Romance for Matthew

by Nancy Fornataro

  Soon, Jacob's story was in phone calls and on the internet, as people, mostly strangers, prayed for his good health and well-being.

  Matthew barely slept that night, thinking about Bethany and Jacob all alone at the hospital. Early in the morning, five o'clock, he took a taxi to the hospital, not wanting to wake Ollie, and with the help of many General Hospital employees and his cane, found his way to the third floor and Jacob's room.

  Recognizing Jacob's little sighing and pursing sleep noises, he smiled and felt for him and covered him with the blanket, and smoothed his downy hair back from his face. Feeling around for the chair, he sat by the bedside.

  He didn't want to wake Bethany, as he heard her steady breaths coming from the next bed over.

  What a triple load for her to carry, he thought, and he wondered if she could bear it. Between her sister letting her down and her husband's death, then now the diagnosis for Jacob, hers was a rough road. And, he thought her bitterness would consume her if she let it. She was railing against God's will, not understanding that they never could know the why of it.

  He just didn't know how to reach her, and it was frustrating for him. But, he knew what she was feeling. How well he knew. Getting around his blindness was a challenge for him on a daily basis. But, that was the difference, he realized. For him, it was a challenge and for her it was 'things' happening to her. She felt helpless, where he was more in control.

  Not that he was perfect, as he was the first to admit. He'd had his own doubting moments in the past. But, with Nat's help and his pastor, he'd gotten through the rough spots.

  An hour later, a woman came in carrying a tray and Matthew heard the vials clinking. "Blood work?" he asked quietly.

  "Yes," she said, as she put the tray down and lifted up one of Jacob's feet. "Well, little one, I'll try to be quick," she said softly.

  "What's going on?" Bethany said in a voice husky with sleep. "Matthew? Have you been here all night?"

  He smiled. "No. I came early. How are you doing?"

  "Okay, I guess," she said, coming to the bed side rail where he sat. "I suppose I couldn't talk you out of that," she said to the woman from the lab.

  "No. Sorry."

  But, luckily, Jacob barely woke up, then she was done.

  Bethany looked down at Jacob, and thought her heart would break with love for him. They'd taken his IV out, and now his arms and legs moved up and back as he tried to turn over. "You hungry, little man?" she said.

  "Here sit down," he said, moving to one side, "I didn't know if there was another chair in the room."

  "Yes, just around the other side there." And as she and Jacob got situated, and he fed, she told Matthew, "I so appreciate you being here for me. And yesterday too. It's nice to have someone to rely on."

  "I just wish the circumstances could be different," he said. "By the way, a prayer chain has been started for Jacob. By phone and internet. And also, I've read of a diet for Jacob. It's called Ketogenic Diet. It's high fat, with protein, but hardly any carbohydrates at all. It is supposed to really work well with seizures in children."

  "And," he added, "I'm calling in a specialist from Mayo Clinic to work with your regular doctor. You know, look over the records."

  "Oh," she said, "I can't afford that. I don't have medical insurance. I was going to try to get it through the temp agency."

  "Don't worry at all about that. It's covered completely."

  "I couldn't let you pay anything. I always pay my own way."

  He smiled. "Think of it as a charitable donation then."

  She was quiet for a minute, before she said "I guess God does provide, doesn't He?"

  "Yes. And I'm glad to hear you say that. You have no idea how glad."

  But after Matthew left with Ollie later that morning, her thoughts strayed to Samuel and his fight against the cancer that eventually overtook him. How brave he'd been against the pain, all the while telling her not to worry, as Matthew had just done.

  Jacob slept soundly now on his back, with his little hands and feet moving occasionally. The thought occurred to her that he wasn't perfect anymore. He had many hurdles now to surmount in his life. And she found herself praying that he'd have strength to overcome that weakness. Just as Matthew had.

  Chapter 5

  Matthew spent the next three days missing Bethany, her quiet way, soft words and her light perfume wafting around him. He'd called her several times every day, but it wasn't the same as actually being with her, he thought. He knew she had a busy household, and he talked himself out of going to her home for a visit.

