The Lawman's Little Surprise (5 page)

Trish moved closer to the table where everybody was seated. “You didn't know? I thought Kate and I told you.”

Aggie gave a dismissive wave of her hand, but her face showed her concern. “I suppose you did.”

“You weren't paying attention.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

Hettie let out a sigh. “Oh, Aggie, it's a dream trip for both of us.”

“You've been on cruises,” Aggie pointed out, but didn't look her way.

“Many. But not with my best friend.”

Not sure she should make things worse, but knowing her aunt needed to know, Trish spoke softly. “You'll dress for dinner on board the ship.”

Aggie's eyes widened in horror. “Dress?” she croaked.

“Nothing fancy,” Hettie hurried to say. “Sunday best, not black tie.”

Aggie gave a decided nod, her mouth set in a firm line. “I can do that.” But the worry lines between her eyes remained.

“Where will they be stopping?” Morgan asked. “I haven't heard. Don't know a thing about cruises.”

Hettie turned to him. “And you from Miami!”

He shrugged and looked down at his empty plate. “Let's just say we weren't a cruising family.”

“Neither were we,” Aggie said, slowly sinking to her chair at the table. “Not until now, anyway.”

Hettie glanced at her, and then turned back to Morgan. “We'll be stopping in Cozumel, Montego Bay and George Town.”

“You'll love it, Aunt Aggie,” Trish hurried to assure her. “A whole 'nother world, as they say.”

Aggie grunted. “I can go to Texas for that.”

Hettie pushed back her chair and stood, then grabbed Aggie's arm and tugged. “Come on. Let's go take a look at what clothes you have. I'm anticipating a shopping trip in a couple of days.”

Looking up, Aggie muttered, “Heaven help me. She'll drive me crazy on a boat.”

“Ship,” Trish and Morgan replied in unison.

Hettie laughed as she coaxed Aggie from the room, nearly having to drag her. Trish shook her head. Her aunt had never been one for being fancy. Plain and simple, Aggie always said about herself. Trish suspected it hadn't always been that way. Her dad and mother had both mentioned more than once that in her youth, Aggie had been a beauty. Somewhere through the years, it simply had ceased being important to her.

When Morgan cleared his throat, Trish felt the need to comment. “They'll have a lovely time.”

“No doubt. And probably get into some kind of scrape, knowing them. It was really nice of you and Kate to give them the cruise as a Christmas present.”

Shrugging, Trish took a seat at the table and avoided meeting his gaze. “They both deserve it. Aggie has worked hard all her life. Things are better for her, now
that Kate and Dusty have taken over the farming, but we wanted to do something special.”

“Only you and Kate could have thought of a cruise.”

She looked up, straight into his eyes. “She took in two orphaned teenage girls. She's been our mother for almost twelve years. Booking her on a cruise with her best friend doesn't come close to repaying her for everything she's done for us.”

His expression was solemn as he nodded his understanding. “I know. She's one of the best. Her and Hettie.”

“And your uncle Ernie,” Trish added. Morgan had broken her heart, but the pieces still loved him beyond measure. She willed the thought away. She couldn't risk clouding her mind with emotions that might mean nothing to him. Not with the decisions she needed to make for her and the baby's future.

“I brought something for you,” he said, getting up from the table.

“Really?” She watched as he walked to the small table by the door and picked up something hidden beneath where he'd left his coat.

“It isn't much,” he said, returning with a pretty wrapped package in his hands.

“I have something for you, too,” Trish said, jumping up from the table. She slipped the package from the counter where she'd left it and took it back to the table. “It's not much, either,” she said, taking her seat again.

With a bit of embarrassment on both their parts, they exchanged their gifts. “Go on,” Morgan urged after taking his, “open it.”

Trish felt her cheeks warm even more as she carefully
began removing the tape on the ends of the package. Gently folding back the shiny silver-embossed paper, she spied the gift he'd given her. “Oh, Morgan, it's beautiful!”

“When I saw it one day when I was in Oklahoma City, I thought of you.”

Tears swam in her eyes as she ran her hands over the front of the leather journal. She'd once told him that keeping a diary was something she had started as a young girl. Most of the entries had been snippets of fairy-tale stories that floated around in her mind. Those had been the beginning of her writing and what had led her to write a children's book.

