Timothy

by Katie Dowe

  “Let me pass.”

  ***

  He stepped out of her way and watched as she left and slammed the door shut behind her. He turned his head back to look at Robyn. He'd been calling her phone to tell her that they should take in a show at the community center and hadn't gotten through to her, so he'd decided to come on over and he'd heard most of what the vicious bitch had shouted at her.

  “Would you like some wine?” He could tell she was struggling to keep her voice even as she went to get another glass. He watched her pour the wine and had to tamp down the rage building up inside him. He'd wanted to slap the woman’s face and had wished she was a man instead.

  “Are you okay?”

  She handed him the glass and stared up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. He took the glass from her and put it on the counter. “Want to talk?” he asked her gently.

  “No.” She cleared her throat. “She made her feelings clear—” She broke off before continuing. “She hated—hates me and had been in love with Sean all along.” She closed her eyes and he knew she was fighting tears. “Could you hold me?” She sounded so pitiful that he wanted to change his mind and go and find the person in charge of causing her even a moment of unhappiness and do something about it.

  He pulled her into his arms and felt his skin prickling with the anger that he was trying to keep contained. His mouth tightened as she started to cry, the sounds of her weeping breaking his heart. With a stifled oath he swung her into his arms and strode with her into the bedroom, sitting down on the side of the bed, cradling her in his arms as she cried wracking tears that tore at his heart and increased his rage. He listened to her cry until she was spent and when she was finished, he undressed her and put her night gown on, pulling back the sheets and pulling them over her.

  “Don’t leave,” she whispered, grabbing his hand as he moved.

  “Never.” He kept his voice level as he stared down into her swollen eyes and wet cheeks. “I'm just taking off my clothes love.”

  He did so and climbed into bed with her, his arms closing around her tightly as she buried her head on his chest. “I'm sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry about. In the future you need to make better friends.”

  She laughed hoarsely at that and curled her fingers onto his bare chest. “She said she's in love with Sean and always has been.”

  “I heard,” he said a little tightly, wanting to ask her if she shared the feelings, but he couldn't. One, because he couldn't bear to hear the answer and two, she was too vulnerable right now. He'd heard everything the woman had said and had felt each vicious word boring through his skin.

  He waited for her to say something else but noticed from her even breathing that she was sleeping. She'd been wrung dry from the emotions that her former best friend had brought out in her. The hatred coming from the woman for the petite woman in his arms had been so tangible that it had permeated the entire room. She'd pretended to be Robyn’s friend for years but had secretly loathed her and wanted to be her. Timothy had seen the two women together and realized that when both of them were in the room, Brianna’s attractiveness had paled in comparison to Robyn. He'd seen what Brianna had seen all those years—years of standing in Robyn’s shadow. And it wasn't just her outward beauty but that light she had inside her. He supposed it was her innate goodness and the way she always wanted to help people. He shifted slightly to find out if she was really sleeping and when she didn't move, he moved her slowly off him. He needed air and needed to get try and get control of the rage pouring through every fiber of his body. The woman had hurt her with her words, and he couldn't accept that, he couldn't just let it go. He had this sense of always wanting to protect the woman he loved. He strode into the kitchen and dug into the cabinet to find the bottle of scotch he'd brought there himself. “I don’t drink scotch,” she'd told him with a laugh.

  “I do, and if I'm hanging around here almost every night, I refuse to drink only the tame bottles of wine you have in the fridge. I need something stronger.” He'd handed her a glass and insisted that she taste it and she'd done so gingerly. He remembered laughing when she'd made a face and gagged. “How can you drink this?”

  “It’s an acquired taste, love,” he'd told her in amusement. “Drink some more. It usually gets better after a few sips.”

  But she'd refused to take even one more and had defiantly reached for the bottle of wine. “I think I'll stick to the wine.”

  “Coward,” he'd told her mockingly.

  Now, standing inside the kitchen with the glass clasped between his palms he stood at the window and stared out at the moonlit surroundings. It was still early, only eight-thirty, but the place was deserted, as Fallen Oaks tended to be at that time of night. He sipped the drink slowly and willed the anger away. His first instinct had been to protect her and because of that he'd almost called up Marva at the hotel and told her to get rid of a particular guest. He was still fighting himself from calling. Did she still love him? And why was he still calling her? Did he have the intention of patching things up with her?

  Timothy was tormenting himself with the questions and not having the answers. He was going to marry this woman whom he loved so much with each passing day that it was getting harder and harder for him to wait to get married to her. But he had doubts and fears about her feelings. He knew that she was committed to him, but he was wondering if that was because he'd always been there for her, always standing by her. She hadn't told him that she loved him, and he waited every single day for her to say that to him.

  He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear the soft fall of her footsteps until she was almost upon him.

  “You lied.” Her soft voice caused him to jump a little and he steeled himself before turning to look at her.

  “What did I lie about?” he asked her casually.

  “You said you wouldn't leave but I woke up to find you weren't next to me. I thought you'd left.”

