CAPITULO 1

by Coltrain's Proposal(lit)

  Drew arched the eyebrows.

  - Go: so offensive was what he said to you?

  - This was not what he said to me! Lou ran through him furious-. It accused me of wanting to ruin indirectly the reputation of Coltrain...! How could he dare to say anything similar? Especially when they cover rumours of which it has a romance with Coltrain being married ...!

  - lou ..., Lou ..., calm down, it is going to give you something - Drew tried to pacify it.

  - I do not want to calm down! - she mumbled-. That one ... woman! How could it dare?

  - Listening, Lou. I meet Jane and Copper years ago, and he could say to you that there is absolutely nothing between them. It is ridiculous. Jane is very in love with his husband, and Copper is not of this man's class.

  - Can you make sure me also that he has never loved her?: and that lover with her does not continue?

  To Drew had liked doing, but, although they were old friends, it could not see inside the heart of Coltrain. It was known that it had found it hard to him to accept Jane's marriage, but also it had the impression of which he was feeling something for Lou.

  - Do you see it? - Lou spluttered-, you cannot deny it. The one that was asking me to marry him does not imply that...

  - has he asked you to marry him?!

  - Did not you know it? - Lou took the cup of coffee to the lips and took a gulp-. At first he wanted that it was feigning that you had promised us to come out of above Dana and Nickie, and then he decided that already put we could marry really. It caught me in a moment of weakness and I could not say to him that not, so on the following day, at the time of the lunch, we went to a jewelery shop of the center to buy the engagement ring, but Jane was there. It became very rude with me, but Coltrain did not do anything for stopping it. In fact, it did as if it was not there by no means.

  - And was this what more hurt you, is not it true? - inquirió he softly.

  - I suppose that yes - she murmured-. But I do not want either that you feel a pity of me, Drew. I have not done to myself any dumb illusion with regard to him: do you know? - he added with a sad smile-. I know be burning hot he wishes, but it is not won the love of me.

  - And does he know that you are won the love of him?

  Lou agreed with the head.

  - My mother was usually saying that I am like an open book. It was difficult that he was not realizing.

  Drew took one of the hands of the young woman between theirs.

  - lou: and do not you believe that it costs the sorrow that you give him the second opportunity? - he asked him-. Why do not you leave that Jane gives this holiday in your honor? It wants to amend the damage that did you, and there you might speak with Copper and to ask him why he wants to marry you. Perhaps you surprise it.

  - I doubt it - Lou restored with pessimism-. I know why he wants to marry me, but I do not want to marry. It is true that I am crazy for him, but I know what a marriage him can do to two persons, and do not want it.

  - Lou, you cannot think that all the marriages should be exposed to the defeat only because it happened with that of your parents - said to him Drew-. I was happy in my marriage, I was twelve years old of ethereal happiness. a marriage is what " you " do of him. If two persons love each other...

  - My mother amaa to my father, and always it was excusing the brutality of my father, and his shortcomings - she insisted.

  - This was not a love - he restored-. it was a form of subjection. Is it that you are not capable of seeing the difference? If your mother really had loved your father, it would have faced him and would have tried to help to leave the alcohol and the drugs.

  Lou felt as if them as if Drew's words had opened to him the eyes. He had never seen it under this perspective.

  - You grew in a disfunctional family - continued his friend-, not in a normal family, because of it it is difficult you to accept so much the possibility of which the marriage can be different from that of your parents - he said caressing the hand-. Lou, it is possible to have a solid and happy marriage, it is not the impossible one. It is enough that they want and are two persons ready to commit themselves.

  Lou lowered the sight to Drew's left hand. In the finger to annul still was taking his ring of married.

  - Coltrain does not love me - it murmured.

  - So bundle of that one wins the love of you.

  Lou laughed with bitterness.

  - How? I am sure that it continues loving Jane, and one could not fight against a bogey. You should know it better than anybody, Drew, because since Eve died no other woman has managed to intervene between you and your memories. Say to me: how would you feel if suddenly you were finding out that there is a woman who is madly in love with you?

  Drew remained stuned by the question.

  - Good, I do not know it - it murmured-. I suppose that I would feel bad for her - it admitted.

  - And probably this way it is how Coltrain sits down with regard to me - said to him Lou-, and perhaps explain that why he wants to marry me: do not you believe? It would have sense.

  Drew wiggled the head.

  - not, it does not have it. Lou, you do not propose to him marriage to anybody for whom you sit a pity.

  - Perhaps you not, but: can you speak for Coltrain? - she pierced Him-. Perhaps it is not even a question of a pity, but of revenge. Perhaps want to marry me to take revenge for Jane for having married another man, or perhaps to take revenge for Dana.

  - Lou, Copper is not like that of creeping.

  - The persons can act in an unpredictable way when they are won the love - answered him she-. I hope I kneaded myself, Drew. If he was feeling something for me I would marry him the closed eyes, in spite of my fears and my doubts, but I know that it is not like that.

  Drew lowered the sight.

  - I feel it - he said to him releasing the hand and leaning back in the seat with a sigh-. I hope I had one potion to do that he was falling in love with you. You you deserve to be happy.

