Ragan's Song (Fairfield Corners #2)

by L. A. Remenicky

  “Ragan? What happened?” he asked as he looked at her chart.

  “I was driving up from Indianapolis when the snowstorm caught me by surprise on County Road 64. We had reached the section where the river runs right next to the road. A deer standing in the middle of the road startled me and I panicked, stomping on the brakes like a novice driver. I don’t remember exactly how, but my car ended up in the river.” She tried to sit up straight and grimaced when the movement disturbed her ankle. “Luckily, someone saw the accident and rescued us.”

  “Were you traveling alone?

  “No, my son, was in the car with me. Thankfully, Skylar wasn’t hurt.” She smiled at the thought of him being warm and safe. “A nurse took him down to the daycare center.”

  “You have a son? Robbie never mentioned that.”

  Ragan dropped her focus to her hands, not wanting to see the look on Mark’s face when she admitted that her own family didn’t know she had a child. “Robbie doesn’t know about Skylar. No one knows.”

  “Well, let’s get you taken care of so you can get back to him. Can I call anyone for you? Robbie? Your parents?”

  “Thanks. It would be great if you could call Robbie for me. He’s the only one who knew I was coming. It was his idea that we come home for Mom and Dad’s anniversary. He should be there by now, and I don’t want him to worry. Please don’t mention Skylar, though; I want to be the one to tell him.”

  Mark arranged a private room for Ragan, and she finally started to relax. The pain medication helped, and she felt drowsy. Skylar was safe, the nurse had assured her they had a social worker on site who would care for him after the daycare closed down for the day. She thought about the phone call she had received from her mom and dad after she had settled into the room, and how she had made them promise to stay home and safe in Fairfield Corners. No sense in them taking a chance on having an accident too. Her dad promised that they wouldn’t leave until the snow plows cleared the roads.

  Ragan had just started to drift off when she saw the door slowly push open, admitting Mark, who carried a sleeping Skylar. “Hey, Ragan, I thought you could use some company,” he whispered. The door had no sooner closed when it opened again, this time to admit an orderly with a portable playpen.

  “Thanks, Mark. I’ll definitely sleep better with my baby in the room.” A single tear escaped and rolled down into her hair.

  Mark placed Skylar in the playpen and covered him with a blanket. He noticed Ragan’s tear and frowned. “Do you need more pain meds?”

  “No, I’m just exhausted. Can you stay until I fall asleep? I just need to know someone is here with me. Mom, Dad, and Robbie should be here first thing in the morning.”

  “No problem. My shift ended, so I can stay for a while.”

  Mark pushed the recliner over next to the bed. After grabbing a pillow from the closet, he settled into the recliner and reached for her hand. He had always been a practical joker and enjoyed retelling stories of his exploits. This time he quietly recounted one about a prank he had pulled on one of his teachers in high school; with Robbie’s help, of course. He yawned as he finished the story and told Ragan good night. Still holding his hand, she drifted off to sleep, smiling at the sound of Mark’s snoring.

  A knock on the door woke Ragan up at eight o’clock. When she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she saw her father enter the room carrying a tray of coffee cups and a Starbucks bag. “Hi, Dad,” she whispered with a sleepy smile. “Is that for me?”

  “Of course, baby girl. I know how you are if you don’t get your caffeine fix.” He leaned over and gingerly kissed her forehead, then turned and reached for the adjustable table and rolled it to her side of the bed. Inside the Starbucks bag were napkins and a variety of muffins.

  Ragan smiled as she sipped her cup, “Where’s Mom?”

  Her dad pulled a chair closer and took her hand. “She rode in with Robbie. They should be here any minute.” He unsuccessfully tried to hide the concern in his eyes. “Are you okay, baby girl? I couldn’t sleep for worrying about you after we spoke last night.” Then he noticed the empty playpen. “Who’s that for?”

