Nothing Lasts Forever (3 page)

Abby smiled, then took a sip of her steaming coffee. “I planned to all along love. I wanted to see your reaction to being gone from the Keys for a whole year.”

Jon grinned. “You saw it and it’s not pretty. I don’t want to leave you here living in an RV for a year alone, in a campground with roads like Love Me Tender Lane and Hound Dog Drive.”

She giggled. “Why Jon, my love. Are you worried I may find my own Elvis impersonator to sing me the blues?”

Jon got up from the makeshift table in the RV. “Not as long as I’m alive. I think we better get moving if we want to be there at 9:30 for orientation.”

Abby moved away from the table. “I set up an interview for 9:15 with one of the administrators. There’s no point in going through the process if we have to commit for a year. I didn’t realize there was a one year commitment.”

Her voice was sad, as if someone kicked her in the teeth. Jon gathered her in his arms. “You leave this to me.” He kissed her, a morning kiss so deep and slow he almost wanted to take her back to bed. But he knew how important her volunteer services were to her. It was what she lived for.

They left the RV and walked towards the office. Penny stopped to sniff at a few campsites in the early morning hour. The dew was still on the grass, the sun not quite up yet. Jon wanted to run, his usual morning routine but forced himself to change his lifestyle for the woman he loved. It didn’t seem that hard to do. Besides, he could run later or get up earlier to do so. It was his way to clear his head when he worked in the urgent care center. Funny, he didn’t need to clear his head as often because he spent each day with his love.

“Jon.”

“Hm, what?”

“There’s the van that will take us to the hospital.” There were others boarding, an older man and a woman with an extra large purse. Jon, Abby and Penny followed them and settled in behind the older couple. The long commercial van had four rows of bench seats so they stretched out when no one else came on board.

“Next drop off is Memphis Transit, courtesy of the RV Park. We’ll be back for pick up at 2PM and again at 6PM. After 6PM you’re on your own,” the driver announced. Drops of sweat glistened on his receding hairline.

“How far is the children’s hospital from the drop off?” Abby asked.

The driver shrugged. “Not sure but I’ll drop you at the hospital since I pass it on my way in. You’ll have to find your own way to the transit for pick up though because I come in from the opposite direction.”

Minutes later and miles down the road from the RV park, they stood on the sidewalk in front of the entrance. He watched her as she took in the site before her. “Abby, you ready?” he asked and took her elbow. She was staring as if an alien ship landed.

She nodded. “I can’t believe I’m here.” She began to walk beside him as he steered her towards the campus. Jon talked to someone at the information desk and they began to head towards the office where the 9:15 meeting was about to take place. Jon got her settled in and told her he’d be right back.

He went to find the medical director’s office because he also wanted to tour the inside of the facility while here. Desire for the modern technology prompted him to ask for a meeting. He lucked out because she was in and welcomed him right away.

Jon had an interesting conversation with Doctor Melton, or Sallie, as she preferred to be called. She agreed to let them volunteer for a three month period instead of the one year agreement because of their distance from home and his medical practice responsibilities. When he got back to Abby, he slid in to the seat beside her. “I have a surprise for you,” he whispered.

“I spoke with the volunteer coordinator and she wasn’t able to accommodate my simple request.”

Jon grinned and kissed her ear. “No worries, love. I spoke to Sallie, and she is allowing us a 3 month period.”

Abby swung her head towards him, her eyes wide. “You did. I love you!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a big hard kiss on his mouth. “Wait! Who’s Sallie?”

Jon rolled his eyes. “She’s one of the medical directors here. Don’t you know to always go to the top?”

Abby wiggled her eyebrows. “That’s why I have you.” She held his hand like a teenager through orientation. Jon liked this easy life. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Abby. Her enthusiasm for life and helping others began to rub off. He spent so much time with his head in medical books book and then consumed with work he never took time to look at the world.

