A Season to Celebrate

by Fern Michaels

  As they were about to walk out of the lounge a familiar voice called out: “Kate? Kate Stafford? Holy smoke, is that really you?”

  Turning abruptly, she recognized an old friend from medical school. “Brian! What on earth are you doing here?” She saw he was wearing nurse’s scrubs.

  “Had to get out of town!” Brian said teasingly. “Seriously. Been working here for about two years. The question is what are you doing here?”

  “Kate is our new on-staff ortho. She starts this week. How do you two know each other?” Dr. Regan took the lead.

  “We were in med school together, but I went on to get my RN instead.” Brian had been one of Kate’s buddies in school, but he didn’t have the discipline for the rigorous program. “It’s a job I can take with me.” Brian was also a wanderer, thinking his medical career would lead him to the Peace Corps or some other organization, like Doctors without Borders. But he couldn’t cut it and had left med school after the first year. “Yeah, I worked in Chicago for a while, but the weather was brutal, so I moved back here.”

  “It’s so good to see you!” Kate gushed. A friend. Or at least someone she knew. “We must get together!”

  “That would be great, but I’m going to have a hefty schedule starting next week. The holidays. Most people want to spend time with their family, and if you remember, mine wasn’t the easiest. They invented the word ‘dysfunctional.’” As Brian laughed, Kate remembered how difficult it had been for him.

  “Well, how about tonight? We’re getting our tree. You can help decorate!” Kate was effusive and excited about reconnecting with an old pal.

  “Yeah. Sure. What time? I get off at four. What’s the address?” Brian seemed genuinely pleased with the reunion as well.

  “Sounds like old home week to me!” Dr. Regan continued. “Okay, you two. Figure out the details posthaste. Kate still has a few more people to meet.”

  Kate wrote down her address and phone number. “Great! Come over around six? I’ll rustle up something for us to eat that doesn’t resemble hospital food! And you’ll get to meet my daughter, Emma.”

  “Wow! A kid, too? You must have been some kind of busy woman!” Brian was slightly startled by the news. “I’ll bring the wine! If I remember correctly, you fancied Malbec. Australian?”

  “And you, sir, have an excellent memory.” Kate threw her arms around Brian, giving him a big squeeze. “See you later!”

  “So, Dr. Stafford, or do you prefer Dr. Kate? Some of the kids’ doctors use their first names. Seems to put them—the kids—more at ease,” Dr. Regan said.

  “‘Dr. Kate’ is fine with me. Unless you don’t think it’s professional enough?”

  “I’ll let you play it by ear. Some people like the official—professional way of addressing a doctor, but the kids seem to like the more casual approach. Heck, it’s scary being in here, and the more relaxed the patient, the quicker the recovery; although we don’t let them slack off on their PT!”

  “Gotcha!” Kate was beginning to feel her way.

  “Paging Dr. Regan. Dr. Regan,” a voice came over the PA. He walked over to the nearest desk and picked up the phone. “Dr. Regan here. They are? A little early, but I guess we’ll have to scramble a bit. Yes, let them know and show them the way. Thanks.”

  He turned to Kate. “The Christmas trees have arrived. Better tell them to clear the corner, pronto!”

  Kate tried not to worry. But how was she going to avoid him for the second time that day?

  “Dr. Regan. Were there some other people you wanted me to see? Other people I need to meet today?”

  “Well, you can watch the tree guys create havoc, or we can take this up again on Friday.” He gave her a wide grin.

  “I told Emma I would pick her up before lunch. She’s visiting a new friend, and I don’t want her to feel abandoned.” Kate tried to make light of it, but was aware that her feet were pointing toward the door—hoping for a quick exit.

  “All right then! Eight o’clock sharp on Friday morning. You know where the day-care center is, right? Second floor just outside that elevator. Have a good evening with Brian. Glad to have you on board!” He shook her hand, and Kate dashed to the nearest exit, trying to avoid any contact with the tree people.

  Sweat was running down her back. This guy seemed to be everywhere. Even now! In her place! She was beginning to think moving to Cedar Park had not been such a brilliant idea, after all.

