Serenity

by Dixie Land

  …

  The aroma of fresh coffee greeted Maggie’s nostrils as she awakened the following morning. She heard the refrigerator door open and, a few seconds later, the sizzle of bacon frying in a skillet. The hickory smoked smell made her mouth water as it drifted into the bedroom.

  By the time she got up and reached the kitchen, Ross had their breakfast nearly ready. “You’re just the kind of husband material I’ve been looking for all my life. Will you marry me, Ross Harrington?” She kissed him before going to her seat at the table.

  “I thought you’d never ask, Maggie Thornton. Just set the date.” He placed a plate of bacon, scrambled eggs and toast in front of her, leaned down and kissed her. “And make it soon,” he added.

  “This looks wonderful. I’m starving!” She took a sip of decaf.

  Ross carried his plate to the table and sat down across from her. “I’m serious, Maggie. I want you to talk to Reverend Townlee today.”

  “I will, Ross. And we have a lot of decisions to make in a short time. I know we want to keep it small and simple, but we do need to decide on who we want to stand up with us. Have you given that any thought?”

  “I have. I’m going to ask Doc to be my best man—for lots of reasons,” he added seriously.

  Maggie nodded. “I can’t leave Caroline or Lil out, and I have to find a position of equal importance for both. Of course, I want my aunts to attend. And Ross, what do you think of asking Bobby Hensley to be our ring bearer?”

  “Perfect. I think Bobby would absolutely love it. But we’ll have to insist on no spiders in the church.”

  Maggie laughed. “I’ll leave that up to you.”

  “And, of course, I’ll remind him that when Reverend Townlee says ‘you may kiss the bride’, that he’s referring to me.”

  “Why, Ross, I think you’re jealous.” She winked at him. “But, you’re right. The first thing we need to do is talk to Reverend Townlee and see when he’s available, and when we can have the church.”

  At noon, Maggie called the rectory. Marion Townlee answered the phone. “Just a minute, Maggie. I’ll get him for you. I was about to call him for lunch anyway.”

  Maggie could hear her in the distance as she summoned her husband. Reverend Townlee seemed delighted when Maggie told him what she wanted.

  “Can you hold a minute, Maggie Thornton? I’ll take a look at the church calendar?” It took him only a moment. “How does three weeks from next Saturday sound to you?”

  “Fantastic. I’m sure that will suit Ross. I just hope I can be ready by then. There’s so much to do.”

  “Then I’m going to schedule you in. It’s about time, young lady.”

  After Maggie hung up she wondered what he meant by that. Was he referring to the baby? She lifted the receiver again and dialed the pharmacy. Ross picked up, and she relayed the date to him.

  “That’s terrific, Maggie-almost-Harrington.”

  Maggie could hear Lil in the background. Then she got on the phone with Maggie.

  “Good for you two! Congratulations, and I’ll help you anyway I can, Maggie.”

  “I know you will, Lil. We’ll get together and start planning soon.”

  “I’m gonna put Ross back on now. Bye.”

  Maggie and Ross talked for a few more minutes. When they hung up, Maggie called Caroline and Charlie. They were thrilled at the news and excited at the special part they’d have in this ceremony. Maggie asked Charlie to stand in for her father and give her away. Caroline and Lil would be the directors. Caroline also wanted to help with some of the food preparation.

  As the week progressed, there were no surprises for Maggie or Ross. They were both grateful, because recently, as Maggie said, “We’ve had enough surprises to hold us clear through our golden anniversary.”

  Everything continued smoothly through the weekend. On Monday, Ross and Maggie had lunch together. “I’m going to call Melanie and see if she’ll agree to a paternity test. It nags at me, and I want to know. How do you feel about that, Maggie?”

  “I think you should do what you feel you have to, Ross. I can certainly understand your feelings.”

  “I think I’ll call Melanie tonight. She gave me her number. Do you want to be there when I talk to her?”

  “No. I think that’s between the two of you.”

  …

  Ross and Melanie spoke several times over the next couple days. Keri was at home again and seemed to have fully recovered from her bout with double pneumonia.

