The phone rang and when she picked it up a gruff voice said,
“Abby Cavanaugh? This is Doc James
speaking.”
“Hello, Doc, this is Abby Cavanaugh speaking.” Doc James was
an old, retired doctor who kept care of the town’s minor ailments when it
didn’t require a trip inland.
“How can I help you, doctor?” she asked.
“Bad news Abby, I’m here at Gurney’s and Fred’s had a heart
attack.”
“My God in heaven,” she said.
“We’re waiting for the ambulance and Bessie needs someone.”
“Of course, tell Aunt Bessie that I’ll be right there.”
Abby stopped and grabbed her purse and sweater and was out
of the door in minutes. When she parked
her car in front of Gurney’s there was a small crowd gathered at the entrance
trying to see inside the store. Abby
pushed through and knocked on the door
“Had to lock up to keep everyone out,” he explained.
“What’s happened, Doc?
How’s Fred?” she asked.
“Calm
down and I’ll tell you what I know, Abby.
You won’t be much good to Bessie if you don’t settle down,” he said.
He explained the sequence of events as he walked Abby to the
storeroom in the back, “Bessie was alone up front when she heard something fall
in the backroom. She called out to Fred
and when he didn’t answer she went back to investigate and found him unconscious
on the floor. She called me and had the
good sense to call an ambulance too; it’s on its way.”
He put his hand on Abby’s arm, “We won’t know how bad it is
until we get him to the hospital but I’m afraid that it’s pretty bad.”
Abby nodded and took a couple of deep breathes before
passing through the doorway to the storeroom.
She went right to Aunt Bessie and held the trembling woman
in her arms, “It’s all right Aunt Bessie we’re going to take real good care of
Fred,” and then with a sigh of relief she said, “Here’s the ambulance now.”
She held Aunt Bessie in her arms away from Fred while the
paramedics worked on him. She couldn’t
see what they were doing but she could see that Fred looked pale and small
lying there on the floor. They strapped
him to a stretcher and carried him to the ambulance.
“I’m going to ride with him,” Aunt Bessie cried out and
tried to break away from Abby.
“Sorry, mam,” a paramedic said as he slammed the ambulance
door, “We’re going to have to be attending to Mr. Gurney and you’d just be in
the way.”
“Come with me, Aunt Bessie, we’ll follow the ambulance right
to the hospital.”
Abby coaxed her over to her camper as the crowd made a path
murmuring comforting words and reaching out to touch Bessie.
Doc James handed Bessie her purse, “You go with Abby,
Bessie, and I’ll lock up here,” he said.
“Abby call me as soon as you know anything,” he said.
Abby settled Bessie into the passenger seat and buckled her
seat belt, “They’re doing everything they can.”
Abby started the camper and headed into town behind the
ambulance. Tears coursed down Bessie’s
lined face and she wouldn’t take her eyes off of the ambulance as she raveled
and unraveled a hankie on her lap.
She turned to Abby, “I guess it’s in the Good Lord’s hands
now. I feel so helpless.”
“I know Aunt Bessie, but we can pray,” and Abby did all the
way to the hospital.
Redwood Coast Hospital was an old but sparkling white two
story building with well-tended lawns and shade trees. Abby found a parking
place and helped Aunt Bessie into the main lobby where she was seated with a
clerk to fill in all of the paper work and insurance forms. They were directed to a waiting room on the
second floor.
It wasn’t a big city hospital but Abby was impressed with
the modern equipment and efficiency. It
looked like Fred would get good care here.
It seemed as if they’d been waiting for hours when a
red-headed, freckle faced young doctor in a lab coat walked down the hall
toward them.
“Mrs. Gurney?” the man asked.
“Yes, I’m Bessie Gurney.
How is my husband?” she stood on shaky legs.
The young man took her by the arm and seated her on the
settee and then sat down next to her.
“I’m Dr. Anderson, Mrs. Gurney. Your husband had a very
serious heart attack. I can’t make any
promises but we do have him stabilized and settled in a room in intensive
care.”
“Can she see him?” Abby asked.
“He’s in room 202. I
guess it wouldn’t hurt if she went in for a moment or two.”
