Clearwater Romance

by Marissa Dobson

  She laughed. She and James were never the average siblings, they shared a close bond. “No. Not in the middle of the day when you’re supposed to be working. What’s up?”

  “I hoped to catch you before you left for Clearwater. Maybe we could do lunch today?”

  “I left Friday, but you’ll join us before Christmas, right?” Since James was the only family she had left, part of the agreement was he’d join everyone in Clearwater for Christmas. She didn’t want him to spend the holidays alone, and honestly she wanted his support through the holidays. Maybe even then she realized that she’d have some regret and wanted James there.

  “Oh.”

  The tone of that one little word let her know it meant so much more. “What is it, James?”

  “You know about Peg?” In the background papers shuffled, he had to be in his office, patients waiting on him.

  “I found out when I arrived. How do you find out? You didn’t know when I was home, did you?” Her anger flared to life. If James knew and didn’t tell her she wasn’t sure who’d she would be angrier with, Michael or him.

  “Give me some credit, I’d have told you. No, I just learned this morning when I went into the coffee shop. She was there, with another man.”

  Another man? Did Michael know his ex-wife was seeing someone else already? “What did she say?” She made her way down the hallway to the laundry room.

  “Hold on.” He covered the phone with his hand and said something to someone Jessi assumed was his nurse. “Sorry, sis. Mother of a sick kid wanting to know if I can squeeze her in. Anyways, she explained they split. She took a job here at a law office, and she’s engaged. What will you do?”

  “Oh, James.” She opened the lid of the washer, tossed the clothes inside, and vowed not to cry.

  “I’ll support you no matter what you want to do. If you want to fight him for custody we’ll get the best lawyer I can find. I’ll help you raise them.” When she didn’t say anything he added. “Tell me what you want to do. I know Clearwater is under another blizzard, do you want me to come get you?”

  “Running away from this won’t fix it. I made a commitment and I’ll stick by it.” Even to her own ears the sadness was thick in her voice.

  “Jes, you know the kind of hours this job requires. Mine are long and I rarely have to do any hospital rounds. Whereas Michael he’s the only pediatrician in Clearwater, the hospital relies on him every time there’s a sick child. That makes for even longer hours. How will he care for twins by himself?”

  “They’re his children. I’m sure he’ll get a nanny. I don’t know, James, we haven’t talked about it.” She decided not to mention the fact the nursery wasn’t even set up because her brother would use that as a sign that Michael wasn’t ready for fatherhood.

  “They’re yours as well. More importantly I thought you never wanted to have children who were raised by a nanny and that’s what these children will be if Michael does it alone.”

  Their own mother died when they were infants, leaving them to be raised by a nanny while their doctor father worked day in and day out until he died of a heart attack three years ago, at only forty-nine. It was one of the main reasons instead of following her father and brother into the medical practice Jessi chose teaching. Now that she taught college courses online she’d be there to raise her child and be a good wife when the time came.

  “Michael is my best friend, but you’re my sister and these are my nieces or nephews we’re talking about. This needs to be about what is best for the children.” His words brought little comfort. She made a decent living, but she could never provide some of the things Michael could for the girls.

  “Nieces.” She added the laundry soap and turned on the machine.

  “You’re having girls? I thought he didn’t want to know.” There was a hit of excitement in his voice.

  “Peg didn’t want to know, but Michael did, so we could do some additional shopping before the delivery.” She tried to keep her own excitement out of her voice. She wanted girls, to dress them in all the cute little outfits.

  “Jes, I have to go, but think about it and let me know what you decide. I don’t want you to regret it later.”

  “I’ll let you know. But you’ll still join us for Christmas, right?”

  Christmas was in less than two weeks and her delivery date was December thirty-first, so they had to work out something soon.

  “I’ll be there. If you need anything just call me. Think about what I said.”

  “I will and I’ll see you soon. I love you, James. You’re the best big brother a girl could ask for.” He was amazing to her and now he was willing to stand by her if she chose to fight his best friend over the girls.

  “Love you too, sis.” He hung up, leaving her with even more to think about.

  Life threw her one curve ball after another, but this one had to be out of the park. No matter what she chose, someone would get hurt. Hopefully whatever happened would work out in favor of the girls she brought into the world.

  * * *

  Michael strolled through the door at a little after three, with two large teddy bears in his arms. Eager to show her what he found for the girls, he shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over the rail. His gaze quickly searched the family room looking for Jessi before he headed upstairs. At the top of the stairs he heard the faint tumble of the dryer, but didn’t see her anywhere. He peeked into guest room that had become hers. He still didn’t find her.

  “Jessi?” he called out on his way down the hall.

  “In here.”

  He continued to the nursery. There she stood next to the cribs, installing a mobile above one of them. The room was completely different from when he left. The two cribs formed an L shape in the one corner. The pink and white rug defined the space. Each of the cribs were decorated with the pink bedding with white roses scattered over it. The mobiles above each of the cribs matched the bedding, with pink and white roses dangling from each. The changing table on the opposite wall and the dresser closer to the door left enough room for the second dresser that would be delivered soon. The rocker that had been in his family for generations sat cattycorner to the cribs.