  Before she could answer, her mom and Robbie opened the door and rushed to her. “Oh, Ragan!” Her mom broke down crying and the words were scratchy as she asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, Mom, I’m fine. Just some bruises and a few stitches. Nothing to worry about.”

  “From what I hear, it was thanks to Adam. You know, he never really recovered after you left.”

  “Mom, please; no matchmaking. Adam and I are over; I’m sure he doesn’t want anything to do with me after the way I left. Just leave it alone, okay?”

  “If you insist. I think you should give it another chance. He’s settled in and has become a valued member of this community.”

  Ragan’s attention immediately turned away from her mother’s meddling when the door opened. She smiled at the sight of Mark standing in the wide frame with Skylar on his hip. “Mom, just drop it, okay?”

  Robbie jumped forward and offered his hand, “Mark, I had no idea you were back in town until you called last night. Good to see you, man. So, what’s the prognosis?”

  “A sprained ankle and a slight concussion,” Mark replied. He snuggled Skylar against his chest. “Ragan, I took him down to the cafeteria for breakfast. I hope that’s okay.” He set the boy down on the bed next to her, carefully watching as questions appeared in everyone’s eyes. “I’d love to stay, but I’ve got rounds.” He pulled a business card out of his pocket and handed it to Ragan, “Call me when you get settled in. I want to take you out for dinner or something so we can catch up. You too, Robbie.” He walked back towards the door, turning to face her, “Oh, and I just signed your discharge paperwork, so you can leave as soon as you’re ready. Buzz a nurse to send transport with a wheelchair.”

  “I will, Mark. Thanks for taking such great care of me.” She thought she must not look too bad if she’s scoring a date. Granted, she’d known Mark for years, but this was the first time he had noticed her as someone other than Robbie’s sister. Maybe he can take my mind off my problems, including how to keep her darkest secrets from her family.

  Chapter 8

  The fire in the wood-burning stove crackled as Ragan placed a bookmark in her book and placed it in her lap, her thoughts overwhelmed with the conversation she had had with her family yesterday. Explaining why she had left three years before without telling them had been more difficult than she thought it would be, but the real challenge came at explaining why she had kept Skylar a secret. Adam still being in town had complicated things, and she couldn’t tell them that he was Skylar’s father until she had told him, and instead gave them the version she had rehearsed on the flight from England. Not an ideal solution, but it would pacify things until she had worked out what to do next.

  Her family seemed to accept her story, and were eager to get to know the new addition and first grandchild, which still left a more complicated issue to consider. The big problem was how to break the news to Adam. She stared into the sparks of glittering hot ash, mesmerized by an occasional puff of smoke. While it hypnotized her, different scenarios played in her mind.

  When the doorbell rang, it brought her back to the present. It’s too early for the sheriff. Thoughts of Adam storming in and taking Skylar away from her made her cautious about opening the door. She peeked out the window and gasped in surprise; Mark stood on the porch with a bouquet of spring flowers.

  “Mark, I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” She stepped aside and motioned for him to come in.

  “I just wanted to see how you’re feeling.” He switched the flowers to his other hand as he slipped out of his coat and hung it on the coat rack by the door. “How’s your head today? Any dizziness or nausea?”

  “No, no problems.” She smiled as she waited for him to hand her the bouquet. “Are those for me?”

  “Uh, yes, they are,” he said as he held them out to her, a blush staining his chee
ks. “I feel like I’m sixteen and asking Molly Perkins to the Harvest Festival dance.” Glancing down at his feet, he groaned, “I’ll just shut up now.”

  The idea of Mark being nervous around her brought a genuine smile to her face. “Would you like some coffee?

  “Sure,” he grinned a bit more confidently.

  “Make yourself comfortable in the living room. I’ll put these in water and get a fresh pot started.” Limping down the hall, she buried her nose in the bouquet and daydreamed about a relationship with Mark.

  She squealed when Mark ran up behind her, then scooped her up in his arms and strode down the hall toward the kitchen. “What are you doing? I’m perfectly capable of walking to the kitchen.”

