Keep the faith. That’s what the Donahue family did best, wasn’t it? And no matter how terrified he felt, he intended to keep the faith about Sarah and the baby. Hadn’t it been the foundation of his family for the last ten months or so? Whether it was rallying behind Alec Donahue after his stroke and rehabilitation or maintaining their belief that Maggie Donahue’s dementia might go into remission and stabilize, they had all kept the faith. And God had been with them every step of their journey. They had never walked alone. And he knew God was here with them now. He felt it with every fiber of his being.
It was funny, he realized. Keeping the faith in himself had been the hardest challenge of all. After the accident he’d felt hopeless. Why had it been so hard to believe in himself? Why had he wallowed in self-pity for weeks on end until Kaitlyn showed up on his doorstep?
“Don’t worry. I’m not losing faith. Not one bit.” He smiled at Kaitlyn. “I’m actually doing some mental visualization. I’m imagining birthday parties, first steps, Baptism, first day of kindergarten.”
“That’s wonderful,” she gushed. “If you can see it all unfolding it’s so much easier to believe it’s going to happen.”
“Hey you two.” Alec walked up and clapped him on the back. “How are you holding up, Wyatt?” Although his father was projecting a calm demeanor, Wyatt could see the tell-tale signs of stress on his face. His eyes were flickering with something that resembled fear. Nevertheless, he was projecting a strong image.
“We’re hanging in there, Pops,” Wyatt answered, placing his arm around his father and pulling him in for a tight hug. They’d always shared a close relationship, with Alec showing him the ropes early on about how to become a baseball player. Between both of his parents and his siblings, someone had always been at one of his Little League games to cheer him on. Even at that level, they’d all believed in him, which had allowed him to believe in himself. By the time he got to high school, his dreams of being a pro baseball player had been cemented. It still amazed him that his childhood fantasy had become a reality.
Once the hug ended Wyatt could see the sheen of tears in his father’s eyes. He understood all too well. The strain of the last year was no doubt wearing on this strong, nearly invincible man.
“It’s going to be all right,” Wyatt reassured him.
His father sniffed back tears and straightened his posture so he stood taller. “Oh, I know it is. This little Donahue baby is going to thrive. And Sarah is going to make it through with flying colors.”
He turned toward Kaitlyn. “Thanks for being here, K-Kaitlyn. And I am s-so grateful you were at the beach that day to help my Maggie. You’ve always been a godsend for this family. Helping Wyatt with his studies all those years ago and now helping him with his physical therapy.” He shot an approving glance at his son. “He looks like a million bucks.”
Kaitlyn’s cheeks flushed at his father’s praise. “I can’t take all the credit. Wyatt has worked incredibly hard. His accomplishments are proof of that.”
Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Uno cards. “Anyone up for a game? I like to play with Maggie to s-stimulate her memory. She’s always loved card games.”
“Let’s do it,” Wyatt said. “I’m going to ask Remy to join us.” He rubbed his hands together gleefully. “It’s so much fun to beat him.”
Alec and Kaitlyn laughed as Wyatt rounded up a few of his brothers. For the next hour they focused on Uno as a distraction from waiting for news about Sarah and the baby.
A buzz arose in the room when Blue walked in dressed in blue scrubs and a surgical mask hanging around his neck. He looked thoroughly drained.
“Oh, Blue. How are Sarah and the baby?” Sarah’s mother stepped forward. She was wringing her hands
Blue let out a deeply held breath. “Sarah and the baby are both doing fine and resting comfortably.” His lips turned upwards into a tender smile. “We are the proud parents of a four pound, two point five ounce baby girl.”
The room erupted into chaos as everyone began rushing toward Blue and hugging him as well as one another. The mood, which had been so somber moments earlier, was now full of jubilation.
“Hey, what did you decide to name her?” Tess asked.
“For many reasons, we decided that the only name we could possibly choose is…Faith.” Blue’s lip was quivering and tears pooled in his eyes. “I—I want to thank all of you for being here and for your prayers and support. This is the most important day of our lives and we’re just so happy everything turned out so beautifully. It could have turned out very differently.”
