One More Second Chance

by Jana Richards

  Alex blinked back tears. “I’m so sorry, Mom.”

  She gave a hiccupping laugh, as if holding back tears of her own. “I guess we had to be three thousand miles apart to get closer.”

  “I guess that’s true.”

  “Alex, if Julia is truly the one for you, don’t let her slip away. Love like that is so precious and so rare. I didn’t realize that until it was too late.”

  “I understand.” He took a deep breath, blew it out. “I’ve got to get back to the clinic. They’re going to wonder what happened to me.”

  “I should go, too. My coffee break was over a half hour ago. You’ll call soon and let me know what’s happening?”

  “I will.” For better or for worse.

  “Te quiero, Alejandro.”

  He smiled. His mother hadn’t spoken Spanish to him since he was a little boy.

  “Te quiero, Mama.”

  ****

  After finishing at the clinic for the day, Alex drove to Tracy Novak’s house, hoping she could provide him with some news. He hadn’t heard anything about Julia or her parents since the night he found Dora in his carport again, and he was worried about them, especially Julia.

  He knocked on her door and heard a dog barking. A very large, annoyed dog, by the sound of it. A minute later Tracy opened the door, holding a German Shepherd by its collar.

  “Alex, hi! I didn’t expect to see you. What brings you to my door?”

  The dog made a low growling sound deep in its chest, its eyes fixed on him. “Well, I was going to pump you for information, but now I’m not so sure. Your dog looks like it would be happy to use me as a chew toy.”

  “Oh, sorry about that. Cookie tends to be overprotective.”

  “Cookie? That’s the beast’s name?”

  Tracy laughed and pulled the dog inside. “Come on in. She’s really a sweetheart once you get to know her.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” He stepped into the house and closed the door. Following her into the kitchen, Alex took note of the neat little house with its gleaming hardwood floors, comfortably worn furniture, and colorful braided rugs. The house was unpretentious and down to earth, just like Tracy.

  The orderliness of the house ended at the kitchen table, which was strewn with paper, notepads and binders. Tracy pushed all the papers to one side of the table, then let go of the dog’s collar.

  “Cookie, lie down. Stay.”

  The dog immediately dropped to the floor next to the table, her head on her paws. But her eyes remained alert and focused on him. Alex decided to stay a cautious distance away.

  Tracy filled a kettle. “I was about to have another cup of tea. Would you like some?”

  “Sure.”

  She pointed to one of the kitchen chairs. “Have a seat. And don’t worry about Cookie. She hardly ever rips out anyone’s throat. She usually goes for the groin.”

  “Very funny.” He sat down, resisting the urge to put a protective hand over his crotch.

  “Seriously, Alex, she won’t hurt you. Would you like some cookies? They’re chocolate chip. I just made them.”

  “Thanks.”

  Placing a plate of chocolate chip cookies between them, Tracy took a seat. “So what’s this about wanting to pump me for information?”

  Now that he was here in Tracy’s kitchen, he found it difficult to ask his question. He averted his eyes. “It’s just that I haven’t heard anything about the Dawsons, and I wondered how they were doing. That’s all.”

  Tracy took her time answering. She got up from her chair when the kettle began to whistle, and proceeded to make a pot of tea. After bringing the teapot and two mugs to the table, she sat down once more.

  “Paul finally took Dora to the neurologist in Bangor, and she was officially diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s.”

  Alex sighed. “I guess we all knew that was coming.”

  “I didn’t,” she said. “I had no idea Dora’s health had deteriorated so badly. Julia hadn’t said a word to me, not until she asked me to take over the scheduling.”

  “The scheduling?”

  “Someone’s got to coordinate all the volunteers who are helping Edie and Aaron. I just make sure we have drivers and babysitters when we need them, and that six people don’t show up on Edie’s doorstep with casseroles at the same time.”

  “I can’t believe how many people have stepped up to help them.”