“Mrs. Gurney,” the doctor took her hand, the nurses will
shoo you right out and that’s on my orders.
Your husband needs quiet and the nurses need room to keep him
comfortable, so pay attention to what they say.”
“I’ll do as they say, doctor,” Bessie promised.
“Does he need anything, doctor? Round the clock nurses, specialists, anything?”
Abby asked. “We’re doing everything we can. We have a nurse monitoring his vital signs at all times and we’ll know immediately if he needs attention,” the doctor said. Dr. Anderson rose and rubbed his eyes. “I’ll be at the hospital until later tonight, we’ll let you know if there is any change.”
Abby helped Aunt Bessie up and found Fred’s room with the
help of a nurse.
“The doctor said she could go in for a minute.”
Bessie faltered as Abby helped her into the room. Fred was hooked up to various monitors and
equipment with tubes running in and out of his body. He looked pale and lifeless in the big
hospital bed. Bessie sat down in the
chair next to him and laid her hand on his, “I’m going to stay here with him,
Abby. I’ll be all right.”
Abby glanced at the nurse.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Mrs. Gurney, doctor’s
orders you know but I’ll give you five minutes.”
After the allotted five minutes the nurse brought Bessie
back out to Abby. Abby walked her over
to an alcove with a settee, chairs, and coffee and soda machines.
"Can I get you something to drink?”
“No child, I’m fine.”
“Aunt Bessie, Is there anyone I should call?”
Bessie fished in her purse and found her address book and
handed it to Abby, “Would you call Reverend Potter and tell him that I’d
appreciate his prayers?”
“I’ll find a phone and get right back to you, try to relax.”
She went toward the
elevators and heard someone calling her name.
She turned and trying a smile she said, “Dr. Jordan I presume?”
“Are you here to visit someone?”
Abby explained the circumstances for her presence in the
hospital,
“I was just on my way to get change and find a phone,” she
said.
“You’ve been crying,” he said and pulled her over to the
water fountain, dampened his fresh handkerchief in the water and dabbed at her
face. “There now, little girl, you can
use my office for your calls. It’s on
three.”
They took the elevator up a floor and he showed her his
office and left on rounds. Abby checked
in the little book and called Reverend Potter and told him what happened. He said he would be there that evening to see
Mrs. Gurney and her husband.
“Thanks, Reverend, I know she’ll appreciate it.”
“She’s a good woman, Ms. Cavanaugh, I’m glad you’re there
with her.”
Abby made a quick call to Doc James and then checked her own
address book to see if she had Tom’s number.
He was on an overnight business trip to L.A. She dialed his home phone first and it rang
for a long time and finally a woman’s voice answered.
"Is Tom Yancy there?” she asked nervously.
“May I ask whose calling?” the voice said imperiously.
“This is Abby Cavanaugh.
It’s a personal call and somewhat urgent,” she said to the voice.
“Yancy, it’s for you,” the woman called in a clipped tone,
“And it’s personal.”
“Hello, this is Tom Yancy.”
“Tom,” she said, not knowing how to break the news or if she
even should have called.
“Abby, is that you?”
“Tom, it’s just awful,” she said.
“Take it easy, sweetheart, just go slow and tell me what
happened,” Tom ordered in a calm voice.
Finally, Abby gathered her wits and explained everything
that had happened and said, “I didn’t know whether to call you or not?”
“I’m glad you called.
We can’t do much for Fred, but Aunt Bessie needs us,” he said. “Abby, I’m going to take the first flight
back and drive straight to the hospital.
Can you hold down the fort until I get there?”
“I’m fine Tom. I’ve
been o.k. all day. It’s just putting it
into words that’s hard.”
“I know you’ll be o.k.
You’re made of tough stuff, professor.
Just hand on for a few more hours and I’ll be there,” he said.
After they hung up
Abby stood at the window looking down on the hospital grounds. Wheelchair patients were piloting themselves
along the paths and gathering in groups under the shade trees while the elderly
and infirm were being pushed by relatives or nurses.
She went back down to two and found Aunt Bessie slumped on
the edge of the settee. Abby went over
and sat next to her and pulled her close.
