“I’m glad you are here, Nora. I’m going to transfer Wallace to our cardiac unit. I suspect he has suffered a mild heart attack. We won’t know for sure how serious this is until we can do some additional testing. I’ve already contacted a cardiac specialist to see him.”
“But he was doing so well. You said yourself that he would be able to come home in a few days.”
“I know this is a blow. I simply can’t tell you anything for sure just yet.”
The door to Wallace’s room opened and the hospital staff pushed his bed out. An oxygen mask covered his face and a small monitor bleeped beside him in the bed.
Nora covered her mouth with her fingers. “He’s been through so much already. Dear Lord, how much more can he take?”
At the sound of her voice, Wallace opened his eyes. He managed a weak smile and lifted his hand. She clutched it between hers and walked by his side as they wheeled him down the hall.
Dr. Strickland studied Richard. “I understand there was some kind of altercation in the room before Wallace’s attack. Care to tell me about it?”
“It’s a matter I think will be better left to the police.”
Dr. Strickland raised an eyebrow. “The police?”
“Rest assured, Doctor, I’ll do my best to see that the individual never bothers any of the Hamiltons again.”
Melissa was pretending to rest. She opened one eye to see Heather still sitting in a chair by the window reading. Beyond the drapes the sky was tinted with the red and gold of a glorious sunset. She had arrived at Richard’s house just after noon and so far, any attempt on her part to get out of bed had been quickly squelched by Heather or Angela. The two of them could easily find jobs as prison guards. Melissa never knew her quiet sister could be such a bulldog.
Heather’s cell phone rang. She threw Melissa an apologetic look, then spoke quietly. Melissa couldn’t overhear the conversation, but she saw Heather become noticeably upset as she hurried out of the room. Melissa sat up and waited.
When her sister reentered a few minutes later, Melissa was determined to find out what was wrong. “Heather, what is it?”
A look of indecision flashed across Heather’s face, but was gone in an instant. Meeting Melissa’s eyes, she said, “Dad has had another setback.”
“Oh, no!”
“He’s stable for now, but he’s in the cardiac unit. Apparently, they think he’s had a minor heart attack. They’re getting him ready for a heart catheter. Amy, Chris and Tim are with Mom.”
Melissa threw back the quilt. “We should be there, too.”
Heather planted herself in front of her sister. “You aren’t going anywhere. Your doctor said bed rest for twenty-four hours.”
Melissa chewed her lip in indecision. “I’ve neglected Mom and all of you for far too long. I should be there.”
“Mom said you would say that. Her instructions are for me to keep you here by any means necessary.”
She couldn’t bring herself to ask if her argument with her father had brought this on. “Are you sure he’s okay?”
“I only know what Mom told me.”
Melissa settled back against the padded headboard. “You go. I’ll be fine here. Angela and the girls will keep an eye on me. Tell Mom I’m doing just as I should, and she isn’t to worry about me for a minute.”
“Like that will make her stop worrying.”
Melissa spread her hand on her tummy. “I think worry is what mothers do best. You go and call me with an update. I don’t care how late it is. I’ll stay in bed, but I won’t sleep a wink until I know Daddy is okay.”
“All right,” Heather conceded. It was obvious she wanted to go to the hospital and just as obvious she thought she should stay.
Pulling the covers over her lap and smoothing them with deliberate care, Melissa sought a way to mollify her sister. “Why don’t you see if Angela or one of the girls can sit with me for a while?”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ll be fine. Go.”
“Okay, but only if someone can sit with you.” She left the room and a few minutes later she was back, not with Angela, but with Richard.
“Will I do?” he asked from the doorway. “Angela is making supper and Dave has taken the girls out to see the progress on the house. They should be back in half an hour. Angela thought keeping the girls out from underfoot was the best way to see you got some rest.”
“You’ll do in a pinch. Pull up a chair.” Melissa tried to keep the happy skip of her heart from showing in her voice or on her face. Whenever he was near she felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and happiness.
Heather hovered near the door. Melissa shooed her with one hand. “Go! And let me know how Daddy is doing as soon as you hear anything new.”
“Now you sound like Amy. No one would think I’m the older sister here. All right, I’m going.” She headed out the door, leaving it open behind her.
Melissa watched Richard pull a chair up beside the bed. “Did you hear about Daddy?”
“I did. Actually, I was there when it happened.”
He didn’t quite meet her gaze. Something wasn’t right. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I have strict instructions not to upset you.”
“Is Daddy worse than Heather said?”
“No, it isn’t that.”
“Richard McNeil, you have not begun to see upset unless you tell me right this instant what you’re hiding.”
He glanced toward the door, then leaned forward, his elbows propped on his knees. “Dean is back in town.”
“Dean is from Davis Landing. Why should it matter that he’s back?”
“I wasn’t sure how you would feel about that.”
“I think if you told me there was a fly in my soup I’d feel about the same—annoyed and a little sick, but not crushed. How did you find out he was back?” She watched Richard take a deep breath. Suddenly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear more.