“And a pen, too!” Saying too much would only make him uncomfortable, so she merely looked up at him, hoping he could see how much she loved the gift. “A very expensive pen, by the way. You shouldn't have, Morgan.”

“It's only a blank book and pen.”

The threatening tears vanished and she laughed. “But a beautiful blank book and a lovely pen. Inspiration to write more.”

“So now I'm inspiring, huh?”

His smile was wide and relaxed, something Trish hadn't seen for a long, long time. Not since June, when everything had begun to change. If only she knew what that had been about, maybe they wouldn't be sitting at her aunt's table, exchanging Christmas gifts on one of the saddest Christmases she could remember. But Morgan had refused to discuss much of anything, no matter how often she'd tried.

“Open yours now,” she urged, hoping he would like
the gift she had chosen for him, in spite of what had happened between them.

He glanced toward the door to the hallway, sudden discomfort evident in the stiff look of his shoulders. “Are you sure—”

“They're upstairs. I can hear them,” she said. “Go on. Open it.”

 

M
ORGAN STARED
at the blue-and-gold package in his hand and wondered if the gift exchange was a good idea. He never felt comfortable getting presents. Giving was easier, even though he usually did it without much thought. In fact, there had been no thought to the one he'd found for Trish. He'd just known the minute he laid eyes on it that it was made for her.

“What is it?” he asked as he forced himself to begin the unwrapping process.

“Keep going and find out.”

He glanced up to see Trish watching him, a tentative smile on her lips. Pulling a box from the wrappings, he opened it to find a set of Gary Cooper movies on DVD. “How'd you know?”

Shrugging, she stood and walked to the sink. “I guess I heard you mention once that you liked his movies.”

“I love 'em.” And he did. Gary Cooper was his kind of guy. As a little boy, he'd been discovered staying up late at night watching old Westerns on television, more than once. Of course he'd been immediately sent back to bed, but he suspected his mom and dad had known that he'd sneaked right back out and finished the movies, followed by dreams of being the good guy who saved the day…and the lady.

“I'm glad you like them,” Trish said from where she now stood by the sink.

“They'll give me something to do on an evening when I'm off duty.”

“Have Dusty put video software on your computer at the office, and you can watch to your heart's content.”

He rubbed his jaw with the palm of his hand and considered the idea. Being the sheriff in Desperation wasn't time-consuming, but what would the city council think if they found out? “I'll think about it.”

“More cake?”

“What? No, no thanks. But there was something I wanted to talk to you about.” He hadn't wanted to, but it was something that had been bothering him since the night before, and the only way he knew to find out was to ask. “What's that?”

“Come sit down first.”

With a shrug, she joined him again at the table. She looked worried, and he sure didn't want her to be. A simple answer from her, and the subject would be closed. It was a question he was pretty sure he knew the answer to, but there was still the possibility she'd made a mistake. He only wanted to be absolutely sure.

After a quick glance at the doorway to the hall, she gave him her attention. “Go on. What is it?”

Summoning his courage, he held her gaze. “How long have you known? About the…you know.”

For a fraction of a second, she stared at him, and then her chin went up, defiant and stubborn, totally unlike Trish. “Long enough.”

He gathered his patience and proceeded as if it was
an interview with a stranger. “Can you explain to me what that means?”

With a sigh, she nodded. “I've suspected it for several weeks, but I wanted to be sure.” She glanced toward the hallway again and dropped her voice. “I took a home pregnancy test. It was positive.”

Nodding, he thought about it, although he didn't know a lot about those kinds of things. “You're sure it wasn't too early? You know, so it worked right?”

“There's no doubt, Morgan. I know my own body.”

“Of course you do. I'm just trying…” Trying to what? Pretend this wasn't happening? Hoping it wasn't? That wasn't completely false, but he needed to accept this one hundred percent, without a doubt. “I guess what I am trying to find out is if you've seen a doctor yet.”

“I have an appointment on Tuesday, as a matter of fact.” Her chin went up again, and he suddenly saw the resemblance, plain and clear, between her, Kate and their aunt. “But there's no doubt, absolutely none.”

“Okay. I just think we should make sure, before we go off making plans.”

He jumped when she slammed her hands on the table and shot to her feet. “No, that isn't it at all,” she said, her voice rising. “It's easier to pretend it isn't happening or to think it might be someone else's.” She leaned down, peering into his eyes. “Is that it, Morgan? You think it belongs to someone else?”

“Hell, no!” he shouted back.

