Deliver Me (11 page)

“No, I work for myself. I’m a certified herbalist. I moved to Atlanta to
open up my own practice.”

Alex sent Eli the raised eyebrow look. “An herbalist? Really? That sounds
interesting.”

“Oh, it is. I think it is horrible the way doctors virtually rape the
public of their money.”

Alex’s interrupting cough sounded suspiciously like a laugh. “I couldn’t
agree more,” his brother said.

“Oh, yes,” Tosha continued. “Healthcare cost is ridiculous these days.
And most of the treatments doctors prescribe are totally unnecessary. It’s a
shame, really.”

“You do remember that I am a doctor, don’t you, Tosha?”

“I know,” she said with a bright smile, as if she hadn’t just insulted
his profession.

“How’s everything going in here?” Margo came in the room with a smile as
wide as the Mississippi River. Eli sent her a look over Tosha’s head. “Isn’t
this a wonderful surprise, Elijah? I ran into Sylvia Culpepper last week and
when she told me Tosha would be in New Orleans, I knew I had to invite her
over. It’s been years since the two of you have seen each other.”

“It has been too long, Eli,” Tosha proclaimed, running her hand up his
arm.

His mother raised her hand and pointed to her wedding
finger. She mouthed “no ring” and gave Eli a thumbs-up.

Oh, hell no. He was
not
getting
caught up in this.
 

“Eli, did Tosha mention that she’s looking for property down here so that
she can open a second medicine shop?”

“Really?” His stomach took a nosedive. “I thought you just relocated to
Atlanta? You’re thinking of moving again?”

“My partner is going to handle the Atlanta store.”

Her
partner
. Please let her be
gay.

“Deshawn and her husband have been practicing herbal medicine for nearly
five years.”

That would have been too easy, wouldn’t it? He had some serious karma
issues. Eli realized he’d have to get his behind back in church if his luck was
going to change.

“Won’t that be wonderful, Elijah, to have Tosha back in New Orleans?”

“Oh, yeah. That’d be great.” Eli sent Alex a pleading look.
Do something, fool
!
 
Where was Jazzy? Why wasn’t she clamoring
for everyone to watch that recital video?

Jasmine appeared in the doorway like a gift sent down from heaven. “Grandma,
is the food ready yet?” she asked, hand on hip.

“Oh, yes.” Margo said, swatting the air with a towel. “I don’t know where
my mind’s going. That’s what I came in here to tell you guys. Gumbo’s ready.
Let’s eat.” Maybe his luck wasn’t so bad, after all.

After another half hour of listening to the wonders of herbal remedies,
Eli was sure his head would explode. Matchmaking Margo was going to get an
earful the next time Eli caught her alone. He should have known she was up to
something. The signs were all there. How many times in the last few months had
she tried to hook him up with some sweet girl she’d met in church, or at her
Ladies Club meeting, or at the grocery store, for that matter.

It was the exact thing she’d done to Alex, and look how
that
had turned out! His brother had
married the most selfish, self-centered woman on the planet.
He was not letting his mother pressure him
into doing anything he didn’t want to do.

“So, Eli, will you try some?” Tosha had directed her question to him, but
Eli had no earthly idea what she was talking about. He’d tuned her out halfway
through his second bowl of gumbo.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

“My products. Will you try them on a few of your patients? The sassafras
and ginger works wonders at aiding in dilation.”

He gave a strained smile. “The hospital frowns on us prescribing anything
not approved by the FDA.”

“Hypocritical bastards,” Tosha snapped.

Everyone at the table stopped and stared. Alex’s spoon halted in mid-air.
Jasmine’s eyes were wide as saucers.

“Oh, excuse me,” Tosha sputtered.

“That’s okay, honey,” Margo laughed. “I understand where you’re coming
from.”

She knew where Tosha
was coming from
?
Since when
?
 

Probably since she’d decided Tosha’s return to New Orleans was her best
shot at getting a daughter-in-law. He had to put a stop to this. If Mama had
her way, she’d be ordering wedding invitations by next week.

“I hate to cut out early, but I’ve got a ton of work to do,” Eli said. “I
just found out the state plans to close the Parenting Center.”

“After all the work you’ve put into that center,” his mother screeched.

“Budget cuts?” Alex asked.

Eli nodded. “They claim if we can find funding for the rest of the year
they’ll be able to pay for next year, but that’s a pipe dream. I’m going to
start working on finding affordable alternatives for some of my patients. I’ll
probably do pro bono for most of them. They just can’t afford good healthcare.”

“I’ve got a number of things they can try,” Tosha interjected. “Gingerroot
is a natural anesthetic—”

“I need to get going, Ma.” Eli rose from the table. He couldn’t stomach
another litany from the Tosha Culpepper School of Herbal Healthcare.

“You will be here Sunday, right, Eli?” Tosha asked before he could make a
clean exit.

“Barring any emergencies at the thieving money pit that employs me,” he
answered.

Alex half coughed, half laughed. “Hold on, E. I’ll walk you out.”

Eli rounded the table and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek, but not
before giving her a look that said he knew exactly what she was doing and he
didn’t appreciate it.

“Have a good week, baby,” she said, not the slightest hint of contriteness
on her face.

He gave Tosha a kiss on the cheek, since that was, after all, how old
boyfriends treated their high school sweethearts.

“Good night, y’all.” He pulled Jasmine’s ponytail, “Later, Sunflower.”

“My name is Jasmine, Uncle Eli,” his niece answered in her most agitated
voice. Eli winked at her, then headed out the back door after Alex. His brother
couldn’t make it off of the porch before doubling over with laughter.

“Shut up,” Eli said.

