Hearts Afire

by Marta Perry

  She shrugged, still not looking at Terry. “Our medical world isn’t that big, is it? I knew someone who’d been an intern at the hospital when Landsdowne was there. I gave him a call. He was only too happy to pass along what everyone said about why Landsdowne left.”

  “Gossip.” She wished she had enough energy to be angry with Harriet. “You know as well as anyone that the story probably got added to and embellished by everyone who repeated it. Why would you do such a thing?”

  “Why would you defend him?” Harriet’s anger flared. “I thought you disliked having him here. That’s certainly what you said when he came.”

  She had to be careful. She couldn’t violate Jake’s privacy, even to clear him. “We had our problems, yes. But that doesn’t mean I’d set out to sabotage him. Why, Harriet? That’s what I don’t get. Why did you go to all that trouble to hurt him?”

  Harriet’s hands tightened into fists. “Why? Because I should have gotten that job, not some outsider brought in just because Getz went to med school with his father. It’s not fair. The old boys’ network wins every time.”

  This, at least, she could clear up. “You’re wrong, Harriet. That’s not why Getz wanted him. I heard him myself. He chose Jake because he admired his work in Somalia. Maybe that’s not the reason he should have hired someone, but it didn’t have anything to do with his father’s influence.” Despair swept over her. She was losing her friend. “If someone had told me you’d do this, I wouldn’t have believed it. Not of you.”

  For a moment longer Harriet stared at her, angry. Then, slowly, her expression changed. She put her hand up to her forehead, shielding her eyes. The hand shook a little.

  “When you put it that way, I guess I don’t believe it of myself.” Her hand dropped, and she faced Terry, tears sparkling in her eyes. “You’re right. I’ve been telling myself I was justified, but—” Her mouth twisted. “I’m sorry. What can I do to make it right?”

  That was a question that didn’t seem to have much of an answer. “I suppose you can try to tell people that the story was just gossip, but I don’t suppose it will do much good.”

  She was suddenly tired, too tired to go on struggling with this. No matter what Harriet did now, even if she went to Jake and confessed—it didn’t really matter. The bottom line was that he hadn’t trusted her, and the relationship she’d thought they had was nothing but a sham.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jake managed a smile for the small girl he’d just immunized and nodded to Manuela. “Make sure the mother understands that the vitamins are not candy. She’s to give each child one each day, and keep the bottles where they can’t get them.”

  Thanks to the generosity of Brendan’s church, when the migrant families left tomorrow, each child would have a two-month supply of vitamins, in addition to having their immunizations up to date. And thanks to Manuela, he didn’t have to worry about making a mistake with the instructions.

  So far, he’d managed to spend over an hour at the clinic without crossing paths with Terry. She had her own station across the room, helping to give well-baby checkups, and she was probably just as happy to avoid him.

  He’d spend the past two days at the hospital trying to ignore the whispered conversations that cut off abruptly when he walked by. It wasn’t easy.

  He could just imagine what his father would do in this situation, not that that would ever happen. His father would blithely ignore the talk, confident as always in his own judgment, not swayed by what anyone else thought or said.

  As for him—well, once again he’d let his emotions get in the way of his good judgment. He’d let his feelings for Terry override his self-control, and look where that had gotten him.

  Almost without willing it, he glanced toward her. She was smiling at a baby who reached, entranced, for a red curl that had come loose from her braid. Just as quickly, he looked away, his heart twisting. Terry probably hadn’t spilled his secret deliberately, but the result had been the same.

  The whispers followed him, and sooner or later they’d reach the hospital board. Dr. Getz had interviewed him—Dr. Getz had heard the whole story and hired him anyway. But if the board started demanding answers—well, maybe he should accept his father’s offer before this whole thing exploded in his face.

  Manuela ushered over the next mother and child and began translating his questions carefully. Manuela was another source of regret. All their efforts seemed to have come to nothing. She’d leave tomorrow with her family. The Flanagan family had declared their intention of staying in touch with her, but how realistic was that?

