A Celtic Knot (4 page)

Dana was so grateful to be home. Catherine had dropped her off at the bookstore after they shared a wonderful meal at their favorite Thai restaurant. She’d hoped that Catherine would feel better after talking to Olivia, but it looked like it only made matters worse. She listened to her throughout dinner try to make sense of their interaction. Dana had never seen her daughter so befuddled by a woman before. She hoped she’d feel better after a good night’s sleep. Knowing her daughter, the possibilities were slim. She’d call to check on her before turning in for the night.

She checked that she had no phone messages and set the teakettle to boil. She reached into the antique hutch and pulled out her favorite bone china teacup. She loved the antiques that she and Aidan had collected to fill their home. The memories flooded back where they purchased each piece and how they haggled over prices with the dealers.

The house phone rang. She smiled at the name on the display.

“Hello, Dr. Ruth Ratcliff. How’s your mother?” She removed the teakettle from the stove.

“She’s doing well, considering. She has a brand new hip and she’s resting comfortably.”

Dana walked into the great room and settled into a chocolate suede loveseat. “I’m so glad. I’ve been thinking about both of you all day. I stopped into the church today and lit a candle for her. I also lit a candle to pray that you’ll never abandon me for one of my appointments with you again.”

“That’s one of the reasons I called. I’m so sorry about what happened with Dr. Snyder, Dana.”

“No harm was done. Olivia handled the situation beautifully. It’s good she came in when she did or Catherine might have ripped out his tongue and shoved it back down his throat.”

“Well, in that case I wish Olivia had been delayed a little longer.”

Dana laughed. “As far as I’m concerned, Olivia made everything right again the moment she stepped into the examination room. However, Catherine felt a little differently. I wasn’t sure who she wanted to kill first, Olivia or Dr. Snyder.”

“Olivia told me. She feels really bad about the way things ended today with her and Catherine. She hopes to have a chance to talk to her, once the dust settles.”

Dana crossed her legs and stretched her arm across the back of the couch. “That could be wishful thinking. You should have seen them together, Ruth. There were murderous sparks flying all over the place. It’s amazing we all walked away from that unscathed.”

Ruth laughed. “Do you think there could be something there between Catherine and Olivia?”

“That’s a lovely thought, but I don’t think so. The last person I could imagine Catherine getting involved with would be a surgical oncologist.”

“What a shame. We could each find a partner for someone we love in one little match-making venture.”

Dana smiled. “After what I saw today, that’s highly improbable. How are you, Ruth? You must be exhausted after everything you’ve been through today.”

“I’m tired. I’ll make sure my mom’s settled for the night then I’m heading to her house to get some sleep. It’s been a stressful day for you too. But I wanted to congratulate you on your clean mammogram and breast exam. It’s been five years now, Dana. You can stop taking your Tamoxifen.”

Dana skimmed her fingertips across the seam in the plush suede. “I needed to hear it from you before I felt totally comfortable with it.”

“You have my permission to stop taking your meds. You’ve made it to five years without recurrence, Dana. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you. When I dreamed of achieving this milestone I promised myself I’d toss my remaining pills out to sea. Now that the time is here I’m terrified to let them go.”

“I know. It’s like letting go of a trusted friend.”

Dana anchored her foot on the antique black cherry coffee table. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Dr. Ratcliff.”

“I’m thrilled to have been there with you every step of the way, Dana. I’m even more thrilled to be considered a friend. I’d like the opportunity to celebrate your five-year mark with you. I’d also like to find a way to make it up to you for what you went through today.”

“I rather do enjoy dinner with you.”

“Sounds wonderful. It’s a date. I should get going, unfortunately. But I can’t tell you how much hearing your voice has calmed me.”

“It was great talking to you, Ruth. Can I call you tomorrow to check on both of you?”

“I’d like that.”

“Good night, Ruth. Take care of yourself and your mother. Know that you’re both in my prayers.”

“Thanks, Dana. That means a lot to me. Goodbye, my friend.”

Dana clicked off her phone and held it to her chest. “Goodbye, my friend.”

Five

O
LIVIA SLICED THROUGH THE WATER
of their indoor lap pool at a breakneck pace. She reached the end and executed a perfect underwater turn and headed in the opposite direction. Olivia saw the feet dangling in the shallow end and slowed her frantic pace. She reached for the edge of the pool beside Echo’s legs and surfaced. She gasped her next breath and pulled her goggles off her face and placed them on the deck. Olivia dunked herself to get the hair out of her eyes and wiped at the water on her face. She swiftly hauled herself out of the pool and sat beside Echo.

Echo handed her a plush pink towel. “You look like a woman hell bent on beating the water into a foam rather than swimming in it.”

Olivia lifted her face from the towel. “It’s been quite a day. Is Zoë asleep?”

“She’s been sound asleep since nine. I was working on my paper about women and heart disease when I heard you come in. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Echo grabbed a bag of pretzels and held them before Olivia. “Want a pretzel? They always make the world a better place.”

Olivia looked down at the bag before her and laughed. “No thanks, Echo. That’s not going to fix what ails me.”

“What about some of my awesome veggie stir-fry? We were kind enough to save you some. Are you hungry?”

“Sorry I missed dinner, Echo. I’m really not very hungry.”

Echo gasped. “Okay, now I know you had a really bad day. You never lose your appetite.”

Olivia rubbed her weary eyes then gently massaged her own temples. “It’s just one of those days you wish you could do all over again. Especially the lecture.”

“The lecture was great. Even the question from Catherine O’Grady gave the audience something to think about.” Echo looked closely at her friend. “You’re upset about Catherine O’Grady, aren’t you?”

“She didn’t make my day any easier.”

“How do you even know her? Have you been to her bookstore?”

