Healing Touch (8 page)

Instead of blocking these thoughts from my
brain they morphed into images of the three of us together, Jeremy
and I each taking one of Cody’s hands and swinging him in the air
as we walked down the sidewalk, playing kick ball in the park, and
sitting in the audience watching him sing on stage at school.

The skin on his neck was warm against my
hand. It took all of my control not to twirl my fingers through the
curls that brushed my knuckles. I was running out of reasons and
will power to push him away. I needed to get out of there.

The final notes of the song played and I
pushed back to make my escape. “Thanks for the dance, Jeremy, but
I−”

The song changed and the exact same tinkling
Garth Brooks melody started again.

I turned and smacked Chuck on the arm.

“What’d I do now?” Everyone in Axle’s
laughed.

“I’ll say it again, perfect.” Jeremy spun me
back into position and this time held me close. Our bodies touched
top to bottom, shoulders to knees. The sensation of his neck had me
distracted enough as it was, feeling the connection of our bodies
pushed me over the edge.

He wrapped his arms around my lower back and
gave me a gentle squeeze. I let down my defenses and breathed in
the scent of his neck. He whispered a reply in my ear. “See, now
isn’t this nice? Admit it.”

“Maybe.” I closed my eyes and pretended we
were alone. Just he and I dancing with no eyes on us. My fingers
played with his hair. I felt the rise and fall of his chest as he
breathed.

“Tracy?”

“Yes?”

“Please don’t give up on us before we’ve even
tried.”

I didn’t respond.

He pushed me back to look into my eyes. If I
had leaned forward slightly our lips would touch. I watched those
lips as he said, “I haven’t felt this way about anyone before and
I’m not sure if I can stop.”

I turned my head and lay it on his chest. He
wasn’t seeing Tanya. He wanted me. Could this happen? He seemed to
be thinking about me as much as I was thinking about him. Could
there be an ‘us’?

We danced silently and the song ended too
soon. My idyllic moment ended quickly when someone shouted across
the bar, “So, Doc and Tracy, when’s the wedding?” Others laughed
and joined in. “Gee, Tracy, looks like you’ll be quitting your job
at the garage soon.” Jeremy looked stunned and caught the look of
embarrassment on my face. This was not what he wanted. All his
headway quickly vanished.

My sister Leah tried to tell a couple people
to shut up but they continued. “Maybe Cody will have a new brother
or sister soon,.” someone shouted from near the front door. “The
good doctor can deliver it himself since he’ll be familiar with the
area!” Everyone roared with laughter.

Humiliation washed over me. I glared at
Jeremy and said, “Happy now?” I raced past Randy and the guys to
grab my coat and purse. Most of the bar had stopped laughing by the
time the back door slammed behind me.

****

I drove around town for a half hour before
turning toward home. I needed to calm down and try to push the
evening out of my mind. Sitting home alone wouldn’t help. Tomorrow
I’d call Jeremy and tell him to stay away. Perhaps I could convince
him to not accept the position at the clinic.

The words of the people in the bar were
hurtful. Now I’d have to endure a few weeks of people asking me why
we broke up.

“Because we were never going out!” I screamed
to no one in particular as I made my way down the ally to my
garage.

I swung my car wide to make the right turn
into it and slammed on the brakes just in time to avoid hitting a
car parked inside.

“What the hell?” At first I thought maybe
some teenagers had stopped in there again to make out. The
automatic garage door didn’t work so I left it up most of the time.
Last winter I interrupted a couple of love birds late one
night.

I backed up to flash my brights and got a
better look at the car. A shiny silver BMW.

“Fucking hell.” My tires spun out on the
gravel as I pulled forward to park in an opening next to my
neighbor’s garage. Mrs. Watts was in Arizona for the winter
anyway.

The back door smacked into the kitchen
counter as I stormed in. “Jeremy, what the hell are you doing in my
house?” All the lights were off except a dim glow coming from the
living room. I made for it, ready to wring his neck.

“Hi.” His voice was calm and apologetic. I
turned to its location and saw a dark outline rocking in the
corner. Two small candles burned on the coffee table.

