by Grady, D. R.
“Why ever not?” He sounded genuinely puzzled.
Because it wasn’t huge with plenty of antiques to impress her friends and awe her enemies. Trixi could have clued-in her oblivious parent.
This house was far more to Chrissy’s liking because it was well-kept, set in gorgeous grounds, abounded with impressive antiques, and boasted plenty of rooms. It would certainly influence the people Chrissy wanted to impress.
It was also a money drain.
There was always something to fix, something to replace, not to mention the utility bills.
When Katy mentioned at lunch today how it was important for Trixi to save every penny possible, her roommate had been referring to this house. She needed a healthy bank account to maintain her inheritance. At that time, she had needed to move in soon to satisfy the trust conditions, and would then take over the financial responsibilities. Katy had been right even though Trixi fought her for a few days. It took some thinking time before Trixi came around.
Katy also pointed out how she had accepted Trixi’s support for over a year, and now it was Trixi’s turn to accept hers. The situation had worked out well. With them staying in the efficiency apartment, they kept their costs low. They could have taught classes on how to live frugally.
By the time they gave up the apartment so Katy could start her rotations, Trixi had a little nest egg her father helped her invest so she could begin to maintain this house in the future.
He wouldn’t allow her to contribute anything now while he was here, but she knew he wouldn’t stay with her forever. Despite being blindsided by his hope to marry, she had known she needed to take up the reins.
She had saved up to buy her range. It was the one thing she really wanted, so her dad, Gran, Katy, as well as Miriam and Johnny, each contributed to the range fund as birthday and Christmas presents for her.
While she was in college, her dad had updated the plumbing and electric. She and Katy came home for a school break and found it all finished. He explained a convenient extended business trip, so having it done then hadn’t put him out in any way. When she protested, he sat her down and demonstrated, with unarguable numbers, how much an average person pays for a mortgage. Then he showed how he had never done so, not since he moved into this house after he married her mother.
“I got off really easy. What I spent updating those systems and paying the taxes is nothing compared to what a mortgage for a house half this size costs. It’s been my home for over thirty years, Trixi.”
Later, while she was working and continuing her schooling, he had consulted her about a new roof, and then upgraded it while he was away on business again. He used the same argument about being away for over a week, so the work was done by the time he got home.
Now she didn’t have to worry about updating any of those expensive items. They had replaced the furnace her last year in high school, so it and the air conditioning unit should be okay.
“I don’t particularly care for the layout and I believe it’s far too small for us.” Chrissy’s voice snapped Trixi back into the ongoing disagreement between Chrissy and Rylan.
Eyebrows bouncing, Rylan said, “There will only be the two of us.”
“Of course, but what if we entertain? It’s awfully small to entertain.”
“We’ve entertained there before.” Trixi took her father’s side.
“Yes, we have. Particularly in warm weather, it’s an excellent entertainment setup. You just open the back wall and use all that deck space. The grill is right there. It’s perfect,” he said.
“What about during the cold months?” Chrissy’s question emerged through clenched teeth.
Rylan didn’t appear to notice. “I’m sure we can rent a place to entertain if the numbers become overwhelming.”
His lack of concern must have tried Chrissy’s patience. “I don’t understand why we can’t simply stay here. Trixi can move into the guesthouse. She’s single and far more suited to the space.” She sent a sugary smile toward Trixi.
Chrissy hadn’t even finished speaking before both she and her father were shaking their heads. “I have to live here,” Trixi stated. “In this house.”
“Why? You’re just being difficult.”
“No, she’s not. The trust states the heir must begin living permanently in this house by the time she’s thirty or she forfeits her right to live here.” Trixi’s dad explained this as he peeked into the fridge.
“What happens to the house then?”
“It goes to the next female relative.”
“Who is that?”
“At this point, there might be a cousin, but it would likely go to my brother and his wife’s daughter.”
“Your brother has a daughter?” Chrissy looked askance at Trixi.
“No, not yet. But if I don’t live here, then I lose the house and it would pass to my mother’s other direct descendant, in this case, the first daughter my brother produces.”
Chrissy turned to Rylan. “But you would remain at the house in such an event.”
“Of course.” His quick response made Chrissy’s eyes gleam with a light Trixi didn’t care for.
“I’m here and have been for well over a year so the house is officially mine,” Trixi added.
The light faded, but Chrissy’s expression remained hard. What did her dad see in this woman? There was nothing there other than the incredible looks. And those wouldn’t last. Then he’d be stuck with the ugliness underneath.
Staring at the greedy woman set on shoving her out of her own home, Trixi suppressed a shiver of apprehension. There was something nasty brewing beneath the surface.
Since she couldn’t put a finger on it, she instead finished the salad, then checked the pizza.
“Baby, we’re going out for dinner. Chrissy isn’t fond of pizza.” He gazed longingly at the perfectly baked example she removed from the oven.
The cheese bubbled and the crust was evenly browned. Italian spices and the yummy scent of melted cheese permeated the air with stomach growling aromas.
