by Dixie Land
Toughest to give up was the coffee. She could drink decaf, but it wasn’t the same. Like so many other R.N.’s, it had been a staple in her diet since her early days in training. She had also started taking a multivitamin with iron every day. She wanted nothing but the best for this little one who had already been deprived of a loving father. Yes. She could put it off no longer. She would stay on at the end of the day and talk to Doc.
Kathryn and Doc usually did the cleaning up at the end of the day together. This afternoon, Maggie would offer to relieve the older woman of that chore.
“You’re a true angel of mercy,” Kathryn told Maggie with a chuckle when she made the offer at five-thirty that afternoon. “I have so much to do tonight that I didn’t know how I was going to fit it all in. Thank you, my dear.” With that, Kathryn grabbed her sweater and bustled out the door.
Maggie went from room to room straightening, refilling dispensers and checking the instrument drawers. She and Doc ended up in examining room four at the same time. When they had finished, Doc turned to Maggie.
“You’re a good nurse, Maggie, and a very thoughtful young lady. Kathryn and I are both grateful for the day you stopped in Serenity. You’ve taken so much of the load off of her. She tires more easily than she used to. I appreciate your staying tonight so she could leave a little earlier than usual.”
Maggie felt a twinge of guilt.
“For that matter, Maggie, you’ve been looking a bit tired by day’s end too. Are you feeling alright?”
This was the perfect opening, and yet she couldn’t find the words to begin.
“I’m…” she stammered, “I’m fine.”
“Well then, I guess we’re finished for tonight. I’ll see you in the morning, young lady.” He hesitated, waiting for her to leave the examining room. She started for the door but stopped before she reached it.
“Doc, there is something I have to talk to you about.” She could feel the color rising in her face and neck. She turned to look at him. “I’m quite sure I’m pregnant,” she said simply. She fought the tears that began welling in her eyes to no avail.
He stood silent for a moment then stepped forward. He opened his broad arms to her. She buried her head against his shoulder.
“That’s all right, Maggie. Go on and let it out,” he said softly. “It’s Okay. I thought you had something on your mind that you needed to talk out.”
“Oh, Doc,” Maggie pulled back to look at him. “I feel so alone in this. I can’t marry the father. I don’t even want him to know about it.” Her voice was unsteady.
He took a Kleenex out of the box on his desk and handed it to her. “Why are you trying to protect him from this? Is he married? Even if he is, he has a responsibility here.”
“I’m not protecting him, Doc. It’s a gut feeling I have. I’m protecting my baby and me. It’s a long story. He’s a doctor at the hospital where I worked before I came here. We were engaged and were planning our wedding. My Mother became very ill, and we had to postpone our plans. I spent a great deal of my off-duty time with her. Then one day I stepped into an empty hospital room to make sure it was ready for a new admission we were expecting, and there he was, on the bed with my best friend. I resigned at the end of my shift, went home and packed up my belongings. I ended up here in Serenity. He found out from my aunts where I was and came here to tell me that Robyn, the girl he was with, is pregnant. That he’s going to marry her. I don’t ever want him to know about my little one.”
Doc nodded. “I can understand perfectly how you feel, Maggie. That’s a powerful load for one little girl to carry. I’m glad you told me.” He patted her shoulder. “Now—have you seen a doctor yet? Do you know how far along you are? You certainly don’t look pregnant.”
“No. And I’m not sure. I want you to take care of me if you will.”
“Of course, I will, Maggie. Of course, I will. We can examine you now, if you want. Come on, let’s go down to room three.” He stepped into the hall, and Maggie followed him.
…
Doc had made the situation very comfortable for Maggie, and she was grateful. He had determined her to be about six to seven weeks along. Everything looked good. He had drawn blood, and it would be sent to the lab in Fayetteville the next morning.
Before she left, Doc took a bottle of Ultra Natal Care vitamins from his sample closet. “This will save you a little money and a few explanations for now,” he told her as he handed it to her.
