They just had to be.
Chapter Eleven
Kendall paced the delivery room. A tight knot within her begged for release so she kept moving. She had prepared herself for bad news on the way here, but thank goodness everything with the baby seemed to be fine. Kendall wrung her hands. She hoped Walt arrived soon or he was going to miss the main event. If it were her lying in the bed, grimacing and groaning in pain, she’d be frantic waiting for Brad to arrive.
Brad.
She missed him so much. Just thinking of him had that knot in her stomach growing tighter. He must hate her for what she did to him.
She was about to start her fifth lap around when Walt came bursting through the door. Her shoulders sagged in relief. “Oh, Walt, thank goodness you’re here.”
Walt had no idea the comical picture he made, clutching Georgie’s pink overnight bag to his chest with his hair all in disarray. She had to stifle a giggle.
He glanced worriedly at Georgie, lying with her eyes closed and hooked up to an IV. “Is she okay?” His voice was low but it still held a frantic note to it. “Is the baby okay?”
“They’re both fine.”
Kendall watched the series of emotions that traveled over Walt’s face at the news and realized that no matter what job a person had, there was always a risk that something could happen to the one you love. She’d been a fool to think she could avoid it. A fool to think she could have pushed Brad away because of it.
“Georgie’s just a little dehydrated.” She gently pried the bag from his hands and set it on the floor. “Apparently she’s been doing a lot of heavy breathing today at work. She’s exhausted. She was in labor most of the morning and didn’t know it.”
Walt let out a relieved breath. “Leave it to Georgie to not know she’s in labor.”
“Well, she’s been experiencing a lot of back pain and assumed it was gas. Fortunately, the nurse thinks she did most of the work at the pharmacy, which means Georgie should have the baby quickly.”
“Preferably not before I have my epidural!” Georgie called out with one eye open.
Walt laughed and walked over to her bed. “That’s my brave girl.”
Georgie scowled. “You try delivering a baby and see if you don’t want any pain relievers coming to you.”
Kendall walked up to Walt and leaned in. “I wouldn’t argue with her on this issue,” she whispered.
Walt took Georgie’s hand and squeezed. “Whatever you want, you can definitely have.”
“Wise words,” Kendall murmured. “She hasn’t been a very good patient so far.”
Walt made a tsk-tsk sound. “I’m not surprised. She doesn’t have a high pain tolerance.”
“She’s been very demanding too.”
“Uh, she is lying right here!” Georgie said with a huff. “So stop ganging up on me like I’m invisible. Just because I’m having a baby doesn’t mean I’m deaf.”
Walt laughed. “Sorry, sweetie.” He bent over and kissed his wife’s forehead. “With your brother not around, I feel it’s my duty to give you a hard time.”
Georgie frowned. “Hey, where is Brad anyway? Did you call him, Kendall?”
Kendall swallowed hard. “Dee called him.” She looked away, hurt to think that if she had called Brad herself, he might not have answered the phone. “He’s on duty, but I’m sure he’ll be here as soon as he can.”
“Will you stay long enough to see Brad, to talk to him?” Georgie asked, worrying her bottom lip.
“I’m staying for the duration,” she told her friend. “But not so I can talk to Brad. I’m staying for you.”
Georgie winced for a brief second, then rubbed her abdomen. “Are you sure?” she panted. “I mean, are you okay being here, you know, in the hospital? The memories…”
Kendall grabbed Georgie’s arm. “I’m fine, really. Grammy was right when she told me that I’m stronger than I think.” She grinned. “Besides, you know how impatient I can get. I’m not going to be able to wait until you’re discharged to get my first look at your baby.”
Georgie settled her head back into the pillow with a contented smile. “Thank you.”
“Sure. I’ll be in the waiting room,” she said, jerking her thumb behind her. “Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?”
Georgie’s expression grew thoughtful for a moment as she held her stomach. “Yes, actually there is. The best thing you can do for me is to tell my brother that you love him.”
