“I didn’t sleep well last night,” Kell said. He reached for a mug out of the cupboard.“I’m worried about Dan and Betty. Betty won’t even talk to him. It’s making him crazy.”
Matt finished the last of his oatmeal.“A spurned woman is hard to win back. She’s going to need some time, but I think she’ll come around.”
Kell sipped his coffee and then spoke to Jake.“Why don’t you go up and brush your teeth.” Jake wiped the milk off his upper lip and climbed the stairs. Kell glanced out the window at Betty’s Tahoe.“I think she’s pretty happy with the new neighbor.”
“That’s a good thing.” Matt stood and set his bowl in the sink.“Sidney’s nice and Betty’s teaching her how to cook. She’s not going to forget she’s married. Betty needs some space from Dan is all.”
Kell shook his head.“Too much space may kill any chance for them to get back together.”
Matt picked up his coat from the coat hanger and put his arms through the sleeves.“I’m praying about it. I haven’t talked to Betty yet, but I will in the next few weeks.”
“I’ll talk to Betty and see if there’s anything I can do.”
“I don’t think you should rush it. She wants to be left alone. She’s humiliated.”
A few minutes later, Jake came back down the stairs.
Kell ruffled Jake’s hair.“I’ll take you to school today.”
Jake threw his bag over his shoulder.“Sounds good to me.”
He walked outside. Kell glanced back at his dad.“You know, Jake wants to ask Sidney to the banquet.”
The annual autumn banquet was the one major fundraiser for the firefighters that the island did. Matt wiped his hands on a kitchen towel. He nodded.“Jake told me. The only thing I’m sorry about is that I didn’t beat him to it. She’s a lovely woman.”
“I don’t think this is good for Jake. He’s got it in his head to see us become a couple.”
“Worse things have happened, Kell. I don’t think she’d have you, though. I get the feeling Sidney isn’t looking for a relationship.”
“I can assure you she’s not interested in me. I don’t want Jake forming any bonds with women to try and replace his mother. It isn’t healthy.”
“Course it’s healthy. He doesn’t have a mother around him to admire, he’s going to find another woman who he can.” Matt grabbed his jacket.“Jake knows he can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. Just let him like her, no harm in that.”
“I suppose.”
His dad opened the back door and Kell picked up his bag.
“If you see Candace in the next few days, I’m hoping she’ll tell you who the father is. I’ve been praying for her.”
“That’s none of my business. But I’m sure you’ll see her around. You can ask her yourself.”
“Why would I see her? You know Candace doesn’t come to church.”
“She’s staying at the new neighbor’s house. Ms. Franklin hired her.”
Matt’s eyes widened.“Are you serious?”
“Yep. I saw her yesterday with my own two eyes.”
“That Sidney has no idea what she’s getting herself into.”
“I think you’re right. I don’t even think Candace told her she was pregnant.”
“Well, you told her, right?”
“How many times do I have to tell you, Dad? I can’t breech the bounds of doctor patient confidentiality. Even in a small town.”
“That just seems extreme. Sidney has a right to know. It’s for Candace’s own good. It’s not right the young man isn’t taking responsibility for getting her pregnant. You agree, don’t you?”
“That’s not any of our business.”
He stepped into his car. Jake was waiting in the passenger seat.
A while later, Mary was already in the office when he got there. She usually came in after him.
“You’re never this late coming in,” she said.“Big night last night?”
Kell raised an eyebrow.“Depends on whether or not taking care of Dan Holberg’s high blood sugar is considered a big night.”
Mary handed him his appointment chart.“It’s such a shame Betty left him.”
“Can’t blame her though, can we?”
Mary tilted her head.“Men will be men, and you know as well as I, when a man strays it’s for a reason.”
Kell peered up from his clipboard.“I don’t know that. Fidelity is what they swore on oath.” He was half way down the hallway when Mary said something else.
“This afternoon you’ve got another appointment. Astrid Peterson is coming in. She said she needed to talk to you.”
