Second Opinion

by Alexander, Hannah

  Archer stopped walking when the feminine voice reached him past a door that stood slightly ajar ahead of him.

  IIS therapist Natalie Frasier burst through that door and nearly tripped over his feet. “I don’t know what more I can do for her.”

  Lauren stepped out behind her. When she saw Archer she gave him an apologetic grimace.

  “Gina?” he asked.

  Natalie put her hands on her hips. “Lucky guess.” Her voice dripped sarcasm. Her intense dark eyes shimmered with tears and she folded her long arms into a protective bony shield.

  “She has her reasons,” Lauren said gently. “I understand that now.”

  “I don’t. I’m tired of fighting this. I give up. I’ll file my report and it won’t be a very good one.”

  “You’re already giving up on her?” Archer asked. This girl didn’t have much staying power.

  Natalie gave an angry swipe at the tears on her face. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t get any cooperation from her.”

  “I’ll talk to her again,” Lauren assured her.

  “I will too,” Archer said.

  Natalie spread her fingers in front of her. “It won’t do any good. She won’t listen and you both know it. I’m finished. But just tell me one thing—why do a preacher and a doctor know so much more about my client than I do? I’m the one who’s spent the past three weeks trying to get her to trust me.”

  “How many times have you threatened to take her children during those three weeks?” Archer asked before he could stop himself.

  Natalie’s eyes widened, and her face flushed brighter. “It was simply an alternative if we couldn’t get everything straightened out.”

  “But it terrifies her and the children,” Lauren said gently. “That’s not the way to earn someone’s trust.”

  “I’m just doing my job. Doesn’t she see I’m trying to help her?”

  “How would any frightened mother react to the threat of losing her children?” Lauren laid a hand on Natalie’s shoulder. “That’s her biggest fear. Natalie, if you file your report and give up on her today, what’s going to happen to her?”

  “I don’t know. The decision isn’t up to me.”

  “But you must have some idea.”

  The young woman gave an exasperated sigh. She took several long-legged paces along the quiet hallway, arms falling at her sides in a curiously helpless gesture. When she turned back the sheen of tears was still there.

  “Is there another therapist in the area?” Archer asked. “Maybe another angle on this—”

  “Now you’re threatening my job?”

  He paused and gave her a cool look. Why had Rose placed this inexperienced and self-absorbed young woman on Gina’s case? “You think your job is more important than a young mother keeping her children?” He knew he shouldn’t be talking like this but she brought out his hostility for some reason. Fiona hadn’t helped, neither had the deacons. Maybe he should keep his mouth shut.

  “Natalie,” Lauren’s voice remained gentle. “You’re doing all you know to do, and you obviously care about your clients or you wouldn’t be so frustrated. Gina still has time to realize that if you will just give her time to work with you.”

  “Do you know how much longer I have to complete this assignment? Two weeks at best. Maybe three if I convince the right people I need more time but I’m not making any headway with this woman. She’s like an armored tank. I don’t have enough evidence to convince anyone to even read my report!” She waved a hand in the air. “Report? That’s a laugh.”

  “The safeguards worked today,” Archer said. “That’s progress. Why don’t you put that in your report?”

  “If it will help you with the decision,” Lauren said, “why don’t I move in with Gina for the next week?”

  “No.” Natalie’s angular face took on extra definition. “I can choose the hours I feel are necessary to work each case and I have at least a couple of weeks left. If she needs someone to stay overnight with her, I’ll do it.”

  Doubt clouded Lauren’s eyes but she said no more. Archer could identify. Two stubborn women could make a recipe for disaster.

  With arms jutting at an awkward angle from her straight slender body, Natalie marched down the hallway and out the door.

  Archer watched Lauren watch Natalie and he knew from past experience what she was thinking. “You handled that better than I did.”

  She turned back to him, still frowning. “I don’t know about this, Archer.”

  “You can’t carry the load of the whole world on your back.” Out of habit, he put a companionable arm across her shoulders. Realizing how the gesture might appear to onlookers, he abruptly withdrew it.

  She looked up at him. “Archer? Is something wrong?”

  Obviously, she knew him as well as he knew her. The words of warning were ready to spring from his lips but he stopped them just in time. “I just realized that your meeting is over with Natalie and if we wanted to we could round up the gang and go fishing.”

  The diversionary tactic worked just as he had known it would. Lauren smiled and the light of eager anticipation entered her eyes. “Let me check on Gina one more time then I’ll find Grant. Oh and Archer, would you see if you can round up a spare set of large scrub pants? I think Grant could use some extra coverage. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”

  He watched her rush away. How on earth could he tell her that people in this hospital—and even worse, in the church she served so faithfully—had accused her behind her back of carrying his child? The operative phrase was behind her back. Surely no one would be so crass as to confront her with the rumor. Not even Fiona. The only reason he had been confronted was because those three deluded men actually thought they were acting in the best interest of the church.

  It was a distinct possibility that Lauren would never hear a whisper of it because those people who loved to spread rumors so diligently wouldn’t want to be caught in their lies. Dad had explained that to him years ago and he’d been proven right many times. So why cause Lauren unnecessary pain? What good would it do? She would only suffer humiliation for nothing.