“Thanks.” Maggie smiled at him. “You’ve been terrific.
You’ve made a tough situation…”
“Here, here now. See you in the morning, Maggie.” He
gave her a wave and a wink as she left the office.
…
By Saturday, Maggie was more than ready for the weekend. She slept until nearly ten. The morning sickness had eased some since she had confided to Doc about her condition and had been reassured by the examination that everything was as it should be.
Doc told her he wasn’t concerned about it, that he considered the morning sickness to be a helpful thing.
“It helps remove some of the toxins we get from food and other sources from both mother and baby,” he’d said. “I’ve believed that for a long time, and now it seems some smart scientist is doing research on it.”
Though she still tired more easily than before, it was wonderful not to feel those waves of nausea as the day wore on. Whether or not it was harmful, it was certainly unpleasant to feel that way. She hoped once these new vitamins really got into her system, that the fatigue would lessen also.
She had several errands to run today, and she needed to do some grocery shopping. She missed the large supermarkets of the metropolitan area she had moved from. Serenity had several convenience stores but only one family owned grocery store. And, while their product line was good, they lacked the variety of the larger markets she was accustomed to.
She went into the kitchen and fixed herself a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of whole grain toast for breakfast then took a leisurely shower. She hastily scribbled a shopping list and gathered up a bundle of clothes to take to the cleaners. By the time she was ready to leave, it was afternoon. The grocery store and cleaner were in opposite directions, so she decided to go to Parson’s Market first. That way, she could drop the groceries by her apartment, put up the perishables and finish up the rest of her business on the other end of town.
She ran into several of Doc’s patients as she shopped. She visited briefly with each, and by the time she was ready to leave the market, forty minutes had flown by. She smiled to herself as she got into her car recalling the many times she’d shopped in Alexandria and had never seen a familiar face with the exception of the checkout clerk.
She spent forty-eight dollars and had four large bags of groceries. Prices were a tad higher here, but the produce, being local, appeared much fresher, and the service was wonderful. Mr. Parson himself had wheeled her cart out and put her bags in the car for her.
When Maggie pulled into the driveway of her apartment, Caroline was in her rose garden. “Afternoon,” she called out as stood and wiped her brow.
“Hi, Caroline. You look industrious today.” Caroline leaned down and cut three crimson roses and brought them to Maggie. “Do you have a vase for these, Dear?” “They’re absolutely gorgeous! I have a crystal vase that will be perfect for them. It belonged to my mother,” she added.
“Let me help you with these groceries,” Caroline said picking up two of the bags. “If we do this together, we can have them all upstairs in one trip.”
“Thanks,” Maggie returned, grateful for the help. After she put the sacks on the kitchen table, Caroline turned to leave.
“I was just sayin’ to Charlie that we hadn’t seen much of you this past week. We miss you, Maggie. Why don’t you plan to have Sunday dinner with Charlie and me? We’d love it.” “You and Charlie have done too much for me,” Maggie said, removing the crystal vase from the cupboard and filling it with tap wate
r. “Why don’t you let me cook dinner for you tomorrow. Parson’s had their pot roasts on sale, and I’ll cook that with some potatoes, onions and carrots. Maybe I’ll even throw in some of those fresh string beans Charlie left at my door yesterday. What do you say?”
“That’s real sweet of you, Maggie. Yes. If you really want to that sounds delightful. Let me fix a dessert and some homemade bread.”
“Great. Let’s plan to eat at six,” Maggie said. She arranged the three roses in the vase, carried them into the living room and placed them on the coffee table.
Caroline paused at the door. “We’ll see you tomorrow. You can ride to church with us and, thanks for the dinner invitation.”
Maggie nodded at her. “See you in the morning. And, thank you.”