  How long would it take to deliver a tree? Twenty minutes? Ten? Her mind was racing. As she came around to the physicians’ entrance to the building she looked frantically for the truck. In her haste, she stumbled—again. This time landing in the boxwood. “Dr. Klutz, for sure. I have to stop wearing these chunky heels. I’m a fashion victim. God forbid I end up as a patient before I start my rounds!” Kate was muttering to herself. As she was about to climb out of the bush, she spotted the trees being carried into the building but couldn’t see the faces of the people carrying them. Just sit tight until they’re gone, she told herself.

  As she was peering from behind the shrubbery, waiting for an opportunity to escape the humiliation, someone’s Yorkshire terrier started yapping at her. “Oh crap! Shoo . . . Get lost, pooch. Where’s your mama?”

  “It’s his brother. Dr. Klutz, I presume?” It was him ! “The famous Christmas tree man.” Again! “Do you have a thing for dirt and brush?” Kevin could hardly contain his laughter. If mortification had a face associated with it in the dictionary, it would be Kate’s.

  “First day on the job, sorta.”

  “Landscaping? I thought you were a doctor?” Kevin was confused and amused.

  “Very funny. I was checking out my new place of employment, got a little disoriented, and tripped. So, yes. Dr. Klutz.” Kate was actually on the offense, which suited her. She pointed to the little dog: “They have veterinary clinics for those.”

  Stifling a grin, Kevin retorted with, “I must have made a left at Albuquerque,” mimicking Bugs Bunny, one of his favorite Warner Bros. cartoon characters.

  Kate couldn’t hold back the laugh. “You must think I’m Looney Tunes!”

  “Well, no. Not exactly. But it does seem like the only time I see you is when you’re covered in topsoil!” He held out one hand to help her out of the brush, while he scooped up Wylie with the other.

  “Dr. Klutz, meet my mom’s favorite son, Wylie. He doesn’t normally travel with me, but the kids get a kick out of him.”

  “Come here often?” That sounded really stupid to Kate. “I mean, do you bring him here often?”

  “No, but Mom does sometimes when she volunteers. They let her smuggle him in. There’s one little guy who got his leg smashed up pretty bad, and she thought I should go talk to him. Being I had my leg smashed up a bit, too.”

  “So you were serious when you said you might need an orthopedist?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Shattered my femur during a jump.”

  “From a plane?” Kate was incredulous.

  “Certainly not from a building!” Kevin was starting to relax with this new woman in town. “I heard you stopped by the farm last night, and Jake helped you pick out a fine one.”

  “Yes, we did. Emma was enthralled with the winter wonderland. You folks certainly know how to decorate!”

  “You should see our house. It’s almost as bright.”

  Kate thought she would love to see his house. But who lived there with him? she wondered.

  “I don’t doubt it. I’ve got to get going. Nice to see you again.” Kate tried to act nonchalant.

  “Good to see you as well. Maybe next time it won’t be in the dirt!” He tipped his hat and made his way into the hospital.

  Chapter Eight

  Kevin’s reunion with Melissa had been surprisingly cordial. Almost anticlimactic.

  All the angst and worry earlier that morning proved to be silly. Maybe not silly but not necessary. They had known each other for a long time, and six years had passed. Enough time to mature, and with
maturity came acceptance. It wasn’t that he hadn’t accepted the breakup. It had been all the plans that would never materialize that caused so much pain at that time. He remembered something he had once read by Kierkegaard—“The most painful state of being is remembering the future, particularly the one you’ll never have.” Thankfully, he was over that, too. Yes. He was good with all of it. And happy for Melissa. She seemed content with her life. Although happiness wasn’t always a product of contentment. He let out a big rush of air. He thought he must have been holding his breath for at least two hours.

  He shook out the tension in his shoulders and relaxed into the seat of his truck as he headed toward the farm. Speaking into the Bluetooth smartphone, he instructed it to call home. He felt like E.T.

  “Calling ‘home,’” came the robo response.

  “Hello?” Kevin heard his mother’s voice.

  “Mom. I survived. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

  Mrs. Matthews could feel the smile coming through the phone. “Oh. Thank Goodness. I was praying!”