“He went to see your father today.”
“Dean went to see Daddy? Why?”
“He tried to force Wallace to pay him money.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. My pregnancy is front-page news. It’s not like the family is trying to hide it.”
“Dean demanded money in exchange for signing the adoption papers. He said he wouldn’t relinquish his rights otherwise.”
“He can’t do that, can he?”
“No, he can’t. It’s illegal on several counts. He can’t profit from an adoption, and he can’t demand money in exchange for his cooperation. That’s extortion.”
She had never seen anyone who looked as hangdog as Richard did. Suddenly, she thought she understood. “You had Dean arrested, didn’t you?”
“I’m an officer of the court. He was breaking the law. I had no choice.”
“Oh, no.”
“I hope you aren’t worried about him. I doubt if he’s still in jail. I understand from Chris that he was yelling for his lawyer all the way in.”
“Of course I’m not worried about Dean. He’s been in jail before. I can’t believe I once thought that made him romantic. I’m upset because I brought more suffering to my father, more worry to my mother and more trouble for you.”
“Dean caused the problems, not you.”
“That’s a pretty fine line, Counselor. If I hadn’t hooked up with Dean, a lot of misery could have been avoided.”
Richard pulled his chair closer and took her hand between his. “The past can’t be changed. We have to look to the future. Your future and your baby’s future.”
“You’re right. I won’t wallow in self-pity. Once Dean hears that I’m keeping the baby, he’ll take off again.”
“Melissa, Dean can make trouble for you and for your baby for years and years.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s the child’s father. He has the exact same rights that you have. If he wants, he can take the baby away and you won’t have a legal leg to stand on.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“I’m dead serious. I’ve seen it time and again. But we have another option.”
“What option?”
“Hear me out before you say anything. In this state, when a woman marries, her husband is the presumed father under the law. It makes no difference who the child’s biological father is, her husband is the legal father. Do you understand that?”
“Sort of.”
“What I’m trying to say is that if you were to get married, your husband would be the baby’s father. Now, Dean might be able to pursue a lengthy court battle to gain legal custody, but I believe that is unlikely.”
“Richard, you’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, are you?”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know this isn’t the way a woman wants a man to propose, but Melissa, you must know that I care about you deeply. I can be a husband to you and a father to your child. I can keep both of you safe. Give me the chance. Give me the honor. Will you marry me?”
Chapter Fifteen
Melissa stared at Richard, hardly believing that she had heard him correctly. Had he really just proposed? Was he kidding? Her heart leaped into triple time. Excitement danced along her nerve endings. She looked into his eyes, trying to read the emotion there, then blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You can’t be serious, can you?”
He met her gaze without flinching. “I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
The realization of what he was asking hit her. “I don’t know what to say.”
“‘Yes’ would be a good answer.”
Oh, how she wanted to shout the word. If only she could. It would be so easy to say yes, to put her future and her baby’s future into his capable hands. He cared deeply for her. But that wasn’t the same as love.
Her happiness fell as quickly as it had risen, leaving a hollow emptiness that might never be filled.
She reached out and laid her fingers on his cheek. “That is the most gallant and selfless thing anyone has ever done for me.”
“I’m not trying to be gallant.”
“Yes, you are. Believe me when I say it is a tempting offer.”
What an understatement. She looked down and began to smooth the edges of the sheet. He would shoulder all her troubles if she let him. It was a marvelous offer, if only he had said the words she longed to hear.
She loved him, but he didn’t love her. That he was willing to give up finding his soul mate and settle for taking care of one unworthy woman and a child that wasn’t his spoke volumes about the kind of man he truly was. That she was able to refuse his offer said something about the woman he had helped her to become.
He sat back. “You don’t have to give me an answer tonight. I know my timing is lousy.”
“Richard, you are a fine man. I think if you had asked me two days ago, I might have said yes.”
Disappointment overshadowed the hope in his eyes. “But not now?”
Her next words almost broke her heart. “I won’t let you make such a sacrifice for us.”
“I’m not making a sacrifice.”
“Even if you don’t see it that way, I always would. That isn’t fair to either of us.”
“I’m going about this all wrong. Please reconsider, or at least take some time to think about it. Think about what this would mean for the baby.”
“Thinking about it won’t change my mind. I know you are doing this to protect me, but I don’t need protection. I’ll deal with Dean on my own terms. When I found the courage to tell my father that I’m keeping my baby, something changed for me. I know now that I can fight for her. I’m determined to make a life for the two of us. I understand that you want to help and I love you for that, but I’m asking you as a friend, a dear friend, let me make my own choices. Let me fight my own battles. Have faith in me.”
“I do. You know that.”
“Thank you. Now, I think I’d like to try and sleep for a little while.” In a minute, she would start crying, and she didn’t want him to see that.
He rose and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Of course. If there is anything you need, just call out.”
“I will.”
