Rachel Van Dyken (15 page)

“When was it?” the doctor asked, eyeing her over the top of his reading gla
sses while filling in a form
.

“Eight thirty-six,” Mara answered.
Her heart was still aching. All she wanted to do was to go to her room and cry for a while.

“I think I have all I need
.
”
The
aging doctor took off his glasses and slipped them into his jacket pocket.
“I want to get back to my family. My wife has been slaving over a new dish. Roast goose. Should prove interesting.” He chuckled to himself and then seemed t
o check his humor after looking at Mara.

“I’ve called Mr. Fisk. He will be here within the hour to remove the body.” He glanced at his bag and put the
folded papers inside. “I know you were attached to Mr. Graham, Nurse Crawford.”

The emotion rose in her throat, making it impossible to speak. The doctor reached across the kitchen table and patted her hand with his thick fingers. He stood to leave, but as he stepped out the door he turned again and almost as an afterthought, reminded her, “I know you don’t need me to tell you this, but with all the things happening today, I feel it is important to remind you…” He tilted his head in a gesture toward Blaine who was out on the back porch pacing. “Is there somewhere you can stay tonight?
We’ve overlooked it to now, because Mr. Graham was in the house. But the hospital policy on this living arrangement – you can’t stay here alone.”

Mara’s eyes abruptly shot to his. The doctor must have taken it as a display of guilt.

“Of course, if something else is going on here, we’ll have to re-think your position at the hospital.” He glanced toward Blaine again and back to her face.

“No, doctor. I assure you….” She shook her head frantically. “I… I can call Mrs. Smith. She has an extra room. I’m sure she’ll let me stay there until other provisions can be made.”

The answer seemed to satisfy the doctor. “Very good, Mrs. Crawford. I think a short bereavement vacation is in order. Call the office after the
New Year
. We’ll set up another assignment for you then.”
With that, he
ambled out the door and down the porch steps to his waiting car.

Mara sank back into her chair, held her head in her hands and wept.

****

By the time Blaine returned to the house, Mara was on the phone with Mrs. Smith.

“All right. I’ll
pack
a few of my things and be over
this evening
… Yes… We are just waiting for Mr. Fisk now
.” She was leaving? A sick feeling rose in his stomach. He hadn’t considered the possibility.

Setting the phone back in its cradle gently, she stood with her back to him for a moment. When he spoke she startled at his voice. “Are you leaving?”

She spun around to
face him. Her eyes were puffy
and red from the events of the day.
“Yes. The hospital polic
y says
I can’t stay here with you.
”

“But we aren’t… I wasn’t…” he sputtered in confusion. He wasn’t r
eady to be alone in this house.

“It doesn’t matter. If I stay, I’ll lose my job.” She gazed out the window beyond him.

Blaine’s eyes followed her gaze. “Will you be back?” he finally asked.

“I’ll have to come back to get the rest of my things. And I’ll be back for the… service.” The last word trailed out hesitantly. She crossed her arms in front of her, perhaps trying to hide the trembling of her hands. Blaine ached to reach out to her.

Her love for his father had bee
n evident since the first day Blaine had
arrived. It was possible her loss
cut
even deeper than his.
Even still, she wouldn’t begrudge him Heaven.

“I don’t want to be alone here,” he whispered, well aware he was risking vulnerability. He slid his hands into his pockets and watched as she turned back to face him.
Her eyes were full of understanding and shining with unshed tears. Taking a step forward, she rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. He
drew
his hands out of his pockets and slipped them around her as well, smoothing her dark hair.

When he felt
the
sobs
shaking against him
, he pulled her in
more tightly. Her weeping echoed the cry of his heart, but an impulse to be her strength drove him to whisper the words into her hair as he held her, “It’
s all right. He’s not in any more pain, Mara. And he’s with Mom.”

She nodded against him that she understood. Blaine knew the words weren’t necessary; he was preaching to the choir, but her raw grief rendered him helpless – his
sole
recourse the desperate attempt to infuse comfort with futile words.

A knock on the front door startled them.

It was Mr. Fisk, the mortician, and his associate, coming to retrieve
his father’s
body.
Blaine led them to his room and stayed with them for a few minutes, answering their questions and signing some papers. His mind was downstairs with Mara though.

His father had been correct. Blaine loved her. The thought of her leaving now
weighed heavy
in his soul. But what could he do?

Glancing around his father’s room, his
gaze
landed on the gift
s
still wrapped in brown paper and resting on the nightstand. With everything that had happened that day, they had forgotten about the
parting
gifts his father had given them.

Gingerly, he lifted the present meant for him. The other men went about their business as if he wasn’t there. A single tear escaped and trailed down his unshaven cheek
as he turned the package over and over in his hands. Finally he tore open the brown paper, revealing a small box. He took in a deep breath and pulled the lid off the box.

Inside was his mother’s engagement ring.