  “Me too!” Kevin joked. He was a spiritual guy, but not necessarily religious, so the thought of him praying made his mother laugh.

  “Now, don’t you go take the Lord for granted. He does do miraculous things for us!” Maggie Matthews was always reminding her son of God’s work, even though it was hard to justify things like famine, war, and poverty. When questioned, she would turn the argument around by pointing out the many blessings, no matter how small.

  “Oh, Mama. You know I respect Him and all the fine people who do His work. I am not taking anything for granted. Believe me!” Even Kevin was beginning to believe in miracles—regardless of size and circumstance. Thinking of the many times his squadron had dropped food and medical supplies to the desperate and the sick, he realized that it must have seemed like a miracle to them. Faith wasn’t something he had given much thought to, but he was beginning to appreciate it more and more as he thought about the life he had led.

  “Are you heading to the farm? You should find out if that pretty doctor stopped by last night. Maybe Jake has some information to share.”

  “I am way ahead of you. After Melissa’s, I stopped by the hospital to deliver a tree and introduce Wylie to a kid who had had his leg crushed. Found her in a bush.”

  “You what? Found who in a bush? The doctor? What on earth was she doing in a bush?”

  “She was leaving the hospital and tripped. This is the second time, by the way, so I’m beginning to wonder about her agility. Let’s hope she’s sitting down when she’s in the OR!” Kevin was surely joking at that point. “Yep. She picked out a tree, and it’s going to be delivered tonight. So can we just let things fall where they may? You know, the old que sera, sera philosophy?”

  “Well, some things will be what they will be, and some things need a little encouragement. And I think this fits into the latter category.”

  “Roger that! I’m pulling into the yard now. By the way, what’s for dinner?”

  “Kevin, didn’t you just finish lunch? And you’re thinking about dinner already?”

  “I need something to look forward to after a hard day on the farm.” Kevin was only half serious. The really hard work was done by the farmhands. Kevin’s big job was to make sure no potential customer left without a tree and several bags of ornaments.

  “Maybe you can look forward to delivering a certain tree to a certain doctor tonight.”

  “Over and out, Mama!” Kevin was grinning from ear to ear. The first encounter with Melissa after six years had gone smoothly. It was just two old friends casually getting together. No animosity. No blame. Both realized they had moved on, and neither was bitter or distressed. At least, not anymore.

  Kevin jumped out of the truck and headed to the main building, where he checked the sales slips from the night before, looking for Dr. Klutz’s receipt. A six-footer. That’s a lot of tree for such a petite woman. Guess she’s going to need a hand. Kevin was feeling very sure of himself.

  Chapter Nine

  Struggling with her emotions and her embarrassment, Kate headed to Melissa’s to pick up Emma, but continued to think about her latest escapade with the local scenery. How could she have been so foolish? Tripping because of a guy—not once but twice in just a few days? She tried to shake off her jitters from her encounter with “the famous tree man,” imagining what kind of impression she must have made.

  Turning her thoughts to something where she had a better grip, Kate mused about what to serve for dinner. She decided to ask Emma what would be to her liking. Kate hadn’t thought about how Emma would react to having someone over for dinner this soon. Especially a man. Allowing Emma some input would probably help her feel more comfortable. It had already been a big day. A big day for both of them. Emma had made a new friend. Kate had started a new job. Kate had reunited with an old friend. Kate had seen “the famous tree man” leaving a woman’s house. Kate had fallen into the bushes. Yep. A big day indeed. And tonight they would be getting their tree. Kate tried to imagine Jake delivering the tree. She didn’t want to get herself in a tizzy thinking it could be Kevin.

  Pulling onto Miller Lane, she parked in Melissa’s driveway. This time it wasn’t blocked by a truck. His truck.

  She confidently strutted to the front door, where she was greeted by Emma and Victoria. “Mommy! Mommy! Look what we made!” Emma proudly presented her mother with a piece of kraft paper covered in doilies. “It’s snowflakes! Lots of them!”

  “That’s just beautiful!” Kate gushed. Her little girl was doing just fine. Now if only she could say the same for herself. She was going to have to do a lot of self-analysis.

