by Ann McMan
Maddie’s reading glasses rested on top of her copy of the JAMA and what looked like a couple of patient files. There was a yellow pad filled with notations, and Syd picked it up and looked over the tidy, but indecipherable handwriting. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was only unreadable because most of it was some kind of Latin shorthand. Good god. Remind me never to play Scrabble with her.
Just as Maddie emerged from the bathroom, more comfortably attired in her t-shirt and lounge pants, there was a soft knock at the door of their room, and a voice in the hallway announced, “Room Service.”
Syd looked at Maddie with a confused expression, and Maddie inclined her head toward the door.
“I ordered us a little nightcap when we were downstairs. Do you mind grabbing it?” She walked toward the closet to hang up her suit.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Syd asked, as she got up and headed toward the door. “I don’t want you to wake up tomorrow with a hangover.”
“I think I’ll be safe.”
Syd opened the door and a white-coated waiter smiled as he handed her a dome-covered tray. “You’re all set,” he said. “Dr. Stevenson took care of the tip, too. Have a nice night.” He turned around and started back down the hall.
Maddie joined her at the small table in the corner of their room. “Oh, goodie. This should help us both sleep better.”
Syd was dubious. “I don’t mean to be overly proprietary, but less than an hour ago, you needed my help to stand up straight. Are you sure this is something you want to be doing?”
“Uh huh. C’mon, blondie. Serve it up.”
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t try to warn you,” Syd said as she lifted the dome off the tray. She was stunned to see two small cartons of milk and a plate full of tiny, Thin Mint cookies. She looked up at Maddie, who stood there grinning like a Cheshire cat. Syd was undone by the sweetness of the gesture and felt for a moment like she might cry.
“Oh, god, it’s addictive.”
“What is?” Maddie asked, a smile still pulling at the corners of her mouth.
“You are.” She dropped the dome and reached out to hug Maddie. “This is,” she mumbled into her chest.
Maddie hugged her back. “I told you I’d keep you in cookies. A deal’s a deal.”
Syd stepped back from the warm embrace and picked up the plate. She walked across the room, climbed up onto the bed, and piled pillows up all along the headboard. “Well, come on, Stretch,” she said, settling back and biting into a cookie. “Get over here with the milk.”
Maddie picked up the milk cartons and climbed up next to her. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” She set the milk down on the nightstand.
Syd regarded her with fondness. “You know, at some point we need to talk about what happened tonight.”
Maddie met her gaze. “You mean our little lobby encore for Celine?”
Syd blushed and dropped her gaze. “Well . . . that, too.” She absently fingered a loose thread on the coverlet. Then she looked up at Maddie. “But what I meant is that we need to talk about what happened during dinner. I really think it’s possible that Celine was trying to make some kind of overture by coming here.”
Maddie sighed. “I know. But if it’s all the same to you, I need to let it rest—just until tomorrow. I meant it when I told you that I was on sensory overload. I really don’t think I can go there right now.”
They were silent for a moment. Syd softly touched Maddie’s forearm. “Okay.”
Maddie shook her dark head, and then smiled as she drew herself up onto her knees. “I do feel up for one thing, however,” she said, as she moved toward the bottom of the bed. Her blue eyes were twinkling again as she looked back at Syd. “I think I promised someone a foot rub . . .”
SYD WOKE UP well before dawn. She saw white flashes of light behind the drapes and could hear the distant roll of thunder. She was grateful when she realized that she still had hours left to sleep, and burrowed deeper into the warm cocoon that surrounded her. She shifted even closer to the body pressed tightly against her back and tightened her handhold on the arm that held her close. Then she noticed the soft, steady sound of breathing against her ear.
Her eyes flew open. Oh my god! Not again. She felt panic overtake her. What is it with the two of us? She slowly started to pull her hands away.
Maddie stirred and said quietly into her ear, “It’s okay. You were having a bad dream. I couldn’t get you to stop thrashing around. This was the only way I could protect my vital organs.”