  Melanie agreed to the testing, and the appointment was scheduled. Ross and Melanie made arrangements to meet at the end of the week at Duke. Blood would be drawn from both Ross and Keri for an HLA test that would determine the genetic make-up of both; thus giving Ross, as positively as could be determined, the answer to his question. When everything had been finalized on Wednesday, Ross phoned Maggie. She picked up on the third ring.

  “Hello.”

  “Darling, I’ve just hung up with Melanie. We’re set for

  Friday at Duke. Eleven in the morning. Will you go with me?” Though she felt a little pang inside, Maggie hesitated

  only a moment as one of her mother’s favorite adages came to

  mind. Hold fast with open arms. “No. I think this is something between you and Melanie. I’ll stay here. Plan to have dinner

  with me if you’re back in time.”

  “Are you sure, honey?”

  “I’m sure. I love you. I hope you understand why I’m

  not going with you.”

  “I do. I love you, too. I’ll see you as soon as I get back.”

  …

  Friday morning Ross was up before the sun rose. He hadn’t slept well the night before. In fact, he had tossed and turned most of the night, as his mind kept replaying all that had happened recently.

  He had mixed emotions as to how he wanted the test results to turn out. On one hand he found himself hoping to learn that he had a daughter. On the other, perhaps it would be better were she not his child. He had missed so much of her short life. He hated to think that he had a child who’s birth he had missed, and all the special achievements in her life; her first smile, her first little sounds, her first laugh out loud, her first steps. He closed his eyes for a moment then redirected his thoughts.

  He wondered if today would be busy at the pharmacy. He was relieved that Ryan Johnson had agreed to come on board at the drugstore. The customers had all liked him when he had filled in both in the past and again last week. For some time, Ryan had wanted to move back to Serenity. He had relatives in town, and he was dating Diane Summers, the librarian in Serenity. So, he had been quick to accept Ross’s offer.

  …

  Friday at 9:15 A.M., Ross set off for Durham. He made good time and arrived with thirty minutes to spare. He stopped at the information desk and got directions to the lab. To his surprise, he found that Melanie and Keri were already there when he checked in.

  Melanie looked very patriotic in royal blue slacks, white turtleneck and a red fleece jacket. Ross thought her quite stunning. Melanie had always worn clothes well. In the past, he’d often thought that she could make even a pair of faded blue jeans look elegant.

  As soon as Keri saw Ross, she ran to him. “Hi, Ross,” she said loudly. Her voice was clear today, and her eyes shone a very bright blue. As she reached him, she wrapped her arms about his legs.

  He felt his heart melt. “Hi, Keri. How’s my girl? “ he heard himself ask.

  “All well. Keri home now.” she grinned so broadly her little eyes crinkled shut.

  “Good for you, Keri. I’m glad you’re all better.”

  Melanie smiled, stepped up to Ross and gave him a little hug.

  …

  When the tests were completed Melanie asked Ross to have lunch with her and Keri.

  They went to TGI Friday’s. Melanie told him it was one of Keri’s favorites. She loved their chicken fingers. Keri chattered almost incessantly during lunch, and Ross only understood abo
ut half of what she said. But he found himself becoming enchanted with the little girl. By the end of lunch, Keri was getting tired. She ended up on her mother’s lap. Within moments, she fell asleep. Ross walked with Melanie to her car and waited while she strapped the sleeping child into her car seat.

  “I guess we’ll know something in a week or so, Mel,” he said softly.

  “Uh-huh. I guess we will.”

  “Well, I’ll say good-bye now, Melanie. You’re doing a super job at this mom business. I’m really proud of you.” He turned and started over to his car.

  “Ross,” she called softly.

  He stopped and turned back toward her.

  She ran to him and wrapped her arms about his neck. “I don’t want you to leave us. Have you thought any more about what I said to you at the hospital last week?”

  “Melanie,” he said softly.

  She pressed her lips against his and held him tightly.

  ChapterTwentyThree

  elanie,” Ross repeated her name more firmly. He took a step back and held her at arm’s length. “There’s someone else. I’m very much in love with her. We’re going to be married soon.”

  “Then, it’s really true,” she stammered.