  A shadow fell across the shaft of sunlight from the open door. He looked up to see Brendan Flanagan hurrying toward him, a broad smile on his face.

  “Jake, I have news.” He glanced at Manuela and then at the child, sitting in his mother’s lap. “I won’t interrupt, but once you’re free, will you meet me in the back room?”

  “Of course.” Judging by Brendan’s cheerful expression, this wasn’t about the gossip that was circulating through the hospital. At least, he hoped not.

  Brendan nodded and started across the room, stopping to talk to everyone he met. Their clients were used to the pastor by now, and they tried very politely not to smile at his fractured Spanish.

  Jake smiled at Manuela. “It’s a good thing I have you to translate for me, and not Pastor Brendan. He’d probably tell the mother to put the vitamins in her baby’s ear.”

  Manuela managed a smile, but her sorrow still showed, like a cloud darkening the sun. The poor kid wanted an education so much, and she saw it slipping out of reach.

  He’d like to believe she’d be able to go to school at the next migrant camp, but that seemed a futile wish. He’d like to encourage her, but he wouldn’t be much good at that right now.

  He glanced around while she gave the instructions to the young mother. “It looks as if we’re about finished for the day. I’m going back to speak to Pastor Brendan. Will you clean up for me?”

  “It is my pleasure,” she said, patting the baby’s head.

  Those weren’t just words, he knew. Manuela so obviously enjoyed every moment of her work at the clinic, even the routine cleaning that others might try to avoid.

  I know I don’t deserve any happy endings, but shouldn’t Manuela have her chance?

  He went quickly through the door to the back room of the clinic, stopping short when he saw Terry. Brendan grinned at him. “Come on in. I’ve got some news that will knock your socks off.”

  “Just tell us.” Terry fidgeted, not glancing toward him. “Stop teasing.”

  Brendan shook his head. “Don’t you remember that patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit, kid?”

  “It’s not one I’ve managed to grow yet, so unless you want the proof of that—”

  “Okay, okay.” Brendan held up both hands, as if to fend her off. “Thanks to my lovely and talented wife, who did all the research, we’ve done the thing. Manuela can stay with Joe and Siobhan and attend school, at least until her family is ready to go back to Mexico.”

  Terry’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, and she threw her arms around her cousin. “Brendan, I could kiss you. That’s wonderful news. And tell Claire we really owe her for this.”

  “That is good news.” He felt out of place in the midst of all this Flanagan family rejoicing. He hadn’t contributed much to the cause except a few dollars out of his pocket. “Shall I bring Manuela in?”

  “Let me do it.” Terry darted past him. “I can’t wait to see her face.”

  Brendan looked at him and shrugged. “Terry’s the excitable one of the family. Can you tell?”

  He nodded. Obviously Brendan didn’t know that there was anything wrong between him and Terry, even though he felt as if the chill in the air was advertising it to the world.

  Terry was back in a moment, propelling Manuela, who looked half-frightened.

  “What is it? Have I done something wrong?”

  “Of course not.
” Terry hugged her. “We just have good news.” She nodded to Brendan.

  “At least we think it is good news.” Brendan’s calm tone must have reassured Manuela. “If you want to, and if your parents agree, we’ve arranged for you to stay with Terry and her parents and go to school here. Would you like that?”

  “Stay?” For a moment there was no expression at all on her face.

  “Until your parents go back to Mexico, at least. What do you think?”

  Her gaze sought out Jake’s. “Dr. Jake? This is true?”

  “Pastor Brendan has made all the arrangements. It’s true.”

  Maybe, when she heard it from him, she thought it was safe to believe. The expression on her face was sunshine, breaking through to light a cloudy day.

  “I can stay,” she repeated, swinging toward Terry and grabbing her arms. “I can stay!”

