by Lois Richer
“When he drove me home from the meeting the other night, he invited me out to go swimming next weekend.”
“Oh.” Autumn silently took back all of the testy thoughts she’d had earlier about Lexi and Jon. She was never at her best when she was overtired, which wasn’t a good trait in a midwife. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him I’d let him know today.”
“I say go for it.”
“That’s what Jamie and Eli said, too. I might as well have some fun while I’m here.” Lexi tapped her finger on the desk. “I’m going to do it.”
Autumn smiled. “Let’s get the rest of your coding training out of the way and you can give Josh a call to let him know.” And I can get to Ticonderoga to pick up Mrs. Hanlon.
“So I enter 59400 here for global maternity care.”
“That’s right. It’s our most-used code.” Autumn showed her a few more things. “Can you finish up by yourself? Kelly will be in for a one o’clock appointment.”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Good, because I’d better leave for the train station if I’m going to get there in time to pick up Jon’s grandmother.”
“See you at church tomorrow.”
“See you.”
Autumn left a lot more confident that Lexi would work out as a summer office assistant even though she didn’t have any medical office experience. She was a quick learner and seemed to have gotten over her initial infatuation with Jon. Although Autumn couldn’t see her and Lexi being as close as she and Jamie were, they should get along fine as coworkers for the time Lexi was here.
Now, if only she was as confident about her and Jon developing a good working relationship.
Twenty minutes later, Autumn sat in a line of cars near the intersection of Route 74 and Montcalm Street watching the minutes tick toward one-fifteen, the time she was supposed to pick up Jon’s grandmother. She craned her neck. Traffic was halted as far as she could see, blocking the view of whatever the problem might be. No cars had passed from the other direction as long as she’d been stopped.
The car ahead of her inched back, and the driver did a U-turn so he could head back into Ticonderoga. Autumn looked at the space in front of her. She could do the same. But depending on where the problem was, that could make her even later. She closed the space between her car and the car ahead and turned hers off. She should be okay calling the birthing center on her cell phone since traffic wasn’t moving anyway.
“Ticonderoga Birthing Center,” the weekend receptionist answered.
“This is Autumn Hazard. Is Dr. Hanlon available?”
“Hi, Autumn. I’ll try his office.”
Autumn tapped her foot while she waited.
“Sorry, he didn’t pick up. Do you want me to page him? He’s probably in the birthing area. He has a mother in labor.”
“No, don’t page him.” If he was with Maureen’s mother-to-be, he wouldn’t want to be interrupted by a personal call. “I’ll leave a message with you and on his voice mail. If you see him within the next half hour, let him know that I’m stuck in a traffic jam and it looks like I’ll get to the train station late.”
“Got it.” The receptionist transferred Autumn to Jon’s voice mail and she left her message there, as well.
Autumn looked up from her phone to see a county sheriff car slowing down beside her from the other way. Great. Using a cell phone while driving was illegal in New York. The sheriff deputy stopped and rolled down his window. Autumn did the same, breathing a sigh of relief when she recognized him from church.
“Hi, Autumn. Are you on your way to a delivery? We’re letting emergency vehicles through.”
She wished she could say she was, for more reasons than the opportunity to get out of the traffic line. If she were, it would mean some normalcy in her life. “No, thanks. I’m on my way to the train station to pick up a friend’s grandmother.”
“Okay.” He started to roll up his window.
“Wait. What happened?”
“A truck carrying chickens jackknifed. The trailer rolled over and there are chickens everywhere.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Thankfully, no. The driver is shaken up. The EMTs are treating him.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“We’ll be getting traffic moving soon.” The deputy rolled up the window and moved on.
Autumn restarted the car, and the vehicles ahead of her began moving slowly. Mrs. Hanlon would have arrived at the station about ten minutes ago. She flexed her fingers on the steering wheel. She didn’t know why she was so concerned about Jon’s grandmother arriving at the station with no one to meet her. It wasn’t like she was a child. And if Jon had gotten her message, he would have alerted his grandmother.
But if he hadn’t... Autumn thought about the closeness she shared with her family, the photo Jon had shown her of him and his grandmother and the rumors she’d heard about him being estranged from his family. If this visit from his grandmother was some kind of reconciliation, she’d hate to do anything that might upset that.
When she finally reached her destination, Autumn rushed into the small, square brick building housing the waiting area that was the Ticonderoga Amtrak station. Mrs. Hanlon sat on the polished wood bench in front of the large picture window that looked out over the parking lot. A woman about her aunt Jinx’s age with two small children—the only other people at the station—glanced at her watch and out the window at the parking lot.
“Mrs. Hanlon.” Autumn crossed the small room. “I’m so sorry I’m late. There was an accident and traffic was backed up.”
Behind her stylish designer glasses, the older woman’s eyes widened. “Excuse me. Do I know you?”
Autumn clutched her car keys in her hand. Hadn’t Jon called his grandmother? “I’m Autumn Hazard. I work with Jon. He had a birth and asked me to pick you up for him. Didn’t he call?” Her words tumbled out without a breath between them.