Syd closed her eyes in mortification. “God, Maddie. I’m sorry.”
“No problem.” She yawned. “Do you wanna move?”
Syd hesitated. “Are you uncomfortable?”
“Nope.”
“Me either.” She smiled and opted for the truth. “Chances are we’d just end up back in the same position anyway.”
“Probably. This bed has a lot of explaining to do.”
Syd chuckled and lightly rubbed her fingers against the arm that was still wrapped tightly around her. “Say goodnight, Gracie.”
Maddie lifted her head and gave Syd a featherlight kiss on the ear. “G’night, Gracie.”
They didn’t speak anymore. The only sound in the room was an occasional rumble of thunder as the storm outside blew itself out. They lay close together for the rest of the night, but Syd didn’t get any more sleep and she was sure Maddie didn’t get much sleep either.
Chapter 16
The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport was large enough to be served by express carriers for both United and US Airways. Its busy, general aviation center was home to several corporate jet fleets and two charter services. Maddie and Syd made the short flight from Richmond in less than twenty-five minutes, and Maddie was able to park her Cessna at Landmark Aviation’s FBO, and arrange for an on-site rental car. They removed their bags from the airplane and stowed them in the trunk of the rental car as a precaution—since Maddie had not arranged for hangar space, due to the short duration of their stopover.
Syd had never been to Charlottesville, and she was enthralled with its beauty. Nestled in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Charlottesville was an inspiring mix of old-world refinement and new-world innovation. The lush geography of the region, with its soaring Blue Ridge Mountain views and temperate climate, made it a haven for artists and writers, and the rich, cultural life of the area remained one of its greatest attractions.
The city itself had been named for Princess Sophia Charlotte of Strelitz, wife of King George III, and its roots in history were rich and multifaceted. The sprawling University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1825, dominated the life and the commerce of the area, and its full-time residents still referred, deferentially, to the former president as Mr. Jefferson. As she and Maddie drove past the imposing red brick, Classical-style pavilions that formed the heart of the university campus, Syd began to regret that their time in the captivating city would be so short. She resolved to return for a longer visit later in the spring.
In short order, they arrived at the massive UVA Medical Center complex, and after parking in a garage the size of a small city, Maddie led them through a maze of tunnels to an information kiosk located near one of the hospital’s numerous entrances. Once she deciphered directions to the diabetes and endocrinology unit, she turned to Syd.
“How about we find you a nice lounge or coffee shop to wait while I check in with Dr. Gibson about Jake and see if any family members are here?” She handed Syd the keys to the rental car. “If it looks like I’ll be tied-up for more than an hour, you can take the car and see some sights. I’ll give you a call when it looks like I can shake loose, and we can head back to the airport.”
Syd took the keys, but shook her head at Maddie’s unselfish suggestion. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather just tag along.” She looked around them at the towering hospital complex. “Frankly, I’m afraid that if we separate, I’ll never see you again. I promise not to
get in your way. You can deposit me in the waiting room of the unit, and I’ll be just fine until you’re through.”
Maddie looked dubious. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. The only other building I’ve ever been in that was this big was the Atlanta IKEA, and it took a pack of bloodhounds to rescue me.” She gestured toward the map. “Unless you’ve got a convenient stash of bread crumbs in your purse, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Maddie smiled at her. “Okay, then. Let’s go and see if we can find this unit.” She glanced at the kiosk map again and rolled her eyes. “With any luck, we might just make it by nightfall.”
Fifteen minutes and four banks of elevators later, they entered a long hallway that terminated at a large pair of stainless-steel doors. A blue and orange sign announced the entrance to the endocrinology unit. Syd noticed a visitor’s waiting room just to the right of the entrance, and she touched Maddie on the elbow and pointed toward it.
“You’ll find me right there,” she said, with determination. “I’ve got a book with me, but if that fails, I can always amuse myself by pouring over ten-year-old copies of Guideposts magazine.”