My hands gestured hopelessly into the air.
“Why?” I had given up trying to figure him out.

He stood and walked toward me. For whatever
reason his shirt was untucked and distracting as hell. Why did I
visualize running my hands underneath and over his chest?

“I came over to say I’m sorry. You have to
know that is the last thing I wanted to have happen tonight.”

“It’s too late now. The damage is done. I was
going to call you tomorrow and tell you this but I will just tell
you now…” I fidgeted and noticed he was drawing closer to me.

“Tracy, there is no one here to see us. No
one knows I’m around.”

I held up my hand in a stop signal. “Just let
me say this.”

“No.” Jeremy held my face in his hands and he
kissed me. This kiss was different than the one that happened a
couple weeks before in almost this exact same spot. It was much
more intense, telling.

I completely forgot what I was going to say.
My hands wrapped around him and I returned the emotion of our kiss.
No one could see us. No one would know or judge.

“You’re not letting me talk,” I whispered as
he kissed my neck. He pressed a little too hard on the lump on my
neck. “Ouch.”

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” He grabbed my face and
kissed my forehead. “God I wish you’d get that taken care of. It’s
nothing. I keep telling you it’s just-“

I silenced him with a kiss which he broke
sooner than I expected.

“I want to hear you say one thing, Tracy.” He
stared into my eyes. “Admit that you like me.”

The feel of his skin on my hands surprised
me. My subconscious was taking over and I found the path under his
shirt. We kissed again, deeper but he pulled away to hear my
answer.

“Yes, I like you.”

“Because we’re alone? What about tomorrow?
Will you let me come to your office? What about the next football
game?”

“Of course I like you. I think I really like
you.” This made him smile. “But to be public about it. I, I don’t
know. It just seems so impossible, especially after tonight.”

“Tonight sucked, I agree, but maybe they all
just need some time to get used to us.” He sat us down on the couch
and pulled me on top of him, my legs off to one side.

I wrapped my arms around him and lay my head
on his shoulder, not wanting to lose the feeling of our bodies next
to each other. Why couldn’t he just concentrate on the moment?

“This town loves gossip.”

“Why don’t people gossip about Randy or your
sister?”

“Because there’s nothing to gossip about.
They’re just normal people. Townies see them everywhere and already
know their business.” I fell into his trap and didn’t realize it
until it was too late. “The town folk are used to them.”

“Exactly.” He pushed me off his shoulder and
kissed me again. For a moment I forgot my name or what country I
was in. “Tracy, I like you too. In fact, I really like you.” He
pivoted and pinned me beneath him on the couch. Laughing he said,
“You better agree to be my girlfriend or I’m going to feel awfully
bad about attacking you.”

I gave a mock scream and tried to wiggle
away, but not too seriously. “Please no, help me.”

We kissed and I noticed how well we fit
together in this position. I found the path under his shirt again
and he untucked my sweater. For once my mind and words didn’t put
an end to the situation. I liked him and he more than liked me. The
vision in my mind showed me that we’d get through this some how.
The happy scenarios with the three of us outweighed the
embarrassing gossip situations.

He stopped nibbling my ear to force me to
answer his question. “Are you?”

I ran a hand over his face and ran it through
his curls. “Yes, you can call me your girlfriend, but only if you
promise to keep it between us for a little while.”

“Ugh!” He laid his head into the pillow.
“You’re killing me.”

I was about to give him a sassy reply when
something buzzed against my hip. I thought I knew the male anatomy
pretty well but this was a new one for me.

“What the hell is that?”

“Oh crap!” Jeremy said as he jumped up off
the couch and dug the phone out of his pocket. “Yes. Yes. I’ll be
there right away.” He flipped the phone closed and ran to the back
door. “I’ve got to go to the clinic. That was Sherriff McCabe. One
of the high school kids tried to jump a bonfire and didn’t quite
make it.”

“Oh my God!”

“It’s not bad enough to take him to the
hospital in Des Moines, but he needs my attention right away. The
kid’s dad is bringing him in to the clinic.” Before he bolted out
the door he turned around and kissed me quickly. “Meet me at the
bakery tomorrow at ten.”