  “I told you that I wouldn't; and I meant it.” He sipped his drink and watched as she walked towards him. He'd taken off her clothes and slipped on a thin cotton nightgown over her head. The nightgown was thin and showed every inch of her curves and he wanted her, how he wanted her!

  “I must look a wreck,” she murmured as she stopped in front of him.

  “Fishing for compliments, darling?”

  “Maybe.” She spread her fingers over his chest. “You could have pretty much any woman you want, so why me?”

  The question threw him and for a moment he didn't know what to say. “Why?”

  She shrugged a little. “When I told my mother that you asked me to marry you, she sounded shocked and I've been a little—well more than a little shocked myself. Timothy, you're handsome and wealthy and powerful, and I came here trying to get over a broken life and you more or less took me under your wings and were there for me, making sure that I got over what I'd experienced.”

  “Are you over it?” He hadn't touched her and was still sipping his drink.

  She didn't answer the question but followed up with one of her own. “Why did you choose me?”

  “My heart chose you.” He tossed back the drink and moved away from her to put the glass on the counter before turning back to her. “Now, answer my question: Are you over everything?”

  She walked back over to him and standing on her toes she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I've been trying to say this for the past few days and haven't been able to come up with the right words. How did I get so lucky? After what I've experienced in my life and all that I've been through, how did I get to be so lucky to find a man like you?” She ran her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. “I've been trying to find the words to tell you how much I love you and want—

  “What did you say?” He dug his fingers into her hair and held her head as he stared down at her.

  “You mean how lucky I am and how I haven't been able to come up with the right words?” she asked him nonchalantly. />
  “Robyn—”

  “The part where I said that I love you?” she whispered achingly. “I love you, Timothy. How could I not love you when you do so much for me? How could I not love you when you are who you are? I love you—”

  He cut her off as his lips took hers in a bruising kiss. His fingers angled her head and kept her there as his mouth plundered hers, his other hand pulling her hard against his body as he continued to kiss her, to savor her mouth and to satisfy the enormous hunger that had been fueled by her admission that she loved him! He broke the kiss off and stared down at her, his dark blue eyes smoldering, his hands trembling and his body on fire for her. “You love me?” he asked huskily.

  “I do.” she said quietly. “Now, would you mind coming back to bed so that I can show you how much?”

  “Gladly,” he told her thickly and bending forward he lifted her into his arms and took her back to bed.

  Chapter 13

  He'd been rough with her. His eyes examined her flawless skin and saw the marks left by his fingers. He'd been rough with her and had been unable to help himself. She loved him! Those words had blown him away so much that he'd been unable to help himself when he'd made love to her.

  “I'm sorry,” he whispered as he pushed back the wisps of hair from her face, his touch gentle. Robyn lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

  “I'm not.” She moved her body closer to his, causing him to shudder slightly. “I love the way you make me feel.”

  “Tell me again,” he ordered hoarsely.

  “I love you.”

  His eyes closed and he placed his forehead against hers, breathing in deeply. “I've waited so long for you to say that. I never thought I would hear it.”

  “You came into my life when I needed someone and I couldn't help but respond to your kindness and the need you have to always be there for me. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you, Timothy.”

  “Thank you,” he whispered humbly. “I love you too.”

  She snuggled against him. “I cannot wait to be your wife,” she murmured sleepily as his arms closed around her body.

  “Soon,” he whispered. “And neither can I.”

  ***

  The pounding on the door registered after a few seconds and he was the first one to hear it. His eyes opened slowly and he wondered if he'd been dreaming but he heard it again, this time more insistent. He turned his head to look at the woman curled into his arms and realized that she hadn't been disturbed by it. He shifted her off him slowly so as not to wake her, wondering who the hell it was at this time of night! He got off the bed and quickly pulled on his clothes, glancing at the digital bedside clock, realizing that it was past midnight. It had better be a damned emergency, he thought darkly as he hurried to get the door. His frown deepened as he saw a woman standing there with a little boy in her arms. He opened the door swiftly to admit her.

  She stopped and stared at him as if he was the last person she'd expected to see. “I'm sorry Mr. McLaughlin. I live next door and my boy isn't breathing. I didn't know what to do.”

  “Come on in. My fiancé is still sleeping—”

  “I'm awake.” A quiet voice said behind them. “Bring him into the medical facility, Marion.”

  She went about swiftly turning on lights to make their way clear as she headed into the facility. “Just put him on the table,” she instructed. She'd taken the time to put on a robe over her nightgown and her hair was falling around her shoulders in disarray. She looked unlike the efficient and capable doctor she portrayed during business hours. “When did you notice that he'd stopped breathing?” she asked as she checked his vitals quickly.

  “I went in to check on him several minutes ago and noticed that he wasn't breathing.” The woman clasped her hands and stared at her son’s still body worriedly. “Is he—”

  “There's a pulse but it's faint and thready.” Robyn went to her cabinet swiftly. “I'm going to have to intubate.” She looked over to where Timothy was standing and watching. “Could you do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  “Just hold this flashlight while I open his mouth. I need to see what I'm doing.” She looked over at the mother. “Does he have a habit of losing consciousness?”

  “This is the first time.”

