Cheryl Wolverton - What The Doctor Ordered

“The old Henderson place. They had a creek running back there.”

“I’m planning to go soon. Joe Pierceson told me about it.”

“He’d know. That man loves to fish.”

“Have you ever fished, Rachel?” Morgan asked politely before taking a bite of chicken.

Startled, she glanced from her daughter, her mouth filled with food. She swallowed, took a sip of tea then replied, “I haven’t been in four, maybe five years.” Her gaze unfocused briefly. “I used to go with Dad all the time before I went off….”

She glowed with good memories. Morgan was enchanted as he watched her.

“I remember some of the things you brought home, young lady, and it wasn’t just fish. Turtles, frogs, tadpoles and even a snake. Land sakes, I’m glad that thing wasn’t poisonous,” Betty said.

Rachel grinned at her mother. “Daddy was, too.”

Both burst out laughing, and Betty turned to Morgan to explain. “She was upset because she hadn’t caught anything and her brother had. So she was walking back to the car and found this snake. A king snake, mind you, and she stuffed it into her plastic wading pants, planning to sneak it into the room and put it in her brother’s bed.”

“And? Did you do it?” He grinned at Rachel, whose cheeks turned pink in response.

“Go on, tell him what happened, Rachel.”

“Mother.” Rachel drawled the word in exasperation. “The snake got out of the trousers. Just as Daddy was pulling into the driveway, he felt something inching up the leg of his pants and panicked.”

“Oh, no.” Morgan couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “Did the poor man have a heart attack?”

“Almost,” Betty said. “He went right through the garage door trying to shake the thing off of his leg.”

“And I got grounded for a week.”

“That’s pretty mild,” Morgan replied, still laughing.

“Yeah. Well, I think Dad and Mom were so happy that the snake wasn’t poisonous that I got off lightly.”

Betty shook her head and took another bite.

Rachel grinned at her mother. “Well, Mom? You gonna tell me the truth why?”

“I have no idea why you got off so easily, dear. You’re probably right. It was simply shock and relief.”

Rachel chuckled again before turning to her meal. That set the tone for supper. Silly stories about her childhood. Dinner ended much too soon, as far as Morgan was concerned, but Betty wasn’t about to let him leave yet. “You two go into the living room with Lindsay. I’ll clear this and then bring in hot tea.”

Rachel, who was cleaning Lindsay, glanced at him, then at her mom. “Okay.”

Morgan nevertheless gathered his and Rachel’s plates and carried them into the kitchen. When he returned, Lindsay was clean and getting out of her chair.

“So, Rachel, where do you work?” he asked, heading into the living room.

“Temporarily at City Hall. I’m reworking their records. And—watch out!”

Thump. Two little arms were wrapped around his legs. Morgan struggled to keep from landing face first on the floor. “Aha! I’ve been attacked,” he said, peeling her arms away and lifting her. “Was it you?”

Lindsay patted his cheek and bounced in his arm. “Paaee,” she said, her hand on his cheek.

“Paaee?”

“That means play. Here, I’ll take her. I’m really sorry—”

“We’re fine,” he said to Rachel and moved to the sofa to sit down. He didn’t miss how Rachel nervously followed him.

“What do you like to play, little one?” he asked.

Lindsay grinned and moved her hand to his lips.

He repeated the question.

She giggled and then stroked his cheek again.

Poor Rachel was turning all shades of red. He ignored her and continued to concentrate on Lindsay, thinking it best if he didn’t pay attention to her embarrassment over her daughter. The only way Rachel would see Lindsay wasn’t irritating him was to watch them together.

He reached up and put Lindsay’s hand close to his mouth. “Morgan. Morgan,” he said. Lifting his hand from hers, he signed, “My name. Morgan.”

“Oh gan.”

Morgan grinned. “Yes. Now what do you like to play? Oh, I bet I know….”

And Morgan proceeded to drop onto the floor next to the blocks and build an entire city with her for the next fifteen minutes.

Betty came in and grinned. “You’re so good with kids. Lindsay has taken a liking to you. Now, Rachel, why don’t you pour the tea.”

“Okay, Mom.” Rachel poured three cups, silently frustrated with her mother that she insisted on keeping this man around. She didn’t know him, and he was playing with her daughter.

“I think little one here is getting tired,” Morgan whispered.

Rachel glanced over and flushed anew. Lindsay had crawled onto him and was sprawled out, her eyes closed. “I’m sorry,” Rachel began.

“Don’t be.” Morgan’s eyes met hers. The deep tones of his voice went right through her. “I can’t tell you when I’ve had this much fun. It’s been a long time.”

Rachel shifted, trying not to notice how good he looked holding her daughter. She stood and went over to him. “I should get her to bed.”

Gently, she slipped her hands under her daughter and lifted the girl to her shoulder. Lindsay mumbled something and zonked right back out.

Morgan stood. “As much as I’d like tea, Betty, I really have to be up early. I should be going, too.”

“Of course, Morgan. Let me take her, Rachel, and you walk our guest to the door.”

Sharply, Rachel looked at her mother. Matchmaking?

She had to wonder. This man was attractive. Her mother didn’t like it that she was alone with a child to raise. Rachel would have to talk to her about this later. “Very well.” Handing her child to her mother, Rachel turned and offered Morgan a smile.

He wasn’t bad. She just wasn’t used to sharing her child with anyone. Not after everything that had happened. She was scared. Things happened. She didn’t want to lose Lindsay or hear any more false reports, on her, or true reports for that matter. She didn’t want her daughter exposed to any more pain or lies, or to get her hopes up only to have them dashed. She wanted to protect her daughter from the world. And this man was part of that world.

Still, he had been wonderful with Lindsay. If only Lindsay’s father had been like that. “It was nice meeting you, Morgan.”

Morgan headed toward the door, his long-legged stride taking him gracefully across the room. “I really enjoyed tonight.” He pulled open the door and paused, then turned and pierced her with his gaze. “I enjoyed it a lot, Rachel.”

Rachel’s mouth went dry. “I…yes,” she stuttered, and nodded.

“Maybe we’ll see each other in church.”

The mood was shattered that easily. “I’m not sure. It takes time to get Lindsay ready, and we like to sleep in on Sunday…”

“Oh. I had thought you’d want to take her simply for the interaction with the other children.”

“She gets interaction,” Rachel argued.

“Ah,” Morgan said softly, a smile touching his lips. “But does she get to learn the series of songs the teacher is teaching the children? All of them in sign language?”

“Really?” Rachel asked, excitement burgeoning to life.

Morgan shrugged. “She majored in languages and ministers to the deaf on Saturdays. I thought Lindsay would probably love that.”

“She probably would.”

Rachel suddenly realized she’d been tricked. Scowling at Morgan, she said, “I only want what’s best for my daughter. So if you do see me there, it’s because of her.”

Morgan’s smile turned tender. “I understand, Rachel.” He reached out and took her hand, but instead of shaking it, to her utter disbelief, he lifted it to his lips and kissed it lightly. His gaze lifted to hers. “I really do.” She stared, watching him walk down the stairs and to his car. And for some reason, she really believed that he did understand. She wasn’t sure why, but it was in his eyes. The truth. He really did know what she was going through.