  He stepped into the room. “Wow! You shouldn’t have done this.”

  “I didn’t have anything else to do. All the clothes have been washed and are put away. You’ll need to pick out an outfit for the girls when we bring them home and I’ll add it to my hospital bag.” She turned on the mobile, testing it.

  “Whatever you think would be best is fine.” He held up the bears. “Look what I found in the hospital gift shop. They’re so cute, I couldn’t not get them.”

  She smiled at him, shaking her head. “They’re bigger than the girls will be.”

  “They’ll grow into them.” He stepped closer and placed a bear in each of the cribs. “I hired a housekeeper today. She’ll start on Wednesday. I hope you don’t mind dealing with things around here for another day.”

  “No, it’s fine. I have a roast in the oven for dinner. I better check on it.” She stepped past him before he had time to stop her.

  “Can it wait for a few minutes?” He followed her down the steps.

  “Sure, why?”

  “I want to talk to you. Come sit.” He led her to the sofa in the family room.

  “Michael, I don’t know what this is all about, but you’re making me nervous.” She eyed him with uncertainty.

  He swallowed his nerves and wrapped his hand around hers. “I know the situation with the girls isn’t what either of us planned, but we have to adjust to it for their sakes. For days I’ve wracked my brain to come up with the perfect solution to the mess I created—to find the best thing for the girls. Our girls deserve both of us in their life. I’m asking you to stay here, to help me raise them. What would be better than for the girls to have both of their parents in their lives? Will you stay and help me raise the girls?”

  She sat there and stared at him. “What?” Her voice was whisper
quiet as if she couldn’t quite grasp his suggestion.

  “I want you to stay here in Clearwater to help me raise the girls,” he repeated.

  “I heard you the first time.” She shook her head, for a moment he wasn’t sure if that was her answer or if she was still just trying to take it in. “Is this because you’re concerned I’ll fight you for them? Or because you know you can’t do it on your own? Do you see me as a cheaper alternative to a nanny?” He voice rose and he could tell he made her angry.

  “What the hell are you talking about? Who mentioned a nanny?”

  She pulled her hand from his. “It’s a logical jump.”

  “I’m not asking you to stay because I don’t want to hire a damn nanny. I’m asking because I want you to. Our girls deserve to have their mother in their life.”

  “So I’m supposed to give up my life now, because you screwed up? What about my life in Denver? What about James, my friends…everything?” Each word dripped with anger.

  “Your job is online, you can do it from anywhere and James will visit. What about the girls? I see how hard this is on you. Can you honestly just walk away from them?” He tried not to get angry. After all, she was just reacting to the sudden bomb he dropped on her. He should have eased into it, but he couldn’t come up with an easier way to put it.

  “Isn’t that what you hired me for?” Anger was gone, replaced with a tear-cloaked voice.

  “Things were different then, but I’d have never asked if I thought it would have affected you like this. I knew giving up the children wouldn’t be easy but you’d have been in their life and they’d have a happy family. You have to know I never wanted to see you so upset.” He leaned close to her, her hand in his. “Jes, years ago I fell in love with you and to see you now with the pregnancy glow around you all those feelings are back. We can give our girls the family they deserve.”

  She leaned back from him, just enough to allow look at him again. “What are you saying?”

  In that moment he realized what he wanted. “Marry me. Let’s have the family we started eight months ago.”

  Her eyes fluttered as if she was unable to focus seconds before she collapsed back against the couch.

  “I propose and she passes out. What a mess this is turning out to be. Can I do nothing right?”

  Chapter Five

  Jessi’s eyes fluttered open. Looking around the room, she tried to grasp what happened. Michael sat on the edge of the couch next to her, a cool rag pressed against her forehead. Last thing she remembered she was on the couch, then everything went black. “What happened?”

  “You passed out.” He took the rag away, and leaned back just slightly. “Are you okay now?”

  “Passed out? That’s never happened before. Should we call Doctor Bowmen?” Worries of danger to her daughters raced through her mind. She realized she thought of them as her daughters for the first time. Then everything rushed back. He proposed.

  “You’re fine, it was just the shock. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for this to happen.” She tried to sit up, but he pressed a hand to her shoulder. “I want you to stay there for a few minutes to make sure the shock has worn off.”

  “I need a drink.” He brushed away the hair that clung to her face, before a straw came into view.

  “When I got the rag I grabbed a bottle of water. Thankfully the straw was on the counter from takeout from the hospital a few nights ago,” he explained and bought it to her lips for her to take a drink.

  Minutes passed as she ran through what he’d said, yet he the silence hang between them, as he sat beside her, her hand in his. “Michael, I don’t know about marriage, but I’ll stay. I’ll help you raise the girls at least until we can figure out something else.”

  He leaned closer, his face hovered just above hers. “Thank you.” He pressed his lips to hers, the warmth of his mouth made her forget her worries for a moment. He used his tongue to gently slide her lips apart then explored her mouth, the spice of cinnamon drew her in.

  She returned his kisses, eager for more of his tongue, when he pulled back. “I promise this isn’t a mistake. It might be unconventional and we might have been thrown together because of circumstances beyond our control but I think this was always had it was supposed to be and I’ll prove it to you with time.”