  “What? What’s true?”

  “Oh...oh nothing.” She spoke haltingly. “That… that

  you can’t recapture the past. That you can’t go back, Ross.” “I guess that’s right. We just have to keep pushing for

  ward. You certainly have, Mel. You’ve come such a long way.

  You’ve grown, and I’m proud of you. I’ll always be here for you

  if you need any help with Keri, regardless of how the test comes

  out. I hope we can be friends.”

  “Well, we’ll see. How do you think Maggie would feel

  about that?”

  “She’s a wonderful girl, Mel. She loves kids and feels

  the same as I do about this.”

  They had parted with those words. Melanie walked to her car without looking back, and Ross left Durham and headed

  to Serenity.

  He seemed to have been on the road more lately than

  he’d been home. He hoped this trip was the end of it until he

  and Maggie left on their honeymoon. With that thought, he

  was reminded that they hadn’t even discussed a trip. Nor had

  they shopped for rings! He needed to get back to Maggie and

  get on with their arrangements. It was sure great to know that

  Ryan was in the pharmacy taking care of business for him. As he drove along, his mind replayed his and

  Melanie’s parting. What a relief these last months not to

  feel a longing to see her face or feel her touch. Then to see

  her again and feel nothing when she embraced him and

  kissed him. And to wake each morning and go to sleep each

  night with thoughts of only Maggie.

  “Maggie!” He said aloud as it struck him. Melanie

  had asked what Maggie would think of it. He hadn’t mentioned her by name, but Melanie had known. She had called

  her Maggie!

  ChapterTwentyFour

  he following days were filled with working and planning. On Friday, Ross and Maggie drove to Fayetteville to choose their wedding rings. They went to several jewelry stores before making a decision. Ross wanted to buy Maggie a diamond engagement and wedding set, but she preferred a simple gold band.

  “Maybe for a twenty-fifth anniversary, or I may even want to wait for fifty. I expect to be in your life for a very long time,” she said teasingly. “But, in all honestly, Ross, I wouldn’t be able to wear it at the clinic. I’m always pulling rubber gloves on and off. And, that’s most of the time, so let’s wait on the diamonds.”

  “That makes pretty good sense.” They agreed upon his and hers gold bands with a platinum diamond cut pattern etched through the center. Under the jeweler’s lights, it glittered brilliantly giving the illusion of little diamond sets. Before they left, Ross asked the jeweler to engrave Maggie’s.

  “While we’re here would you like to shop for a wedding dress, Maggie?”

  “Might as well. I can’t put it off much longer, or I’ll be wearing my uniform,” she said with a laugh. “How about you? Do you need to look for anything?”

  “I have an old tux. Believe it or not, it’s ten years old but still fits. I can wear that or a suit, whichever you prefer.”

  “Let’s see what I find, then you can decide which you prefer. You’re not afraid this will jinx us are you? Picking it out together, I mean?”

  “I’m not superstitious, are you?”

  She reached up and kissed him. “Not in the least.”

  …

  He sat in one of the several chairs in the formal wear department of Dillard’s in the mall. He thought back to her remark about being jinxed. With all that had been going on in their lives the last couple of months, did he even dare to expect that the wedding would go smoothly? That all the surprises were behind them?

  …

  With only a few days left before their wedding, everything was falling into place nicely except for one thing. Ross hadn’t received the results of the paternity test yet, but he expected to hear any day.

  When Maggie arrived home Monday evening, she reached into the mailbox and removed several envelopes. She glanced through them quickly. “Looks like mostly junk mail,” she commented absent-mindedly. “How do these folks always manage to find me no matter where I go?” As she tucked the mail against her chest, a yellow slip of paper dropped to the ground. She glanced at it. It was an attempt to deliver a piece of registered mail. Her stomach did a little flip.

  Oh, dear Lord, now what? she wondered. She glanced at her watch. It was too late to pick it up today; the post office closed fifteen minutes ago.

  ChapterTwentyFive

  aggie phoned the post office as soon as it opened the next morning. She recognized the voice of the man who answered the call. “Clarence, this is Maggie Thornton,” she said.