“Is she sick?”
She shook her head.“She didn’t say. She just said she was coming in and wanted to know when you were free. She’ll be here at 3:00 o’clock.”
Mary left him to his paperwork and then the patients began rolling in. He treated two elderly men with high blood pressure and one hippy woman who was having nightmares. Once he figured out she was taking too much medication, he was able to link the nightmares to drugs, and get her the right dosage. Then he saw an elderly woman with arthritis. By the time 3:00 o’clock came, he had almost forgotten about Astrid. She was due to arrive any minute.
Kell tried to avoid family conflicts, especially ones with Astrid Peterson. Candace was of age and he couldn’t legally talk to Astrid about anything.
Mary let him know she had arrived. Kell adjusted his stethoscope, picked up his clipboard, and taking a big breath, opened the door to the patient’s room.
Astrid Peterson sat on the chair next to the patient bed with her purse in her lap, and a face that looked as if she just sucked on a lemon.“Hello, Doctor. I’m glad you had time in your schedule to see me.”
Kell shut the door and sat down on the rolling stool. He set his clipboard in his lap.“Yes. It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Peterson. How are you feeling?”
She laughed, a haughty laugh that made him shiver.“How do you think I’m doing Doctor? My granddaughter has gotten herself pregnant, refuses to tell me who the father is, and has recently moved out. Your own father was supposed to help me find out who the young man is that got her in trouble, but is proving to be useless. I should have known he’d fail me. Most men do.” She sighed and put her hand to her forehead.“Matt has always been the pastor to make peace, never the pastor to ruffle feathers.”
“Mrs. Peterson, I’m sorry you’re so troubled about Candace. I wish there was something I could do to help you.”
Astrid Peterson patted her purse with her hand and then her eyes lit up as if she just came up with a new idea. She pointed at him.“There is.” She leaned forward in her chair.“You can tell me who the father is. I have no intention of raising another child because my granddaughter decided to act just like her impulsive mother.”
Kell took a deep breath. He remembered the story well. Jennifer had gotten pregnant with Candace and wanted to give the baby up for adoption. Astrid wouldn’t let her. She pressured her night and day to do the right thing, which according to Astrid was have the baby, get married, and redeem herself before everyone on the island.
In the end, Jennifer left Candace with Astrid, and disappeared. No one had heard from her in over fifteen years. Kell cleared his throat.“Whatever Candace tells me in this office, stays in this office. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”
“I’m not going to pay her medical bills if I don’t get some answers.”
Kell’s eyes widened. He gripped his chart.“I’m sure Candace and I will work something out. I’m bound to confidentiality Mrs. Peterson, regardless of how much that upsets you.”
“This is ridiculous.” She stood.“I’ve known you your whole life, Matthew Kellen. You may think you’re a big time doctor on this island, but I know you’re nothing more than a washed-up widower. A man with nowhere to go.”
Kell also stood and opened the door with this back toward it, forcing her to back up away from him.“I’ll walk you out, Mrs. Peterson.”
“Ms. Franklin doesn’t need to hear that from me. I’m sure Candace will show Sidney Franklin her strengths and weaknesses without our help.”
He walked her into the waiting room. Astrid’s red face and furious eyes darted around. Kell patted her on the shoulder, as he walked her to the door.“Will you be attending the up-coming fundraiser banquet this year?”
She stiffened up her back and stood tall.“My family is the one who started that fundraiser. Of course, I’ll be there.”
“Good. I look forward to seeing you there. Have a nice day.” After Kell opened the door, he held out his hand, to show her the way out.
Astrid opened her mouth to say something, but remained silent and slammed it shut as if a trying to keep a bug from flying into it. She pulled her purse closer into her body and marched out the door toward her car.
Kell rubbed his cheek for a moment watching her disappear into her car. Her comment about his being a washed-up widower had pierced hit him to the heart. That’s exactly why he didn’t want to date anyone. He feared that after a few dates, a few months with a woman, she’d realize on her own how true Astrid’s words were and then be finished with him. Chelsea’s death had taken the breath out of him. He had finally started breathing again. He didn’t want to risk more heartbreak.