  Reeling from his kiss, she watched him for a moment. “Why did you never make a move before?”

  “James…he was always so protective of his little sister. Plus I was an intern. You deserved better than somebody under that kind of pressure—both physically and financially.” He cupped his hand along her cheek. “I planned to ask you out once my internship was over but you did the semester abroad and when you returned James mentioned you had a serious boyfriend. Then Peg came along. I always wondered how different things would have been if I wouldn’t have waited. Now we have the chance to explore it.”

  “I know it might sound stupid, since we will have children together in a matter of weeks but it needs to be slow.”

  “Anything you want, as long as you give us a chance. Not just for the sake of our girls but for us. We deserve it too.” He ran his thumb along her chin. “I’ve always loved you and finally I’ll have a chance to show you.”

  She wasn’t sure what she was got herself into but he was right. She couldn’t just walk away from this opportunity. This might be Fate’s way of giving them both a chance to explore what could have started all those years ago, this time with twins in tow.

  * * *

  The following days passed in a blur, until Christmas only a week away. With Michael busy at the office and his hospital duties she was left to break in the new housekeeper, do the final preparations for the twins, as well as finals for the online class she taught. Jessi had planned everything in advance. After the holidays she would take a semester off giving her nearly eight months with the girls before she had to teach the fall semester.

  Jessi sat behind the desk in Michael’s study where she had she had set up temporary quarters until they had time to refurnish Peg’s old office for her to use, when Cathy entered. “Ms. Macis, you have a phone call. A man name James.”

  Cathy was an older woman, a little plump around the middle and she had let her hair turn gray adding a nice silvery white to her dark brown hair. With time she’d have that beautiful white grey that so many older women wanted if they let their hair remain natural. “Thank you, Cathy. James is my brother. Please, always put through his calls.” She tried to put down the ground rules now while Cathy was still new, later they’d be harder to instill. One she tried was for Cathy to call her Jessi instead of Ms. Macis but that was the only thing the woman refused saying it was respectful to call her employers Mr. and Ms. and Jessi had no comeback to that.

  “Yes, Ms. Macis.” She left to get back to her duties and Jessi picked up the phone on Michael’s desk.

  “James, once again a phone call in the middle of the day. What’s up?”

  “Michael called.” He stated it as if she should know why.

  She leaned back in the warm leather chair, waiting for James to say why he called. “I don’t follow.”

  “Jessi Ann, don’t play with me. You’re staying in Clearwater with him. Dammit, you go up there a little more than a week ago and he’s proposed.” James didn’t seem angry, just disappointed she didn’t tell him sooner.

  “I didn’t accept his proposal, yet.” It seemed stupid to defend only that part of his statement but that’s the part she got from it. She wasn’t sure why she added the yet, had she decided that she might accept it? Thankfully James didn’t call her on that.

  “So, you are staying?”

  “Yes. We both know he can’t do it alone, and the girls deserve better than we did. A nanny can’t replace a mother.” She loved her brother, but she really didn’t want to have to defend her actions—not to him, not to anyone.

  “I just don’t want to see you hurt. I wish I would have never mentioned he was looking for a surrogate.”

 
“We both know Michael won’t hurt me on purpose. This might be the best thing that’s happened to us. Giving up the girls would have been harder than I realized. Now I don’t have to.” She ran her hand along her stomach, feeling feet kick beneath her hand. At least one of them, if not both, sure had a kick.

  “It could make things harder later if you decide to fight him for custody. Maybe you should speak with a lawyer before you make any kind of commitment.”

  “No matter what happens between us, I won’t take the girls from him. They deserve to have their father a part of their life. If things don’t work out with Michael, I’ll get my own place here in Clearwater and we’ll raise the girls together, even if in different houses. We’ll remain civil to each other for the sake of the children.” She’d do whatever had to be done to give the girls two parents.

  “Sister, you have high expectations. I just hope it works out for you.” He was silent for a moment she thought they were disconnected. “Michael is a good man and you’re an even better woman, so if any two people can make it work it’s you too. I’ll miss having you around here. It will seem odd not seeing you a few times a week for lunch, dinner or just coffee.”

  He had her there that was the one thing she’d missed. “Me too. When will you be here for Christmas?”

  “I’m flying in Friday night. Michael is picking me up at the airport.”

  “Five days before Christmas.” Shocked he was taking that much time off work, she leaned forward to look at the calendar. “That’s nearly two weeks. I don’t think you took more than a weekend off since you graduated medical school.”

  “I’m about to be an uncle. I want to be there to see my little nieces when they’re born. Plus, if you’re moving, the least I can do is spend Christmas and New Years with you. You’ll be so busy with the twins, who knows when I’ll get to see you.” There was a touch of sadness in his voice. It wasn’t just she was moving away, it was they were both losing their best friends due to the miles that separated them.

  “We’ll see each other regularly. I’ll come down and you’ll come up here. After all, the girls need their Uncle James in their lives just like two parents.” With another few minutes of small talk—she asked him to pick up a few needed things from her apartment—they ended the call.