Maggie, who was holding on to Blue without any signs of being ready to let go, shook her head and said, “God is good. And Faith is such a perfect name.”
Wyatt turned toward Kaitlyn, who was brushing tears away from her cheeks. Wyatt reached out and swiped one from underneath her eye. “I love a happy ending,” Kaitlyn whispered.
“Can you believe my niece’s name? Faith. I think the big guy upstairs is trying to tell us something.”
Kaitlyn wrinkled her nose. “So what do you think He is trying to tell us?”
“That with faith all things are possible,” Wyatt said with a grin. “A very beautiful woman told me earlier this evening to keep the faith. And she was right.”
Hearing the news about Sarah and Faith made him feel on top of the world. He hadn’t danced in a while, but he felt a sudden urge to grab Kaitlyn’s hand and twirl her around the waiting room. He was learning with each and every day the true meaning of faith. It wasn’t easy to believe when it felt as if everything was crumbling down around you. Or during the times it felt as if God wasn’t listening. But true belief meant choosing God time after time. He chose to believe.
**
Kaitlyn stayed at the hospital until late in the evening, basking in the effusive joy of the Donahue and Dalton families. As she said goodnight to Wyatt she promised to stop by the NICU on her lunch break and check in to see how Blue, Sarah and Faith were doing. She slept in the next morning, feeling fortunate that she didn’t have any sessions until this afternoon. Blue had cancelled his appointment with her, which she completely understood. He wanted to be at the hospital as much as possible in case Blue or Sarah needed anything. Kaitlyn suspected that Wyatt was hoping to get a glimpse of baby Faith. Not that she could blame him.
As she ate her breakfast, Kaitlyn ran through the events of the previous evening. It had been magical in so many ways. Being in the presence of the fabulous Donahue boys and their parents had made her feel as if she was part of something larger than her own life. Everyone had treated her like she was one of their own. It had filled her with such incredible warmth. Praying with them as a group for Blue, Sarah and the baby had been powerful. Even though tension and fear had hung in the air, faith and love had been in abundance. It was the same feeling she experienced when she attended church service.
After arriving at the hospital she spent almost an hour doing a session with Louisa, a cross country runner who had shattered her arm in an accident. They had been working together for four months now, and in the last few weeks, she’d had an incredible breakthrough. Today was her last official session before she began training for her overseas competitions in Europe. Kaitlyn couldn’t help but feel emotional as she hugged Louisa and wished her Godspeed on her journey.
Kaitlyn felt a tremor of excitement building inside her at the thought of checking in on Faith as she’d promised Wyatt. There was something about newborn babies that she found irresistible. Their mere existence represented such hope for the future. Every new life was full of such potential.
As she headed toward the NICU, she stopped short as Wyatt came walking toward her from the opposite direction. She took a moment to admire his appearance. His build was leanly muscled like an athlete. He walked with a type of swagger that spoke of self-confidence. His blonde hair had been cut into a shorter style that made his face even more noticeable. He was smiling at her, showcasing his delicious dimples an
d a pearly-white smile that made her knees weak. Kaitlyn let out a little sigh as her heart began doing a tap dance inside her chest. His eyes were the color of a Caribbean sea. He was wearing blue medical scrubs.
“I was hoping to run into you here,” Wyatt said as they came to a stop in front of each other.
“I thought I would check in on Faith during my lunch break. I like the hair cut by the way,” she said, slightly surprised that her voice hadn’t wavered. Being in Wyatt’s presence always unnerved her a little bit. At the same time it felt exhilarating to be so close to him.
He ran his hair over the top of his head. “It was getting a little shaggy. My Mom actually likes to see her boys with short hair, so I finally took her advice to heart and went to the barber. I think it reminds her of when we were kids.”
“You’re a good son,” Kaitlyn said warmly.
“My parents set the bar really high. They’ve given us nothing but love and devotion, so it’s been fairly easy to give it right back to them.”