Both she and Charlie had been so kind, inviting her to dinner, bringing her fresh vegetables. Caroline had even offered to do her laundry. Maggie wouldn’t hear of it, but the offer had meant a lot to her. Maggie’s being there really seemed to be good for Caroline, too. She seemed grounded these days, and she was becoming much more extroverted. Even some of Doc’s patients had commented on the difference they had noticed in Caroline over the past several weeks.
She heard Caroline’s footsteps descending the staircase as she put up her purchases. When she had everything stored away, she glanced at her watch.
“Where does the time go?” she asked aloud. She grabbed her handbag and hurried back down to her car. She waved at Caroline as she pulled out of the driveway and headed for the cleaners.
After dropping the clothes off she heard her stomach growl. She decided to get something to eat before going over to browse at the curio shop. She crossed the street and walked the short distance to the As You Like It sandwich shop, opened the door and stepped inside. She was surprised to find all of the tables full at this late hour. Everyone there must have decided to be as leisurely as she today.
The shop’s owner, Carl Warner, greeted her. “It shouldn’t be long, Maggie. The Morris’, over there in the corner, are almost finished.”
“Thanks Carl, not a problem. I’m not on any time schedule today.”
She heard the door open and close behind her.
“Hi, Ross,” Carl said. “See you made it early today.”
“Yep. And I’m taking the rest of the afternoon off.”
Maggie turned to face him. “Hello, Ross,” she smiled up at him. “Good for you! I think your schedule is about as hectic as Doc’s.”
He laughed, and his smile lit up his whole face. Maggie found Ross quite good looking. Standing here beside him, she became aware of what a big man he was. Not only was he tall, perhaps 6’3” or 6’4”, but his frame was large. His white lab jacket emphasized the broadness of his shoulders.
The couple at the corner table stood and headed for the cash register. Carl motioned to a young woman across the room to bus the table.
“It’s gonna be a few minutes before I have another table, Ross,” Carl told him, “Unless you and Maggie don’t mind sharing. What do you say?”
“It’s fine with me, if Maggie doesn’t mind.”
Maggie nodded. “I never did like eating alone.”
Carl led the way to the table and handed each a menu. “I’ll give you a few minutes, if you’d like.”
“Thanks, Carl.” They said in unison.
Maggie decided on a chicken-salad sandwich on wheat bread. She opted for fresh fruit over the French fries that were offered.
“And I think I’ll drink milk with that,” she added.
Ross ordered a double bacon cheeseburger with a large order of fries and iced tea.
“It’s been a long time since I ate breakfast, and they cook a great burger here.”
Carl had just left with their order when Maggie felt a light tap on her shoulder. “Hi, Nurse Maggie.” It was a child’s voice.
Maggie turned to see Bobby Hensley, the little boy who had cut his finger during her first day at the clinic. Bobby held his hand up.
“See?” He grinned broadly, exposing the gap where his two front teeth had been. “You made it all better.”
“I can’t take the credit, Bobby. It was Doc and your own body that made you all better.” She took his outstretched hand and gave it a little pat.
He reached into his pocket then held his hand out to her. “This is for you.” Maggie opened her hand, and he deposited a miniature Hershey crunch bar into it.
“Thank you, Bobby. How did you know they’re my favorites?”
“I just knew. They’re mine, too,” he said, cocking his head to one side and grinning again.
Sarah Hensley reached their table, “I’m sorry for the intrusion, Maggie. Hello Ross.” She nodded at him before returning her attention to Maggie. “I just mentioned that I saw you across the room, and Bobby jumped right out of his seat and headed for you.”
“I’m glad you came over, Bobby. I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t. The finger looks great! You can come speak to me anytime.”
“Okay,” he said. He gave Maggie a quick hug. “Oh, bye, Ross,” he added. He walked obediently beside his mother, looking back a time or two, until they reached their table. “I’d say you’ve made a conquest.” Ross grinned at her. “I seem to be second rate with you around. Bobby’s a great kid, inquisitive and bright as they come. Because of it, he’s a bit of a handful for Sarah and Matt. Matt’s considerably older than she is. And, they got a late start. Sarah was forty-one when Bobby came along. He’s full of energy, and I think he might be just a little smarter than they are.”