“Aunt Bessie, don’t give up hope, it’s in God’s hands.”
Bessie turned toward her, “I’m fine child,” she patted
Abby’s hand consolingly, “You go home now, and I’ll be just fine waiting here.”
“Aunt Bessie, how could I leave you alone? Reverend Potter will be here this evening,
Tom is on his way back and I don’t plan on leaving your side until we all go
home. So just count on it.”
Several hours later Abby stood at the same window looking
down on the hospital grounds. Earlier wheelchair patients were piloting
themselves along the paths and gathering in groups under the shade trees while
the elderly and infirm were being pushed by relatives or nurses; but it was
dark now and life was at its lowest ebb, she was exhausted from the shock of
Fred’s heart attack and waiting most of the day and night with Aunt Bessie.
She saw Blackie’s reflection in the window walking toward
her. She turned and reached for his hand, “Thanks for all of the help you’ve
been, Blackie.”
“You’re tired,” he said and took her in his arms.
She leaned against him and rested her head on his chest, “I
don’t ever want to move.”
“You never have to,” his voice promised.
He rested his chin on her head, “Let me find and empty room
for you so you can nap and take a shower,” he helped her to a seat in the
waiting room.
When he came back, mission accomplished she was sound
asleep. He scooped her up and laid her
on the bed in the nearby room. He took
her shoes off and covered her with a blanket.
“Sleep well, little one,” he said.
Abby woke with a start a few hours later disoriented and
needing a few moments to get her bearings back to present time and place. She got up and rinsed her mouth out with a
small sample bottle of mouth wash she bought at the gift shop, tidied her hair,
and made her way back toward Fred’s room.
Tom had arrived and they hugged and he offered to relieve
Abby long enough for her to drive home for a change of clothes and shower. While she was at home she saw that the
answering machine was blinking but it was probably calls about Aunt Bessie and
she had to hurry back to the hospital.
Abby had asked Aunt Bessie what she needed from home and
promised to stop by her house and pack a small bag with necessities and a
change of clothes. As she was leaving Aunt Bessie’s she noticed her family
Bible on the kitchen table opened to the book of Ruth and she put it on top of
the rest of the things she packed and put it in her camper.
Driving back to the hospital Abby knew it was past time to
have a serious talk with Tom. She had to
tell him about her feelings for Blackie and sort it all out for herself before
she would be ready to date anyone. This time she was going to follow her heart
whether it was the wisest choice or not, and whether she won or lost. And right
now her heart wasn’t hers to give.
Later that day she invited Tom to the cafeteria for a snack
or meal, she had lost track of night and day and whether it was time for
breakfast or dinner. She could see that
it was light outside but that was about all she knew for sure. He said he
wasn’t hungry but would enjoy a short walk out in the air so she had her talk
with Tom on the hospital grounds. Tom
wasn’t happy about it but conceded that it was best he know now before his
feelings deepened and he admitted he was a little concerned about jumping right
into a new relationship straight from his old one. They decided to be good
friends and leave it at that; after all, good friends were valuable and they
were going to be neighbors in a small town for the rest of their lives.
When they got back up to Fred’s room they were told that he
was holding his own but that there was no improvement. Abby gave Aunt Bessie her bag and got the
Bible out and handed it to her.
“Why bless your heart, that’s exactly what I needed and I
forgot to tell you,” she said.
“I knew you’d want it, Aunt Bessie,” Abby said.
Pastor Potter had located Fred’s son from a former marriage
and Bessie told Abby and Tom that they would be arriving on the next flight
from Boston. Bessie had always tried to
keep in touch with them though Fred was lukewarm about the relationship with his
boy. He and his first wife had married
and divorced within two years and the woman had moved back east right after the
divorce was final and Fred’s only contact was paying child support and a few
visits when the son got old enough to fly by himself. Aunt Bessie had tried to keep in touch but
Fred Jr. wasn’t any better at letter writing then Fred Sr. and though there
were calls on Christmas and birthdays the tie was tenuous and it was based on
Fred Jr.’s affection for Aunt Bessie.
That affection is what prompted him to fly out to be with her.
