Samuel placed his hat over disheveled white hair. “My sister in St. Louis is doing poorly. I spent more time tending to her on my most recent trip than I did at the hospital. So I plan to go live with her and look after her needs. If I know my sister, she’ll keep me plenty busy.”
He paused in the doorway, meeting Jake’s eyes. “Dr. Hadley, I suggest you grab the happiness that’s right in front of you. Don’t let the past weigh down your future like I let mine.” He bent his head meaningfully in Coralee’s direction and it was all Jake could do not to laugh. It was hard to believe his staunch, practical mentor was playing a little matchmaker.
Then Samuel was gone. Jake and Coralee both stared at the empty doorway, processing all that had just happened. Jake’s heart ached for Samuel and the burden the older man had carried on his own for so long. Seeing such a proud man broken down made Jake realize that he could end up the same way if he didn’t make things right with Coralee.
* * *
After a day filled with so many emotional revelations, Coralee had a good night of deep, dreamless sleep. She woke to find her sisters and Aunt Lily gathered at home, a rare event for a weekday. The four women sat in their favorite seats to eat breakfast while Coralee caught them up on the events of the last few days.
“I can’t believe that old grump was married. She must have been some woman to put up with him,” Cat grumbled while she nibbled a slice of bread spread with butter.
“What happens now, Coralee? Dr. Jay can’t think people will take this lightly.” Cecilia, ever concerned about others, sipped her tea with a furrowed brow.
“Dr. Jay is moving to St. Louis to care for his sister. And Jake has the paperwork to make the practice his. He finally gets to see his dream fulfilled.” Coralee tried to sound happy but it was clear from the looks on the faces around her that she wasn’t succeeding.
“It sounds like a happy ending, but you don’t look too pleased, my girl.”
Coralee avoided Aunt Lily’s eyes. “Yes, it’s a happy ending for Jake. And maybe for Dr. Jay. But I don’t know what to do next. The shop is gone and there’s no money to rebuild it.” She could hear the contrary tone in her own voice, but didn’t bother to try to hide it. She had forgiven Dr. Jay, but that didn’t mean it would be pleasant to live with the consequences of his actions.
Cat’s eyebrows shot up. “I’ve never known you to fuss about things like this, Coralee. Why don’t you admit what’s really upsetting you?”
“And what would that be, Cat?” Coralee’s shoulders tensed. Who was Cat to talk about fessing up? She never shared her feelings about anything.
“You know very well. I’ve seen the way you blush when Jake Hadley’s around.”
As Cat spoke, Coralee almost wanted to wipe the smug look off her sister’s face. But if she was honest, she was tired of avoiding her feelings all the time. It was making her cranky. “You’re right, Cat.”
Her youngest sister started to argue then stopped short. “Wait, did you just admit I’m right?”
Aunt Lily chuckled. “It’s about time someone around here displayed some honesty. Coralee, dear, what are you saying, exactly?”
“Cat’s right. I care for Jake. I thought he cared for me, too, but he chose to shut me out of his life. He almost died the night of the fire. Shouldn’t that be enough to make him admit any feelings he might have for me?” Jake’s kiss flashed in her mind, bringing heat to her cheeks. But she wasn’t about to mention it to her family. It was hard to believe that one kiss meant anything when he hadn’t made any promises to go with it. Her heart skipped a beat as she relived the moment his lips touched hers. Could it possibly mean what she hoped, after all?
She looked up to see an understanding smile on Aunt Lily’s wrinkled face. “Men do things in their own time. Give him a chance to admit he can’t live without you. He’s probably already realized that and is trying to find the perfect way to say it.”
Cecilia nodded emphatically, a dreamy look on her face. “He can’t talk, after all. I’ll bet he’s waiting until his throat heals and then he’ll tell you everything you’ve been waiting to hear.”
Coralee didn’t want to ask the question, but it snuck out anyway. “But what if he pushes me out of his life again?”
“You have to decide if you can trust him, even if it seems like he’s excluding you. It takes time to change and grow. It takes practice. He’ll forget, sometimes, and try to do things alone. But if you’re still standing there next to him, he’ll realize he messed up and fix it.”
Coralee stared at her aunt, understanding for the first time what had gone wrong all those years ago. When Jake had left her out of his decision to go to St. Louis, she hadn’t trusted that he was thinking about her dreams, too. Without knowing his feelings, she had been too afraid to trust him. So she’d walked away without giving him a chance to realize his mistake or to fix it. If she had stayed with him, given him time to explain his intentions instead of running, would the situation have played out differently? She had thought he loved her. Would that have turned out to be true if she’d given him the chance to tell her?
The women started to stir from their seats, each setting out to their own activities for the day. Coralee headed to the Hadley farm, having promised to spend some time with the twins to give Ezra and Beth a break. But when she arrived, she was surprised to see several empty buggies waiting near the house. Had Beth forgotten to tell her about a ladies’ society meeting?