Abby squeezed his hand. “What’s on your mind?” she asked, her gentle voice filled with curiosity. They walked in the back of the group as the team leader led them on a tour of the facility.

“I’m thinking how lucky I am to have you.” Right at that moment a little noise came from Penny, who trotted beside him as he held her leash. “I think Penny agrees too.”

Abby bent down and gave her dog a hug. They were best friends and seemed to be even closer since Penny’s ordeal with the animal traps. Now Abby wouldn’t let her out of her site. No matter where she had to go, Penny had to be welcome too. He was fast becoming attached to these two.

“Jon! Mr. Hatfield!” A woman’s voice rang out down the hall. Jon turned to see Sallie run towards them. Her white long sleeve scrub jacket didn’t hide the fact she had a short skirt that showed plenty of leg and nude heels that made them look even longer. Jon noticed how Abby swung around and stared at the woman.

“That must be Sallie.” Abby clutched on to his hand a bit tighter and squeezed.

He squeezed back. Sallie was a beautiful woman, long dark hair and pearly white skin. Her mouth, covered in a matte lipstick, was full and she licked her lips as she ran down the hall. If he didn’t love Abby, he would take a second look.

The bottom line was he was madly in love with the woman whose hand was squeezing his to death.

Sallie waved to them. “Doctor Hatfield! I got you in on tomorrow mornings brain surgery. Be here at 0600 so you can scrub in. You’ll see some of the latest technology being performed.”

Jon nodded. “I’ll be here. Sallie, this is Abby and her best friend. Penny is going to perform for the children.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sallie said. She shook hands with Abby first then reached down and began to pet Penny’s fir. Penny tilted her head and allowed the stranger to touch her, but her steady eyes were on Sallie until she got up and moved away. “I’ll see you in the morning. Nice to meet you Abby.”

Sallie moved away when another co-worker waved her over. She stopped to speak to a crowd of students. Jon noticed Abby’s eyes burn in to Sallie’s back at her departure. Was she jealous?

“I don’t think Penny seems to be too fond of that woman.”

Jon grinned. “Oh, I don’t know. Penny didn’t growl at her like she does when she spots someone with bad intentions.”

“She was leary, that’s for sure. I could feel her beside me, she stiffened up like a surf board on water. I think perhaps we should keep an eye on Miss Sallie.”

Jon swung his arm around Abby’s shoulder and pulled her in for a quick kiss. “I love you, Abby. Don’t ever doubt my love for you.”

“Keep that attitude and there will a repeat of last night. Tonight.”

“I hope so. Let’s go find something to eat.” The cafeteria began to get busy, but Penny had to stay out because of some health related laws that Abby complained were stupid. Jon chuckled and offered to get them something while the two waited outside.

They sat on a bench on the patio in a park like setting to eat lunch. “We need to go find the transit soon so we can get back to the campground,” Abby told him.

“I have a better idea. How do you plan to get back and forth with Penny and Pete?”

Abby shrugged. “I don’t believe I thought that far ahead.”

Jon hit the buttons on his phone. “I have.” He spoke in to the phone and ordered a cab to pick them up to take them to a car lot with rentals. “We need a vehicle to get around if we stay for three months.”

“Good idea,” Abby said with a full mouth of food. She stopped chewing and stared at him. “You look excited. Is it because of that woman?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

Abby’s face fell. She put her sandwich down and her eyes began to flash like daggers in the hands of a ninja. “Jon? I was kidding you know.”

“I am too. I’m excited because I love medicine. This hospital is filled with learning experiences. When I met the director, it was because I am interested in medicine and I want to sit in on some surgeries. Sallie is my ticket in.”

“That’s a relief. I see the way she looks at you, like you’re her personal piece of meat and she wants to take a piece of it and devour you in the palm of her hand.”

Jon flung his head back and laughed. “That’s a bit dramatic, baby.”