  “You sure can.” Terry enveloped her in a hug, all the love in that warm heart of hers shining in her eyes. Over Manuela’s shoulder, her gaze met his. Met, and nearly knocked him off his feet.

  Terry. His heart felt as if it was twisted in a vise. He wanted to believe she hadn’t let him down. He hadn’t realized until this moment how much he wanted to believe that.

  Manuela wiped tears from her cheeks. “I must go and tell my parents. I must ask my father for permission.” She hesitated. “I will finish cleaning up first.”

  “No, you won’t.” He smiled at her, forcing himself to look at her, not Terry. “We can muddle through without you this once. Go.”

  She nodded, smiling through her tears, and darted toward the door.

  He didn’t dare look at Terry, because he didn’t know what she might read in his eyes. Or what he might read in hers.

  At least, if nothing else, Manuela was getting her happy ending.

  When Jake finally finished congratulating Brendan and went back into the clinic’s work area, Terry sagged against the nearest counter. She hadn’t realized how hard it would be to go on pretending everything was fine when Jake was around.

  She caught Brendan looking at her and straightened. “I guess I’d better get back to work.”

  “That can wait a minute.” Brendan came to lean against the counter next to her, putting his arm across her shoulders. “Come on, give. What’s wrong between you and Jake?”

  She pressed her fingers against her forehead, trying to will away the dull ache that throbbed at her temples. “It shows, huh?”

  “It does to me.” His grasp tightened. “Can I help?”

  “I don’t think anyone can fix this one.” She managed a ghost of a smile. “Even me. Jake believes I broke a confidence.”

  “Well, if he believes that, he doesn’t know you very well, does he?”

  “I thought he did.” Her voice quivered, and she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

  “I’m sorry, Ter. I wish I could make it better.”

  She nodded. “It’s just—I’ve been trying to follow God’s leading. It’s hard to understand why things work out the way they do sometimes.”

  “I know.” His voice roughened, and he pressed a light kiss against her temple. “I know.”

  A pang of regret went through her. Brendan, of all people, knew how that was. He and Claire had been trying for a baby since their wedding, and that prayer hadn’t been answered.

  “So what do you do when you don’t see any chance that things are going to turn out the way you hoped and prayed?”

  “I guess I just keep trying to run the race.” His smile flickered. “Here comes the minister, quoting scripture. ‘Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.’ Some days that’s just more of a challenge than others. And some days I just want to lie down by the side of the track.”

  She had to smile at the wry tone. “Right.” She went on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “I knew there was some good reason we have a minister in the family. Thanks, Bren.”

  “Any time.”

  She took a deep breath. Okay, on to the next thing. She marched back out to the clinic.

  The last few stragglers had gone through while she’d been in the back, and the remaining volunteers were packing up, getting ready to leave. She felt a pang of regret. Most of the workers would be on their way south tomorrow, and the clinic would remain open only three days a week to serve those who stayed. The project was drawing to a close. They’d done a good job, and seeing it end was bittersweet.

  Gradually, the volunteers filed out, followed by Brendan, until only she and Jake were left.

  She cleared her throat. “There’s not much else to do. I can handle it, if you want to leave. I’m staying until Manuela comes back anyway, so we can talk about getting her moved to the house.”

  He nodded, sliding some forms into the file cabinet, but he didn’t seem in any hurry to leave. “That’s a nice thing your folks are doing.”

  “It’s always open house at the Flanagans. I’ve gotten used to coming home and finding that someone has moved in for a while.” She smiled. “The latest is my cousin Fiona. Dad’s still protesting that one, but Mom’s already invited her to come.”

  “It’ll be good for Manuela, having you around as a role model.”

  That startled her. She swung to face him. “If I’d really spread rumors about you, I’d hardly be a good role model for anyone, would I?”

  He just stared at her, the width of the room between them. “Did you?”

  “No.” Did he believe her? And would it make any difference if he did?