  “I can’t let my knight in shining armor status get tarnished by ignoring a lady in distress.”

  Giggling at the cheesy line, Ragan focused directly on him and was surprised at the desire in his eyes. She snuggled closer and brushed her lips across his. The tingle of anticipation of exploring a relationship with him was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat.

  Reluctantly pulling back, she saw Robbie standing in front of the coffee pot, a sly grin on his face. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” he asked as he lifted the carafe and poured some of the brew into the mug that he held.

  “Uh… I…” Mark stammered as he set her down on her feet. “I was just… damn. Way to ruin the moment, Robbie.”

  “Relax, Mark. I think the two of you together is a good thing,” Robbie reassured before he slapped Mark on the back. “You’re just what she needs.”

  Stealthy brother. And he was gone as quickly as he’d appeared.

  Ragan pulled a vase out of the cupboard and filled it with water, giving her cheeks a chance to cool before she turned around and faced Mark. She placed the flowers into the vase and fiddled with them, trying to arrange them just right. “What?” she asked when she finally peeked at Mark’s adorable silly smirk.

  “How could I get so lucky? I basically just got the go-ahead to date the prettiest girl in town,” he broke into a wide grin.

  “I guess you did, but Robbie doesn’t have the final word on the subject. Here, while we sort out the details, I’ll toss the rest of this pot and make some fresh. Then I need to get my foot back up on the ottoman. It’s starting to swell again.” She placed two mugs on the counter and emptied the carafe.

  The sound of Mark’s phone buzzing startled them both.

  He frowned, “Damn, it’s the hospital. I’m on call today, so I’ve got to go. Sorry. How about a raincheck on the coffee?” He stepped closer to her as she turned away from the sink, and brushed a stray hair off her forehead before kissing the corner of her mouth. “The pub always does a great St. Patty’s Day celebration. Go with me?”

  “Okay. Sounds like fun.” She grinned as his phone buzzed again, reminding him that he needed to leave.

  “I’ll pick you up at seven.” He turned and walked down the hall, and she followed him to the front door as she marveled at how easily she said yes to a date. Lowering herself onto the couch, she replayed their almost-kiss in her mind. Suddenly, she lost that thought as she remembered that the sheriff would be there any minute to go over her statement for the accident report.

  She had already given Logan the details on the day of the accident, so she thought it might be an excuse for James to stop and see her. Ragan looked forward to his visit; she hadn’t seen him since she left town three years ago. The doorbell rang and she rose to a sitting position, leaning forward to stand; but the thump of Robbie’s boots on the stairs told her that he’d be there before she could take a step, so she sat back down.

  “Hi, James; how’s that gorgeous wife of yours?” her brother’s greeting carried through the air.

  “Hey, Robbie,” James replied, “I didn’t know you were back; good to see you. And, my wife’s fine, thanks. Don’t get any ideas, smart guy.”

  “Better watch out, I may just steal her right from under your nose,” Robbie said with a chuckle in his voice.

  Ragan was glad to hear Robbie laughing; she had seen the shadow of something on his face when he thought no one was looking. She recalled having asked him about it when they had a moment alone at the hospital, but he had denied anything was wrong. Still, he feels off.

  “Hey, Ragan! The sheriff’s here to take you to jail.” Being back in their childhood home seemed to bring out the sarcastic teenager in her brother.

  “I’m in here,” she yelled back with a grin as she pushed herself up off the couch again.

  After pulling her into a tight hug, James stepped back and took a good look at her from head to toe. “How are you, blondie?”

  “Just a bit sore. The ankle is the worst, but it’ll be back to normal in a couple of days.”

  He frowned when she winced as she lowered herself back onto the couch.

  “I’m glad you’re okay. I saw what was left of your rental when they hauled it in, and it wasn’t pretty. I assume your personal effects were delivered, such as they were. You’re lucky you only got a concussion and a sprained ankle. It could have been much worse.” He spun in a circle on the hardwood floor, searching the room. “So, I hear you have a son? Where is he?”