Later on, he needed to warn Sidney Franklin about Astrid Peterson—who, apparently, believed herself to be more important than God on this island.
~
Many hours later, up at the mansion, Sidney sat at the kitchen table with Betty. The two ladies were eating cheese and crackers and Betty had made a batch of fresh hot cocoa they were sipping on. Sidney told her about the call from Jeff.
“What are you going to do?” Betty asked. She leaned towards Sidney and patted her on the arm.“You haven’t talked to him in quite some time, have you?”
Sidney raised her eyebrows.“No. It’s been a few months. I’m not sure what to do. But Betty, he sounded sincere on the phone, like he really misses me.”
“What would your family think?”
Sidney’s raised an eyebrow.“My mother thinks Jeff is a waste of good space. She disliked him right from the start. She thought he was too absorbed in himself. He spent all his free time doing marathons and spent all of last year training for the Iron Man.”
Betty blew on her hot cocoa and threw in a couple marshmallows.“And what do you think?”
“I’m not sure. I need to talk to him before I make any decisions.”
Betty narrowed her eyes and brought the cocoa to her lips. She blew on it for a moment before speaking.“You wouldn’t go back to Seattle, would you?”
Sidney stared in to her mug of steaming cocoa.“I don’t think so. Oh, I don’t know. I suppose it depends on what’s going on with Jeff. He was my husband for ten years. I take my vows and my promises seriously.”
“I do too, dear, but at what cost? What makes you think he’s changed?”
“I don’t. He called and wants to see me. That’s where I’m going to leave it.”
Candace ambled into the kitchen a few minutes later, after they’d changed the subject and were talking about the upcoming Grand Opening. She went straight for the refrigerator. Betty was writing down the menu. They planned to open Thanksgiving weekend.
Sidney picked up her mug of hot cocoa.“I need to go into Seattle in a few days to see my mom.” She took a sip.“I want to put the ad in the magazine when I’m there.”
Betty cocked her head to the side.“You know, I could go with you to find a dress for the upcoming banquet.”
“Which banquet is that?”
“The annual Autumn Banquet. We raise money for the paramedics and firefighters. Dr. Kellen is the speaker. Maybe he’ll ask you to go,” Betty said. Her eyes had a mischievous smirk.
“The only place Dr. Kellen would like to take me is off this island.”
Candace turned.“What about Dr. Kellen?” she asked, biting into an apple.
“Nothing,” Sidney said.“Betty just said something about him asking me to the banquet, and I said I think Dr. Kellen would rather send me off the island.”
“He’s gorgeous. You should go for him,” she said.
Sidney raised one eyebrow.“I get the feeling Dr. Kellen isn’t interested in women.”
Candace grabbed some crackers and cheese and sat down in one of the chairs. She put one foot on the chair and rested her chin on her knee.“Of course he’s interested in women. He’s just better at hiding it than most men.”
“I get the feeling he’s maybe a closet gay.” Sidney said.
Betty choked on her cocoa.“You can’t be serious?”
Sidney nodded.“He came across so determined to make it clear he wants nothing to do with dating, or with women. Does it look like I’m desperate or something?”
Betty set her hand on Sidney’s arm.“Haven’t you learned that the ones who try the hardest are usually the ones the most afraid? Kell aches for a wife. He’s just afraid.”
Candace spoke up.“I don’t think he’s gay. He might be uptight, but he’s totally oozing sex appeal. He’s a regular George Clooney.”
Sidney choked on her cracker and gulped down some cocoa to try and hide her shock.“I can’t believe you think the doctor has sex appeal. He’s probably almost fifty.”
Candace’s face was surprised.“I took you for a woman who prefers older men.”
Sidney crinkled her eyebrows at Candace.“Why would you think that?”