Maddie eyes were twinkling as she nodded at her. Then she pushed through the double doors, and went in search of the nurse’s station.
When Syd entered the small waiting room, she noticed three other people in various stages of somnolence, sprawled across chairs with garish upholstery. There was a large, wall-mounted TV set on in the corner but, thankfully, the volume had been turned off. It appeared to be tuned to the FOX News Channel, so Syd was especially grateful for the quietude.
She sat down in the chair that was closest to the hallway and pulled a well-worn paperback copy of Jane Eyre out of her bag. Finding her place, she recalled that poor Jane had been in a lot of trouble when she last put the book down. She had fled her post as governess at Thornfield Hall and was wandering the countryside in search of—what? Comfort? Safety? Succor? Certainly not happiness. She had left her chances at finding that behind when she ran from her mounting passion for Mr. Rochester.
Lost in the story, Syd was surprised when she heard Maddie’s low voice next to her ear. “I always thought that St. John Rivers was an arrogant prick.”
Syd looked up, startled to see Maddie kneeling next to her chair. She glanced at her watch and realized she’d been reading for an hour.
“Well,” she said, closing her book, “we can’t all be as fortunate in our rescuers as I was.”
Maddie dramatically stood up to her full height. “Damn straight. I bet I could totally kick his ass in a tire-changing contest.”
“You’ll get no argument from me there.” Syd smiled as she stowed her book back inside her purse. “How did it go?”
Maddie’s expression changed as she sat down next to Syd. “Not well,” she answered, grimly. “Jake has slipped into a diabetic coma. Dr. Gibson isn’t very optimistic. I talked with the family—his wife and daughter were in his room when I went in to see him.”
“Oh, Maddie, I’m so sorry. How are they holding up?”
“About like you’d expect. They’ve called the other family members. Jake’s son and granddaughter should be arriving later this afternoon.”
“God.” She searched Maddie’s face. “What do you want to do?”
Maddie shook her head. “There’s not much I can do, except wait with them. I think—if you don’t mind—I’ll run you down to Jericho, then pop back up here for the evening. I haven’t known Jake for very long, but he was a patient of my father’s for many years. I think they feel a real connection to me because of that, and it might be helpful for them to have a friendly face on hand while they wrestle through this. It shouldn’t be long—tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest.”
Syd searched her face. “Don’t be ridiculous. I can drive back to Jericho tomorrow, if need be. For tonight, why don’t we just find a place to stay near the hospital?” She held up her bag. “Jane and I will be fine on our own. You do what you need to do.”
Maddie looked like she was going to argue for a moment. Instead, she took Syd’s hand and warmly squeezed it. “You’re a real pal, know that?”
“Not at all. I’m selfishly completing my self-guided ‘Civil War Battlefields of Virginia’ tour. After this trip, I only have one hundred and forty-three to go.”
Maddie laughed. “Oh really?” Her blue eyes twinkled. “And what do you get for all that effort?”
“Well,” Syd said, standing up, “at the rate I’m going, it seems I get a ready-made excuse to spend a lot more time with you.”
Maddie got to her feet as well and steered them toward the nearest elevator. “Silly girl. You don’t need an excuse for that.”
THEY LEFT THE hospital, intending to find a hotel for the night, but on their way to the parking deck, they heard a voice call out, “Dr. Stevenson!”
They turned around to see a tall, slender man with silver hair approaching. He wore a starched white coat with the name Arthur Leavitt, M.D. embroidered over the front pocket. He quickly closed the short distance between them and swept a stunned Maddie up into a bear hug.
“Maddoe,” he gushed into her hair. “I thought that was you. What on earth are you doing in Charlottesville?” He stepped back, but continued to hold on to her elbows.
Maddie’s face was glowing. “Uncle Art. It’s wonderful to see you. I’m here checking on a patient.” She gestured to Syd. “Let me introduce you to my good friend—and one of Jericho’s newest residents—Syd Murphy. Syd, this is Arthur Leavitt. A very close friend of my family.”