“That's good,” she said, not moving even an inch back, “because there's never been anyone else. Not ever. Not before, not after, not ever. So if you think
that's
the way it is, you can walk right out that door right now
and never—and I mean
never
—show your face here again.”

“What's going on down here?”

Morgan nearly came out of his seat, sure his short-cropped hair was standing on end, and Trish had jumped up, nearly tangling herself in her chair. “Nothing. Just talking,” he managed to answer as he turned to see Aggie and Hettie in the doorway. How much had they heard?

“Talking?” Aggie asked, striding into the room. “Sounded more like an argument to me.”

Hettie nodded. “A loud one.”

Trish sank to her chair. “It's nothing. Just a
disagreement
between two people.” She slid a warning look at Morgan. “I think he's ready to go, Hettie.”

He noticed that her hands, which she quickly clasped in front of her on the table, were trembling. He felt bad. Real bad. Trish would never trick him into something. He wanted to assure her that he knew that with all his heart and soul. But with Aggie and Hettie standing there, it was impossible. He knew women could be wrong about being pregnant, and he didn't want to learn, nor did he want Trish to learn, that it was a case of an imaginary pregnancy.

But he was damn glad there wasn't anyone else involved in this thing. Now all he had to do was wait until she told him what the doctor had to say. After that, he'd be ready to move forward and start making arrangements, whatever those arrangements might be.

Trish sat in the waiting room flipping through the glossy pages of a magazine and wishing this first doctor visit was over. If Morgan knew that he'd put doubt in her mind, he'd be surprised. Or would he?

Frankly, she was still amazed that she'd blown up at him on Christmas Day, accusing him of thinking there was someone else in her life. She blamed her hormones. She hadn't known she could hit red rage quite so quickly. She never had before, and she was shocked by how good it had felt to let all that pent-up anger at him for the past six months surface.

She glanced at the reception desk, hoping she'd be called soon. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door open and the last person she wanted to see entered the room.

“What are you doing here?” she asked Morgan, unable to keep the annoyance from her harsh whisper. He took the empty seat next to her.

“Just passing by,” he replied, with a nod to Cara Milton behind the receptionist's desk.

“My foot, you are.” She slammed the magazine closed.

“Boring article?”

“Bad company.”

One dark eyebrow raised. “I see your mood hasn't improved.”

“It had,” she said, hoping no one in the somewhat crowded waiting room would hear. “Are you crazy, Morgan Rule?”

“I have a right to hear what the doctor says. I have a stake in this, too.”

Before she could think of a reply, Susan Fulcom, Doc Priller's nurse for as long as Trish could remember, called her name from the open hallway door of the small clinic. Trish put the magazine aside and started to stand.

“I'll be along shortly,” he whispered.

She turned back to stare at him. “Morgan—”

“Don't worry. There'll be no reason for anyone to question my being here.”

Although he looked sincere, and Trish didn't doubt that he had some plan to keep tongues from wagging, just the two of them speaking would raise eyebrows among Desperation's populace. And that would lead to talk. She'd hoped to keep that to a minimum, at least until she told Aunt Aggie.

With no way to point that out to him without gaining unwanted attention, she stood and walked across the waiting room to follow Susan to the examining room. Once inside with the door closed firmly behind them, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Nice to see you and Morgan being friendly,” Susan said, her attention on what was probably a medical chart.

Trish froze. What should she say? Flippant answers flashed through her mind, until one that would suffice
finally settled firmly. “Oh, there are no hard feelings between us.”

Susan turned with a smile. “I'm glad to hear that. Maybe there'll be good news in the future?”

Oh, yes, the best of news! I'm preggers.

Trish shrugged.

“So what are you here for today, Trish?”

Trish's heart sank. She hadn't realized she'd be talking to anyone other than the doctor. How foolish had that been? Thoughts jumped in and out of her head. Susan could gossip with the best of them. Did nurses take a Hippocratic oath like doctors did? Just how long could they keep this little secret…secret?

“Why, Trish, you're pale. Lie back, honey.”

Head swimming, Trish did as she was told, while Susan fussed around her, removing her shoes and generally trying to make her comfortable.

It wasn't working.

“Maybe a drink of water?” Susan asked, moving to the door.

Trish nodded, relieved to get rid of the woman while she gathered her wits.