Candace smiled.“Oh, I don’t know. You just seem to have sort of an old soul. I figured you’d prefer an older, wiser man.”
Betty laughed.“Candace, I completely agree with you.”
Candace smiled.“I think you ought to give Dr. Kellen a chance. He’s really nice.”
“I told you! I seriously think he’s got issues with women. Besides, he might be older, but I don’t think he’s all the wiser.”
Betty shook her head.“Sidney, Kell is very wise, and very interested in women. He’s also most certainly noticed you.”
Sidney turned toward the window and stared off at her neighbor’s house.“He noticed that he wants me to stay far away from him, and I have no argument. Besides, I’m not ready for a relationship. I’ve got Jeff to think of.”
Candace’s eyes got all big.“Who’s Jeff?”
“My ex-husband.”
Betty lifted her mug, but spoke to Candace before taking another sip.“He’s come back around wanting Sidney to give him another chance.”
Candace tipped her head.“What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea,” Sidney told her.
Betty’s mouth was open and she was about ready to say something, when the doorbell rang.
Sidney set her cocoa mug on the table and stood up.“That’s funny. I didn’t hear a car drive up.”
Candace offered to answer the door.
“That’s all right. I’ll get it. You finish whatever you were wanting to eat.”
As she walked toward the front door, she straightened her sweater and tried to push her frizzing hair down. Matthew Kellen stood on the porch steps.
“Well, Matthew! What a nice surprise. How are you doing?”
He reached for her hand. His kind smile and gentle touch made her feel warm inside.“Ms. Franklin, I was hoping to have a few words with you?” He eyed their surroundings and leaned in a little, as if he was trying to make sure no one could hear them.
“Yes, of course. But please call me Sidney. Do you want to come in?”
He shook waved his hand in the air.“No, thank you. Perhaps we could walk out a bit. I don’t want your guests to hear what I’ve got to talk to you about.”
This piqued Sidney’s curiosity. She raised an eyebrow.“Sure. Le
t me just grab a jacket.”
A few moments later, they were standing in the rose garden near the waterfront. The petals were falling off the stems, in preparation for the upcoming winter. Under the night sky, stars were popping out one by one, and the water gently lapped up the coastline.
Matthew took a deep breath and stared out at the horizon.“This is certainly a beautiful spot. I was hoping a nice person would come and take over Victor’s house. He’d gotten so old and no one had been able to convince him to hire someone to help maintain it. You’ve done a beautiful job so far.”
“Thank you.” Sidney said, getting restless. She was sure Matthew hadn’t brought her to the brink of her property line to tell her she was doing a nice job.“What exactly did you want to talk to me about?”
He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together.“I wanted to talk to you about Candace.”
“Right.” Sidney’s eyes flickered with recognition. She’d figured someone would be coming to let her know what she had gotten herself into, but she hadn’t expected it to be Matthew.
“She’s pregnant.”
Sidney did everything she could to hide the shock, but she was sure it showed nonetheless. But all the pieces fell into place. Her upset stomach, eating at odd times of the day. And her need to get out of her grandmother’s house. She raised her eyebrows and folded her arms into herself.“Is that so? Candace hadn’t mentioned that particular piece of information to me.”
Matthew spoke with a deep exhale,“I was afraid of that. Her grandmother is worried about her. You see, she’s raised Candace all by herself.”
“She runs The Wild Ivy Inn, right? Candace mentioned her.”
“Yes. She’s quite upset that Candace is pregnant.” He leaned closer towards her and lowered his voice.“The thing is, Candace refuses to tell anyone who the father of the baby is.”
Sidney crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side.“I’m sorry if I seem a bit obtuse, but what does any of this have to do with me?”
Matt cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up higher onto his nose.“There’s two things. One, be careful with Astrid Peterson. She’ll be mighty angry Candace is staying with you. She’s known around this island for her harsh ways.”
An Ordinary Love (A Christian Contemporary Romance) (Sidney's Sanctuary Book 1) Page 8