Syd shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Leavitt.”
“Please, call me Uncle Art. Any friend of Maddoe’s is family to me.”
Syd decided that she liked the tall man. “Okay—Uncle Art.” He grinned at her.
“Art and my dad went to UVA and med school together,” Maddie explained, proudly.
Art smiled warmly at Syd. “That was about a thousand years ago, when this one,” he gestured at Maddie, “was just a gleam in her daddy’s eye.” He turned back to Maddie. “So how are you? How are you finding life back in the sticks?”
“It’s challenging.” Maddie glanced at Syd. “But it has its compensations.”
Art looked back and forth between them. “So I see.”
Syd felt a slow blush creep up her neck as Dr. Leavitt gave her an appraising once-over. He turned to Maddie. “Are you two here for long? I’d love to see more of you and really get caught up.”
“Unfortunately, no. We really only intended to be here for an hour or two, but my patient is now in a diabetic coma and is unlikely to last through the night. We thought we’d find a hotel room and head back to Jericho tomorrow.”
“A hotel? For tonight?” He looked dubious.
Maddie nodded. “Yeah.”
He sighed and shook his head. “You can kiss that idea goodbye, honey. This is alumni weekend at the university, and there are about twelve-thousand drunken Cavaliers besieging the city. You won’t find a room within spitting distance of Albemarle County tonight.”
Maddie expelled a long breath. “Wah-hoo-wah,” she muttered.
Art laughed. “Exactly.” He paused for a moment. “Well, as it happens, Uncle Arthur’s Youth Hostel just might be able to accommodate you lovely young ladies for one evening. I have to work the graveyard shift tonight, anyway, so you’ll have the place entirely to yourselves.” He raised a hand as Maddie opened her mouth to protest. “And don’t even bother to say no. Your daddy would never forgive me if I let you stay elsewhere, and I would never forgive myself.”
He pulled a key chain out of his pocket and unhooked a silver key. “Here you go, kiddo,” he said as he held it out to Maddie. “Do you remember how to find my place?”
Maddie glanced at Syd in resignation and sighed as she took the key. “I sure do. I don’t know how to thank you for this—”
“Don’t even go there. You go drop off your things and give me a ji
ngle in the ER when you get back to the hospital. I’ll come and find you.” He turned his gaze to Syd, smiled, and held out his hand again. “It’s been a real pleasure meeting you, Syd. I hope we’ll get a better chance to chat over breakfast.”
He pulled Maddie into another quick hug. “The guest room bed is all made up. You should find everything you need.” He turned away and headed toward the hospital entrance. “Make yourselves at home,” he called over his shoulder.
Syd dumbly watched him depart. “Wow.” She raised her eyes to Maddie, who looked equally overwhelmed.
“You can say that again.” Maddie slowly shook her head. “See why he’s chief of the ER here? He generally gets his way.”
ARTHUR LEAVITT LIVED in an old Norcross Transfer Station warehouse that had been converted to luxury apartments about ten years ago. It was located in the heart of Charlottesville’s historic district, and was within walking distance of restaurants, galleries, and the city’s downtown mall—which boasted dozens of high-end shops.
Leavitt’s condo was on two levels, and had floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city and its hazy, Blue Ridge Mountain backdrop. The view was dazzling.
Syd laid her garment bag across the back of a settee as she tried to take it all in. “God . . . I could get used to this.”
Maddie nodded as she walked toward the gourmet kitchen that was open to the main living area.
“Tell me about it.” She picked up the extra house key that hung on a peg by the phone and pocketed it, knowing she would need to return the original to its owner when she went back to the hospital. She leaned against a granite countertop for a moment. “I used to love it when dad and I came up here to visit. Art is a fabulous cook and a great storyteller. We’d stay up half the night, laughing and eating amazing meals that went on for hours.”
Syd smiled. “When did you see him last?”
“At Dad’s funeral.” She dropped her gaze. “It was a very difficult time—for all of us.”
They were quiet for a moment.