“To whom much is given, much his expected.” At her core, Kaitlyn believed this to be true. Her own parents had made so many sacrifices for her and Lacey. It was only when she’d reached adulthood that she’d been able to fully recognize their numerous acts of love and sacrifice.
“Guess what? I actually got to go into the NICU and hold Faith.” Wyatt’s voice rose with excitement. He reminded her of a little boy who’d had his most fervent wish come true. His eyes were shimmering with emotion.
“So that’s why you’re wearing scrubs,” Kaitlyn noted. “They look pretty good on you in case you want to take up a career on the side. Pro baseball player by day, doctor by night.”
Wyatt chuckled. “A doctor? Not a chance. Remember, Kaitlyn. Math and science were not my forte.”
“So, how is she doing? What does she look like? How did it feel to hold her?” Kaitlyn blurted out. After last night she felt compelled to know everything about the wonderful little life that now graced the world. She hadn’t even caught a glimpse of her yet, but Faith Donahue now held a special place in Kaitlyn’s heart.
“Whoa,” Wyatt said, holding up his hands. “Slow down. I can’t keep up with you. For starters, she’s as gorgeous as the day is long. She’s tiny and graceful. Her little fingers are so small with the teeniest fingernails. When I held her I felt like I was holding a rare piece of crystal. I cradled her against me so she could feel my heart beating.” Wyatt shook his head. A look of wonder was etched on his face. “I can’t believe something so wonderful came into our lives.”
“Well, she’s a Donahue isn’t she? I’m not even a little bit surprised,” Kaitlyn quipped. Wyatt had just given her the warm fuzzies with his sweet description of his niece. One minute she was looking into Wyatt’s deep blue eyes and the next thing she knew her head was full of images of her holding her own baby girl in her arms. She was sitting in a rocking chair softly singing a lullaby while Wyatt stood beside her, looking down at their baby.
Whoa! What was that? It felt as if her world had shifted beneath her. What she’d just seen had seemed so real.
Wyatt frowned at her. He reached out and touched her elbow, sending shivers of awareness down her spine. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she reassured him, even though a part of her knew she wasn’t. She was standing here in front of Wyatt fantasizing about a future between them that was about as realistic as her being the next Queen of England. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t sixteen years old anymore!
“And Blue says she’ll be out of the NICU tomorrow,” Wyatt continued to talk. It was incredibly endearing to see him so stoked about the newest Donahue. “She’s doing really well and they put her in there as a precaution after the emergency delivery and her low birth rate.”
Kaitlyn giggled at the way Wyatt was continuing to ramble on. He looked at her, narrowing his eyes. “I’m babbling, aren’t I?”
“Not at all. It’s quite apparent that you’re head over heels in love with Faith.”
“That little cherub makes it easy…to fall in love with her.” Wyatt’s voice was filled with tenderness and awe. An elusive emotion flickered in his eyes. Something electric pulsed in the air between them, an awareness that she knew Wyatt sensed also. All of a sudden things felt anything but platonic between them.
“Kaitlyn, I want to preface this by saying how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me. But you’re fired.”
Kaitlyn’s mouth opened, then closed. She opened it again, trying to find a way of responding to Wyatt’s statement. Fired? Was it possible she hadn’t heard him right? Why was he getting rid of her?
“F-fired?” she sputtered. “Is this a joke? Why would you fire me? You’re making amazing progress. I thought everything was going so well.”
Before she could say another word, Wyatt dipped his head down and placed a kiss on her lips. The sound of her heart pounding thundered in her ears. Kaitlyn couldn’t help but utter a sigh against his lips. He was being so tender with her as his mouth brushed against hers. She’d waited so long for this moment. A lifetime it seemed. She felt Wyatt’s hands on both sides of her face anchoring her to the kiss. As the kiss ended Wyatt placed one last kiss on the tip of her nose.
“Wyatt,” she whispered. “What is going on? One minute you’re firing me and the next you’re kissing me.” She raised a finger to her tingling lips.