Kendall’s pulse quickened at the word love. But there was no question about it. Yes, she did love Brad. She’d known it for so long yet hadn’t been able to admit it. But now, seeing Walt rush to Georgie’s side, she didn’t want to miss out on another second of the moments she could share with Brad. Whatever quantity of time they could have together far outweighed the quality of time without him. She loved Brad and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
Now, she just needed to tell him, even if he no longer wanted her, even though their future was uncertain. She’d risk it. Her grandmother was right—she would never regret having had Jake in her life for as long as she had him. Life was too short as it was, but here she was, getting a second chance at love with Brad. A second chance to live.
And now she was going to grab that chance with both hands.
“I can definitely do that,” she answered. She was confident she was a stronger person than she was a few months ago. But now that she had found the courage, would it be enough?
Kendall took her time walking through the corridors. For the first time in her life she noticed something different in the hospital besides sickness and death. She noticed the people, dealing with everyday life. They were talking, and some were laughing and hugging. No matter what was going on in their lives, family and friends were there supporting one another.
She’d had that support but was too blind to notice it until now. Too blind to fully accept it. Now, she wanted to be there for Georgie, the way she also would for her grandmother. And the way she wanted to be there for Brad.
If he’d let her.
A hand on her shoulder had her whipping around. “Oh!” she let out.
“Ooh, you’re a jumpy one, aren’t you?” an older woman said, looking surprised herself. She smiled and dropped her hand. “Didn’t mean to sneak up on you, but you had that look my grandson has when he first wakes up—minus the drool.”
Kendall blinked at the woman.
“My grandson is nine months old,” the woman added with a grin.
“Oh, of course,” she said with a light laugh. “Sorry. I guess I’m a little slow from lack of sleep. I’m, um, looking for the maternity waiting room.”
The woman turned and walked into the room behind her. Kendall followed. The woman picked up her knitting, gesturing to the seat next to her. “This is it. Maybe you should sit down. Babies can take a while to be born, you know,” she said with a wink.
Kendall nodded and sat down beside her. The waiting room was cold—like the temperature of the hospital in general—but the murals of children playing on the beach managed to bring about a different kind of warmth.
“I’m Elinore, by the way,” the woman said, not looking up from her knitting.
“I’m Kendall.”
Elinore tipped her chin toward the door. “My daughter is in there having her fourth.”
“Fourth? Wow, that’s wonderful. My friend is having her first.”
Elinore stopped knitting and gave her a look of admiration. “Well, that’s very nice of you to sit and wait here. I bet she really appreciates your support. Hospitals can be such dreary places.”
Kendall studied her hands folded in her lap. She swallowed hard at the memory of when she was last here, almost two years ago. But now she was able to focus on the good times she and Jake had shared instead of the future they’d lost. It filled her with a sense of peace.
She looked up and managed a small smile. “They can be dreary. I normally avoid them.”
“Hmm,
good for you,” Elinore said with a nod. “I haven’t been so lucky. Between my daughter and my husband, I seem to be here monthly.”
“Your husband? Is he sick?”
The woman shrugged. “He has asthma that he can’t quite seem to get under control. And now with me running the air conditioner more, he’s been having bloody noses. I told him he was the only person I know who could get a bloody nose worth getting rushed to the hospital for.”
Kendall bit her lip. “Is he all right?”
“Oh yes, he’s fine. And like I said, we’ve become such regulars that they treat us very well here.”
“I’m sorry about that. I’m not sure I could take coming to the hospital so much.”
Elinore stopped knitting and looked at her. “You get used to it. I’m so glad they’re able to help him when I do bring him in that it makes it all worth it. When you marry someone it’s for better or for worse, right?”
Kendall looked around the room and took in a deep breath. “Yes, I guess that’s true.”
“Are you married then?”
“No,” she said softly. “No, I’m not.”