Penny barked. Abby smiled, her eyes drifting below his waist. She picked up her drink and placed her mouth over the straw, then looked up at him and began to work her mouth over the rim.

Jon’s heart thudded at her bold move. Did she realize how he wanted to pick her up and make mad love to her? “Stop.”

She did and a slow smile curved her mouth.

“Abby, where did you learn to be so sexy?”

“I am sexy by nature,” she told him, her voice light. “Tonight, I’ll show you how much.” With that, she got up and threw away their trash, then held out her hand to him. He didn’t realize he sat there like a slow turtle in the middle of a busy intersection. “Besides, you introduced me to the world of sex. It’s not my fault it’s all I want to do now.”

A few heads turned at her remark. Jon grinned and stood. If she didn’t care what she said, then he didn’t care when he pulled her to him in the middle of the small eating area and crushed his lips to hers. His mouth devoured every inch of those sexy lips that enticed him moments before.

Someone coughed.

Jon lifted his head, a bit reluctant to see Sallie stare at him. He noticed a flash of anger cross over her face. “Doctor Hatfield. Abby.” She nodded to them both. “I saw you out here and wanted to remind you to be here early to get in on the surgery. As a matter of fact, be here about fifteen minutes before that time. If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to you about some of the hospital policies.”

Jon nodded before she turned and left them. Sallie didn’t look too happy.

“She is so jealous of us.”

Jon laughed. “Abby, she’s the head here. I’m sure she didn’t approve of us kissing like teenagers in the middle of her hospital.”

Abby shook her head. “Be careful, Doc, because I think she is mad about you.”

Jon laughed. “That’s crazy. There’s our taxi.”

Chapter 3

Turns out I was right
!

Abby sat outside alone in the campground as the late evening air bristled across her skin. She shivered. Jon rented a van for her to transport Penny and Pete each day to the children’s hospital, which helped so much. He rented a motorcycle for himself because this was the fifth day in a row he rose early to stand in on a surgery. He woke up before daylight and was out the door before she had a chance to wipe the morning dust from her eyes. Sallie kept him at the hospital all day and most of the evening. She had the power to keep him there with her long legs and expert knowledge, something Jon loved. Abby had a bad feeling from the start.

When the cell rang she ran inside to answer. The caller was Maggie, Jon’s twin brother’s fiance and a friend of hers now as well. “Maggie, hi.”

“Oh wow, that doesn’t sound like a girl on the adventure of a lifetime. What’s going on, Abbs?”

“Funny how you call when I’m in the middle of an emotional crisis.”

She heard the sound of Maggie’s sweet chuckle. “Maybe because I know what it feels like.”

“Oh no, Maggs! What’s going on with you?”

“You first.”

“No, you called me.” Abby smiled despite her gloom.

“Well, I’m here at home once again and Jake is at work, once again. I thought when we came back from the road trip to the Poconos, things would be different.”

“How so?”

“Not sure. I thought he wouldn’t work as much, you know, be more like a regular person. Perhaps I wanted him to come home early instead of the middle of the night. I’m lucky if I ever see him. It’s as if he gave me his time and now he set me aside like a sack of oats in a warehouse.”

She heard Maggie’s heavy sigh. “Oh Maggs, don’t give up on him. Spice it up a bit and he’ll start to come home early.”

“Oh yeah, well, how do you propose I do that? He calls me every single night and talks sexy to me with promises of a night together. Then he gets involved in one more thing and I go to bed alone.”

“Sorry. That’s not good.”

“No kidding.”

“Now I know for sure our men are twins. I’m having the same issues with Jon.”

“Oh, how so?”

Abby began to run her hand along Penny’s back. She could hear the air pop from a bottle as it released from Maggie’s mouth. “He met with the medical director here and has been standing in on surgeries every day since we parked the RV. I do my volunteer hours and wait for him afterwards, but he tells me he’ll meet me here at the campground. Talk about a dismissal. I’m still waiting and it’s almost dusk.”