Wyatt reached for her hands and held them in his own. “I can’t pretend anymore. I can’t be in your presence and not kiss you. I can’t stop wanting more between us than a physical therapist and her client. You’ve gone on record as saying there can’t be anything romantic between us due to that relationship, so now it’s over. You don’t work for me any longer.”
Wyatt’s words had left her speechless. She couldn’t have been more stunned if someone had asked her to fly to the moon. He was firing her because he wanted to be in a relationship with her? He’d kissed her because he couldn’t stand the thought of not kissing her?
It took her a few beats to figure out how she was feeling about this sudden turn of events. Her belly was doing flip flops. Her hands were trembling. With stunned surprise. What she was feeling was pure, unbridled joy. Wyatt wanted to be with her. He had feelings for her that were so strong he was willing to risk losing her PT services. Since the very first PT session when he’d wanted to kiss her she’d been reining in her feelings because she hadn’t wanted to compromise her professionalism or the services she was providing for him. But now, everything had changed with a few words from Wyatt. His feelings mirrored her own heartfelt emotions, the ones she’d been holding so close to the vest ever since they’d been back in each other’s lives.
His words made her want to click her heels. She felt as if she was soaring way above the clouds. “Wyatt. I-I think that sounds wonderful.” She wanted to play it cool, but she couldn’t. Not with Wyatt. This meant too much to her. And if he was laying it on the line, so could she.
“So, you’re going have to find me a new physical therapist. I still fully intend to be ready for Spring Training in Florida.”
“I’ll make sure she is a he,” Kaitlyn teased. “Now that I know you go for physical therapists.”
Wyatt pulled her close for another kiss. “You’ve got nothing to worry about in that area. I only have eyes for one physical therapist, and baby, it’s you.”
As she allowed herself to surrender to the sweetness of Wyatt’s kiss, she couldn’t help but worry that he was placing too much emphasis on being back on the Bay State Bombers’ roster. Wyatt was chomping at the bit to get back in the game, and although she wanted to encourage and support him, she was starting to wonder if Wyatt’s expectations were unrealistic. Although she fully believed his baseball days weren’t over, she sensed he was getting ahead of himself.
Not wanting to burst his bubble or ruin the romantic mood, she stayed quiet. She said a silent prayer for Wyatt’s progress moving forward. With time, there was no doubt he would rehabilitate h
is leg well enough to make a return to the sport he loved so dearly. But, there would never be any guarantees that he would be at the same level of play as before. As a PT she knew from experience that injuries could flare up again over time. Going forward, Wyatt would have to operate with the knowledge that nothing was set in stone.
Kaitlyn believed in him, and so did the entire Donahue family as well as his Bay State Bombers’ teammates. He was blessed in so many ways: rich in family, pleasing in appearance, abundantly talented and financially sound. It was rare to find a person who possessed all those things in such abundance.
He just had to learn to be patient. The Bible passage from Ecclesiastes ran through her mind. .
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
Perhaps later on she would share it with Wyatt in an attempt to ground him regarding his expectations. The last thing she wanted was for him to be blindsided by bitter disappointment.
“Dance in the rain. Make a snowman at the first snowfall. Kiss a girl under the moonlight. Take chances. Never waste a moment.”
Ryder Donahue
Chapter Seven
It was official. He and Kaitlyn were dating. He didn’t want to get sappy about it, but he’d never been happier. Kaitlyn had the ability to bring things out in him he tended to keep under wraps. With Kaitlyn he was more softhearted and open and less willing to put on the mask he wore so well. She was crashing down his walls, the ones he’d put up decades ago. With her sunny personality, her devotion to helping others and a strong moral compass, she made him want to be a better man, if only to make her proud of him.
True to her word, Kaitlyn had connected him with another physical therapist. Donal Gooden was a former athlete turned PT. He’d been a running back for five years with the Boston Bulldogs and after an injury forced him into retirement, Donal had gone back to school and emerged with a graduate degree in physical therapy. Although he missed working with Kaitlyn, he and Donal were developing a great rapport. As a former athlete, Donal knew all too well what Wyatt was fighting to get back to and he didn’t hesitate to push him to his limits.
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