She'd almost managed it when the door opened and in walked Morgan. Propping herself on one elbow, she straight-armed a point with her finger at him. “Out!”

Instead of obeying her command, he stood perfectly still, his eyes filled with concern. “I heard Susan say you weren't feeling well.”

“I wasn't. I'm not.” Lying back on the exam table, she put her arm over her eyes. “Why did you have to show up? Everybody in town will know something's up, and it will only be a matter of days before they'll have
it figured out.” Throwing off her arm, she popped up on her elbows. “I haven't even told Aunt Aggie yet!”

That got his feet moving, and he took the few steps to where she was half lying, half sitting, his eyes wide with what she assumed was fear of her aunt. But just as he started to say something, the door opened and Doc Priller walked into the room.

Doc looked from Trish to Morgan. “Well, hello there, young man,” he said, picking up the packet of files on the small stainless-steel countertop. He gave Morgan another glance as he stepped around him and approached Trish, peering at her over the top of his rimless glasses, his blue eyes serious. “Susan tells me you aren't feeling well. What's the problem?”

“I—” She glanced at Morgan, standing silently behind the doctor. Morgan nodded.

She'd expected this to be easier. All she had to do was say she suspected she was pregnant. The words were easy. Saying them was proving not to be.

Doc turned to look at Morgan, then back at Trish. “Would you be more comfortable talking if the sheriff waited outside?”

Would she? She shook her head. “Morgan is aware of the…situation.”

White eyebrows lifted, and Doc nodded, a slow, knowing nod. Reaching behind him, he pulled up a metal swivel stool and lowered himself onto it, folding his hands on the folder in his lap. “Trish, I've known you since you came to Desperation to live with your aunt. I don't judge. I don't gossip, although my wife might say different when it comes to our own family. Tell me what's going on.”

“I'm pregnant.” She relaxed, knowing it was over, and she felt better for having said it.

Doc's expression didn't change. “A baby is a wonderful thing. Not quite so easy when mom and dad aren't together, but still a miracle.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and continued with, “And I take it this fella is the father?”

Trish looked past the doctor to Morgan, who was stuffing his hands into his pockets, his head down as if he was embarrassed.

“Yes, Doc.”

“Then there's not a problem,” Doc said, opening the folder and pulling a pen from his pocket. “He's a good man. A little stubborn maybe, but nothing wrong with that. Now you just answer my questions, and we'll have you up and out of here in no time, and no one will be the wiser.” He turned to Morgan. “Have Susan step in, will you? I'll need a blood test to start with.”

Trish's fears hadn't completely eased. “Will Susan—”

Doc reached out and pressed a comforting hand on her arm as Morgan left the room. “Susan Fulcom has been with me since she graduated from nursing school. She's a professional. Doesn't gossip, either, not about patients or what goes on here. If need be, we'll put our heads together and cook up an answer for anyone prying into something that isn't their business until it is. You can count on that.”

Trish nodded as tears of relief stung her eyes. Wiping at them with the back of her hand, she sniffed. “Damn crying spells,” she muttered.

Chuckling, the doctor leaned back. “You'll get used
to them. How's Aggie taking this news?” he asked as he began to scribble on a paper.

“I haven't told her yet.”

He peered at her without raising his head, and then dropped his gaze to the paper. “I can understand your hesitancy, but I know your aunt well enough to know she'll be pleased. Maybe not so much with the circumstances as they currently are, but she'll welcome a baby with the same open heart she welcomed you and your sister.”

Nodding, Trish sniffed again. “It isn't that I'm afraid to tell her. It's because I don't want her canceling her cruise on account of me,” she explained. “And I know that's exactly what she'd do. I'll tell her when she gets back. I promise.”

“Of course you will. Now, let's get started on those questions. Susan should be in here in just a minute with Morgan, and then we'll do the blood test. You up for that?”

Trish smiled. “That's the easy part.”

He went straight to the questions with only a soft laugh to show that he understood. The questions seemed endless, starting with last date of menstruation, nausea or morning sickness, sleeping habits, loss of energy, the whole gamut. She explained about the pregnancy test, and he nodded. “Quite the thing, although not one hundred percent. It's good you came in. That's the best thing. We'll get you on a round of vitamins—”

The door opened and the nurse walked in, followed by a sober-looking Morgan. “Are you feeling better, Trish?” Susan asked. “Your color has definitely improved.”

“Much better, thank you,” Trish answered.