  “Mom and Dad took him down to the diner for lunch. I’ll bring him around to the sheriff’s office next week so you can meet him.” The questions might as well have been on a running signboard across his forehead: Who is his father? Where is his father? Why didn’t she tell anyone about the baby? Ignoring the obvious, she informed him instead, “And yes, they brought our suitcases to us, and we salvaged what we could.”

  At that moment, Robbie came back into the family room. “I’m going to head over to the diner. Do you need anything before I go?” he asked as he headed towards the front door.

  “No, I’m good.”

  Robbie put his right arm inside the coat sleeve and headed out the door.

  Getting down to business, James listened as she recounted the details of the accident and he scribbled in his notebook as she spoke. “Do you realize how lucky you were that Adam saw the accident? You can’t see the riverbank from the road out there by his house.”

  Ragan shivered as she thought about what might have otherwise happened. She and Skylar might have died out there in the storm.

  James pulled her close to him on the couch and patted her back. “I’ve got to get going. You need to call Cassie; she’s been texting me nonstop since last night.”

  “That’s probably not a very good idea right now because of the way Logan feels about me.” She kissed James on the cheek, glad to have such a good friend, even after everything that had happened. After showing him to the door, she limped back to the couch, set the ice pack back on her foot, and focused on the glow and warmth of the fire. Despite the accident, she was glad Robbie had emailed and suggested they come home for their parent’s thirtieth anniversary. The joy on her mom and dad’s faces when they realized Sky was their grandson was worth everything she had been through the last few days.

  Later that day Ragan gathered her courage and called Cassie. An hour later, she was sitting next to her on the couch, catching up on local news from the past three years.

  “You’ve told me about everyone else in town. Now it’s your turn. What’s new with you?” Ragan hoped Cassie would continue the conversation about herself and others in town. She wasn’t ready to share her own secrets.

  “After Violet was born, things settled down for us, and I eventually went back to work. The bookstore is doing great and the coffee bar is a big hit,” Cassie said with a smile.

  “You look tired. Are you okay? Are you pregnant? Did Logan’s super sperm do the impossible again?”

  “I wish,” Cassie said sadly. “I had some complications after Violet’s birth and ended up having to have a hysterectomy. No more babies for me…”

  “I’m so sorry, Cass,” Ragan said as she carefully leaned close enough for a hug.

  “Logan and I d
ecided we’re going to be foster parents. And you’re right. I am tired, but only because we’ve been attending classes to help us get approved.”

  “That’s great. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” Ragan nodded her approval of their plan.

  “So, enough about me and Logan. I’m still mad at you for leaving before Violet was born; I thought you were going to be there. It’s your turn. You need to tell me why you left without saying goodbye and then dropped off the face of the earth for three years.” Cassie had mixed feelings about her friend and why she had hurt Adam so badly.

  “Honestly, I don’t know where to start. I told you about the grant and when I decided to accept it, I headed for the Congo after stopping in New York for a couple of days to finalize the show. I’m still ashamed about the way I left, but at the time I didn’t see another choice. Adam broke my heart and I was embarrassed and hurt.” She used her arms to push herself to her feet and started to pace, but her limp forced her to sit back down. For a moment, the pop and hiss of the fire tempered the silence of the room. Ragan knew she had to finish this by telling another lie about why she left. I might as well practice it on Cassie first.

  “Was it because he left without telling you?” Cassie asked.

  “I was upset about that, but that wasn’t how he broke my heart. I overheard Logan when Adam called from Georgia. That was a hell of a way to find out that Adam was divorced. I had no idea he had been married or that he had a daughter. Obviously he didn’t love me enough to tell me.”

  Cassie stood and hugged Ragan. “I can’t believe he hadn’t told you. Why are men such idiots? I’m going to have to have a talk with him. He knows better than to treat someone like that.”

  Ragan reached for Cassie’s hand and pulled her close. “No, please don’t. I don’t want to drag all that up again.”