered no explanation, hoping she would give in.

  Clay and Callan observed the conversation, wondering when Anna would set Jake in his place and go on with her plans.

  Only she didn’t.

  Anna sighed. “If it means that much to you, then it can wait, I guess,” she said quietly, obviously disappointed. “Callan and I have everything picked out, though. I think you’ll like it. We want to go with a masculine look, play off an English study theme. I promise it won’t be girly at all.”

  “I know you both worked hard on the plans, but just for this one room, wait. Let’s give it some more thought before you order anything.” Jake offered her the smile that usually made her forget everything but how much she loved him, no matter how infuriating he could be.

  “Fine.” Exasperated, Anna clasped the binder to her chest and nodded her head in agreement. She so wanted to finish everything today. Jake’s odd behavior made no sense, but she didn’t want to argue with him. In an effort at hiding her frustration, she turned to Clay and Callan. “I guess we’re finished. Shall we have some lunch before we head home?”

  Jake finalized the paperwork and put down the fifty percent deposit, then arranged for a mid-March delivery.

  After lunch, Callan talked the group into going to an outlet store where they happened upon an incredible sale. She helped Anna choose blinds, drapes, and other window treatments along with a comforter set for the upstairs bedroom, sheets, blankets, piles of towels and bath rugs, and half a dozen assorted throw pillows.

  Jake would have agreed to anything she wanted. It had been hard for him to see her disappointment as he nixed her ideas for the master bedroom. He had big plans for that room and wasn’t willing to veer off course, despite the crushed look on Anna’s face when he told her no.

  Surprised she agreed to his request without an argument, he wanted to make it up to her. Otherwise, he would have protested as he packed another load of pillows and curtains into the trunk of Callan’s roomy car.

  Chapter Twenty

  After a quick stop at The Cottage on her way home one evening, Anna was almost to the turn-off to the farm when a wave of dizziness hit her. It arrived with such a sudden rush, she nearly collided with an on-coming car.

  She pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the spell to pass. When it did, she sat for a few minutes and breathed deeply.

  For the third time in as many weeks, she’d had a little spell. Concerned, she chalked it up to not eating right and being too busy. In addition to work at the library and trying to finish the inside of the house, Anna waded knee-deep in wedding preparations. She and Jake finally set their wedding date for April and planned to have the ceremony and reception in their own backyard. By then, the myriad of fruit trees on the property would burst with blooms, creating a beautiful backdrop for a ceremony.

  She probably just needed to take a little time off and rest, then she’d be as good as new.

  When she awoke the next morning to an intense headache, Anna swallowed down her wooziness and climbed out of bed. She’d barely gotten out of the shower when a wave of dizziness swept over her and she threw up.

  Weak and trembling, she struggled not to faint. Hastily opening her bathroom door, she weaved to the bed and collapsed. She took deep breaths, willed her world to stop spinning, and opened her eyes. She remained perfectly still for a few more minutes, then rose, dressed for work, and decided the spell had passed.

  In a rush to get to work on time, she ran out the door, making a mental note to go see her doctor soon.

  Later that morning, Jake watched her wheel the collection cart down the ramp of the library. He hurried out of his office and across the street to assist her. A few minutes stolen here and there were better than none at all. Dressed in trim black slacks and a soft cream wool coat with her hair cascading around her shoulders, Jake commented on how pretty she looked.

  As he helped her empty the box, he enjoyed their teasing banter but noticed her face suddenly paled. He took a step toward her as she reached out to him and fainted. He caught her in his arms and carried her inside the library, sitting in a chair in the vestibule.

  Heart pounding, he didn’t know what else to do besides tap her cheeks and say her name.

  “What happened?” Dave asked as he rushed inside. “I happened to glance out the window just as your caught her. What can I do to help?”

  “I don’t know, Dave. We were talking and then she just fainted.” Jake tapped her cheeks again and called her name as she began to stir.

  Disoriented and embarrassed, Anna sat upright. “What happened?”

  “I think you fainted, Sugar.” Jake kept a supportive arm around her as she struggled to stand. “Do you want me to carry you to the break room or take you home?” Jake asked when she seemed unsteady on her feet.

  “No, Jake, I’ll be fine. Really, I will. Thank you.” Anna started to walk back out to get the cart, but Dave rolled it inside while Jake wrapped a protective arm around her. As they approached the front desk, Mrs. Baxter looked up, concerned.

  “What happened, Anna? Are you feeling well?”

  “I’m not sure, Mrs. Baxter. One minute I was talking to Jake and the next thing… I guess I fainted. I’ve been running around too much with the house and wedding plans.” Dizzy and unreasonably warm, Anna smiled, not wanting anyone to worry. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”

  “Are you sure, Anna? Your face is quite pale. Maybe you should go home and rest.” Mrs. Baxter studied her intently.

  Anna stepped away from Jake’s supportive arm and clasped his hand. She nodded at Dave then took a deep breath. “No, I’m feeling better already. No need for anyone to be concerned.”

  Despite what Anna said, Jake was plenty worried.