  No, he wasn’t going to tell her.

  ***

  Grant stepped out the back door at the east wing of the hospital, chafing at the sudden heat of the lush June day. He saw Brooke sitting on a bench by the smokers’ area, still chattering to her brother and Evan Webster. The words snake and stinks drifted across the air to him.

  Evan couldn’t seem to close his mouth as he gazed at Brooke in youthful awe, laughing at every silly thing she said, automatically mimicking every nod of her head, every grimace, every smile. The poor kid was besotted already.

  Grant smiled. In spite of his daughter’s brazen audacity she was not a snob in the traditional sense of the word. Brooke wouldn’t encourage Evan’s adoration but she would be surprisingly gentle with it. Eventually they would be friends. She was always kind to hurting things, whether they were wiggling worms or unpopular people. In school she refused to play by the rules of the caste system that established the teenage pecking order. Consequently she had more friends than she could handle. She was very much like her mother in that way.

  Today it looked as if she was being true to form. Maybe she would be okay in Dogwood Springs after all. If only Grant could convince her of that.

  As he watched his kids interact with Evan he heard the door open behind him.

  “You didn’t warn me about her,” came a sweetly teasing voice.

  Grant turned to see Lauren smiling up at him from the open door. “I thought I’d let her catch you by surprise. You handled the shock well.”

  She crossed her arms and ambled outside. “It takes a lot to shock me.”

  Grant chuckled. “Did I tell you she’s already hitting me up for a car?”

  “I’d worry if she weren’t.”

  They watched the kids in silence for a moment. “She’s trying to grow up too fast.”

  Lauren looked up at Grant. �
��What about Beau?”

  Grant shifted his attention to his son, to the serious face that held too much knowledge and pain for one so young. “Unfortunately, I think he already has and it wasn’t his idea.”

  “There’s something special about him,” Lauren said. “He has one of the sweetest spirits of any young man I’ve ever met.”

  If she was trying to win Grant’s undying affection she was going about it the right way. “He has his mother’s heart.”

  “He’ll be a good doctor someday.”

  Grant allowed the assurance of her words to warm him. “He will if he can overcome his self-consciousness about his face when he’s around strangers.”

  “He’s very attractive.” Lauren said it as a simple observation. “Much like his father.”

  The smile of pleasure spread across his face before he could do a thing about it. “Thank you Lauren. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought he was ugly.”

  “I know what you’re talking about but don’t underestimate his ability to adjust. Look at him now. He and Brooke are obviously making a new friend.”

  “I think Evan needs some new friends.”

  “They’ll be good for him.” She paused a moment and an uncharacteristic frown marred her clear features. “You said something a while back that suggested you hovered over him too much.” She spoke slowly and paused to glance up at him as if afraid she might offend him. “Is it possible he picks up on your concern? My parents are far too worried about my singleness at thirty-five. That hurts me because I know I’m disappointing them. I think families—especially loving ones—tend to be a little overprotective.”

  Grant was far from offended. “That’s the word my kids use on me, especially Brooke.”

  Lauren’s frown scattered with laughter. “Leave it to Brooke to point out exactly what she’s thinking at any moment. I do wish you would bring them to church Sunday.”

  “I’ll talk to them about it.”

  “They might be more willing to come if you joined them.”

  He paused. “I know. I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

  “Have you been back to church since the accident?”

  “A few times.”

  Lauren took a step closer to Grant. “My friend, it’s no wonder you show such compassion for your patients. With everything that’s happened in your life, you’ve experienced a taste of torture right here on earth.”

  “Are you talking about Brooke?” As soon as the words were out of Grant’s mouth, he knew how inappropriate they sounded.

  Lauren laughed so loudly the kids turned and looked at her. She placed her hand over her mouth. “If you ever want to talk about it, let me know.”

  Gratitude overwhelmed Grant. He swallowed. “I’ll do that.”

  Chapter 22

  The next Wednesday morning Archer was sitting at his desk with the doors closed. Music drifted through the room loudly enough to drown out the clatter of computer keys and the quiet ring of the telephone at Mrs. Boucher’s desk out in the church office. He was preparing a sermon, reveling in the heartfelt angst of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes and half expecting the three wise men to come tromping through the door again to update him on the latest atrocities circulating about his steamy philanderings.

  He’d just begun to imagine what gracious words of compassionate wisdom might spring from his lips in such a situation when his telephone rang and crashed into his fantasy.

  He picked up the receiver. “Dogwood Springs Bap—”

  “Archer Pierce, I want to know what’s going on at that church.” The female voice was so filled with outrage that he didn’t recognize it for a moment.

  When he did he caught his breath. “Jessica?”

  “I also want to know who gave grumpy old Mr. Netz my unlisted telephone number.” The anger seemed to build with each word.

  “He called you?”

  “You’d better believe he called me. And get this: he thought he had a right to know why I broke our engagement. Of all the—”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Do I sound like I’m kidding?”