  Lou smiled weakly.

  - Thank you Drew.

  The two remained in silence a moment, and after a little bit, Lou said:

  - They have called me of a hospital deprived of Houston. I sent to them my résumé and it seems that they are interested.

  It was good news, but Drew warned that it did not seem very satisfied.

  - I have heard that Coltrain is already interviewing the possible candidates for replacing me - added she-, so I suppose that finally he has accepted my resignation.

  - It ... do you suppose? - it repeated Dew missed before the word that it had used.

  - It does daís that we do not speak to ourselves - she answered, shrinking of shoulders.

  - I see already - his friend murmured.

  So that this way of evil the things were, he thought for yes. Coltrain and Lou had drifted apart, fearful of giving this final step towards the commitment. She had his reasons, but: which were he?, he wondered. Be true would it that was feeling a Lou's pity and that's why he had proposed to him marriage?: or would it be still in love with Jane?

  - jane is a good girl - he said to Lou-. If you knew her you would realize that it is not the person's class that he enjoys hurting the others. In fact, since I have said to you, she feels lacking for what another day happened. We go, Lou: why do not you give him an opportunity? Only he wants to arrange the things.

  Lou seemed to consider it.

  - And are you sure that he will go? - she murmured.

  - More it costs him - answered Drew-, or the people will start murmuring again, saying that is glad to undo of you.

  Lou allowed to escape a deep sigh.

  - it is well - it gave in.

  - Marvellous! I will call Jane as soon as I came to house and will say it to him. You will not repent, Lou, you already will see it. Oh, and, please, do not say to him that yes still to these people of Houston.

  But she wiggled the head.

  - I have already taken the decision, Drew. I want to begin again. I need it. I will go to th
is holiday, but I do not believe that it works. Anyhow, thank you, and thanks for the lunch.

  - there is not even of what - answered he saddened by his response-. Oh, by the way, I go away to spend the Christmastime to Maryland, with the family of Eve, as of custom, so, if we do not meet, that you spend a few good Christmastime.

  - You also, Drew - she said with sincere affection.

  On the following Thursday, the day that they were closing for Christmas holidays, Coltrain entered Lou's consultation. They had not been seen in the whole week because he had been very busy with several operations. It seemed exhausted, he thought. There were new wrinkles in his face and had the eyes turned red by the absence of sleep.

  - Could not you have said it to me in person? - it pierced him, brandishing a letter in his hand.

  It was a note that Lou had left to him the previous day, saying to him that they wanted to do to him a last interview, but that it was almost sure that they were hiring her in that hospital deprived of Houston.

  - you were never in your consultation - he said to him-. Jebediah, I ... I want that you know that I feel much been grateful for the experience that I have acquired working with you.

  Pero Coltrain was not going to leave that was turning aside of the topic.

  - He listens, I know this hospital. They have his employees working as slaves, and his concept of the medicine is not precisely very human, only it is interesting to them to gain money. Do you realize that you will only be able to dedicate him five minutes to every patient, with a stamp that will warn you every time when one exhausts the time?: and that, on having been a piece of news, will entrust you all the hard and heavy works?: and that you will have to do custodies the weekends and the vacation at least during the first year?

  - Yes, I know it. They said it to me when we speak about the conditions of the contract - he said to him, but he did not add what had depressed her only to think it.

  Coltrain crossed of arms and rested on the wall.

  - We have not gone so far as to speak what happened another day - murmured.

  - Not h moan not at all that to speak - she answered.

  - Surely yes. I asked you to marry me, we went to buy to you a ring, and suddenly you started saying to Jane that it was quite a farce.

  The memories of that evening were still too painful for her. It lowered the sight to the folder that it had pressed against the breast.

  - You himself said to me that it would be a good way of getting rid of Dana and of Nickie - he remembered him.

  - It was only a stupid idea, and this is not the motive for which I asked you to marry me.

  - It does not matter, anyhow I want to marry, neither with you nor with anybody.

  - Are you going to deny that you love me? - inquirió he, her looking at the eyes.

  Lou might not have done it although it had been proposed.

  - All these months I have been locamente in love with you - it admitted, perhaps because you were out of my scope.

  - And you wish me - added he-. What excuse do you have for that?

  - I am human - she answered, blushing lightly.

  - Jane has said to me that it is going to give a holiday in your honor - it murmured Coltrain-, and I have understood that you are going to go.

  - it was Drew who convinced me - she said. A moment remained kept silent, unsteady, but finally he spoke again-. Jebediah, I... I understand that Jane and you could not avoid to feel what you were feeling.

  - Tongue is! You are just as his husband!

  L furious reaction of Coltrain had left her of stone.

  - Quite ... it is known the whole world that you were won the love of her - it stammered-

  - Exact, I it was - he corrected-, but now she is married.

  - This is what I wanted to say - she intervened with gentleness-. It must be terrible for you...

  Coltrain wrapped the face up himself with the hands and spent them to him for the hair, expressing a croaking of frustration.

  - God! - it mumbled.