There was no one in sight, so Coralee let herself in the kitchen door. She would just peek in on whatever meeting was happening and get Beth’s attention, let the older woman know she was there. Inside the neat parlor, Coralee’s eyes fell on Jake first. A jolt of excitement raced up her spine. He was sitting up in a chair and looking much improved from yesterday. Her gaze traveled the room, taking in the mayor, Charlie, Beth and several prominent Spring Hill businessmen. This was no ladies’ society meeting.
Charlie was speaking to the group in a tone that was unusually serious for him. “Dr. Hadley and I have had our differences in the past. But I must agree with everything he’s written in the proposal for this meeting. Spring Hill is growing in leaps and bounds. This fire was devastating, but if we don’t plan ahead, next time could be worse. Loss of property is one thing. Loss of life is another. So I will support his suggestion to raise funds for fire equipment and the training of a brigade, both with my time and finances. I hope that each of you gentlemen will choose do the same.”
As the room filled with conversation about the proposal, Coralee stepped back into the kitchen, leaning against the wall next to the open door. Jake had put together this meeting to start a campaign raising money for a proper fire brigade?
Her heart filled with emotions too big for words. His gesture of concern and love for their town brought clarity to the confusion that had plagued her since his return. Jake showed his affection in quiet, practical ways. Maybe he wasn’t good at remembering to involve her in his decisions. She hadn’t exactly done that, either. Wasn’t that something they could work through together if she would give him the chance?
Coralee peered around the doorway into the parlor again. Jake was scribbling on his paper, writing out answers to questions as the men in the room talked. In spite of how frustrating it must be to write out every word, his eyes were shining and he held his chin high. She could see he was pleased to be able to do something to help the town he loved.
Memories flitted through her mind of all the times he’d gone out of his way to help her. Especially recently, when he had given up time in the clinic—his own dream—to help with her medication. And the way he had taken in the twins, changing his life around to accommodate the needs of children who weren’t even his own. Even now, not fully recovered from his injuries, he was working to make others safer. Maybe he didn’t say it the way she expected, but it was so clear now that Jake cared
about her. His everyday actions showed it.
Leaning against the wall in the Hadleys’ kitchen with the hum of voices filtering through the doorway, Coralee realized that she had failed. All the time she had spent trying to protect her heart from pain and risk had been wasted. She was in love with Jake. And it was fine. More than fine. She couldn’t stop the smile that broke out on her face. Yes, she could lose him at any moment. He could—and probably would—hurt her again someday. He was only human, after all. He might not even want her in his life anymore.
But the truth Aunt Lily had been trying to tell her for months was finally sinking in. She had the choice to give in to her fears or to stand for what she wanted in spite of them. And it was time for her to stand. She had already lived through one of the things she had been most afraid of when she lost Papa’s shop. It was a nightmare, but she had survived. And she would do the same if Jake didn’t love her. She knew now that the possibility of spending her life loving him far outweighed the risk to her heart.
Chapter Eleven
Jake leaned back in the chair, trying to gather his strength to head upstairs and lay down for a rest. His guests had just left with a flurry of handshakes and pleased discussion. He was getting ready to push up from the seat when movement at the kitchen door caught his attention. Just the sight of Coralee standing there in a flattering, flowered dress with her dark hair curling around her face gave him a burst of energy.
She had left right on the heels of Samuel’s visit the day before and Jake worried all night that his kiss had scared her off. But here she was, looking for all the world like she was happy to see him. She crossed the room and stood near him, blue eyes sparkling.
“Jake, you’re downstairs. That’s a wonderful sign. You must be feeling quite a bit better.”
He started to grab his paper to write out a response but she stayed his hand with a touch. From her spot across the room, his mother cleared her throat, causing a pretty flush to creep up Coralee’s cheeks.
“I’m sorry we weren’t able to greet you when you got here. Jake, here, had a wonderful idea to raise money for fire equipment and a brigade. The ladies’ society will put on several events now that the town leaders have given their approval for the plan.”
Coralee turned back to him, warmth in her gaze. “And it was all your idea?”
He shrugged. Her approval was gratifying but he had to admit that someone would have done it eventually. He had just started the process before anyone else.
She leaned over and gave him a brief hug. Too brief for his liking. As she pulled away, little footsteps echoed from the kitchen. They turned and watched Louisa and Phillip skipping in, Pa following close behind. The older man lowered himself into a chair with some effort. “Whew. Those two sure have more than their share of energy. I’m beat.”
The children noticed Coralee and ran to greet her. “Coree!” Louisa gave Coralee’s legs a quick squeeze then climbed up in Jake’s lap, leaning her head back against his chest.
Phillip happily started emptying his pockets, showing off every treasure to the adults in the room. “Little rocks. And grass.”
“Those are so nice, Phillip.”
The boy looked up at her with big eyes. “Coree, I miss you.”
“Oh, darling. I missed you, too.”
Jake’s heart ached as he watched her envelop the boy in a tight embrace. How could he ever have thought separating himself and the children from Coralee was a good idea? The twins had lost so much in their short lives. Jake found that all he wanted now was to give them back anything he could. If they wanted time with Coralee, he would see that they got it, no matter what.
Jake set Louisa down and pushed up from his chair, still feeling a bit sore. He offered his arm to Coralee, raising his eyebrows in question. His heart lifted when she took his arm without hesitation. With the twins following along, he led Coralee through the kitchen and out the back door.