  “I know. Mornin’. What can I do for you today?” “I had a notice in my mailbox yesterday that you have a registered letter for me. Would you please hold it there at the post office, and I’ll pick it up a little later this morning? Oh, and Clarence,” she added as an after thought, “would you mind checking and telling me who it’s from?”

  “I will if you can hold a minute,” he said. He returned to the phone within minutes. “Maggie, I don’t see it here just now. I’m gonna have to track down the carrier. I wonder if Bud’s already packed it up with his regular deliveries. But it seems to me that yesterday, he said it was from some law firm in Virginia, if I’m rememberin’ right.”

  Good old small town, everybody knows your business, she thought. “Thanks. On second thought, if you can catch Bud before he leaves the post office, would you please ask him to drop it by the clinic instead of the house?”

  …

  At ten-thirty, Maggie’s registered letter was delivered to her at work. She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she saw the return address. She had felt it was nothing to worry about when the postmaster told her it was from a Virginia law firm. Still, she was relieved to see that the return address was Whitton, White and Weston and not connected to Michael in any way.

  She went back to the break room and opened the envelope. Mr. Whitton had written her a letter and enclosed was a check for two-million-one-hundred-thousand dollars, written on the firm’s escrow account. It was even more than she had expected. Maggie’s hand trembled as she clutched the slip of gray paper. I must get this deposited in a safe place and soon, she thought. She reached for the phone on the desk and dialed the pharmacy.

  “R.H. Pharmacy. How can I help you?”

  “Hi, Lil. Is Ross in?”

  “He is, honey. You all right today?” she asked. “You

  sound a little excited.”

  “I’m fine, Lil. I just need to talk to Ross.”

/>   “He’ll be with you in a minute.”

  Very shortly, Maggie heard Ross’s voice. “Hi, Honey.” “Hi! I just received the mail I’ve been expecting from

  Calvin Whitton. It was delivered to me here at the office by registered mail. Now I need to decide where to put it. Let’s go to lunch. My treat. You can order anything or everything on the menu.” She laughed, then added, “The sky’s the limit.”

  … At twelve-thirty, Maggie removed her purse from her locker and started to leave the clinic. She got as far the front desk when Sarah Hensley burst through the front door. She was hysterical, her face was scarlet. “Matt’s having chest… he’s got pain! And his arm…” she sobbed. “I’m afraid it’s his heart!”

  Maggie dropped her bag on the reception desk. “Mildred, please lock this in your file cabinet for me,” she said as she went to Sarah. “Where is Matt?” she asked calmly.

  “He’s in the car, he couldn’t…please help him, Maggie.” “Mildred,” Maggie’s voice was controlled. “Please get Doc. Tell him what Sarah said, and ask him to come out to the car and help me with Matt. Then take Sarah into one of the empty rooms and stay with her, please.”

  Mildred disappeared into the back, and Maggie went outside. She opened the door on the passenger side of the Hensley’s car. Matt was in a semi-prone position with his eyes closed. Maggie loosened the tightly buttoned collar of his shirt. Doc was at Maggie’s side within seconds. Matt was conscious, but he was perspiring profusely, and his face was ashen. One had only to glance at him to recognize that he was in severe pain. He struggled for each breath.

  “Matt. Can you hear me?” Doc asked calmly.

  “Yes,” he whispered. “It’s bad, Doc, real bad.” He winced between gasps.

  “I’m going to give you an injection, Matt. But first, I want you to chew these baby aspirins for me. Can you do that?”

  He struggled to answer. “Uh huh.”

  Doc removed the lid from the bottle he held and slid two little tablets into Matt’s mouth then recapped the bottle and dropped it back into his pocket.

  Matt dutifully chewed the aspirin.

  Kathryn arrived at the car with a Gurney.

  A few moments later, Matt had been wheeled into one of the examining rooms, the injection was beginning to take effect, and he was resting a bit more comfortably. Minutes later, an ambulance arrived to transport him to Cape Fear Hospital in Fayetteville. Doc asked Kathryn to drive Sarah home with orders to rest and take one of the sedatives he sent home with her.