“Oh, no. I turned my phone off.” Jon’s grandmother reached into the Burberry bag on the bench beside her and took out her phone. “Yes, he called and texted me your picture.”
Jon had a picture of her on his phone? When could he have taken that, and why?
“A link to your picture,” Mrs. Hanlon corrected herself. “On the birthing center website. You’re a midwife.”
“Yes.” She still was, technically, even if she hadn’t delivered any babies on her own for several months. “I did my clinicals at Samaritan Hospital when Jon was a resident there.”
A warm smile reminiscent of Jon’s lady-killer one spread across her face. “So you’re old friends.”
Autumn wasn’t sure that’s the way she’d describe their relationship. Their friendship was still developing. “Do you have luggage?”
Mrs. Hanlon pointed at a large family-size suitcase Autumn had assumed belonged to the other woman. Either Mrs. Hanlon had a tendency to really over-pack or was planning on a long visit.
“Will you and the kids be okay here by yourself?” Mrs. Hanlon addressed the other traveler. “We can wait until your husband gets here.” She looked at Autumn for a confirmation.
“Of course.” The station was a little isolated, outside of Ticonderoga proper, on the edge of the Fort Ticonderoga historic site property. “If your husband is coming on Route 74, he probably got stuck in the same traffic I did.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to stay. I see him pulling in now.” She pointed to the parking lot.
“It was nice meeting you,” Mrs. Hanlon said. “And I wish you the best with your house-hunting.” She turned to Autumn. “Her husband recently took a job in Ticonderoga, and she and the kids are here for a week to look at houses.”
“I think you’ll like it here. The area’s a great place to raise kids,” Autumn sa
id. “Of course, I’m biased. I grew up on Paradox Lake about twenty minutes from here.”
“Thanks. The mountains are pretty, but it’s a lot more isolated than where we live now.”
“It’s all what you’re used to.” Autumn remembered counting the time until her clinicals would be finished and she could move back up north, where she could live a more isolated lifestyle.
Autumn reached for Mrs. Hanlon’s suitcase handle.
“You don’t have to do that,” the older woman said.
“Yes, I do.” She shot her a quick smile.
Jon’s grandmother went ahead and opened the door for her. As Autumn wrestled the suitcase out to the car, she eyed the diminutive elderly woman with admiration, thankful that the luggage had wheels. The woman must work out daily to have handled the case herself on the trip up here.
While Mrs. Hanlon made herself comfortable in the passenger seat, Autumn stashed the suitcase in the backseat. No way would it fit in the trunk with her equipment and the twins’ swim toys, which she’d never taken out. Her cell phone rang as she opened the driver’s door. She frowned at the display. The birthing center. Was Jon calling to check up on her and his grandmother? Hadn’t he gotten her message?
“Hello.”
“Autumn, it’s Lexi. Kelly called a couple of minutes ago to see if you were still here. She and Jamie are at Tanya’s. Tanya’s little boy was born this morning. Anyway, Allie and her husband are on their way here, and Kelly wants you to come and be with them until she can get to the center. She’ll be here as soon as she can.”
“I’m at the train station. There was an accident and I had to wait in traffic. I still need to drop Mrs. Hanlon off at Jon’s house. It’ll be forty or forty-five minutes before I get back to Ticonderoga. Allie should be fine until I arrive. And Jon’s there.”
“Okay, I’ll let Kelly and Admissions know.”
“And call Kristen in if she’s not there already. She can be with Allie until I get there.”
“She’s right here. See you in a bit.” Lexi clicked off.
“Is there a problem?” Mrs. Hanlon asked.
Autumn explained what was going on.
“I can wait at the birthing center. It’s not like I haven’t spent many hours touring medical facilities with my husband or waiting on him while he conducted JMH business.”
Autumn wasn’t sure where the bitterness in Mrs. Hanlon’s voice was coming from, but it would make things easier for her if she could go directly to the birthing center. “That would be good if you really don’t mind. Jon has a mother in labor, so I can’t tell you when he’ll be available. But I’m just going to stay with one of our mothers until the other midwife arrives. Then I can take you to the house.”
“I make sure I always have a book to read.” Mrs. Hanlon tapped the e-reader protruding from the pocket in the side of her leather purse. The resigned look on her face almost made Autumn change her mind and drive out to Paradox Lake first.
They arrived at the birthing center ten minutes later. Autumn’s parents-to-be were checking in with the receptionist. After greeting them, Autumn introduced Mrs. Hanlon to the receptionist and asked her to make the older woman comfortable in the staff lounge. She sensed Mrs. Hanlon watching her and was glad when she and the parents turned the corner to the birthing suite.
* * *
Jon walked through the lobby and frowned when he saw no one in the reception area. He was going to have to talk with the office manager. But not right now. He was in too good of a mood. The delivery had gone well, almost as perfectly as the one with Autumn the other day. All that had been missing was the atmosphere of closeness Autumn and that couple had shared. Plus, his grandmother was here for a visit, and he’d had a call earlier in the day from the director of Help for Haiti saying they had received his CV and were very interested in his joining the nonprofit organization when his one-year contract with the Ticonderoga Birthing Center was over.