For him, he knew there was no other choice. It was what he wanted. But he also knew what was still wrapped in Mara’s gift. Her options.

The creak on the stairs told him she was on her way to her room to pack her things. She would have to know – have all the facts. Blaine grasped the other parcel and stepped into the hall.

“Mara?” he said as he knocked gently on her door.

From within, he heard her move to open it for him. “Are they almost done?”

“Yes. Just finishing up.” His gaze went to the wrapped gift in
his hand. Her eyes followed his. Silence hung between them a moment. She only stared, making no move to take the packet from him.

Blaine lifted it toward her. “I thought, maybe, you would want this.”

Hesitantly she accepted it from him. Then her eyes shot up to Blaine’s. “I don’t know if I can open it,” she whispered with moisture brimming in her sad eyes.

“Pop wanted you to have it. His last wish. Remember? Don’t worry. I had a long talk with him about it a few days ago.” He inhaled sharply and looked down at the package. “It’s good. He wanted you to be taken care of; you meant a lot to him.”

She nodded and slowly pee
led the paper away. Inside was
a thick legal envelope folded into thirds. Sliding her finger along the flap, she opened it and tipped it upside down, so the contents would
fall into her free hand. A key dropped into her hand, and two folded papers fluttered to the floor.

Kneeling, she took the papers and unfolded them in turn. Blaine watched as her eyes registered recognition of what she was receiving. The title to the house. Her eyes widened when she realized she wouldn’t have to leave. Then fear flashed in her gaze as she looked into Blaine’s face.

“I can’t… Your father… It should be yours,” she stammered, shaking her head vigorously.

“You can. He wanted you to – I want you to,” Blaine explained. He knelt down beside her and took her hand in his. “
Read his note.” Her eyes studied his face,
and
then turned to the other paper.

Emotion threatened to choke him. When his father had first brought it up, Blaine was in complete agreement. After all, he lived in Boston. That’s where his job was. He would be going back there in just a few days. What did he need with this house? All he needed was back in Boston. On the
other hand, Mara had no place.

Her family lived far away and
was
in no position to help her. David had felt since it was in his power to do something for her, that’s what he wanted to do.

Since then, Boston had begun to lose its hold on him. What did he need there
that
he couldn’t have here? American Airlines could transfer him to Willow Run. Of course, the house would be hers, and then what would he have to offer a wife?

“I’m sorry, Blaine. I can’t accept this. It’s too much. This place is yours. Your history is here. All your childhood memories. All your mother’s
things. It’s…it’s just not right.” She wouldn’t look him in the eyes.
“I loved your father like he was my own. But this
?
” She stopped, shaking her head again
and pushing the deed back to him
. “I can’t.”

The moment seemed to be slipping through his fingers. He hadn’t imagined it would go this way.

In desperation he pulled her face up to his and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. Mara
’
s arms tight
ened around him pulling him furth
er into the embrace. Comfort, love
–
he
needed it
;
she was craving it.

So he gave in. Kissing her
more deeply
th
a
n he had planned, telling her with his body, his soul
,
what he couldn’t wit
h his words.

Abrup
tly he pulled away from her
,
bestowing a light kiss on her forehead
. He took the box from his pocket and opened it, drawing the ring out between his fingers and lifting it to her. “
Will you take this instead?
” he whispered.

Her silence ripped into him. She only stared. He knew
he
was saying it all wrong. “I love you, Mara.
S
tay….”

She
frowned
.

“
F
orever…stay forever.”

Mara was sure she had heard his words wrong. The diamond ring in his hand was evidence enough of what was coming from his mouth. The beautiful words, were they spok
en out of grief or out of love?

Could her heart possibly survive loving another
,
always knowing the potential was to lose them?

“Mara…
.
” Blaine kissed her forehead again. “What my mom and dad had. It was special. She made him a better man.” He was silent as he
held t
he ring
in his fingers.
“
Y
ou make me a better man.
I can’t envision my life without you in it.
I want forever
.
”

Mara was speechless. Her eyes brim
med
with unshed tears. Never had she thought her heart was capable of loving again
,
yet the heart she
had written
off so long ago began to burst with joy as she realized what Blaine was saying. His hands shook as he pushed the ring onto her finger and lifted her hand to his lips.

It was a perfect fit.

Of course it would be.

“Yes,” s
he
whispered
, then louder
,
“Yes, Yes!”

Blaine chuckled as he pulled her into a warm embrace
,
kissing her hard. They must have looked like two crazy people as they cried and kissed in the hallway so soon after the passing of his father.

Yet, it felt right.
And she knew
David was up in heaven with Emily smiling down at them.

She was proud
.
P
roud to call herself Blaine
’
s wife and proud to be David
’
s daughter
-
in
-
law.
Sometimes death
had
a way of making people appreciate the life around them. And to think
God had used
a woman’s sad demise so many years ago
to bring
Blaine into Mara’s life.

He always
knew
just what He
was
doing.