“No. I didn’t know she existed before today. She’s the daughter of one of Ruth’s patients. She bashed me during their appointment today, then did it again at the lecture.”

“You must care about this total stranger, to let her upset you so much.”

Olivia rose to her feet and reached for the white terrycloth robe draped across the lounge chair. “What I care about right now is getting some sleep.” She slipped her arms into the sleeves. “It’s late, Echo. We should get to bed. I can only pray that tomorrow will be a better day.”

Echo slipped out of the water and dried off her legs. Olivia held the French doors open for her and they entered the kitchen. Olivia felt so grateful for this spacious house, the way it welcomed her home from a hard day, the love and support she felt here from Zoe and Echo. The three of them had met in college and lived together ever since, except for the years she and Echo completed their fellowships in different parts of the country.

Echo put away the pretzels and they climbed the stairs together, stopping in the entranceway of Olivia’s wing. Echo touched Olivia’s arm. “I’m sorry you have so much to deal with right now, Olivia. Maybe there’s a message in this clash with you and Catherine O’Grady.”

“The message I’m getting is to run as fast and far as I can.”

Echo laughed. “That was obviously your intent in the pool tonight. Good night, Olivia.”

“Good night, Echo. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Olivia waved as she headed down the long hall to her bedroom. She opened the door, swore, and placed her hand over her racing heart. The gray slacks she’d left draped across her bed haphazardly bounced up and down on the floor like half a human being break-dancing to its own rhythm.

“That’s it. You guys are dead.” Abbott scooted out of the bottom of one leg while Costello dashed out the waist. They looked back at Olivia with their dark beady eyes then raced for the bathroom.

Six

O
LIVIA HURRIED DOWN THE STAIRS
and Stopped to leave her knapsack in the front foyer. She zipped up her sweatshirt then peered into the huge sun-filled kitchen. The light pine cupboards and marble countertops gave warmth to the spaciousness.

Zoë stood at the island counter in the center of the kitchen. She was dressed in a beautiful white knit blouse and long teal beaded silk skirt that accentuated her girlish beauty and short dark hair. She sipped on a glass of orange juice as she laughed at something at her feet.

Olivia followed a rustling noise to the floor in front of the fridge. She gasped and stepped back as a cereal box flipped at her feet and slid away. Abbott shot from the box and joined Costello in front of the fridge. Costello pulled the magnetic letter L from the door and ran for the cereal box, dropping it inside. Abbott added the letter O, flipped around in the box, then scampered back to retrieve another letter.

Zoë burst into laughter. “Aren’t they precious?”

“Hardly. They’ll be the death of me. I wondered what happened to them when I saw their cage empty this morning.”

“Echo brought them down to let them run around. They’re so adorable.”

“They’re a menace to my state of mind.” Olivia wrapped her arms around Zoe. “Good morning.”

Zoë beamed her beautiful smile. “Good morning, Olivia. How did you sleep?”

Olivia pressed her hand to Zoë’s round tummy. “I could use another couple of hours, but I need a hike even more. How about you?”

“I slept great. Sorry I didn’t wait up for you. I was beat.”

Olivia looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Echo?”

“She got paged several times last night about one of her patients. She had him transferred into the coronary care unit and wanted to head out early to check on him.” She poured Olivia a glass of orange juice. “Sorry things were rough between you and Catherine O’Grady yesterday. She seems like such a sweet person.”

Olivia took a deep drink of her orange juice. “For a sweet person she’s certainly bent and determined to test my spirit.”

Zoë placed a bowl of Special K in front of Olivia and smiled mischievously. “Echo thinks you’re attracted to her.”

“Zoë, I barely know her.”

“You know she’s gay, don’t you?”

Olivia dropped back in her chair. A tight ball of heat swirled in her belly as she wondered if that was why she felt a connection to Catherine. She’d tossed and turned with her thoughts last night, wondering how she could find a way to see Dana O’Grady’s daughter again. “How would I know that?”

“Actually, I don’t know for sure, but she’s got this wonderful bookstore, and a lot of the gay community goes there, and that’s what I’ve heard.”

Zoë slipped into her seat and poured milk on her cereal. She wanted so badly to see Olivia in a loving relationship. For years Olivia had insisted she didn’t have time for romance. Her work was really important to her, and that was where she needed to put her time. She insisted that Zoe and Echo were her family, and she was willing to accept being single unless someone extraordinary crossed her path.

Zoë bit into a lush strawberry. “You never know, Olivia. Catherine O’Grady could turn out to be a lovely challenge.”

Olivia stared at her. “Are you kidding? Catherine and I are on very shaky ground.”

“You haven’t been in an earthquake in a while.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. They finished their cereal and rose with their empty bowls and glasses. Zoe rinsed the dishes and placed them into the dishwasher.

Olivia scooped Abbott and Costello off the floor and nestled them in her arms. Their lithe, serpentine bodies moved fluidly as Abbott slinked along Olivia’s arm and nipped at the shiny buckle of her watch. Costello stretched to investigate her gold-loop earrings. “These two are forever looking for something shiny to steal.”

“They sure are. Echo couldn’t find her Mont Blanc pen this morning. She said if it doesn’t show up she’s going to tell Ruth she owes her one for her birthday.”

Olivia rubbed her thumb along Abbott’s face, feeling the smoothness of his short, caramel-colored fur. “Come on, you two kleptomaniacs. I’m putting you back in your cage.”

“That’s a good idea. The workmen are coming to start the remodeling work on our bathroom. We’re really lucky they were willing to come on a Saturday.” Zoe dried her hands on the hand towel. “Ruth would kill us if anything happened to her little darlings.”

“Yeah, and I don’t think I can handle having another woman pissed at me.”

Zoë caressed Abbott’s face. “You have to admit, Olivia. They’re so cute and playful.”