  “Hey, Melissa! How did everything go today?”

  “The girls got along really well. I gave them this little project while I sorted out the decorations. I want the house to be festive when Greg gets home.”

  Kate tried desperately to stay away from that dark place that was forming in her head.

  Yeah. Festive and homey. Is your boyfriend going to be there too?

  Kate shook her head as if she was trying to get a bug out of her ear.

  “You okay?” Melissa looked concerned.

  “Oh, yes. I think I got some water in my ear this morning. It’s so annoying.” Kate quickly recovered from her wandering mind.

  “Don’t you just hate when that happens?” Melissa’s singsong voice was about to get on Kate’s one last nerve.

  Kate knew she was being secretly mean—even jealous. Wow. Feeling that way was something she was hard-pressed to remember. When was the last time she felt that way? Right. Earlier that morning.

  “Okay, honey pie. You ready to get a move on?”

  “Yes, Mommy, but can I come back again?” Emma looked a little distressed.

  “If Mrs. Sullivan says it’s okay. And you can also invite Victoria to our house! How about that?”

  Emma’s cheerful disposition immediately returned, and she gave her new friend a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Mrs. Sullivan! Bye-bye!”

  The two little girls were adorable together. Face it. They were cute kids. Then again every parent thought their kid was cute and smart.

  “Thanks again, Melissa. Maybe next week? I don’t have my full schedule yet.”

  “No problem. No problem at all. You just let me know. Buh-bye now.”

  Kate revisited her feelings of annoyance. Buh-bye? Okay. Stop it. She’s very nice, and she was nice to Emma.

  Emma climbed into her seat, and Kate buckled her in. “Did you have a good time with Victoria?”

  “Oh, yes, Mommy! We had lots of fun!”

  “I am so happy to hear that. So, listen. I went to my new job today, and I ran into an old friend of mine from school! His name is Brian. He’s a nurse at the hospital. I invited him to come to dinner tonight. Is that okay with you?”

  “Sure, Mommy! Guess what? Victoria’s Mommy had a friend come over today, too! Yep. Victoria told me that a man who wasn’t her daddy cam
e today. She didn’t know who he was. But said he was nice.”

  “Oh, really?” Kate’s interest went through the roof. “What else did she say about the man?”

  “Nothing. Just that he was a friend of her mommy’s.”

  Kate knew it would be like trying to pry an oyster open with a noodle to get any other information out of Emma.

  “Must be friendship day today! Right, sweetie? You, me, and Melissa all found friends!”

  Kate thought she was going to scream. Friends my behind.

  Switching the channels in her head, Kate asked Emma, “So what would you like to have for dinner tonight?”

  “Pizza!” Emma exclaimed.

  “Oh, honey, I promised Brian I would cook something.”

  “You can cook pizza!” Emma exuded enthusiasm with just about anything.

  “Not really. We can heat it up, but I think we need to actually cook something. Chicken? Beef? Tacos? C’mon. I know you can come up with something special!”

  Emma tapped her pointy finger on her chin. It was uncanny. That was something Roger would do from time to time. DNA. Scary.

  “Can we have the not-so-crunchy kind?” Emma was referring to soft tacos.

  “Excellent plan! Let’s stop at the grocery store and pick up what we need.” Kate put the car in gear and headed toward Costco.

  Emma was a very well-adjusted child considering the crazy scheduling during Kate’s residency, and now the big move. Kate was very mindful and grateful for having such a good kid.

  A few minutes into the trip to the grocery store, Emma asked, “Mommy, is ‘the famous tree man’ bringing our tree tonight?”

  Just when she thought she was safe from thinking about him , her well-behaved little girl derailed her. I know where she got the finger-on-chin gesture, but where did she get that steel-trap memory? Oh, yeah. Probably from me.

  “Sweetie, I don’t know who is bringing the tree, but it will be so much fun! I think you will like Brian. He’s fun and funny.”

  “Is he your boyfriend, Mommy?”

  “What? No! He’s a guy friend. Not daddy-type friend. You know what I mean, right, sweetie?”