Trixi waved them on as she sliced her supper. In moments she was eating, but wondered if this meal would be the precursor to her days now. Eating a yummy dinner, all alone.
Because she couldn’t bear to think about it, she shoved the thoughts away and instead tried to enjoy her pizza.
It was much harder than she imagined.
Chapter 6
She ran into Leo as soon as she entered the hospital the next morning.
“Today is your first day back on neonatal?” He slanted a glance at her as they caught an empty elevator.
“Oh yes. This is a dream come true.” It didn’t take the car long before it stopped at his floor.
“Congrats Trixi.” He exited with a wave and a congratulatory smile.
“Thank you.” A zing of anticipation surprised her. It shouldn’t have as it was exciting to be back on this unit.
When she had last worked here, she was a registered nurse, but now she returned as a nurse practitioner. The difference between those two levels was more than a simple salary increase. If there was a doctor on duty, she would work in conjunction with the doctor, but chances were good she’d see patients on her own, as a doctor would, and make doctor-like decisions.
It was both thrilling and terrifying.
Trixi rode to the next floor where she exited, a little early, but she wanted to check out the lay of the land, so to speak, before she was thrown into the chaos that was a neonatal unit.
A few minutes later Trixi must have cast a shadow across the computer screen because Dr. Louisa Forrester transferred her frown from the screen to her. Louisa’s expression cleared the moment she recognized Trixi. “Trixi Duvall,” she exclaimed and in her exuberant manner, jumped from her stool to grab Trixi in a tight hug. “Please tell me you’re here to help us.”
Louisa’s hair held a few streaks of gray, but the brown spiral curls, pulled back today in a low ponytail, were the same. She was about the best neonatal d
octor, or neonatologist, Trixi had ever worked with and she was relieved to see the good doc here this morning.
Laughing, Trixi returned the hug, thankful that some things didn’t change. “I’m here permanently to help you,” Trixi obediently stated.
Holding her at arm’s length, Louisa looked her over. “Are you just saying that because I’m desperate for help or are you saying that because it’s true?”
“It’s true. I was hired for this job, but got placed temporarily in other departments due to stalled paperwork.”
With a squeal of happiness, Louisa hugged her again. “I’m so happy to hear you’re permanent now.”
Louisa gave her a lab coat before dragging her back into the cubicle where the computer screen showed a patient chart.
They discussed the various patients before Louisa rummaged through the paperwork at her elbow. “Staff changes. Mary, do you remember her?”
Trixi smiled. “Of course I do.” Mary had earned her nurse practitioner degree right as Trixi began hers.
“She moved to second shift, but wants back on first, so she’s applied for the Level Two opening. Mary is very capable at Level Two so the job is hers. What we’ve found is very few excel at Level Three.” Level Three was neonatal intensive care. It consisted of babies who required a high level of nursing, and these premature patients fought odds that were not in their favor.
“Level Three is where most of my training has been.” Trixi preferred it.
“And where you shine. There are two positions available for first shift, because Karl, do you remember him?”
“Yes, his wife was pregnant when I left.”
“Right, well, she had the baby and it works better for him to be on second shift now. Same with Becky who rounds out second shift. Then for third shift, Leona is our star there.” The three Louisa mentioned were highly trained medical personnel—Becky and Leona were nurse practitioners, while Karl was a physician assistant, all with experience and a high degree of competence.
The money was better on those shifts but the hours were tough. However, Leona was in charge on her shift and that worked best with her personality. There was a doctor on call, but Leona was as knowledgeable as any doctor and her staff were so in sync with each other, there was little turnover and no complaints.
“So you have coverage for second and third shifts, but not first for Level Three?” That was amazing to her. Wonderful, but weird.
“Correct. We’ve been able to make it RN heavy right now, but that means I can’t leave because there’s no doctor or nurse practitioner or physician assistant who they can call for emergencies. Not until Karl or Becky come on.”
Trixi’s mouth dropped. “That’s a lot of responsibility.”
“Yes, why do you think I’ve taken up begging?” Louisa leveled a look on her. “As of today the Level Three job is yours. As a nurse practitioner.”
All of the blood rushed to her head so that Trixi was certain she could float. “Thank you.” Starting out on first shift boggled her mind. This was a dream come true. Since someone was looking out for her, there was also a certain doctor she’d like...
“The day goes by really fast here.” Louisa’s comment shattered her newest fantasy.
“I remember.” They dove right into the hands-on patient care then, she met them all, since it sounded like she would be overseeing all of them whenever Louisa wasn’t on the floor, which was often since she also taught seminars to colleagues and lectured medical students around the globe. The poor woman had to be ready to fall over.
“Now wait, are you the only neonatologist on the floor?”
“Nate Bechtel was given the head at a hospital in Harrisburg. He would have been crazy to turn it down.”
Trixi grimaced. That was true. “What about that student, what was her name?”
“Carrie Bollinger. She went home for a weekend and ran into an old family friend who offered her a job in Pittsburgh, where she wanted to be.”