  “It’s what we do here. The best news is that we tallied up the net proceeds from the fundraiser, and it looks like we should have enough to cover most of Edie’s treatments.”

  “That’s very good news. I’m sure it’s a huge relief to Edie and Aaron. Now she can just focus on getting better.”

  “Yes. Hopefully the surgery and radiation will have zapped all the cancer cells, and she won’t have a recurrence.” She frowned as she lifted her mug to her lips. “I’m glad Edie’s situation is working out. I don’t have the energy to worry about more than one friend at a time.”

  That got his attention. Was she worrying about Julia? “What do you mean?”

  She waved her hand toward the papers and binders on her table. “Julia tends to take on a lot of responsibility. She only gave up coordinating Edie’s volunteer schedule because school is back in session and she’s staying every night at her parents’ house to watch her mother. She just doesn’t have time. Or the energy, I imagine, though she’d never admit it.”

  “Wait a minute.” Alex sat up straighter, his voice rising. “Are you telling me Julia is working at the school all day and then staying up all night to make sure her mother doesn’t wander?”

  Cookie lifted her head and stared at Alex, probably detecting his anxiety. Tracy reached down and scratched the dog’s ears, and Cookie settled again.

  “She couldn’t let her father stay up night after night. She was concerned about his heart.”

  “How can she maintain a pace like that? She’s going to make herself ill.”

  “I know. I’m worried about her, too. But she promised me it’s only for a few more days, until her dad gets the new alarm system installed.” She told him about the alarm system and the locks Julia had put in place until the new system was ready. “She told me they’re managing Dora’s Alzheimer’s much better now. She doesn’t wander as much, so she’s able to get some sleep. I offered to stay with her mom and dad on my days off, but she wouldn’t let me.”

  Alex ran his hand through his hair. “Why does she have to be so damn stubborn? Why can’t she accept some help? She’s the first person to help someone in trouble, but she won’t let anyone give her a hand when she needs it.”

  “She’s proud, Alex. And she feels like she has to be the one to take care of her parents. They’re her responsibility.”

  “She feels responsible for everyone.” Julia was the most infuriatingly wonderful person he knew. “What about Ava? How is this affecting her?”

  “Ava’s been staying with the Stewarts the last couple of weeks. Julia said the only time she gets to spend with her is on weekends and after school when she walks her to Wyatt and Lily’s house.”

  “Damn.” He settled back into his chair. Picking up his mug, he sipped some of the tea, hoping it would calm him. “I’ll go over there right away. I’ll make her go home and get some rest.”

  “Slow down, Alex. If you go in with guns blazing, you’ll only get Julia’s back up.”

  Tracy passed him the plate of cookies, and he took one. The chocolate melted in his mouth and reminded him he hadn’t eaten dinner yet. He knew she was right. Telling Julia what she should do was a sure way of making sure she did just the opposite. “What do you suggest?”

  She sighed. “Leave it alone. Let Julia handle it.”

  “I can’t do that, Tracy.”

  He scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling irritated and frustrated and a little out of control. Being in love with a woman who didn’t feel the same way tended to have that effect on him.

  Tracy leaned over to scratch
Cookie’s ears once more. The dog continued to stare at him with a watchful expression. “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but maybe it would be best if you didn’t see Julia anymore. You’ve only got, what, five months left on your contract.”

  “Four and half.” The last day of his contract was February fifteenth.

  “Julia comes off as this dynamo, this strong person who can handle anything, and in many ways she is. But she’s been hurt before, and her heart is still bruised. I wouldn’t want her heart to break again.”

  “He really hurt her, didn’t he? Her ex-husband Russ, I mean.”

  “Yeah, he did. The louse.”

  He averted his eyes as he asked his next question. “Is she still in love with him?”

  “No. Absolutely not. It’s totally over between them.” Tracy’s adamant reply gave him hope.

  “Do you really think I have the power to break her heart?”

  “Yes.”

  Alex looked away again. It was the last thing he wanted to do.