  And he worried about Jacob. He'd reached a top pediatric neurologist, who'd basically told him the same thing as Doctor James. The baby was in jeopardy on a daily basis. As he grew, he'd require a helmet with any hard, physical activity to protect his brain. Matthew had ordered one immediately to be delivered to Bethany's house overnight. And, the doctor very highly recommended the low carb diet.

  The fourth day, a Friday, Bethany came to his house to work.

  He answered the door and ushered her into the living room. "How is he?" Matthew asked, "And, how are you holding up?"

  They sat next to the fire. "That feels good," she told him before she sat on the sofa. "It's chilly outside. I think Fall is approaching."

  He was silent as he sat next to her.

  She sighed. "He's doing well. He just had a small seizure before he left the hospital. I think I told you on the phone. But with the medication, I think it's helping him. And the other doctor called me. Apparently the diet is a key factor in these cases."

  Matthew took her hand in both of his. "And if I can do anything, anything at all, you'll let me know?"

  She smiled up at him. "You've done enough already. I don't know how to repay you-"

  "You don't have to repay me," he said firmly. "I don't want you worrying about that, along with everything else." His hand came up and touched her face, then her lips. "I'm checking to make sure you're smiling."

  She laughed. "Yes, I guess I am. It's nice to be back here again. I'm anxious to get to work and get back to normal. I don't want to suffocate Jacob, which my mother said I was doing."

  "Don't worry about the days you missed. Just think of it as sick time. I've checked with the agency and logged the hours in with them already." His hand came down and back on hers again.

  There was an awkward silence before she rose. "Guess I'd better get back in the den, then, and figure out what our friend Dena has been up to with your bookkeeping."

  But, she hadn't told him Jacob had been fussy for two days, crying and she didn't know why. Her mother was taking him to his regular pediatrician just for a check up. She got down to work at her desk, and was immersed in all her reconciliations and copying, when her mother called.

  "Well, we found out the problem with Jacob," she told Bethany.

  "What is it?"

  "You're running out of breast milk."

  "No. I can't be out of milk, mother. I'm still feeding him on schedule."

  "He took almost two bottles of formula."

  Bethany was silent, remembering it was somewhat hard the last time she tried to express. "I feel like he doesn't need me anymore."

  "Don't be silly. Of course he needs you, but his eating needs have changed. Just think of it that way."

  But as she hung up, she almost cried at the news. She and Jacob shared the bond, and the closeness that only came from the breast feeding. It was yet another blow coming at her. She thought things were changing just too fast for her to keep up with. Her son was becoming his own entity, his own person.

  Matthew couldn't help overhearing, as he approached the den. Yet he hardly could talk with Bethany on that subject, so he tried to think of a way to cheer her up.

  Then he frowned as someone rang the front bell. He made his way with Mutty and opened the front door.

  "Darling," he heard Catherine's gushing voice say, and he groaned inwardly at the sound of her voice. "How are you? I haven't seen yo
u anywhere lately."

  And, he knew he'd have to invite her in, just to be cordial. He walked with her to the living room, where a fire still burned.

  "How nice," she said, "were you sitting by the fire all alone?"

  "Yes, I was," he replied, thinking of Bethany, while smelling Catherine's overpowering perfume. What a difference, he thought. "Please, sit down."

  He wanted to ask her the purpose of her visit, but he was too polite.

  Catherine's eyes narrowed as she took in his appearance, from his well-groomed look, nice physique, and expensive yet casually worn shirt and pants. He was such a hunk of a man, and so very, very rich. But for some reason, he always ran from any kind of advances. So, she tried to be careful with that. There had been any number of society women after him, and he'd rejected them all.

  She also waved away his over-eager, sloppy dog, silently, as she couldn't stand animals.