“Morgan told me the good news,” Susan said.

“You'll make a great mother, Trish.”

Trish could only hope so. She wasn't planning to be anything but a good mother, although she knew it wouldn't be easy. And even though she'd told Morgan she would raise the baby on her own, she knew she wouldn't be alone. She had her family and probably everyone in Desperation to help, once they knew and accepted the news.

It wasn't long before the exam was over and the blood work done, with a warning the next visit would entail more. Trish had been fine about the drawing of blood and was through it without even a wince. She'd noticed Morgan hadn't fared as well and looked a little pale.

With several papers about pregnancy and childbirth in hand, she stood at the door in the hallway leading into the waiting room. She and Morgan had agreed at Doc's suggestion that she would leave first, while Morgan waited ten or so minutes. He'd elicited a promise from her to wait for him in her car near the park.

“That wasn't so bad after all, was it?” he asked, before he pushed open the door to let her pass through.

Trish's answer was a groan. Bad? He had no idea. He'd pay for this day, one way or another. She swore he would.

 

M
ORGAN ARRIVED AT
what was considered the back side of the local park, where he'd instructed Trish to wait for him. He wasn't disappointed. He could see her car as he rounded the last corner.

He wasn't sure what had gotten into her. He couldn't imagine why she'd been so riled up when he walked into the doctor's office. From the minute she'd told him the
news that she was pregnant, he'd had every right to be there.

The news.
He still felt a warm glow when he thought about it—right before the lead weight settled in his stomach. There was nothing to do about it now but make sure she and the baby were taken care of. He couldn't marry her, but he could do that much.

Lifting his hand in a wave as he approached her car, he watched as she rolled down her window. A bitter-cold wind blew, and he quickened his steps.

Creases between her eyes had formed as she looked up at him when he reached her car. “Was there something else we needed to discuss? Because if there isn't—”

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“Stop to get some prenatal vitamins and go home, I guess. That means going to Kingfisher.”

Was she afraid of the gossip? It could be tough in a small town, but she wasn't the first unmarried pregnant female in Desperation, and she wouldn't be the last. No doubt there would be some talk, but it would run its course and be done.

“I have an idea,” he offered. “Where's Aggie?”

Her mouth opened and she gasped. “We can't tell Aunt Aggie! Not before she leaves.”

“Not what I had in mind.”

Shoulders easing, she leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. “She and Hettie went shopping for clothes for the cruise. They don't plan to be home until well after dark.”

He couldn't have asked for better. “Then here's what I was thinking. Let's go into Oklahoma City and check out the shopping malls.” The pained look on her face had him quickly adding, “Only if you're up to it.” When she
gave a small nod, he continued. “Just for a little while. I'm not familiar with baby things, so maybe you can show me what'll be needed. I don't want you wanting for anything.”

“Well…”

“We can have a late lunch afterward. Stu gave me the name of a new place. So what do you think?”

Sitting up straight, she placed her hands on the steering wheel and looked at him. “I could pick up the vitamins when we get to the city.”

“Right.”

“And not have to worry about someone seeing me in Kingfisher and telling tales.”

He nearly pointed out that she was being paranoid, but he thought better of it. “Good idea.”

“We'll take my car,” she said, reaching for the ignition.

“Only if I can drive.”

After making a face, she gave in. “Oh, all right. I'll follow you home and pick you up there.”

Less than ten minutes later, they were on their way, the countryside flying by. “Watch your speed,” Trish warned him.

He kept his eyes on the road ahead, ignoring her warning. “Nice car,” he said from behind the wheel. “You made a good choice.”

“I researched online and talked to people who owned one. It wasn't all that hard.”

“Technology has its advantages. It drives smoother than I would have thought, and there's room in the back for passengers.”

“Not to mention that the trunk is spacious and the gas mileage is good.”

He was proud of her. There were some folks who thought she was nothing but a piece of fluff. Sure, she was sweet, but she was smart, too. Reasonable in most circumstances. Or so he'd thought until earlier at Doc Priller's. Sliding a look at her, he almost wished he hadn't canceled their wedding. Not that he'd had a choice in the matter.

After stopping for the vitamins she needed, they drove to the mall. Trish mentioned her fear of running into Aggie and Hettie, but Morgan thought that would be highly unlikely. Even if they did, he had no doubt Hettie would be pleased to see them together. Aggie he wasn't so sure about.