  “How do you do it, Tracy? You know practically everyone on the island. How do you work in the same community you live in, the same community you grew up in? How do you maintain any kind of professional objectivity? How can you treat people you know and care about?”

  “I think it makes me a better nurse. I do care about all my patients. They’re not faceless numbers to me. They’re people I know, my friends or my friends’ families. That makes me work harder for them. Because I want the best for them.”

  “You’re probably the best nurse I’ve ever worked with. Maybe now I know why.”

  “And you’re an amazing doctor. We need you here.”

  Alex looked away, not sure what to say to that. He could no longer imagine leaving Julia. And Lobster Cove had proven what a special and caring community it was. But was it the place he wanted to live and work for the rest of his life? Would the work here challenge him enough? Would the smallness of the community prove to be too confining, too stifling, after a while?

  “I have another question for you. How do you live in a town as small as this and not let the gossip drive you crazy? I swear my own mother doesn’t know as much about me as most of the people in this town do.”

  Tracy laughed, and Cookie turned her head to look at her, her ears twitching.

  “I can’t help you there. When it comes to a small town, you have to be prepared to take the good with the bad. The good is that people are there for you when you need them, and the bad is that they’re in your business when all you want is privacy. You’ve got to measure both sides and decide whether the good outweighs the bad.”

  She was right. He was the only one who could make a decision about what would work in his life.

  “How did you get to be so wise?”

  “Probably comes from babysitting big city doctors.”

  “Smart ass.”

  She laughed, then sobered. “So what are you going to do about Julia?”

  “I have to go to her folks’ place tonight, convince her to get some sleep. I can’t let her try to handle everything with her parents on her own.”

  “I understand. What about later, when your contract’s up? What are you going to do about Julia then?”

  He didn’t have an answer.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Julia blinked in surprise when she unlocked the door at her parents’ house and saw Alex on the back stoop. Her heart made a flip inside her chest when he smiled at her.

  “Hi. What are you doing here?”

  He held up his medical bag. “I thought I’d make a house call. I was concerned about your dad not getting enough sleep. I want to make sure his blood pressure is under control.”

  “Oh.” It was probably a good idea to have her dad’s blood pressure checked. He’d been under a lot of stress. Still, a part of her was disappointed that he wasn’t here for her. “Come in.”

  She stepped aside to let him in, then closed the door, setting off the little bell she’d installed over the frame. Pulling over a chair, she stood on it to reach the slide bolt lock at the top of the door. After fastening the lock, she climbed off the chair and saw Alex was watching her.

  “Does that help with your mother’s wandering at night?” he asked.

  “It seems to. When the door doesn’t open right away, she gives up. She hasn’t gotten out of the house since the last time you found her at your house.”

  “That’s good. You’re doing a great job of looking after her, Julia.”

  His praise gave her an inordinate amount of pleasure.

  “Thank you.”

  She found herself momentarily mesmerized by the look in his dark eyes. She saw kindness, empathy, even respect there. It made her want to bury her face against his chest and take comfort from him. Forever.

  Instead she averted her eyes and took a deep breath. “Mom and Dad are in the living room. Why don’t you come with me?”

  She was acutely aware of him as she led the way to the living room, of his large presence, the heat from his body, the scent of his aftershave. It was almost painful. Would she always be so acutely attuned to him?

  Her father smiled with genuine pleasure when he saw Alex.

  “Dr. Campbell! It’s good to see you.”

  Alex took a seat on the sofa, close to her father’s armchair. “I’m glad to see you looking so well.”

  “It’s thanks to Julia for letting me get my sleep.”

  “Good.” He glanced up at her with a smile that made her breath hitch and then opened his medical bag. “I brought over a portable blood pressure cuff. I’d like to take your blood pressure, if it’s all right with you.”

  “Yeah, of course. If it wasn’t for you bringing Dora home those times… Well, there’s not much I wouldn’t do for you, Dr. Campbell.”