Tom told Aunt Bessie, “If there is any talk about Wills
refer Fred Jr. to me because Fred recently retained me as his attorney and
updated his Will.”
“He must have been feeling bad for a while then,” Bessie
said, “He didn’t mention a new Will to me.”
“He instructed me not to tell anyone,” Tom said and gave
Aunt Bessie two of his business cards and told her to give his card to the son
if he asked any legal questions.
Pastor Potter had arranged for a group of ladies from his
church to come in pairs to keep Aunt Bessie company; their visits would begin
first thing in the morning. Abby and Tom
were glad they would be able to run home to take care of feeding pets, fielding
phone calls, checking the mail, taking showers, and changing clothes, but they
still wanted to spend as much time as possible at the hospital with Aunt
Bessie.
Abby was exhausted from the shock of Fred’s heart attack and
catching a nap on strange beds in strange rooms, eating in the cafeteria, and supporting
Aunt Bessie as much as possible. Tom wasn’t in much better shape but he was
glad that Abby called him, he wanted to be there for Aunt Bessie.
Fred’s son and his wife arrived during the night in a rental
car and Tom and Abby met them and found Fred Jr. to be much like his father.
Aunt Bessie insisted that they stay with her in Trinity Cove. The wife, Stasia, was a piece of work, Tom
thought, she was there to push her husband into getting what was rightfully his from the situation. He
had met her type often in his line of work.
Abby and Tom offered to stay at the hospital until the
Boston couple was settled in at the Gurney home and could bring Bessie back to
the hospital.
Tom and Abby took turns checking on Fred. His condition remained the same and they
reported no change to Aunt Bessie when she got back to the hospital with Fred
Jr. Stasia had decided she needed rest
so she stayed at the Gurney home in Trinity Cove. When Pastor Potter’s ladies
showed up in the morning Abby and Tom decided to go home and take care of
chores and come back in the late afternoon or evening.
Abby fell asleep as soon as she got home and fed Waif. When she woke up and listen to her messages
she was again sent into shock. Four of
the messages were from the District Attorney’s office in her hometown in the
Midwest. In the latest message the caller left enough information to get her
attention.
“Mrs. Turner this is Chuck Bernard with the Morgan County
District Attorney’s office. We’ve been
leaving messages for you for several days now.
It’s of the upmost importance that you return our call. Our office has a court order to exhume your
father’s body for a detailed autopsy.
Please call me at your earliest convenience.”
She stared out the window not knowing what to do next. Running on very little sleep she couldn’t
absorb this new shock. She needed a lawyer she decided. She hated to call Tom but he was the only
lawyer she knew and she trusted him.
She dialed his number and his sleepy voice mumbled, “Yes,
who is it?”
“Tom, I’m sorry but can you come over here?” she asked.
“Now?” he was tired and grouchy.
“I’m afraid so, Tom, I need an attorney immediately.”
That statement cleared his fuzzy mind, “Has something
happened?” he asked.
“Yes, something
awful, but not about Fred,” she responded, “Something from my past.”
Abby made coffee for Tom and tea for herself and he tapped
on her backdoor five minutes later in jeans, a tee shirt, rumpled and
unshaven.
He did have a legal pad and pencil and, smiled when he
smelled fresh coffee brewing.
Abby poured tea for herself and a cup of coffee for Tom and
they sat at her dining table and she played the messages for him.
Tom just shook his head the first time through the messages
and said, “Play it again please.”
He began making notes and raised his hand to stop Abby when
she started to explain.
She decided to start breakfast while he thought about it and
she put on a cast iron frying pan of thick cut bacon to fill the air with the
aroma of frying bacon to mingle with the freshly brewed coffee as Tom tried to
concentrate on the problem before him.
“Abby, I need background information, fill me in!”
As she filled Tom in on the details of her marriage and
divorce she put canned biscuits in the oven, chopped onions, peppers, and
tomatoes for their omelets, and drained the bacon.
“Jesus, Abby, I’m starving.
Is that about ready?”
“The omelet’s almost
ready,” she said and poured the egg mixture into the pan.
They were both starving and Abby was comforted by the
presence of her friend so they satisfied their appetites and then sat back and
sipped coffee or tea, relaxing for the moment.