“Well, you’re too pretty not to have a boyfriend. You’ll see. You’ll be surprised what you won’t do or put up with when you fall in love.”
She thought about that and what she was now willing to face in order to have more time with Brad. Any time together would be worth having. But would Brad even trust her feelings now? “You’re right. I was surprised. But I might have found out too late.”
“It’s never too late for love.”
That comment tore at her insides, and she sighed. “I’m not so sure. I’ve already put him through too much.”
“A sweet girl like you? I find that hard to believe.”
“No, it’s—”
“Kendall?” a familiar deep voice said.
Kendall glanced up and her heart lurched madly when she saw Brad in full police uniform standing before her. “Brad,” she whispered.
Elinore elbowed her, lowering her voice. “Is this him?”
Too shaken up to answer, she quickly stood, almost falling into him with relief. “Thank goodness you’re here. Walt’s in the delivery room now.”
He smiled, but there remained a certain tension in his stance. “I figured. As soon as my shift ended, I rushed over.”
She nodded, feeling suddenly awkward and uncertain around him. Did he still love her? Did he hate her? She had so much she wanted to say to him and so much to share she didn’t know where to begin. That’s when she noticed he was carrying a handful of pink and blue balloons in one hand and a vase of multicolored flowers in the other. A box of chocolates was tucked under his arm.
“I see you came prepared,” she said, gesturing to his arms. Brad was caring and thoughtful to bring all those gifts for his sister, to rush right over from work. She realized now how foolish she’d been not to trust someone like him with her heart from the very beginning.
He shrugged sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess I went a little overboard. Practically cleaned out the gift shop downstairs.”
“That’s sweet. Oh, but Georgie hates cordials,” she said, pointing to the chocolates.
He frowned. “Those aren’t for her. They’re for me. I figured I’d need a snack while I waited.”
Elinore cleared her throat. “I love cordials.”
Brad shot Kendall an amused look, before addressing Elinore. “By all means, have some,” he said, opening up his arm and letting the box fall into the woman’s hands. “Looks as if we all could use some chocolate right about now.”
“Oh, thank you,” Elinore said. She looked up at Kendall, beaming. “Don’t let him get away, hon. Anyone who shares chocolate is a keeper.”
Kendall let out a nervous chuckle and turned back to Brad. He looked about to share her mirth, but then he gazed into her eyes and his face grew serious. “I’m surprised to see you here, Kendall. I know how hospitals make you uncomfortable. You don’t have to stay. Georgie will understand if you want to go now.”
“I’m sure she would understand, but I need to be here for her. For me.” She hesitated. “For us.”
Brad’s brows drew together. “For us?”
Kendall glanced over her shoulder and noticed she had the full attention of Elinore and the two front desk nurses. She turned back and swallowed. She had already faced one of her fears. She figured it was about time to face another. “Yes,” she answered. “For us.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Well, I didn’t either. Not at first. But then Georgie had me thinking. She rambled a lot as I brought her to the hospital. Do you know what she and Walt plan on naming the baby?”
“No, I don’t.”
“She told me that if she had a girl, she would name it Rose, and if she had a boy, she would name it John.”
Brad’s confused expression softened. “After our parents,” he murmured.
Kendall nodded. “Exactly. It made me think how life does go on after people die. At least, it should. But for a long time it seemed as if after Jake died, I was the one who’d stopped living.”
“Kendall—”
A nurse popped her head into the waiting room and smiled at Elinore. “Mrs. Benson? Your daughter had her baby. She’d love for you to come in now.”
Elinore frowned. “Tell her I’ll be there in a minute,” she said, shooing away the nurse. “They were just getting to the good part.”
The nurse’s eyes widened as she shot Kendall a stunned look. “Good part?”
Kendall gave her a feeble shrug. “It won’t take long.”
“What won’t take long?” Brad set down the flowers and tied the balloons to the armrest of a chair. “Look, Kendall, maybe we should—”
“No. Please, hear me out. I have to tell you that I’ve missed you.”