  His brows drew together. “I want to accept that. It’s just that I don’t see how anyone else could know.”

  Believe me, Jake. For your sake, if not for mine. “You’ve said yourself what a small world the medical community is, and Philadelphia isn’t that far away. Is it so hard to believe that someone else in Suffolk might have connections there?”

  He considered that for a long moment, his eyes grave. “You know who it is, don’t you?”

  “I can’t answer that without breaking someone else’s confidence.”

  His mouth tightened, but finally he nodded. “Fair enough. I guess I owe you an apology. When I saw you with Manuela—well, I just knew you didn’t have it in you to do something like that. I should have known the moment I heard about it. I’m sorry, Terry. That was a poor repayment for everything you’ve done.”

  She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. It took a struggle to keep her voice even, but she didn’t want him to guess at the happiness that bubbled through her. “It’s all right. I’m just glad we’re friends again.”

  A smile lit his grave expression. “Same here. There’s something I’d like to tell you.” He turned away, as if he didn’t want to look at her when he said the words. “I’m thinking of accepting my father’s offer and going back to Boston.”

  At some level, she’d thought she was prepared for that. But she wasn’t. It was slicing her heart into little pieces. She swallowed, trying to loosen tight muscles enough to speak. “Whatever you decide, I wish you—”

  Her words cut off when the screen door slammed. Manuela stood there, breathing hard, hand pressed to her diaphragm.

  “Manuela? What is it? What’s wrong?” Apprehension clawed at her.

  “My father.” Manuela gasped the words. “I can’t. My father won’t allow it. He won’t let me stay.”

  “Oh, Manuela.” Her heart twisted as she put her arm around the girl’s shoulders. Manuela shook with suppressed sobs. “I’m so sorry. Why doesn’t he want to? Maybe if we talked to him, it would make a difference.”

  Manuela shook her head, crying too much to say anything coherent. Terry looked at Jake over the girl’s bent head, seeing the sorrow there.

  “We did it all wrong,” she said. “We should have gone to the family first. We have to go and talk to him.”

  Jake took Manuela by the shoulders.
“Crying isn’t going to help.” His tone was brisk. “Let’s talk this over and see what we can do.”

  Terry glared at him. That was taking detachment a little too far, wasn’t it? Still, it seemed to be working. Manuela choked back her sobs and wiped her cheeks with her hands, looking at Jake obediently.

  “That’s better.” He grabbed a tissue from the box on the desk and handed it to her. “Now, let’s figure out what we should do. Did your father give any reason for telling you no?”

  Manuela sniffed a little. “He doesn’t trust outsiders. He thinks we’ll only be safe if we’re with him.”

  “Well, maybe we can find a way of reassuring him.”

  “We’ll go over right now—” Terry began, but Jake shook his head at her.

  “This may work out better if we have someone else to translate for us. I’ll see if I can reach Maria Esteban.” He pulled out his cell phone and began to flip through the list of volunteers that was posted over the desk.

  It made sense, she supposed, to recruit the volunteer nurse who spoke fluent Spanish, but she didn’t want to wait. The need to do something pulsed through her. She couldn’t let Manuela’s chance slip away if there was anything she could do.

  She tried to comfort the girl while listening to Jake’s side of a short conversation. He flipped the phone closed, frowning a little.

  “Maria will be glad to help, but she doesn’t have transportation. I’ll have to run into town and get her. Maybe you should come along.”

  She suspected he was thinking that he didn’t want her to do anything rash. “I’ll walk over with Manuela and meet you at the camp. All right?”

  Jake looked a little doubtful, but he nodded. He gave Manuela an encouraging smile. “Don’t give up yet. We may still be able to work this out.”

  He turned and went quickly out of the clinic to his car. Manuela looked as if she’d begin to cry again once he was gone, so Terry handed her a stack of sheets. “Put these in the closet for me, please. I’ll just lock the medication in my car and then we’ll go.”