  She'd been trying to figure out an excuse to visit Matthew, as always, and she nodded at the housekeeper as she went for tea. "How is everything with you, darling?" she asked as she sat as close to him as possible.

  "A little touch and go with my assistant's little boy. Medical problem."

  She didn't particularly like children, but managed an "Ohhh," which she thought sounded sympathetic. But Matthew still seemed distracted and she wondered just what was going on between the two of them. "And how is that working out," she added, "having an assistant, I mean?"

  But she wasn't prepared for the look on his face. Why, she thought, he was absolutely smitten by that little mouse of a woman with the brown hair. He obviously couldn't tell the difference between her and the woman. Somehow she needed to let him know. "She did seem a bit tired-looking at the benefit."

  And the little half-smile on his face was positively the sexiest she'd ever seen, as he made no comment to that.

  "How is church?" she asked him, trying to find a topic to get his mind away from his assistant.

  "It is just terrific," he said softly, "they put a prayer chain together and people all over the world are praying for Jacob, her son."

  "How wonderful," she said quickly, dubiously. She was not a church going person, but knew he was, so she'd often pretend she'd gone, as he'd never know the difference. "I think I heard about that. The Lutheran Church, wasn't it?" She asked, but knew the answer already, as she knew just about everything about him.

  She speculated on what size contributions he made. Probably more than she made in a year off her small portfolio, she thought. She lived way beyond her means, and was in debt up to her eyeballs. And if she could snag him, not only would he be a little piece of eye-candy for her every day, but he could bail her out of debt as well.

  Immediately, she began to tell him about the social season and which person was doing what, making him laugh along with her at some things which were outrageous.

  Bethany heard Matthew laughing with some woman, and thought she recognized the voice from the fund raiser.

  Nat came in then, "Just taking a break from a really boring text manual," he said, flopping on a chair in front of her. "Who's in the living room?"

  "Not sure," she said.

  He listened. "Oh, yeah. Sounds like Catherine. She has that funny fake sound to her voice."

  "I'm not sure what that is," Bethany said, sitting back in her chair, taking a break now too.

  "Oh, darling," he said in a falsetto voice, "how are you, darling?"

  She laughed at him. "Everyone has their problems, I guess."

  "Well, she's got more than most I'd say. She's been after Matthew for at least a year now."

  "After him?"

  "She wants to get married in a bad way. But he'll have nothing to do with her. He's just too damn polite to tell her to back off." He paused, "Sorry about the swearing. One of my weaknesses."

  He put his hand up to his ear. "Oh-oh, here they come. Try not to laugh."

  Sure enough, Catherine came around the corner with her hand attached to Matthew's elbow. And as she saw Bethany, she gushed, "How are you darling?"

  Nat's hand came up to his lips, tamping down a laugh, and he coughed loudly instead.

  Bethany knew Matthew could hear it, and he grinned widely, as Bethany replied, "Just fine, thank you."

  "Hey," Nat said, finally serious enough to talk, "I'm okay too, in case you're interested."

  "Of course Nathan. I'm always interested in your welfare."

  He ran from the room then, and Bethany could hear him explode with laughter on the back porch, while she just smiled at the woman politely.

  "You added a desk, since the last time I was here," Catherine said, edging closer to Matthew.

  "Yes," he said, "for Bethany. She needed her own space." But he was still grinning and Bethany believed Nat's story about the woman standing in front of her.

  "Matthew has been wonderful during this very stressful time for me," she told Catherine.

  "Oh, yes," Catherine replied, "I can see the stress lines on your face."

  Bethany was speechless at that, and had no idea how to respond.

  Matthew saved her. "Let's have some tea, Catherine. Then we can talk about the Breast Cancer Fund contribution."

  "Oh, yes," she said, "so important. Don't forget your mammogram, dear. Although there probably wouldn't be much-"

  "This way, Catherine," he interrupted, leading her back towards the living room.

  Bethany finished up some of the key accounts while Matthew kept the woman company, and she heard her finally leave with the slam of the front door.