“He is bright,” Maggie agreed, “and a little cutie, too.” “I’ve had some interesting conversations with him down at the drugstore. He’s curious about everything; retains an amazing amount of what you tell him, too.”
Their lunch arrived. The chicken salad was the best Maggie could ever remember. The pickle that accompanied it was delicious too. When Maggie commented on it, Ross told her Carl’s wife put them up. “It’s one of the reasons folks come here,” he said. “The other being that it’s the only lunch place in town.”
Maggie laughed. “Since it’s the only one, we’re sure lucky it’s so good, aren’t we?”
Carl brought them separate bills. Ross picked Maggie’s up along with his. “No really,” she protested, reaching to take it from him.
“I’d like to, Maggie. Let’s just call it a belated welcome to Serenity Maggie Thornton lunch.”
“Thanks, Ross.”
They walked outside together and chatted for a few more minutes. Maggie had to shield her eyes from the sun as she looked up at Ross. She found herself studying his face. Looking at his features separately, they all had flaws, but, together, they fit quite handsomely. Short dark hair framed his broad square face with its slightly crooked Roman nose. Firm lips gave him a look of strength. But, what she found most prominent about Ross, were his sad eyes. They were blue; and when he looked at her, she felt their intensity and their pain.
Maggie knew, from what Lil had told her, that they held deep within them a wound that he had tried to bury. But she suspected he’d have to try long and hard to get beyond it, if he ever fully could. And she could certainly relate to what he’d been through. Her heart went out to him. They’d had a very pleasant lunch, they both needed a friend, and she felt comfortable with him. Yes, Maggie decided at that moment, she liked Ross. She felt they had embarked on the beginning of true friendship today.
There was a pause in their conversation.
“Good-bye, Ross. Thanks for the lunch and the company.” She smiled at him.
For a moment he looked as if he were going to say something, but he remained silent. Maggie turned and started toward her car. When she reached the door and turned to look back, Ross was right behind her. She gave him a questioning look.
“Maggie.” He said softly. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today. What would you say if I asked you to drive over to Fayetteville with me tonight and take in a movie?”
; Maggie was thoughtful for a moment.
“Not a date. Just two friends going to a movie together.”
His eyes did it for her. “Okay. It sounds like fun. Do you have any idea what’s playing?”
He smiled at her. “No. But we can go down to the drugstore, look at a newspaper and find out.”
ChapterNine
n the ten days since Maggie and Ross had seen You’ve Got Mail in Fayetteville, they had fallen into the habit of talking almost every day, either on the phone or in person. The evening had been fun. They’d found a theater that played releases that had been out for a while and both had wanted to see the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan film. They weren’t disappointed. In the closing scene, the Tom Hanks character walks over the hill with his dog as Meg Ryan’s character waits nervously to see who will arrive. Meg tells him she was hoping he’d be the one to come. At that point, Maggie fumbled in vain for a Kleenex to dry the tears that were spilling onto her cheeks. Without even looking at her, Ross had passed her a clean popcorn napkin. Then he’d sat there patiently watching the credits until Maggie composed herself. She thought it very sensitive of him. She hadn’t realized that his eyes were a bit moist, too.
Neither had spoken until they were outside and headed for the car. “I’ve always been a softie for a good romantic movie,” Maggie confessed. “I absolutely loved that one.”
“It was a good one. But then, any movie with that pair is bound to be good.”
They stopped for a shake at a Cook Out drive-through before heading back to Serenity.
The following Monday, Ross called the clinic office to speak to Doc. When they finished their conversation, he asked for Maggie.
“How are you today?” he asked casually. “And how did your dinner with Caroline and Charlie go?”
She had mentioned to him, on Saturday, that she was a bit nervous to be cooking a meal for Caroline whom she considered a superb cook.