  Archer leaned back in his chair. Lord help me.

  “So let’s hear it.”

  He’d had every intention of telling her before this but he hadn’t spoken with her since last Saturday. At the time they’d only had a chance for a quick meal in a busy restaurant between shows. The timing hadn’t seemed right. Of course, Archer had known he was only delaying the inevitable. Well, here it was. “There is apparently a rumor making the rounds about an illicit relationship I’ve been conducting.”

  There was a short silence. “How silly. Those people should know you better than that. Are you supposedly having an affair with a married woman or something?” The dry, tired tone of her voice gave him comfort. She had dismissed the possibility without even giving it a moment’s serious consideration.

  “Not with a married woman. It’s bad enough though. There is apparently a young woman carrying my child.”

  There was a gasp. “How could they even think such a thing, Archer? How dare they?”

  Had he ever forgotten how much he loved Jessica, this moment would have served as an excellent reminder. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “You can’t know how much that means to me right now.”

  “Why? Anyone in his right mind—any logical person without an axe to grind—would never listen to such garbage. Don’t worry, it’ll all blow over. I can’t believe that man had the audacity to bring up the subject.”

  “It wasn’t just Mr. Netz and it hasn’t blown over. Some people want me to resign.”

  This time the silence was long and screaming with increased outrage. And then the tone of it changed. Though Jessica didn’t say a word he could almost hear her mind working, could see her face growing still and her eyes darkening.

  “Then resign,” she said at last. “That church doesn’t deserve you.” She didn’t wait for a reply. “In fact, maybe this is God’s doing. You know what I heard yesterday? Your replacement at your old church in Branson didn’t work out. They’re looking for another youth minister and all you would have to do—”

  “Wait, Jessica. Hold it. You’re saying I should give in? Just like that?”

  “Isn’t that what they want?”

  “I’m not interested in what they want, I only care about what God wants.”

  “What if God does want this? Besides, are they going to give you a choice? If those people want you to resign and you stay and fight, you could split that church right down the middle. Do you think that’s what God wants?”

  “If I resigned it would almost be like I was admitting to something I didn’t do. How is that God’s will? If I allow a group of petty gossips to control the future of the whole church, I’m playing right into the hands of evil. Are you saying that’s what I should do? Leave the church to the devil?”

  There was a soft sigh at the other end. “I don’t know.” It was almost a whisper. “I just don’t know how things could have deteriorated to this point.”

  “Which things are you talking about, Jess?”

  There followed another one of those tightly strung silences as Jessica gathered her thoughts in logical order. This time he couldn’t read those thoughts so easily. Would she be this upset if she didn’t love him?

  “What I think I’m saying is that I can’t marry that church.”

  He closed his eyes and bowed his head. No Lord, please. Not this. “I never asked you to marry the church, Jessica.” He couldn’t keep the sharpness from his voice. “And who said anything about marriage lately? We’re not even engaged.”

  “I know, but I’ve been thinking about that a lot. Before Netz called me I had almost convinced myself to ask you for my ring back.”

  He felt the return of longing all the way to his feet. “Before he called?”

  “Yes, but this brought everything back to me in a rush. Archer, I’ve been asking myself if I would have married you if you were still a youth ministe
r. My answer was yes. I love you. That’s the simple truth. If you weren’t the pastor of Dogwood Springs Baptist we’d still be engaged. I know that’s wrong. It’s my natural instincts outshouting my spiritual maturity but that’s how I feel at this moment. It scares me to death to consider putting myself at the mercy of a bunch of people who don’t even have the discernment to tell the difference between fact and fiction.”

  Archer bit his lower lip and controlled his breathing with difficulty. “And what if I were to take my old job back in Branson, then five years after our wedding I once again became the pastor of Dogwood Springs Baptist? What would you do then? Would our marriage contract have to carry the stipulation that I never answer God’s call in my life to pastor a church?”

  The silence was telling.

  “I thought you didn’t believe in divorce,” he said.

  “I don’t.”

  “I’m sorry, Jess. Nobody but God tells me how I’m going to serve Him.” Archer couldn’t believe he was doing this. How could he allow the love of his life to slip from his grasp?

  “But if we were married it wouldn’t be just you,” she said quietly. “It would be us. Isn’t that right?”

  The truth of her words jolted him. He couldn’t answer. He wasn’t sure of the answer right now.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know this must sound like I’m trying to manipulate you but I’m not. I’m just being honest.”

  Why couldn’t he stop this? They belonged together. Hadn’t God placed this special love in his heart for her? Or was that all just a part of his fantasy?

  “Do you mind if I ask you something?” Her voice came across the line with sudden uncharacteristic timidity.

  “You know you can ask me anything.”

  “Who is the young woman?”

  “Does it matter? It’s a lie. You just told me you didn’t want anything to do with people who listened to such—”

  “It will matter if someone else calls me and tells me about it. I would feel a lot better if it came from you.”

  “But why should it matter if it isn’t true?”

  “Archer.”

  “Lauren McCaffrey.”

  There was a long silence, and then she sucked in her breath. “Oh.”