“My husband, was very controlling and after my father died
he became physically as well as emotionally abusive. He wanted me at home and
he didn’t want me to have any friends.
Toward the end I was almost a captive in my own house,” she told Tom,
“And he was becoming more and more violent.”
“Did he leave you alone after the divorce?” Tom asked.
“No, I had restraining orders but he didn’t pay any
attention to them, so I finally had to leave and have a realtor sell my house.”
“The court gave you the house?” he asked.
“The house belonged to my father and I, Mark moved in when
we married.”
Abby cleared her voice, “Tom, thanks for being there for
me. I know that you’re tired and need
sleep just as much as I do.”
“True, but I’d also be hungry if I hadn’t come,” he
shrugged.
She smiled at him, “Thank you,” she said.
“What do you want me to do about this phone message?” he
asked.
“I want to retain you as my attorney in the matter of the
exhumation and subsequent and related matters,” she said, “And someone’s been
trying to verify my work place and home address. I think it’s my ex,” she said, “could you
look into that, too?”
Tom reached over and shook her hand, “Do you want me to
contact the D.A.’s office for you?”
“Absolutely! Just
keep me informed and protect my interests,” she said.
He stood and said, “You got it friend, I’ll have papers for
you to sign in the next day or two; and in the meantime, you’re covered.”
Abby filled the dish washer and finally thought about what
the call meant. Apparently, something
had roused police suspicions about the death of her father and it must have
something to do with Mark. He was the
only one in the house when her father died.
She frowned and decided to let the police sort it out. She had plenty to deal with in the here and
now and she didn’t need distractions from the past even though it broke her
heart to think of the exhumation and scrutiny of her father’s remains. It felt as if her concerns had finally
changed focus from fleeing the past to living in her present life.
Tom and Abby continued with their hospital visits and
spending time with Aunt Bessie and now, the ever present Fred Jr. and his wife
Stasia. Late one evening when Abby was
at the hospital, Fred passed away, quietly, in his sleep.
“Tom?” Abby said into her cell phone.
“Yes, Abby.”
“Tom, Fred’s gone and I’m going to go home with Aunt Bessie
and make sure everything is O.K. there.
I’d really like to take her home with me but she has company.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Tom said.
Tom was there shortly after they arrived from the hospital
and he discretely had a conversation with Fred Jr. and gave him a card.
“Well, then, Fred Jr. said, “We’ll stay for the funeral and
be on our way home,” he said as Stasia glowered from the sofa waiting to see
what Tom had told her husband.
All of the townsfolk from the local church began delivering
casseroles, salads, plants and flowers to the new widow so she didn’t lack for
anything physically but still needed Tom and Abby for emotional support through
the funeral and while she was getting back on her feet.
Abby managed to get through the next week and then tried to
talk Aunt Bessie into staying with her for a week or so but Aunt Bessie claimed
that what she really needed was some time to herself. It sounded reasonable to Tom and Abby so they
let it pass for the time being but kept close tabs on her.
Abby caught up on her sleep and household chores and then
started work on her new fall course again.
She missed the daily contact she had with Blackie when she was at the
hospital every day. They talked on the
phone often, but their conversations always felt a bit impersonal to Abby. Feeling restless she hiked down the bluff and
jogged on the beach for a while before lunch to burn off nervous energy.
Abby was catching her breath and looking up the coast when
she noticed a tall figure coming down the bluff and then turn toward her. Soon she saw that it was Blackie and her
heart lightened, she wanted to be alone but Blackie was different. She knew that they had drawn closer after
their trip to the art show and the moments they had together at the hospital.
When he reached her he smiled and took her hand and they
turned and walked hand in hand back to her house.
He slowed, “I know it’s over between you and Cliff.”
“Of course, it is. He
betrayed us,” and she paused and frowned, “And he really didn’t enjoy the same
things or people that I enjoy.”
He stopped and turned toward her, “And now you’ve been
dating Tom,” he said.
“I had him over for dinner his first night in town because
his kitchen wasn’t in working order and it got too late for him to eat here in
town,” she said, “And then he returned the favor by taking me out to the Inn
for dinner.”