There were student doctors on all shifts, but they required direction, as did some of the new residents.
“So you’ve been working nonstop?” At her nod, Trixi exhaled loudly. “Louisa, you need a break.”
“I know. It’s only been a week or so that Nate left and three since Carrie moved away, but I am called for everything. Fortunately some of the older residents are competent.”
“Do you have any neonatologist replacements in mind?”
“I have a pile of resumes, but no time to look at them.”
“Great, so I’ll be helping with that,” Trixi joked.
Louisa eyed her again. “Yes, since you’re a nurse practitioner, you’re now a lead.”
This statement slammed into Trixi so hard she jerked. “Oh my goodness.”
“Welcome to leadership, kid,” Louisa said kindly, patting her. “Fortunately there are a couple of fellowship doctors who we can hire now, they’re so good.” That meant they could slide right into authority like Trixi, once they finished their training.
As she hurried about the day, the feeling that she was right where she was supposed to be grew larger and stronger. It was a heady feeling as she was run off her feet, pushed to the maximum of her patience capacity, and adapted to the high stress of a neonatal Level Three unit.
Trixi couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Yet the uncomfortable feeling of unsettledness lurked in the darkest reaches of her mind. Like something was still missing...
“Rylan, we have to discover some way to convince Trixi she needs to switch houses with us,” Chrissy said for what had to be the fourth time this evening. She hadn’t said much last evening, but tonight was all together different.
Setting his fork beside his plate, he pondered the stunning woman across the table. When he first met her he had been so shocked by her beauty his brain turned to mush. A few minutes into the conversation with her, and it became apparent Chrissy wasn’t immune to him, either.
Now as he gazed at her he didn’t find her as appealing as he had. In the flickering candlelight of the expensive restaurant she favored, her pout, combined with the poorly disguised disgust just beneath the surface, robbed her of all initial loveliness.
How often would he have to deal with this? With her trying her best to wheedle her own way even though he had thoroughly explained the situation. Multiple times over a two day period.
He waited until she looked up before he said in the same no-nonsense voice he used for unruly management, “The house belongs to Trixi. She will remain in it, as per her inheritance. I have no rights to the place, other than I may live there until my death.”
Chrissy’s eyes widened at his tone. She had never heard it before but right now she sounded like a spoiled rotten child so there was need.
“There’s no need to use that tone with me.”
“Obviously there is when you’re so persistent on a non-issue. There is no way Trixi will move out of her house.” He made certain to stress who owned the residence in question. “There is no reason why she should.”
“That house is big. Perhaps we can just live there with her.” Chrissy didn’t sound enamored with her own idea.
“If I remarry, I am permitted to live in the guest cottage, or I’m required to find another place.”
She brightened. “We can buy our own house then.”
“I don’t understand why we can’t just move into the guest cottage. It’s perfect.”
Lips drawn into a grimace of distaste, Chrissy shook her head. “We’ll have to buy our own home.”
Right then Chrissy was ugly in the candlelight. He gaped. Did he really know this woman?
“I don’t have any intention of buying something else. You’re going to have to figure out how to make the guest cottage work for the time being.”
“Does Trixi have a boyfriend?” She must have realized she wouldn’t sway his mind so Chrissy abruptly changed the subject.
Something in her tone set his teeth on edge. “Trixi doesn’t talk about anyone. Tha
t doesn’t mean there isn’t someone special.” He smiled as he thought of his daughter. “She’s never been one to talk about her love life.”
“I see,” Chrissy said.
Somehow, he doubted it.
He picked up his fork and resumed eating. When he eventually looked up, Chrissy was all charming and bewitching again, as she had been when they first met. But that one moment when he had seen something else made him wonder.
After helping her into the car later, he questioned whether marrying Chrissy was the right thing to do. He had been so dazzled by her when they met, but now he wasn’t so sure. As Rylan strode around the front of the car a nasty little question popped into his head. What is a woman as young as Chrissy doing with a man your age? He was reminded he wasn’t in his thirties or forties any longer.
As he slid into the car and started the engine he speculated on how many of his colleagues asked this exact same question, only behind his back.
Now that he was questioning it, he also reflected on the other women in his life. What did they actually think of Chrissy? Trixi tended to be warm toward his girlfriends, the very few he had. With Chrissy she had closed up like she did when she was unsure how to handle a situation.
His mother, other daughter, daughter-in-law, and sister all usually offered an opinion. None of them had weighed in and this was odd. Strange in fact. The light in front of them turned red, so he stopped.
Chrissy pointed out the window. “That’s what I had in mind.”
Her finger aimed at a large, sprawling estate with lights aglow in the darkness. It was evident the people were entertaining as luxury vehicles lined the long driveway and there was enough illumination to land a jet. His mouth firmed.
“I have no intention of buying another estate.”
“Why ever not? Rylan, you know this is exactly the kind of home we need.”
The light changed as her tone turned cajoling.
“My daughter and my mother both have homes to maintain. I don’t have the money to buy another.” He used his head to indicate the estate she coveted.