  - I understand it, it is natural that you could not avoid it ... - Lou continued.

  He shook the head.

  - I cannot make it understand you: truth? - he said sharply-. You are not even listening to me.

  - What more do you want that he listens? - she pierced him-. I have already taken a decision and am not going to change it: on the first of January I will go away, and do not believe that I am going to weep for you, I think to forget you. I hope that you should have found someone to replace me.

  - yes, I have found someone - answered he irritated-, to a graduate of the university John Hopkins. Second of January begins.

  Lou had not waited those for response, and it had to swallow saliva and to do a great effort to contain the tears.

  - This is the date in which I would begin in the hospital of Houston - it murmured.

  - Well - he mumbled.

  - Well - she answered in the same annoyed tone.

  There was a long silence, and Coltrain allowed to escape heavily sigh.

  - Since we are in the epoch that we are, we might bury for a few days the tomahawk - he suggested. Why do not we happen together the Christmas Day?

  Lou shook the head, unable to declare a word. It was known that, of doing it, he would notice in his voice that he was on the verge of beginning to cry.

  - Since you want - it murmured Coltrain-. Happy Christmas, then.

  The door was turned round and opened, but suddenly it stopped with the hand in the knob and was turned towards Lou.

  - If Jane had not been in the jewelery shop and it would not have happened what it spent: would you have gone forward?: would you have married me? - he asked him abruptamente.

  Lou's hands pressed the folder.

  - this is something that I will never be able already to know - it stammered.

  Coltrain rested on the frame of the door and squinted the door.

  - I know that you do not want to hear this, but anyhow I am going to say it to you. Jane and I were more than friends years ago, but it was during a very short time period, and more on my part than for his. He loves his husband and it would not be capable of him being an unbeliever. With regard to me, which he was feeling for her belongs to the past.

  - I am glad for you - she answered.

  - And what do you say to me about you?: does not it mean anything for you?

  Lou was feeling as a cornered animalillo. The look of Coltrain descended up to his lips and remained there so much moment that the heart him started beating as a madman. His eyes were. Lou noticed that it was not capable of separating the sight, it was as if his blue irises were magnets, and had to fight against all his forces to contain the desire to go next to you, narrowing against his body and asking him to kiss her up to leaving her without breath.

  - And do you say that you are going to forget me? - it murmured Coltrain with irony-. Not in a million years, confer a doctorate!

  And it went out of the consultation, whistling while it was moving away for the corridor. Lou cursed between teeth. It had been denounced again.

  CHAPTER 11

  This evening, when it finished the visits that it had to do, Lou passed for the control of infirmary before going away, for peguntar if they could have contacted with the husband of a woman who had entered the same day, since when it came to urgencies it was out of the city.

  After they were confirming it to him, it was backtracking his steps along the long corridor, when Coltrain saw appearing. It seemed furious and his eyes refulgían.

  Without saying to him a word, it her took hold of the arm and dragged her after him, before the entertaining looks of the personnel that was going and coming.

  - What demons are you doing? - Lou asked him almost without breath.

  - I want that you say to one ... - it bit the language not to say the word that in reality he wanted to say - ... " gentleman " that we have in the pavilion of urgencies, that I have been the whole mañan working.

  Lou frowned
without understanding, but Coltrain did not detain until they came to a cubicle in that there was a tall, man fair-haired, and stout, as bad-tempered as he, to which they were bandaging him the hand.

  Coltrain released and indicated it with the head to the hombretón.

  - We go, say it to him - it indicated him to Lou.

  She directed a perplex look for him, but it turned towards the stranger and said to him:

  - The doctor Coltrain has been in the hospital the whole morning. Although he had wanted it might not have gone out - he added-, because today hays had the patients' double. It always happens equally before the vacation.

  The man seemed to calm down a little, but it continued looking at Coltrain as if it wanted to strike dead it there same. A small stir was listened in the corridor, and suddenly she looked like Jane, visibly rough and scared.

  - Todd! Todd!: are you well? - it exclaimed, running next to the stranger-. Cherry said to me that you had had an accident with the car, and that it had called to an ambulance ... - it stammered tremulous, taking the hand it recovers of the man between theirs and with tears beginning to show to his gray eyes-. I thought that you had killed yourself in the highway ...!

  - So skylight that not - the man answered softly, attracting Jane's head towards his breast and pressing it against yes-. Do not be dumb ... - the increpó softly-, I am well. Only I have caught the hand from myself with the door of the car. What did Cherry say to you?

  - Good - alarmed Jane murmured-, the truth is that I did not leave that it was finishing of explaining myself. As soon as he said to me that they had brought you to the hospital I had moving...

  - Since you do not have to worry, I am well, it is not even broken, only a little bruised.

  Jane turned towards Coltrain.

  - Is it sure that it does not have anything?

  Coltrain agreed with the head, but the expression irritated in his face did not happen to unnoticed Jane, and on having been turned again towards his husband, he saw that also he seemed angry.

  - What is what it spends here?-inquirió Jane, they smelling a little.

  Todd Burke looked at her with the frown, but he did not say anything, so it was Coltrain who spoke: