Randall Honor

by Judy Christenberry

  “Well, I’m not going to Chicago, so you have nothing to worry about,” Tori assured him, tears in her eyes.

  Anna came around the table and joined in the group hug. “I didn’t want you to leave, either. Chicago! That would be horrible.”

  “This is all Jon’s fault. I want you to go back home and forget about all of this. If I have a problem, I’ll let you know. If the doctor complains, just ignore him.”

  “But, darling, this would all be over if you took the test after two weeks,” Anna reminded her.

  “I know,” she said softly. Then she wiped the tears away. “Now, I’m going to visit a certain doctor and explain the facts of life to him. Sorry I upset you both.”

  She strode out of her apartment, a determined look on her face.

  Chapter Eleven

  The walk to the clinic wasn’t long. But it was long enough to make Tori realize she didn’t want to confront the doctor in front of an audience. She didn’t want to confront him at all. She knew she’d have to take a test, ultimately, but it was too early. When it was necessary, she’d do it. But she wanted him to leave her alone until then.

  He began seeing patients at nine o’clock. She had ten minutes to inform him, privately, that he’d have a war on his hands if he dared reveal their secrets publicly. And that she had no desire to marry him. A reluctant bridegroom would not be her idea of happiness.

  If he loved her—she dropped that thought at once. It wasn’t in the realm of possibilities. She never intended to marry unless she and her future husband loved each other, like her mother and father.

  Totally. Completely. Forever.

  Not for four years. Because she wasn’t living in Chicago.

  “Good morning, Faye,” Tori said, forcing the smile on her face. “I know it’s before nine, but would it be possible for me to see the doctor?”

  Faye lifted the phone as she said, “I’ll check,” a big smile on her face.

  Almost before she had hung up the phone, the door opened and Jon appeared. “Tori? What’s wrong?”

  She fought to keep the calm smile on her lips. “May I see you in your office, Doctor?”

  He glanced at Faye and stepped back, waving her through the door that led to his office. Once they’d reached his office and he’d closed the door behind both of them, he asked again, “What’s wrong? Are you sick? Did you throw up this morning?”

  “No! But I felt like it, because my parents came to see me to talk about my unborn child.”

  “You wouldn’t talk to me. I thought you should talk to someone.”

  “Jon, I’m an adult. I get to make decisions for myself.”

  “I felt it only right to tell your dad. You weren’t being reasonable.”

  “How dare you! You had no right to tell him! That was my business!”

  “But you weren’t going to tell him, were you? You were stonewalling me. I had to do something.”

  “Do you have any brains?” she demanded. “Now you’ve gotten yourself in worse trouble!”

  “What to you mean, worse trouble?”

  “If I’m pregnant, my father is expecting you to marry me!” she snapped, sure she would upset him now.

  Instead, Jon remained calm. “Of course he does. I told him I’d be marrying you if you’re pregnant.”

  “Maybe you should buy him an engagement ring, because he’s the only one in favor of marriage.” It was a great exit line and she whirled to leave his office. But he was fast and blocked the door.

  “What are you saying now? That you don’t intend to marry me if you’re pregnant?”

  “I guess you have brains after all. You got that right!”

  “Oh, I did, did I? Well, think again, Tori. My child is not going to be born illegitimate.”

  “Why do you think I told you it didn’t matter?” She lifted her chin. “I’ll raise my child. I don’t need a man to do that.”

  “We’ll see what the court says!” he snapped.

  It hadn’t occurred to her that he would fight that hard for a child he didn’t want. Holding back tears, she went around him and opened the door. “I’m going to visit Russ.”

  JON STOOD THERE, his hands on his hips. She didn’t expect him to marry her? What was wrong with her? Did she have that low an opinion of him? That he would father a child and ignore it?

  He wasn’t that kind of man.

  Spinning on his heel, he hurried to the clinic.

  “Doctor?” one of his nurses called to him as he left his office. “Aren’t you ready to see patients?”

  “I’ll be back in a minute. There’s something I need to do.”

  When he got to Russ’s room, Tori was sitting on the edge of her cousin’s bed, chatting calmly.

  Jon didn’t hesitate. “Russ, I need your help.”

  Tori almost fell off the bed. She caught herself and glared at Jon. “Don’t you dare say anything! Russ has too many problems right now to worry about—about anything else.”

  Russ had made some progress, but he was struggling, frequently fading into listlessness, overcome by depression. Now his gaze sharpened. “What problem? Is this what you were talking about the other day, Tori?”

  “No! There was no problem. I just wanted to get your attention.”

  “She’s lying, Russ. There’s a problem.”

  Though he’d planted himself in front of the door, Jon could see Tori wanted to run. “Go ahead, Tori. I’ll just tell him after you’re gone.”

  “I’m sure you will. You’re no gentleman, Jon Wilson. You’re not supposed to kiss and tell!”

  “He kissed you?” Russ asked.

  “I did more than that, Russ. It wasn’t planned, but I was comforting her because you weren’t in the cabin and—and things got out of hand.”

  Tori turned her back to both men, staring out the window. “I can’t believe you’re telling the world!”

  “I’m trying to get you to be reasonable.”

  “Okay,” Russ protested, holding up a hand as if he were directing traffic. “I can’t say I’m happy about this. Not that I have anything against you, Jon, but Tori’s like my sister, and I don’t want anyone taking advantage of her. Now, what’s the problem?”

  “I intend to marry her if she’s pregnant.” He saw relief in Russ’s eyes. He shifted his gaze to Tori, but there was no acceptance on her face.

  “Good,” Russ said calmly.

  Tori’s head snapped up. “Good? Good! You think that’s a good idea? Men!” She ran from the room.

  Russ’s eyes widened and he stared after her. “What did I say to upset her?”

  “You were reasonable. But she says she’s not marrying me for any reason. She thinks I’m going to walk away from my own child. I promise you I’m not.”

  “And that upsets her?”

  “Yeah. She won’t even agree to take a pregnancy test.”

  “Isn’t it a bit too soon?” Russ asked, wincing a little as he thought about Abby explaining when she’d take a test.

  “Yeah. But she refuses to take it whenever. She says it doesn’t matter.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That she’ll take care of her child and it’s none of my business.” Jon paced around the bed and back again. “I don’t know what to do.”

  Russ lay there in his bed, a frown on his face. “Give me a couple of hours. Come back at lunch. I’m going to talk to Rich and Toby. They may have some ideas.”

  Jon shook Russ’s hand. “Thanks, Russ. I need all the help I can get. I’ll be back at noon.”

  “JESS?” Tori called from her office. She’d worked hard all morning, but nothing was going right. She suddenly felt tired. “Would you go to the café and pick up lunch? I’ll pay.”

  Jessica appeared in the doorway. “Sure. What do you want?”

  “I’ll take the chef salad and a soda. And don’t forget some crackers. Here’s a twenty.”

  “Oh, good,” Jessica said with a grin. “Today’s pie is coconut cream. That’s enough
money to pay for two pieces of pie. Okay?”

  Tori nodded. “That’s fine.” In actual fact, she didn’t care. Maybe the sugar would give her some energy. She had to get more work done. She’d spent an inordinate amount of time on the doctors’ books. She still had the Waggoners’ books to do.

  As Jessica started out the door, Tori stopped her. “Jess, thank you for being here.”

  “It’s good spending the day together, sis. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Tori’s phone rang and she waved Jessica to go while she answered. Jennifer Waggoner greeted her.

  “I just wanted to thank you for the invite last night. Sarah and I both had fun.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it. And you’ll be at the Fourth party, won’t you?”

  “We wouldn’t miss it! Everyone will be there, as usual.”

  “Yeah,” Tori said with no enthusiasm at all. She’d like to stay hidden in her apartment.

  “Are you interested in the doctor? He’s very handsome. And doctors make a good living, even here in Rawhide.” When Tori said nothing, Jennifer continued. “I liked him, but I don’t want to poach.”

  “Feel free, Jen. That’s why I invited you and Sarah. You don’t think I’d introduce either of you to someone I was interested in until I had a ring on my finger, do you?” Tori asked with a forced chuckle.

  “You sure?” Jen asked, obviously picking up on the strained sound of her voice.

  “Definitely.”

  She’d answered the phone at Jessica’s desk, and she turned around when she heard the office door open. Two of her cousins came in, smiling at her.

  “Uh, Jen, thanks for calling, but I’ve got company. I’ll see you on the Fourth, if not before.”

  When she hung up the receiver, she greeted her cousins. “What are you two doing here in the middle of the day? Is there a problem?”

  Toby and Rich exchanged a look. Toby answered, “Well, it appears there is.”

  Tori tensed up at once. “Samantha? Elizabeth? Who is it?”

  Rich looked at her. “It’s you, Tori.”

  “What are you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with me!”

  “Russ called us.” Toby watched the horror appear on her face. “Yeah, it’s about the doctor. We’re supposed to talk to you.”

  She almost fell into Jessica’s chair and covered her face with her hands. “No, no, no!”

  “Hi, guys,” Jessica called as she pushed her way into the office, her hands full. “Are you here for lunch? I’m not sharing my pie. You’ll have to go get your own.” She smiled, not really worried about their appearance.

  “Not today,” Rich said, though he did take a sniff of the air.

  “We’re here to talk to Tori,” Toby said.

  Jessica asked, “There’s nothing wrong at home, is there?”

  “No, everything’s fine.”

  “Then why—Mom and Dad came this morning.

  What’s going on? And why is it being kept from me?

  Tori? What have you done?”

  Tori stared at Toby. “Do you see what you’ve done? Just go home. I don’t need your advice.”

  Toby stared at her. “Jon wasn’t as difficult. He was willing to listen to our advice.”

  “You gave Jon advice about me? What did you tell him, Toby? Tell me!”

  “Now, Tori, that wouldn’t be fair. I mean, he wouldn’t—”

  Tori couldn’t believe her personal life was being discussed by the entire family without her consent.

  Jessica leaned in closer. “What fun! And this time you have to tell me what you’ve done, Tori! I always got in trouble, but you were the perfect child. I’m glad you’re in trouble and not me, finally.” She beamed at her sister.

  Then she opened up the salad Tori had asked for and shoved it toward her.

  Tori got one whiff of the salad and her poor, rebellious stomach heaved.

  “I’M TELLING YOU, Russ, she puked on Jess’s desk. Couldn’t even eat her lunch,” Rich said. “Just like Sam did when she first told me about the baby. We didn’t get a chance to talk to Tori. She went to her apartment and locked the door.”

  “So you think she’s pregnant?”

  “I guess so, though you know Tori was always the first to get sick. She was the first one to have the chicken pox when Uncle Griff and Aunt Camille kept us. She could have the flu.”

  “Damn. I’m going to call Jon. Maybe he doesn’t have any patients this afternoon and he can go check on her.”

  “Good idea. Think he’ll take our advice?” Rich asked.

  “I don’t know why not. He didn’t have any idea what to do. At least your advice makes sense. Thanks for trying.”

  For the first time since he’d come down the mountain, Russ wished he could hop out of bed and take care of things. He didn’t want Tori sick or hurt. He rang the bell for the nurse.

  A voice answered his call. “Yes, Mr. Randall? How may I help you?”

  “I need to see Dr. Wilson.”

  “What’s the matter? Has your intravenous needle come out again? I’ll be right there.”

  “No! I want Dr. Wilson.”

  But there was no answer. A couple of seconds later, a nurse was in his room.

  She examined the needle in his hand. “It seems all right. Do you have pain?”

  “No. I just need to talk to Dr. Wilson.”

  “He was here only a few minutes ago, Mr. Randall. He does have other patients, you know,” she said with a patronizing smile that irritated him.

  “If you don’t ask Dr. Wilson to see me when he can, I’m going to walk to his office.”

  “Now, now, Mr. Randall, you know you’re too weak for that.”

  “Maybe so, but if I fall, you’ll have to tell the doctor you wouldn’t listen to me. You think he’s going to be a happy camper then?”

  “I don’t appreciate threats, Mr. Randall. You’ll stay in your bed, do you hear me? I’ll call his nurse and tell her to send him over when he has time. But I won’t have you calling him every time you hiccup!”

  “Call the nurse from here,” he snapped, determined to hear the call. Otherwise he figured the nurse wouldn’t make the call until five o’clock.

  “Very well!” she snapped in return. She deliberately made the call a non-emergency, but Russ figured Jon would at least call him right away.

  “Thank you,” he said when she finished. She glared at him and stalked out of the room. He smiled. It felt sort of good to go a round or two and win, no matter who his opponent was.

  Two minutes later, Jon entered his room. “What is it?”

  “Rich called. They didn’t get to talk with Tori because she threw up, didn’t even eat her lunch. Then she went upstairs and locked her door. I wondered if you could check on her when you’re finished for the day.

  “I don’t have any patients for the next hour. I’ll go at once.”

  As Jon headed for the door, Russ called him back. “Here’s a key that opens both doors. I’m afraid she won’t let you in. But…take it easy on her, okay?”

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  Russ lay back down on his pillow, satisfied that he’d done his best for Tori.

  TORI POURED HERSELF a glass of milk when she got upstairs. It had always calmed her stomach when she got too tense. And today had been full of tension.

  Then she lay down on the couch and turned on some soothing music. A knock at the door alarmed her. “Who is it?”

  “Tori, it’s me, Jess. I have your lunch here.”

  “Throw it out. And close the office and go home.”

  “Tori, I’m sorry. You know I don’t really want you in trouble. I was just teasing. Please take your lunch.”

  She heard the strain in her sister’s voice. Great! Now Jessica was upset, too. She got off the couch and opened the door, checking to be sure it was only Jessica.

  “Honey, everything’s all right, I promise. I just got a little too upset. And I’m sorry I left it to you to clean up.” She did
feel guilty about that. Poor Jess.

  “Will you eat your lunch? Mom will be upset if you don’t.”

  “Jessica,” Tori said, sternly this time, “I’m an adult. You don’t have to tell Mom if I don’t eat my lunch.”

  “Okay. I won’t tell.”

  With a deep sigh, Tori thanked her sister. “I meant it that you could go home early. I’m going to take a rest.”

  Jessica offered to keep the office open. “I have some work that I can be doing.”

  “The world won’t end if you don’t get it done today. I’m sure everyone will cut us some slack under the circumstances. And if you work, I’ll feel guilty for not working.”

  “Okay, I’ll go home.” She paused after opening the door. “But you know Mom is going to ask about it. So don’t be surprised if she calls.”

  “I know, but do the best you can. Tell her I decided to take a rest because of all the strain and if she calls, she’ll wake me up.”

  “Ooh, good thinking,” Jessica exclaimed.

  She turned to go, opening the door. Tori closed her eyes, glad to be alone at last.

  “Hi, Jessica,” said a deep, immediately recognizable voice. “Is your sister home?”

  “Sure. Come in. Tori, it’s Jon.”

  Tori didn’t waste any time. “Go away.”

  “Tori!” Jessica protested, shock in her voice. “That was rude.”

  “Good. That’s what I intended. Show him out, Jess.”

  She covered her face again, hoping her sister would do as she asked. When she heard the door close, she looked up to thank Jessica, only to find Jon standing in her place. “What did you do with Jessica?”

  “She’s gone home. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. Why aren’t you with your patients?”

  “I heard I had a patient here.”

  “Damn! My family again! What did they tell you?”

  “That you threw up your lunch.”

  “And, of course, you immediately decided I was pregnant? I’m not. I have a sensitive stomach. When I get upset, I can’t keep anything down!”