Brad let out a large sigh as if he’d been holding his breath. “Me, too. So much,” he added softly.
“I’m so glad to hear you say that. I was afraid I ruined our friendship forever.”
The movement of his throat suggested he was finding it difficult to swallow. When he finally did speak, his voice held a gravely edge to it. “But it’s not that simple. I’ve been thinking about this for the past week, and I’ve realized that I can’t be just your friend anymore. I can’t watch you shut yourself off from living. I can’t watch you bury yourself in your bakery business, or watch you go out with accountants and plumbers and bankers and whatever other ‘safe’ men you think are out there. I won’t do that to myself. I hope you understand.”
“I do understand,” she said, holding back a smile. “Because I can’t go back to being just friends with you either.”
His gaze slid away from her. “Well, we agree on that much at least.”
“I hope we agree on more than that,” she said, carefully taking his still-bandaged hand between her own. “Maybe this isn’t the time or place, but I don’t know when I’ll ever have the courage to tell you that I love you. That I’m in love with you. I think I have been for a much longer time than I was willing to admit to myself. You were right. I was afraid of my feelings for you. Afraid to risk my heart. I used your accident as an excuse to break things off, only it was too late. You already had my heart.”
“Kendall—”
“Will you marry me?” she blurted.
Elinore gasped behind her, and the nurse let out a contented sigh, crossing her arms and leaning into the doorway.
Brad stiffened. “Wait. You’re asking me to marry you?”
She took a deep breath but could only nod.
He dipped his head, but not before she caught the dazed look in his eyes. “You have to forgive me while I let this soak in a minute,” he murmured, scratching his head. “It’s not every day a man gets a marriage proposal from his ex-girlfriend while his sister’s in labor.”
Oh, God! He was right. Her timing couldn’t be worse. Tears pricked her eyes, and her chest suddenly grew heavy. “Is that a no?” she asked.
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He looked up at her question then reached out to smooth her hair. Her flesh prickled at his touch, and she felt a ripple of excitement as he shifted closer and kissed her forehead, kissed the tip of her nose, then slowly brought his lips to hers. She lost herself in his mouth, savoring every glorious moment. Their kiss went deeper, and deeper still, until her head was swimming. When he finally pulled back, he smiled into her eyes. “That’s a yes,” he answered.
Elinore snorted. “I’ll say.”
Brad cocked his head over Kendall’s shoulder. “Don’t you have a grandbaby to see?”
“Oh, right!” The woman popped up from her seat, but before she walked away, she leaned into them and grinned. “I’m so happy for you two. I hope you have a long and prosperous marriage.”
“Thank you,” Brad said. He turned and looked directly into Kendall’s eyes, his face right above hers. “That’s the plan.” Then he sealed that vow with another kiss.
Happiness filled her and she couldn’t hold back a grin. For so long she’d been afraid to move forward with her life, afraid to take another chance on love. She didn’t know what the future had in store for them, but she was willing to take whatever they were handed. It felt so good to finally let go and accept, to enjoy and revel in the wave of pure joy that coursed through to her soul.
“Yes,” she said, smiling into his eyes, “that’s exactly the plan. But we’ll take however long we get.”
Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
Kendall took a tentative taste of her newest Bavarian cream recipe and frowned. Hmm…definitely needs more vanilla bean. She’d have to remember that when she remade the custard in the bakery next week.
She was about to untie her apron when two warm, masculine arms snaked around her waist. “He’s finally asleep,” Brad whispered in her ear.
Kendall grinned. “See? I knew all John needed was some quality time with his uncle before he could go to sleep.”
She and Brad were left in charge of their little nephew, John, while Georgie and Walt were on a weekend getaway. Apparently, John had already gotten into the bedtime routine of having Brad read The Very Hungry Caterpillar three times in a row every night. And Brad was too much of a softie to disappoint him.
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