“Nana.” He started when he entered his office and found his grandmother sitting in his desk chair reading. “What are you doing here? I thought Autumn was driving you to my house.” Jon’s gaze bore into hers. “Did Grandfather ask you to check out the facility?”
“No, but I’m sure he would have if I’d given him enough notice of my visit for him to think of it.” She closed her e-reader and placed it on the desk. “As for why I’m waiting in your office, your friend got a call to come here and cover for another midwife until she returned from a home birth. I found that interesting, that they do home births.”
“I’m sorry. I know how you feel about hanging around medical facilities.” Jon was well aware of his grandfather’s propensity of turning any trip he and Nana took into a business trip. “Autumn should have had you wait in the lounge. It’s more comfortable.”
“She did, but I wanted to check out your office. For myself,” she added. “I asked the receptionist to tell Autumn I’m in here when she comes to get me. She seems very nice.”
Yes, nice was one adjective he’d use to describe Autumn. Beautiful was another, but he wasn’t about to share that with Nana.
“She said she’s known you since you were a resident.” His grandmother’s eyes twinkled. “Do I see a cause and effect?”
“What?”
“Did you take the position here because of Autumn?”
“No.”
“You don’t have to bark at me. You sounded like your grandfather.”
“Sorry.” The last thing he wanted was to be in any way like his grandfather.
“I only asked because it’s an administrative position. You’ve always said how much you like delivering babies.”
“I should get to do plenty of births here if the past few days have been any indication. As the center’s director, I seem to be the backup obstetrician for every doctor and midwife in a fifty-mile radius.” He wasn’t going to share that the reason he took the job was for the administrative experience. He’d need it working with Help for Haiti. He and Nana didn’t disagree on many important issues. But his following in his cousin Angie’s footsteps and pursuing mission work in Haiti was one that they did.
His office door opened, interrupting the conversation.
“Mrs. Hanlon, I apologize. It took Kelly longer to get here than she’d expected.” Autumn halted. “Jon.”
He fought the grin that her wide-eyed surprise brought to his lips.
“How did your birth go?” She regained her composure.
“Textbook-perfect.”
“See. You were concerned about nothing.”
His face warmed. He glanced sidewise at his grandmother to see her reaction to Autumn’s words. Hanlon men never admitted doubts about their abilities in anything, particularly work. Nana had a familiar all-knowing expression on her face.
“As I said this morning, I would have liked more background on the case.” He didn’t know why he was explaining himself.
“I know what you mean. I felt like that for my first couple of births after I joined Kelly’s practice. I hadn’t been with the mothers for most of their pregnancies.”
For some reason, Autumn’s words rankled him. He brushed them off. Nana wasn’t his father or grandfather. She wouldn’t care if he’d expressed concerns to Autumn, or anyone else. What was with him? All Autumn was doing was commiserating with him, as any colleague might.
“I’m free for the rest of the day if you still want me to drive your grandmother to your place.” Autumn exchanged a glance with Nana.
“No, thanks. I’m cleared for the afternoon now, too.”
“Okay. It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Hanlon. I’m sure I’ll see you again before you go. I live on the other side of the duplex Jon is renting.”
“Oh, I’m sure you will.”
The way Nana’s voice rose at the end of her stateme
nt told Jon she hadn’t taken his “no” to her question about whether Autumn had been a factor in his coming to the Ticonderoga center at face value. He’d have to clear things up with Nana that Autumn was nothing more than a colleague. “Ready?”
His grandmother stood.
“I’ll go unlock my car,” Autumn said.
Jon and his grandmother followed her to the parking lot, and he pulled the suitcase from the car. Its weight matched its size.
“See you later.” Autumn pressed her key fob and relocked the car.
He watched her walk back to the building before lifting the suitcase with a stifled grunt.
His grandmother nodded toward the case. “It has wheels.”
“I’ve got it.” He rethought his immediate reaction to carry the suitcase anyway and lowered it to the floor. There was no need to impress Nana.
“I’m having the rest of my things shipped,” she said. “The train didn’t have checked luggage.”
She had more things? Nana was a no-nonsense person. It was out of character for her to bring more than she’d absolutely need for her visit. She seemed her usual self, but he made a mental note to keep an eye out for any other personality changes. Although she was in good physical health, Nana would be turning eighty on her next birthday.
“How long are you planning to stay?” he asked.
“Indefinitely. I’ve left your grandfather.”
Chapter Nine
Jon filched one of the chocolate chip cookies Nana had baked for the singles group meeting this afternoon and left the plate covered on the kitchen counter. In the two weeks since she’d arrived, he’d gotten no further in knowing why she’d entrenched herself at his house or when she might be planning to leave. She changed the subject whenever he brought it or his grandfather up. The fact that she’d bought herself a car this week at the dealer in Ticonderoga said her departure probably wasn’t imminent. The only word he’d gotten from the rest of his family were two terse voice mail messages, one from his father and one from his grandfather, telling him to make Nana go home. As if that was something he could readily do.