  Perfectly healthy women didn’t faint for no apparent reason. He knew she’d been pushing herself with finishing the house and wedding plans, not to mention work and trying to squeeze in time with him. Nevertheless, he wasn’t convinced that would cause her to faint or look so ill.

  When she left work, exhausted and pale, he waited at her car. She didn’t even see him until she nearly stood on his foot.

  “Oh, Jake, I didn’t see you.” She smiled and kissed his cheek. “I thought you had a meeting to attend for work this evening?”

  “I do, but I wanted to make sure you were feeling better. Let me drive you home, Anna.”

  Anna gave him another quick kiss. “You’re so sweet. I’m fine. Really, Jake. I’m going to head home and go to bed early and be back to my old self tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure you feel up to driving?” The way she looked, he wasn’t sure she was up to taking the two steps to sit in her car let alone maneuver it home.

  “I’ll be fine, but thank you for caring.” Anna slid into her car and started the ignition. “Love you.” After blowing him a kiss, she shut the car door and left.

  Jake waited until she pulled out onto the street and started home before falling in a few cars behind her. He followed her to the turn off to the Zimmerman’s lane to make sure she made it then drove back to town. Maybe he was worried for nothing.

  The next week and a half, Anna woke up every day with a pounding headache, throwing up each morning. After a dizzy spell, her world would right itself and she could get on with her day. Finally, her mother stopped her on her way out the door to work.

 
; “Anna, something’s wrong, isn’t it? Are you not feeling well? Can I take you to the doctor or do anything for you?” Worry etched lines across Sue’s face.

  Anna hugged her mom. “I’ll be fine, Mom. Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s nothing time won’t cure.” Anna smiled reassuringly then rushed out the door.

  Already concerned about what might ail Anna, her daughter’s comment failed to help Sue feel better about the situation. Annoyed that Anna wouldn’t talk to her, she hoped Jake would. Quickly dialing his number, she didn’t have to wait long for him to pick up.

  “Hi, Sue! How are you today?” Jake’s friendly tone almost made her change her mind, but she forged ahead. She had to know what problem plagued her daughter.

  “I’m a little concerned,” Sue said, getting right to the point of her call. “Is there any possibility Anna is pregnant?”

  The line settled into complete silence for a long moment before Jake cleared his throat. His voice was rough and deep when he finally spoke. “I’m pretty sure I didn’t hear you correctly. Could you please repeat the question?”

  “Could Anna be pregnant? Are you two… um… well, you know…?”

  “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” Jake ground out, irritated and insulted. Sue heard his footsteps stomp across the floor followed by what sounded like a door slam before he cleared his throat again.

  His voice rang with indignation, clearly offended at her question. “No, Sue, there is absolutely no possibility in this world that Anna is pregnant. No possibility, whatsoever. Do you not know your own daughter? How could you even think that she… that we... Seriously?”

  Sue felt like the most horrid mother in the world. “My apologies, Jake. I’m sorry to offend you, but Anna has been ill every morning and her symptoms, from what I’ve seen, most closely resemble morning sickness. I can’t get any information out of her so I thought I’d ask you. I’m terribly sorry to put you on the spot. I just needed to know.”

  “What do you mean she’s been sick every morning?” Jake asked. His annoyance gave way to unease as Sue filled him in as best she could.

  “I wonder if this has something to do with her fainting spell the other day,” Jake said, trying to figure out what could be wrong with Anna.

  “She had a fainting spell?” Sue asked. Evidently, Anna failed to share that tidbit of information with her family.

  Sue and Jake talked for several minutes, pooling their information. Jake decided he would confront Anna later that morning then call Sue with a report. The timing couldn’t be any worse.

  He had to fly out of town the following day for a two-day conference and didn’t feel right leaving her if there was something truly wrong. Maybe he could convince her to go to the doctor today.

  Jake sat down at his computer with his morning coffee, thinking about how he would approach Anna and get some answers, when he heard a commotion out by Millie’s desk. He hurried out to see if he could help and found Mrs. Baxter huffing and puffing from the exertion of hurrying across the street.

  “Jake, it’s Anna, she’s…” He didn’t give the woman an opportunity to finish her statement. Bolting across the street, he burst through the library doors. Betty directed him toward the back of the library. He ran down between two rows of books to find Anna lying on the floor with her head in another librarian’s lap.

  “I don’t know what happened? We were shelving books and chatting one minute and the next she was on the floor.”

  Anna stirred and looked up, disoriented. Jake asked Betty to get Anna’s coat and purse.

  “What hurts?” Jake asked, staring into her face as he held her upright.

  “My head and my ear,” Anna whispered, wincing as she turned her head. “It just came on all of a sudden.” So dizzy she could barely manage to keep her eyes open, standing upright was a form of sheer torture.

  Jake had Betty help him put on Anna’s coat, handed Anna her purse, then scooped her into his arms.

  “We’re going to the doctor, right now.”

  Anna protested, but Jake ignored her, setting her in his pickup and buckling her in. Her face lost all color and she slumped against the door. Jake wondered if he should have called an ambulance, but knew Anna would hate all the attention it would draw.