“You went to the Tanaka’s together,” he reminded her.
“Actually no, but we were both there. Listen Blackie, Tom and I have talked it out and
we are just friends; and now he’s also my attorney.”
“Not a serious problem, I hope?” he asked.
“So far, so good,” she said smiling.
He looked down at her and said, “Abby, remember when we
first met, I asked you out and you said no?”
“Yes, I remember, I did that for two reasons. One, I knew that
we were going to have a professional relationship; and two, you had a heck of a
reputation as a lady’s man.”
“The women that would put up with my hours are few and far
between, Abby. By the time I’ve broken
the second date it’s usually over. You
saw how it was when you were at the hospital with Bessie Gurney.”
They were at the foot of the bluff when he stopped her and
asked, “What would you say now?”
“Me?” she asked, her eyes shying from him.
“No, the girl standing next to you,” he teased and reached
out to draw her closer gaining confidence from the shyness in her glance and
her yielding body.
“I’d like to come calling, Abby. Can we spend some time together and see if
you can put up with a doctor’s hours?”
It felt right in his arms.
She slid her hands up his chest and rising on her toes kissed him softly
on the lips. Her hands continued up
around his neck and he kissed her with deep tenderness then broke it off
saying, “Is that a yes?” he asked.
“Seriously?” she whispered, and held on for a moment longer.
“For keeps,” he said.
“But what about all of your women?” she asked frowning.
“What other women?” he asked, “Remember the day we found the
little flower in the woods?”
“Of course, I’ll never forget the wild orchid,” she said.
“That’s the last time I dated anyone else but that’s about
when you started dating Cliff,” he said, “And then when you broke it off with
Cliff you started dating Tom.”
“Well,” she said, hands on hips, “You could just say
something doctor. I’ll race you to the top,” she challenged and bounded up the
steep path just out of his reach.
They were both out of breath when they reached Abby’s
kitchen.
“Come little one, let’s sit and talk,” and he led her to the
window seat.
“Did you think we’d ever get together, Abby?”
“Remember the day we went to Jack Brannon’s office,
Blackie?”
“How could I forget, you had that great suit on and you
looked sexier than hell. I thought I was
going to have to pop Brannon if he took one more look at you,” he said.
“I felt especially good about how I looked that day,” she
said, “And I noticed how you kept watching me.
It made me happy. I’ve been having little fantasies about you ever
since.”
“Oh you have, have you?” he teased.
“You know what I miss most, Blackie?”
“What little girl?”
“The time we used to spend in the woods, I miss it a lot.”
“Me too, Abby, but I couldn’t trust myself alone with you. I
knew that I’d end up scaring you away. You would have darted off like a
startled doe and it would have ruined my chances with you completely.”
She thought about it and nodded.
“Listen to me little one, we need to see each other for a
while. I really do have crazy hours and most sane women wouldn’t put up with
it. I’m going to try to cut back but
I’ll always have my people to take care of,” Blackie said.
“I know,” she said thoughtfully.
“I want to tell you about my commitments,” Blackie
said. “When I applied for a scholarship
to go to med school there was a one in a million chance that I’d get it. And even if I did, the chances that I would
make it were small. I wasn’t a brilliant scholar in college.”
They were sitting in the window seat and she was leaning
back into his arms and listening to his serious voice.
“I promised God that if I got it I’d work hard for my people
who couldn’t afford proper medical care.
I prayed and I won the scholarship and then I prayed even harder to make
it through med school and my internship.
I meant it Abby, I’ll always keep that promise.”
She turned and looked up at him, “I know that it’s your
ministry, Blackie. That is understood
between us and I accept it.”
“It cuts into my earnings too, Abby,” he said.
“Blackie, I’m more interested in your loyalty and what kind
of husband and father you will be than I am in your earning power,” she said,
“You’ll have to make time for our children.”
“Little Flower, I’ll be as faithful to you as I am to the
promise I made to God. We’ll be taking
our vows before the very same God when we marry. He’ll be part of our marriage, our life, and
our children’s upbringing. And yes, you’re right, I’ll have to make time for
you and the children.”
“Maybe four?” she asked, “With weekends and camping trips?”