Taking the children’s hands, he and Coralee strolled around the yard. They walked through the barn, pausing at every stall, where Coralee talked with the twins about the animals. Jake’s heart swelled when he heard how well Louisa was saying animal names and sounds. The children were growing so quickly and seemed to be thriving. He and the twins had come a long way since those first few uncertain days.
It was easy to see, as he stood watching the children interact with Coralee, just how she would fit into their new little family. For the first time since returning to Spring Hill, Jake let himself imagine what life would be like with Coralee. The idea of sharing a home with her, raising the twins together and spending their days together, was appealing. But maybe that wasn’t what she wanted. Was her heart still tied to Alan? Would she want to rebuild Holbrook’s and run it again, alone? He knew this time he needed to ask for her opinion.
By the time they returned to the porch, Jake lowered himself into a chair, frustrated to find that he needed a rest. In theory, he knew that the healing would take time. But the reality of simple things taking longer was hard to swallow. Coralee must have noticed his eyes drooping. She led the twins near the porch and showed them how to draw in the dirt with small sticks. Then she joined him and settled into her own rocking chair.
“Are you terribly tired?”
He shook his head and indicated with his fingers that it was only a little. He didn’t want her to fuss over him when all he needed was a rest. Pulling out his paper, he wrote a question and turned the page so she could read it.
What do you plan to do about the shop?
Her gaze slid away from him and a small sigh escaped her lips. “I don’t know, Jake. The shop has been my life since...well, since Alan died. Without it, I don’t have much of a purpose.”
Jake scribbled his response, wishing he could just tell her how wrong that was.
Holbrook’s didn’t define who you are. It was important to you, but not the whole purpose of your life. We don’t have any idea what God may have in store, but there’s a reason for what happened to the shop. You can trust that He’ll lead you in the right direction.
As she read, her mouth hung open then snapped closed. She bit her lip. “Do you think so? For so long, I’ve felt like the shop was God’s only purpose for me. That’s all I had left. No husband, no children, no Papa.”
I know God’s purpose for you is bigger than that. You may not see it right now, but I know it will be wonderful.
Once she had read it, Jake took the paper and slid it back in his pocket. He stood and pulled her up, wrapping his arms around her. She rested her head on his shoulder. He could have stood there holding her forever, but he felt a tug on his trouser leg and turned to see Louisa. Coralee pulled away and grinned as Phillip ran up, too.
“Thank you for helping me realize the truth. Everything you said is just what I needed to hear. I’m going to make it a point to pray for direction and see where God leads. Now, I’ll play with the children and you rest up. This town needs you healthy, Dr. Hadley.”
* * *
Over the next week Jake felt better all the time. He still tried to rest his voice now and then, but the swelling and pain were completely gone. By the time the first event to raise money for the fire equipment rolled around, he was more than ready to escape the farm for a few hours.
The amount of work the women from the ladies’ society had done in just a few days was incredible. Early that morning, Jake had left the twins with his parents and headed to the café to check on their progress. The yard behind the building had been transformed into an elegant location for an afternoon tea. Tables had been moved from the café and were set with a variety of linens and pretty china gathered from the women’s own homes. The trees along the bank of the creek were decorated with ribbon streamers as a backdrop to a small platform where the announcements would take place.
The women shooed Jake away almost as soon as he
got there, so he left them to finish and went to the clinic. It was the first time he’d been back since the fire and Samuel’s confession. He had a hard time believing it was all his now. The path had been much more convoluted than he had ever imagined, but the dreams Jake had held close for years were finally clicking into place. God had been faithful to him.
As the time for the tea approached, Jake finished up his work in the clinic. He had moved most of the furniture out of the waiting room and cleared the walls. Just a few more preparations and the clinic was ready for a special surprise he had planned for Coralee when the afternoon tea was over. Once he was pleased with his efforts, Jake locked the clinic and started his walk down the street to the café.
It wasn’t that far to the event, but he found that people wanted to stop and talk with him every few feet. Everyone had heard that the only injury from the fire was the new doctor. And many had heard that he was now the town’s only doctor, although they didn’t know the circumstances behind Samuel’s departure. Naturally, anyone who recognized him wanted to ask about his health and when he would be returning to the practice.
But as time ticked away and Jake wasn’t able to make any progress in getting to the café he started to get frustrated. This day was too important to be stuck chatting with every neighbor he passed. He didn’t want to be late and miss being by Coralee’s side.
He managed to slip away from a quick chat with James and Martha Smith and offer a brief wave as he passed Mrs. Hardy from the boardinghouse. Finally he made it to the yard behind the café. Charlie was just taking the stage to start the event when Jake slid into a seat next to Coralee. Her beaming smile was worth the trouble it had taken to get there on time.
The crowd hushed when Charlie raised his hands and started speaking. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming today. We’re gathered for a cause that is important to all of us in the wake of our recent tragedy. The funds gathered from this and several other events will go toward purchasing fire equipment and training a fire brigade to protect our fine town from future fires.”
Taking on Twins Page 20