  "What a relief that is," Matthew said, as he walked into the den with Mutty. "How are you doing?"

  She filled him in, told him about the various accounts and they decided to wait until everything was done to contact the authorities.

  But then, after a brief pause in their conversation, she was surprised to hear him say, "I'm not sure I want to prosecute anyone on this."

  "Why not?" she asked.

  "They teach forgiveness in The Bible. If I prosecute, I'd be going against everything I stand for. I want to be a compassionate person, not a condemning one."

  "I guess I can understand that," she replied slowly. "Maybe a repayment schedule. Although it is a sizeable amount."

  He just shrugged his shoulders. "Let me think on it. And I'll talk to the pastor about it also."

  He walked up to her desk, resting his hand on the edge. "Let's go out back. We'll borrow aprons from Sarah."

  She was curious now. "What for?"

  But he just grinned. "You'll see. We'll have some fun then you can go home. I know you're anxious to see Jacob. But, you need to have some fun along the way."

  They walked to the kitchen, borrowed the aprons and went to the large dirt portion of the back yard by his horse paddock, with Mutty in the lead.

  "What is this?" she said, looking at the waist high round contraption.

  Reaching for the stool, he sat and said "A pottery maker."

  "Oh, a pottery wheel."

  "Yes, lucky for us it's automatic. I don't think I could pump the thing."

  She smiled. "Here it is, the clay, I assume," she said handing him the large bucket of brick colored material.

  He felt it and said, "All right, so just plop some clay over here, right in the middle of the flat part."

  She did as he requested.

  "Okay, now you start it. What do we want? A vase?"

  "Hmmm, that seems too difficult."

  "Nothing is too difficult for us," he said with a confidence she just wasn't feeling as she studied the thing dubiously.

  "Here you go," she said as she shaped it, "this could be a little pot. We'd better start small here, until we know how to do it."

  His hands came over hers, trying to help shape it, and she laughed at the sensation.

  "Are we ready?" he asked enthusiastically.

  "Okay, now," she said, as she flipped the switch. But, she hadn't noticed the thing was on 'high' setting by mistake, on a different sw
itch, and mud flew in every direction, as she tried to back out of the way and shrieked with laughter, while Mutty barked and shook himself.

  Matthew grinned after she shut it off quickly, and said, "Try again. Low, this time." He wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

  So she turned it on low, which she thought was much more manageable. His hands were missing spots, which she told him, as she guided his grip on the thing.

  Laughing again, she said, "It's not looking good."

  "Define good," he countered, "so show me." And his hands came over hers, holding them against the muddy creation. Now she realized she loved the feel of his hands, and she took a quick breath.

  "Now that's good," he said quietly, as his thumbs and fingers ran across hers. They continued for seconds, before Nat came out of his apartment and walked towards them.

  "That's about the ugliest thing I've ever seen," he yelled as he approached.

  "No rest for the wicked," Matthew quipped, as they finished it up.

  "I think it's beautiful," Bethany said proudly. "We just have to fire it then paint it."

  "What is it?" Nat said doubtfully.

  "Um," she thought for a minute, "well, we hadn't really gotten to that part yet. I guess it's a planter."

  "Right," he said dryly. "For itty-bitty seeds."

  She laughed and took off her apron. "I'd better go now."

  After she'd left, Matthew realized he wouldn't see her for two more days, and he felt let down as he washed his hands in the kitchen sink.

  "You okay?" Nat asked him, helping him with the process.

  "I just won't see her for two days. I get used to her being around." He felt for the dish towel and dried his hands.

  "Why don't you ask her out?"

  "You just gave me an idea. Thanks Nat."

  Nat shrugged. "Anytime, my friend."

  That evening, after feeding Jacob and putting him to bed, Bethany sat in the rocking chair. Her sister had gone to a meeting and her mother was visiting a friend. The house was silent, and Bethany thought these were the moments she dreaded. The loneliness set in on her then, and her tears began and didn't let up until her cell phone rang.