“What? Wait, um, no I can’t.” But it was too
late. He was gone. “That is a horrible idea Jeremy,” I said to no
one. “That is the complete opposite of keeping things between
us.”

****

By seven a.m. I was awake and had it all
planned out. Leah and I would go to the bakery with all the kids.
Leah would talk to Jeremy by herself and tell him that I’d call him
later, but he was not, for any reason, to talk to me at the
bakery.

I called her a little before nine with my
plan. She had to hear the whole juicy story before she agreed to
help. By nine-fifty I was on my way to the bakery feeling like I
was back in middle school. ‘You tell Sandy, to tell Jessica that I
like her cousin Tom but only if he says he likes me first and I
don’t like-like him I just kinda-like him.’

The bakery was packed. Early church services
got out around nine forty-five and the next ones didn’t start until
around eleven. Most folks were still in town for the homecoming
festivities. The bakery served as a perfect spot to meet and say a
final goodbye to out of town guests and relatives.

The five of us piled in to the crowded room.
After a quick scan and not noticing Jeremy we made our way to the
display counter. Zach and Cody left nose prints up and down the
glass as they tried to decide which sugary treat to get. Leah and
Rachel stopped to talk to one of the other dance moms near the
door.

“Pick out something small, guys. You’ve
already had pancakes this morning.” I put two fingers up to the gal
behind the counter when she waved a coffee cup at me. I also
indicated the little guys and signaled three. She knew that meant
three milks.

Cody turned to ask if he could have a
particular item and I saw his face light up as it locked on
something behind me. My gut dropped.

“Jerewee!” He ran a few steps and flung
himself into the air. I didn’t have to turn to know he had been
safely caught.

I pretended not to notice the reunion behind
me. I prayed to God that Leah was making her way across the crowded
room to complete her task. I’d be minus one sister if she failed.
My heart pounded as I paid for the drinks and told the girl to wrap
up three chocolate covered donuts and two apple fritters.

“Tracy.”

I ignored him with all my might.

“Tracy, look at me.”

My billfold suddenly needed
straightening.

“Tracy.”

“Mommy! Jerewee is trying to talk to you!” My
toddler had a very loud voice when he wanted to be heard.

I spun to look at the two of them the same
time everyone else did. “Oh, hi Dr. Nelson. I can take him from
you. We were just on our way out.”

Jeremy leaned in and whispered, “Try not to
look angry. This will be over in a couple minutes.” He turned to
face the crowd. “Hi everyone. I’m glad Cody got your attention. I
have an announcement.”

“Wait! What the hell…” I hissed but gave up.
It was too late.

My sister looked at me helplessly from her
position. She failed and my glare let her know it.

“How’s Parker, Dr. Nelson?” someone from a
group of men asked.

“Oh, the burns aren’t that severe. He’ll be
out the rest of the football season but should be fine by the time
basketball starts.” Dr. Nelson apparently knew what some town
people put at the top of the importance list.

A few nods and sighs of relief rippled
through the crowd.

The doctor continued. “Most of you have heard
by now that I have decided to stay in Cherryville permanently.”
This prompted a round of applause and a few rental offers. I wished
will all my might that he’d put Cody down. People would get the
wrong idea.

Cody loved the attention and hung on Jeremy’s
every word. After hearing this last statement, the little guy gave
him a big hug. A heartfelt “Aww” flowed through the bakery. By this
time I had made my way over to Leah with our tray.

Through smiling, clenched teeth I said, “I am
going to fucking kill you.”

“Cherryville is a fantastic town and I have
been given such a warm welcome I want to stay.”

I thanked god that was over and elbowed Leah
to make her move to deliver my message. But she didn’t get a
chance.

Looking directly at me he said, “I have
another announcement to make.”

His words came back to me and suddenly made
sense. “Try not to look angry. This will be over in a couple
minutes.”

“Oh shit.”

“I normally don’t share my personal business
but this time I think it is important to lay things out on the
table.”

My face pleaded him to stop. He ignored
me.