  Robyn nodded and slowly and carefully pushed the tube in. Timothy admired how steady her hands were as she inserted the tube, her face never showing an ounce of fear or uncertainty. She pulled at the straw-like tube and listened for a moment before nodding. “He's breathing.”

  The woman rushed over and hugged her tightly, her eyes streaming with tears. “Thank you so much!”

  “We still have to get him to the hospital. The danger hasn't passed yet,” she warned the woman as she returned the hug.

  “I'll call the ambulance,” Timothy told her. He went to the phone to make the call and returned a couple of minutes later.

  “They are on their way,” he said.

  Robyn nodded. “He's stable now. I'll call ahead and speak to a doctor to let them know what they're dealing with.”

  ***

  “How about trying to get some sleep?” Timothy asked her gently as she washed her hands at the sink. The ambulance had come within five minutes and mother had son had been transported to the hospital but Robyn had spent time on the phone with the attending doctor, explaining what she'd done and what the possible diagnosis was. Now it was almost two a.m. and they were both going to have to get up a few hours later for work. She nodded and followed him out of the facility as they headed to the bedroom. She felt him staring at her.

  “What?”

  “You are amazing,” he murmured as he came and joined her on the bed. “I watched you tending to that child and I was so proud that I couldn't believe how much. Your hands were steady and you did your job, holding that little boy’s life in these very small hands.” He took them in his and stared at them before looking at her. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  “I think I have some idea,” she whispered, feeling the warmth of his love flowing over her. When she'd been with Sean he'd never complimented her, no matter how successful the surgery she'd been doing had gone. She'd often chalked it up to the fact that they were both doctors and they did complicated surgeries all the time so there was no need to be lauded for it, but she'd always complimented him and cheered him on. What she'd just done to that little boy was something even an intern could have done and yet Timothy had been so impressed that he thought she was amazing. It made her love him even more. He celebrated even the little things about her and she appreciated that. She wrapped her fingers around his. “You're an amazing and wonderful man and somehow I will find a way to show you how much I appreciate and love you.”

  “You're already doing that.” He pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. “I want to tell you to take tomorrow off but I know what you're going to say.”

  “I have patients and I'm used to pulling all-nighters. When I was at medical school I used to exist on coffee, tons of it, and not sleep for days, especially when labs were due. At the hospital I would go for several days without crashing, until I did.”

  “I want you to at least get some sleep,” he told her firmly.

  “You too.” They both stretched full length on the bed and within minutes she'd drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  After Robyn had fallen asleep the night before Timothy had thought for a long time and come up with a plan, which he set into motion the very next day. He'd called in his assistant from his car and told him what he needed so he would have the information ready when he reached the office.

  “What do you have for me?” Timothy asked as he strode towards his office without slowing down. Dave McIntyre ran behind him with his device ready. He waited until Timothy was seated behind his desk before he began. “Both doctors are considered the best in their fields. Sean Nicholson is from a very wealthy family who resides in Manha
ttan and has been in various scrapes and involved in several lawsuits for wrongful deaths brought about by loved ones who believed that he'd mishandled surgeries, but nothing has ever come of it. They were either paid off or the hospital lawyers managed to squash things down. His parents contribute a lot to the hospital where he works so he basically gets away with a lot of things. Doctor Brianna Michaels is another story altogether. She's brilliant at what she does and works non-stop to prove herself. She's from a poor background and has a ton of student loan debts that she's trying to pay off. She's currently engaged to Dr. Nicholson but his parents don't approve of the match. She isn't the type of woman they see for their son, even though she's also a doctor.” Dave looked up at the end of his notes.

  “Anything else?”

  Dave hesitated a moment before responding. “Just something that involved your fiancé.”

  “What is it?”

  The man took a deep breath. “She was engaged to Dr. Nicholson at one point until there was a scandal involving all three of them.”

  “I already knew that.”

  “Of course,” the man said hastily. “If I may say this: I think Dr. Faulkner dodged the bullet because even when he was engaged to her, he was seeing several other members of staff as well.”

  Timothy smiled grimly. “Thank you Dave, that was very thorough.”

  His assistant looked very pleased. “Is there anything else, sir?”

  “Call my pilot and transfer the call to me.”

  ***

  Robyn rubbed the back of her neck wearily as she sat back in her chair. She'd just gotten a break after working straight for the past four hours. It seemed like every other child in Fallen Oaks had come down with some sort of virus or the other as well as ear infections and allergies. She'd gotten up at precisely six-thirty as usual and made coffee for herself and Timothy and he'd insisted on her eating something other than coffee and had gone out to get some of those tasty croissants from the shop at the corner of the street and brought them back to her before he left for the office. She hadn't had time to process last night yet. The things Brianna had said to her and what had happened afterwards. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as she replayed snatches of the vile things Brianna had said to her. I always hated you! Her eyes snapped open as the words tore through her brain. The phone rang just then and she welcomed the diversion, especially when she realized who was calling her. “I didn't get a chance to call you since I left. How are you, love?” His soft voice was like a balm to her tattered soul and she smiled, her burden lifting.