“Oh, man. I swear, when I walked in the house and saw her sitting in the
living room with Mama, I could barely hold it in.”

“You couldn’t pick up a phone and warn a brother?”

“And miss the look on your face when she ran up to you?” he laughed,
looking at Eli as if he’d lost his mind. “She was a little nutty back when y’all
were together in high school, but all the herbal medicine junk is too far out
there.”

“Alex, what am I going to do? If Tosha moves back to New Orleans there’ll
be no stopping Mama.”

“That’s no lie. She’s been trying to get you married for a long time now.
And you know she always liked Tosha.”

“Because she magically sees past the insanity.”

“Mama’s looking for another daughter-in-law and more grandchildren.”

“Why in the hell is she not on you to get married? Or Toby? I’m not the
only son.”

“Hey.” Alex held up his hands. “I already did my part.”

“There’s no law against a widower getting remarried.”

“Not gonna happen, brother. And Toby’s her baby. What mother wants to
lose her baby?”

“This middle child bullshit never ends, does it?”

Alex fell out laughing again. “I guess not. Look man, unless you can
produce a girlfriend soon, I suggest you start reading up on herbal medicines.
Something tells me your future wife won’t stop until she has you prescribing
them to your patients.”

Eli shook his head. “No way. This is one time Mama is not getting her
way.”

Alex just laughed harder.

“I’m serious,” Eli said.

“Whatever you say, E. But if I were a gambling man, I wouldn’t even waste
my money on the bet. I’d just use it as a down payment for a tux instead.”

“I’m outta here,” Eli said.

“Hey,” his brother called out. “We’re still on for ball Saturday morning?”

“Seven A.M.” Eli called back. “Don’t be late.”

“Be careful, Dr. Gardner,” Patty warned in a hushed tone.

“Don’t worry. I know a trick.” Monica held her breath as she repositioned
the two-year-old’s head in order to get a better angle with the tracheal tube. “Give
me some suction.”

Patty quickly swiped the long plastic tube in the little girl’s mouth
then stepped out of the way, giving Monica the extra room she needed for the
tricky procedure. Monica felt her way around the toddler’s swollen glands, and
when she discovered the tiny opening she had anticipated, slipped the tube in
and pulled back on the handle.

“It’s in. Bag her and get to the OR. Doctor Blake and his crew are
waiting.”

“Great job,” Patty stripped the bed and efficiently draped fresh paper
over it.

“Those saves are particularly sweet, aren’t they,” Monica smiled. She
balled up the hospital gown and stuffed it in the disposal bin. She took a
satisfying breath as she surveyed the room.

“That little girl has you to thank. If you hadn’t found a way to get the tracheal
tube in, she would be dead. It takes skill to get a tube down such a small
throat, especially one as swollen as hers.”

“I did a double rotation at the children’s hospital back in St. Louis. I
like working with kids.” She had also needed as much practice as possible after
nearly killing a young boy. A familiar weight settled in Monica’s stomach as
she thought back to that day, how she’d struggled to get the tube down his
throat. She quickly pushed those memories aside.

“Just wait until you have a few kids of your own,” Patty smiled. “You’ll
sing a different tune.”

An incoming emergency stopped their conversation short. Before she knew
it, Monica had seen eight patients and three hours had passed. She left word
with Patty that she was going to lunch, but when she came across the bank of
elevators, Monica decided to face her most dreaded ordeal of the day. Why put it
off?

After their last confrontation, she did
not
want to see Eli today. Monica got off on the fourth floor and,
when approached by one of the floor nurses, asked where she could find Dr.
Holmes.

She was informed that “Super Doc” had just delivered a set of twins and
would probably be in his office in a few minutes.

Monica walked over to Eli’s office and tried the door. When she found it
unlocked, she pushed it open and entered the office. She was duly impressed
with the massive space and rich décor. For one so young, Elijah Holmes had
certainly made a name for himself in his profession and it showed in the perks
that were lavished upon him. No doubt Methodist Memorial knew he could be
scooped up by a number of hospitals if given the incentive to leave.

Monica felt a twinge of guilt at looking around his office while he wasn’t
here, but curiosity got the best of her.

The man could not be over thirty-five, yet he was already a legend, both
in the delivery room and—if what she had heard while sitting around the
nurses’ station had any truth to it—in the bedroom, as well.

She did not want to think about Eli in the bedroom. The image was too
tantalizing, especially for a woman in the middle of a yearlong drought.

One of the most interesting things to run past her ears
today was the news that Eli did not date doctors. Hearing it had come as such a
shock Monica had immediately asked the ER nurse to repeat what she had said.
She didn’t think about how it would look to everyone that she had been
eavesdropping, but she couldn’t help it.

A man with his reputation went out with anything in a skirt, right? But
not Dr. Holmes. He apparently had no qualms with dating nurses, paramedics, or
even the female hospital administration workers, but he drew an imaginary line
when it came to doctors. Monica couldn’t help but wonder why.

The door opened and she jumped back from the framed picture of a pretty
little girl with two missing front teeth on top of a mahogany filing cabinet.

“Dr. Gardner? Can I help you?”

For a moment Monica was taken aback by just how good he looked in scrubs.
Wasn’t it a rule all doctors look goofy when they don lime green hospital wear?
Somebody forgot to tell Eli.

“Monica?”

“I’m sorry,” she shook her head and tried to summon a bit of her common
sense. Monica vowed to kick herself as soon as she left his office. “One of the
nurses told me I could wait in here while you finished with your delivery.”

“Making yourself at home?” he nudged his head toward the pictures she’d
been examining.

“Oh, no, I was just looking. Is she...is she yours?” She hoped he didn’t
notice her stutter.

“She’s my niece. Jasmine.”