  “It’s Alex, remember?”

  “Right. Alex.”

  Julia swallowed around the lump in her throat as she watched Alex wrap the cuff around her father’s upper arm and squeeze the bulb, then press his stethoscope against the inside crook of her father’s arm and listen intently. Julia held her breath, letting it out in a rush when Alex released the cuff.

  “Not bad. One thirty over eighty.” He caught Julia’s eye. “Maybe I should take your blood pressure. It sounds like you’re the one who hasn’t gotten much sleep lately.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Her father frowned. “He’s right, Julia. You’ve been up half the night watching over your mother, and then you get up early and go to work. You can’t keep up that pace forever.”

  “It’s not like I don’t sleep at all. I catch a few winks on the couch.” She didn’t bother to mention how fitful her sleep had been. “Besides, it’s not forever, just till we get the new alarm system installed. That’ll happen any day now.”

  “In the meantime, why don’t you humor me and let Alex take your blood pressure?”

  Julia wanted to argue with him, but it seemed easier to just give in. She walked to the couch and sat next to Alex, sticking out her right arm.

  “Fine. Do it and get it over with.”

  Alex affixed the cuff to her arm without a word, though a little smile played around his mouth. He squeezed the bulb, and pressure built against her arm until it was almost unbearable. At last he released the pressure and listened with his stethoscope to her blood swooshing through her veins, his gaze fixed on hers.

  He pulled the stethoscope from his ears. “It’s perfect. One ten over eighty.”

  “I told you I was fine.”

  She tried to get up, but he grasped her hand and held on. “I was thinking,” he said. “I could stay here tonight and give you a chance to sleep a full night.”

  She was touched by his offer, but she couldn’t accept. “That’s kind of you, Alex, but don’t you have your own job to go to in the morning?”

  “Actually I’m working in the ER tomorrow. I don’t start till four, so I have all day to sleep. What do you say?”

  It was tempting. She
was tired, and she knew the lack of sleep was starting to take a toll. Her mind wandered at work, and she felt foggy and a little disoriented sometimes. With the town meeting deciding the fate of her daycare coming up, she couldn’t afford to be anything less than sharp.

  “I’ll make you a deal. What if you take the early shift and wake me up at two am? Then you can go home and sleep as long as you need to. That way we both get a decent amount of rest.”

  He looked like he wanted to argue, but at last he nodded. “All right. I can do that.”

  Julia got to her feet. “In that case, I think I’ll go to bed right now. I know it’s only eight o’clock, but two am is going to come very early. Goodnight, Dad.”

  “Good night, dear. Sleep well.”

  She hugged her mother and kissed her cheek. “Good night, Mom.”

  Dora didn’t make eye contact. “Good night.”

  She walked toward the stairs, and Alex followed. Turning, she stared into his eyes, reluctant to leave him.

  “Don’t forget to wake me at two.”

  “I won’t.” He took her by the shoulders and pulled her in for a brief hug, then kissed her forehead. “Sleep well.”

  Releasing her, he gave her a slight push toward the stairs. With one last look back at him, she climbed the stairs and entered the bedroom that had been her childhood refuge until she’d gone away to college. As she undressed, she studied the trophies and ribbons she’d won in sports and academics as a child and teenager. Her parents had kept all of them, proudly displaying the awards on some shelves and a bulletin board. Julia couldn’t help thinking how uncomplicated life had been back then, though she hadn’t appreciated it at the time. She’d only had herself to worry about, and her parents had taken care of all her needs and wants, looking after her with loving care.

  Now it was her turn to do the same for them, perhaps with a little help from her friends. Like Alex.

  She crawled into bed and pulled the blankets over herself, falling asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  ****

  “Wake up, sweetheart. It’s time to get out of bed.”

  Julia felt soft lips against her forehead, and smelled a familiar aftershave. She smiled, her eyes still closed, her mind still drifting somewhere between sleep and wakefulness.