When he walked out the door, Melissa lay down and pulled the pillow to her face to muffle the sound of her sobs.
Richard walked down the hall and into the family room. He could hear Angela in the kitchen, but he didn’t want company. He couldn’t face anyone at this moment. Instead, he let himself out through the French doors that led to the covered patio.
The cool night air brushed his hot cheeks as he leaned against the smooth wooden post. The sounds of the night were settling over the neighborhood. Crickets chirped in the bushes, the breeze rustled the turning leaves. The hum of traffic was only sporadic now. Somewhere a car horn honked. They were such mundane sounds. There was nothing to indicate that this night was any different from a hundred other nights except the tightness in his throat.
She had said no. He had botched the whole thing. The great attorney had messed up the most important argument of his life. She loved him like a dear friend. How inane that sounded.
No, he chided himself, Melissa’s friendship was a great gift. Because she did not have more to offer him didn’t mean he should value that friendship any less.
He walked out into the yard, away from the light and any prying eyes that might see him. There was a small bench at the end of the garden and he dropped onto the cold stone, putting his head in his hands as he tried to figure out what to do next.
“Lord, help me. I thought this was the right thing. I thought this was what You wanted from me. What do I do now?”
What was there to do? Nothing. She said no. She wanted to make a life for herself and for her baby. Her brave words showed exactly the kind of courage he always suspected she possessed. He would have to respect her wishes.
If he could just find a way to live with that.
The next morning, Melissa ventured out of her room reluctantly. She wasn’t sure if she could face Richard without blurting out that she loved him or bursting into tears because he didn’t love her.
She certainly hadn’t gotten much sleep. As if a broken heart wasn’t enough to keep her awake, her wrist ached all through the night. At least Heather’s phone call had relieved her of one worry. Their father was stable, for now.
Settling herself at the kitchen table, Melissa accepted a cup of tea from Angela. She blew on the hot brew and tried to sound casual. “Is Richard up?”
“He left about half an hour ago. He said he had a busy day planned and that he would be late tonight. Did you need to speak to him?”
Melissa shook her head, then took a sip of her tea. At least she wasn’t going to have to face him, yet. “Angela, can I ask you a favor?”
“Certainly.”
“I want to apply for the work study program at the university. Can you bring me the forms?”
Angela’s eyes widened. “Does this mean you’re keeping the baby?”
“Yes, and I need a better job if I’m going to support both of us. The only way I can do that is to go back and finish school.”
Throwing her arms around Melissa, Angela gave her a quick hug. “I’m so happy for you and so proud of you. Wait until the girls hear this. They’re going to be as excited as I am. Of course I’ll bring you the forms, and I’ll talk to my friend who is looking for a research assistant. Girl, we are going to have you hitting the books in no time.”
“You mean next semester. It’s too late to enroll for this one.”
“I’m not sure of the cutoff date, but I really want you to meet Barbara Haggerty. I think the two of you have a lot in common, especially your interest in women writers.”
Melissa tried not to get her hopes up. “If she really needs an assistant, she isn’t going to be able to wait until next semester. I see how heavy your workload is. Besides, I know I can’t get a work study job unless I’m already enrolled as a student.”
Angela
looked crestfallen. “True, but I’ll ask Barbara to meet with you, anyway. She might be able to work something out.”
After Richard’s sister left, Melissa managed to get both girls out the door for school before she finally had a moment to call her mother. Nora answered on the second ring.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hello, darling. How are you?”
“I’m fine. Both of us are fine. How’s Dad this morning?”
“Complaining about the food.”
“That’s a good sign.”
“A very good sign.”
“What does Dr. Strickland say?”
“He told us your father had a mild heart attack. The heart cath last night showed a small area of blockage in one of his coronary arteries. They opened it with a balloon angioplasty, but he’s going to be monitored closely for at least another two weeks. The doctor is concerned that the antifungal medications your father is taking may complicate his recovery.”
“Then Dad won’t be home for Thanksgiving?”
“No. We are all very disappointed, but having him well is more important than having him home.”
“Give him my love, will you? And tell him I’m sorry…about everything, especially about Dean’s behavior.”
“Honey, that wasn’t your fault. You mustn’t blame yourself.”
“I don’t. Dean can take credit for his own despicable behavior. I’m just sorry I gave him a reason to subject Dad to it.”
After hanging up, Melissa dressed and went in to work. Ed Bradshaw was waiting by her desk when she arrived.
“Melissa, I’ve been looking over the information you gathered on Lettie McNeil. I’m impressed with what you have.”
“Thank you.”
“I want you to go ahead with the research. When you have a story you think is ready to run, come see me.”
“I know it will make a great story.” A bubble of happiness pushed aside her somber thoughts. He liked her idea.
He motioned toward her stomach. “Are you feeling okay? I heard about your accident.”
“I sprained my wrist, but otherwise I’m fine.”
“That’s good. Well, don’t just stand there. Croft in advertising needs a hand. We’ve got a paper to run. It’s not going to print itself.”
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