He smiled and held her closer.
She sat up and looked at him, “Now I have to tell you about
my ex-husband, Blackie.”
“I don’t need to know about your marriage, Little Flower, I
know you,” he said.
“Yes you do, Blackie, he’s a dangerous man. He’s threatened me and any man I marry.” She went on to explain to Blackie about her
ex just as she had told Tom and then went on to tell him about the latest call
from the district attorney and the exhumation of her father. She began to cry
softly and he held her close.
“Is that why you hired, Tom?” he asked.
“Yes, I didn’t know what else to do. I’m still afraid of Mark and I wouldn’t be
surprised if he was implicated in my father’s death,” she said, calming down.
They talked for another hour and Blackie said, “Don’t be
afraid, it will be O.K., and I promise that I will protect you,” Blackie said.
She felt better after telling Blackie the whole sordid story
and having it really be in the past with a bright, new future before her.
“Let’s give ourselves a couple of month’s to adjust to each
other. You’ll have to get used to my
hours and I’ll have to start making more time for a wife and family,” he
grinned at her.
“For keeps,” she said, happily.
He looked at his watch and shook his head, “And I’m due at
the hospital in twenty minutes,” he sighed.
“Don’t start feeling guilty when you have to work, Blackie,
just slowly cut it down then we’ll think about starting our family,” she said,
then frowned, “You won’t be jealous about my doing things with friends when you
do have to work, will you?” she asked.
He kissed her on the lips, “I know that you’ll be faithful
Abby, and I’m not controlling or abusive like your first husband,” he said.
She laughed, “I know you’re not possessed like he is.”
He looked at his watch again regretfully, and stood up and
she walked him to the door and watched him back out of the driveway.
She flopped into one of the wicker chairs on the sun porch
and thought about being Mrs. Jordan and the problems they would face
together. She was excited and happy and
needed to talk to someone.
She dialed and said, “Hi Danni, this is Abby, is Tessie
there?” she asked.
“Hi, Abby, she’s right here.
We’re doing a seating chart for this evening,” she said.
Tessie took the phone, “Danni’s already finished the seating
chart. I was just going over it,” she
said.
“Can you talk?” Abby asked.
“Sure, I’ll go to my office and pick up in there,” Tessie
said.
There was silence and
then, “Hi, Abby, you sound like you’re in a great mood.”
“I am, Tess. Guess
what, I’m dating a doctor,” Abby told Tessie.
“Slow down, you left me way behind, last I heard it was an
attorney,” Tessie said.
“Tom’s nice and I like him, but I’ve been thinking about
Blackie ever since I had to spend so much time in the hospital. Actually, since
our meeting with Jack Brannon and even before that,” she admitted.
Tessie was surprised, “Well, this is all so new, you never
said a word.”
“I know, I thought he was just my little fantasy.”
“I told him all about my ex, Tessie, and Tom knows too,” she
said.
“Can you come over, I want to hear all of the little
details?” Tess asked.
“How about tomorrow late afternoon?” she asked, “I have to
sign some papers for Tom tomorrow and then I’ll come by the Inn.” Abby explained about the phone calls and the
exhumation to Tessie.
“I hired Tom to represent me.” Abby told her.
“What does he think about this thing with Blackie?” Tessie
asked.
“I told Tom about my feelings for Blackie before Fred died
and he was upset at first but he’s great now,” she told Tess.
“You went to an art show in Sacramento with Blackie, didn’t
you?” she asked.
“Yes,” Abby admitted, “That’s when I knew for sure that I
had feelings for Blackie that I needed to work out before I dated anyone,” Abby
told Tessie.
“Well, go girl,” Tessie said, “You’re sure it’s Blackie?”
she asked.
“Sure enough to commit,” she told Tessie.
Tessie heard the joy in Abby’s voice and was happy for her,
“I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon,” Tessie said.
Abby went and spent some time with Aunt Bessie that evening and
after Blackie called to say goodnight she went to bed and dreamed about Black
Eagle following his grandpa around everywhere and she when she woke up she
wondered who their little boy would follow about. That day Abby went out to run
some errands taking longer than expected because of the dense fog. 
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