  “Hold on, baby, for a few more minutes,” Jake pleaded, afraid she would pass out again.

  He sped to the hospital’s emergency room entrance and carried her inside.

  While a nurse whisked Anna away, Jake called Sue and let her know where they were. She rushed right over and waited with him while a doctor examined Anna. He gave her some medication to help with the pain and dizziness, scheduling her for a series of tests including a magnetic resonance imaging test.

  Jake asked many questions. The doctor assured him the tests would help them determine the cause of Anna’s problems.

  “It could be something as simple as an inner ear infection,” the doctor explained.

  “But wouldn’t you be able to tell that’s what she has right now?” Jake asked.

  “Usually, but sometimes we miss things and the tests will really help us know for sure what’s going on.”

  After two more hours, the tests were completed. Completely spent, Anna was more than ready to go home.

  Sue ran to the pharmacy to fill Anna’s prescriptions while Jake drove Anna out to the farm. He carried her into the house and gently placed her on her bed. He removed her coat and shoes, then covered her with a blanket. Her eyes drifted closed as he tucked her hands under the covers and started to leave.

  “Don’t go,” she whispered, holding a hand out to him.

  “I’m right here, Sugar.” Jake pulled a chair up next to the bed. “I’m not going anywhere.” He brushed the hair off her face and rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand until her breathing evened out and she slept.

  When he heard someone come in, Jake hurried to the kitchen. Sue set a bag from the pharmacy on the table. She looked so distraught, Jake immediately gave her a hug. “She’ll be fine. Anna’s made of strong stuff.”

  Sue wiped at a few tears and patted Jake’s back. “Thank you, Jake. You’re so good to all of us. You have no idea what a blessing you’ve been to Anna. She’s finally blossomed because of your love. We are all so grateful to you for that.”

  Jake couldn’t speak through the emotion clogging his throat. What little he had done for Anna was nothing compared to what she had given him. A sense of purpose, of peace, of true happiness.

  Sue dabbed at her tears and offered him a watery smile. “I’m sorry about the phone call this morning. It was out of line. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you called, otherwise neither one of us would have known what was going on with Anna.” Jake raked his hand through his hair as they sat down at the kitchen table. “Besides, up until I met your daughter, your accusations would have been on the mark.”

  They discussed plans then Jake headed back to town to finish a few things at the office before returning later that afternoon. Sam went along with him and drove Anna’s car back to the farm.

  Jake returned early that evening. Anna continued sleeping, so he joined Sue and Ken in the kitchen for a simple dinner of soup and sandwiches.

  “I think I better cancel my trip.” Jake hated the thought of leaving Anna behind when she felt so poorly.

  “I really think you should go.” Sue placed a gentle hand on his arm. “The doctor’s appointment to review the test results isn’t until late Thursday afternoon. You’ll be back on Friday, anyway. There isn’t a thing you can do to make this better. I know you don’t want to leave her, but it’s just for a couple days. You can call anytime and we’ll give you an update.”

  Jake sat back and looked at his future father-in-law. “What do you think, Ken?”

  “I agree with Sue. You’ve been talking about this conference for weeks. We won’t know any more about Anna’s condition until you’re practically on your way h
ome. I think you should go.”

  “If you think it’ll be fine, I’ll go.” As much as he wanted to go to the conference, Jake lacked the confidence that it was the best decision he could make. “I think I’ll sit with her a while, if that’s okay.”

  “More than okay.” Sue smiled as he stood from the table and walked to Anna’s room. He took a deep breath, pushed her door open, and was glad to see she looked peaceful. Quietly taking a seat in the chair next to her bed, he brushed the hair along her temple back and breathed in her familiar scent.

  “Hi,” Anna whispered as she opened her eyes.

  “Hi, yourself.” Jake picked up her hand and kissed her palm, then held it close to his chest. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better. Thirsty.”

  Jake picked up the glass of water Sue brought in earlier and held the straw for Anna. She took a deep sip then settled back on her pillows, exhausted.

  “I’m sorry to be such a bother. I hate being such a nuisance to you all.”

  “You aren’t a bother or a nuisance, Anna. You’re sick. There’s a difference.” Jake didn’t want her to feel embarrassed or awkward. “We’re in this together for sickness and in health, right?”

  “You haven’t signed on the dotted line, yet,” she said with a faint smile.

  He chuckled. “Close enough.” Jake noticed Anna struggled to keep her eyes open.

  “Go ahead and sleep, Sugar. Don’t fight it. But before you nod off, do you remember I’m supposed to leave in the morning for a conference?”

  Anna nodded her head slightly, eyes closed.

  “If you want me to stay, just say the word and I won’t go.” Jake hoped she’d tell him to stay, say she needed him there.

  Anna slowly opened her eyes. “Go, Jake. You need to go. I’ll be fine. Love you.”

  “I love you, too, Anna. So much.” Jake bent over to give her a soft kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you Friday morning as soon as I get back.”

  Anna drifted back to sleep.

  Jake left early the next morning for his conference. It began at noon that day and ran until six the following evening.