Radclyffe - Love On Call

Flann nodded. “Sounds good to me. Abby can decide if we should tell Blake first.”

“I suppose we better head to the staff meeting,” Harper said, grinning. “Presley will not be happy if I’m late.”

Glenn stood, wondering if she’d be in time to grab a seat with Mari.

*

The staff meeting was the first Mari had ever attended, since she’d had no reason to think much about the actual running of a hospital during her training. This one surprised her. The meeting started exactly on time, for one thing. She’d been watching for Glenn and saw her slip in just a few seconds before half past seven with Flannery Rivers and another woman who looked very much like Flannery except for her opposite coloring. She must be the other Dr. Rivers—Harper. When Glenn and Flann took seats, Harper went on to the front of the room and joined an elegant-looking blonde in a bottle-green suit at the narrow podium. Mari didn’t need anyone to tell her this was Presley Worth. She exuded authority simply by the way she scanned the room with a combination of command and camaraderie.

The CEO was as impressive as everyone had made her out to be. Presley quickly and concisely brought everyone up to date with the various plans for expansion of the physical hospital as well as the new ER residency and other training programs under way. A ripple of excitement moved through the audience, and something else that Mari recognized after a while…hope. She’d known that everyone had lived under the threat of the hospital closing for quite some time, but she hadn’t appreciated how important the hospital was to so many people in the community. Not just because a significant percentage worked there, but because the institution represented a huge piece of the history of the town. Even though there had to be newcomers like Mari, she bet the majority of those crowding into the dome-ceilinged, wood-paneled auditorium had been born there, or their parents had been.

Strangely, she didn’t feel like an outsider. She hadn’t expected to feel so comfortable in such a small-town environment after growing up in one of the biggest cities in the world, but she did. Just by virtue of being part of the hospital, she had become part of the community. By the time the meeting was over, she felt even more a part of her new world. The homesickness and sadness drifted a little more into the background with each passing day.

As she made her way outside an hour later, she heard her name and turned to see Glenn coming after her with quick, sure strides. Mari waited, a swift surge of anticipation coursing through her.

“Hi,” Glenn said. “Walking home?”

“Yes.”

“Mind company?”

“Of course not,” Mari said quickly, “although you don’t need to feel you have to. It’s perfectly safe.” She laughed. “Not even a hint of rain.”

“I know, but I’ve been cooped up all day and I’d like to stretch my legs, unless you want to be alone.” Glenn shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and, for the first time ever, appeared less than absolutely confident.

“No, I don’t,” Mari said quietly. “I’d love the company.”

“What did you think of the meeting?” Glenn asked as they started down the winding hillside. Cars streamed past them, the staff heading home after the meeting.

“It certainly sounds like it’s a busy time around here,” Mari said. “An exciting one too.”

“A lot of change all at once. Somehow, Presley has convinced everyone that she can work miracles, and I think she probably can.”

“I’m convinced, and I’ve only heard her speak once,” Mari said. “I could feel the sense of purpose everyone had, as if everyone counted. She made everyone feel essential.”

“Everyone is,” Glenn said. “Speaking of essential, are you sure you’re not up for trying a little friendly softb—”

“Trust me. Very sure.” Mari laughed. “But I will come cheer as promised.”

“Good enough. We can head over after work tomorrow—maybe grab something to eat first if you want.”

Mari hesitated. She’d never actually had a date with a woman, and she didn’t think Glenn was actually asking her out, but her voice disappeared on a swell of excitement all the same. She swallowed quickly. “Sure. Sounds great.”

By the time they neared the end of the road, darkness had fallen and only the occasional headlight slashed across their path. When they turned onto Main Street, Glenn asked, “How did things go today? Any problems?”

“No, at least not in the ER.” Mari hadn’t had time to really assimilate everything Carrie had told her, but throughout the afternoon their conversation kept coming back to her along with the disquieting knowledge that she didn’t really know her family after all.

“Something wrong?” Glenn asked quietly.

“No, not really.” Mari sighed. “Well, yes, sort of. I’m not really sure yet. The strangest thing happened today—maybe you already know about it. Carrie came by to talk to me.”

“Carrie?” Glenn frowned. “No, why would I know what she had to say?”

“Oh, I thought maybe you and Carrie…” Mari suddenly felt foolish. “Sorry, never mind.”

“Carrie and me? Oh.” Glenn didn’t laugh or seem put out, just contemplative. “No…we’re friends, but not that way. If that’s what you meant.”

“Oh Lord, I am sorry,” Mari said in a rush. “It’s certainly none of my business one way or the other.”

“Hey, it’s no big deal. Anyhow, what happened?”

“It seems that Carrie and I are related. We’re cousins.”

Glenn stopped walking. “What? How is that possible—and you didn’t know?”

“That’s exactly the way I feel.” Mari threw up her hands. “It seems my mother and Carrie’s mother are sisters, and they’ve been carrying on a secret relationship all these years—keeping each other updated about their families, about us kids and who knows what else—while my mother has pretended that she doesn’t have any family.”

“Why?”

Mari sighed, partly embarrassed and partly angry. “Apparently because my father doesn’t approve of Carrie’s parents and convinced my mother to sever ties with them. Or pretend she had.”

“Wow. That’s hard.”

“If it’s true, and I don’t have any reason to think it isn’t, it’s more than that.” Mari’s chest throbbed with suppressed outrage. “It’s selfish and cruel to deprive my mother of her family, to deprive all of us of our family.”

“Are you going to ask your mother?”

“I haven’t quite figured out how I’m going to bring it up. We’re not really communicating at all since I told them about myself.” She tightened her shoulders as if that would make the psychic blow less painful. “They didn’t even call me before I left to move here even though I left messages. I sent them all my new contact information and haven’t heard anything—not even an email.”

“I’m really sorry.” Glenn’s hand briefly swept down the center of her back and then was gone, a fleeting comforting touch.

“I keep telling myself it doesn’t matter, and truthfully, every day it hurts a little bit less, but then something like this comes up and I wonder how much of my life has been a lie.”

“Not on your account, and you’re doing everything you can to make it truth,” Glenn said quietly.

“You know, I’m beginning to really understand how hurtful and destructive secrets can be.”

Glenn couldn’t disagree, even though she knew they both had their secrets.

Chapter Fourteen

Glenn walked Mari home, said good night, and took her time walking back through town. Mari and Carrie, cousins. Nothing much surprised her anymore, but once in a while, it was nice for life to hand out a good surprise instead of one that seemed random and cruel. Now Mari would have someone, family, nearby, especially seeing as how the rest of her family had let her down. Carrie wouldn’t let her be alone. Slowing at the entrance to the road up to the hospital, flanked with its stone arches and cast-iron lampposts, Glenn gave a fleeting thought to hiking back up to see what was going on in the ER, but decided to head home instead. She had a game the following night, and she was strangely relaxed. Not keyed up and agitated the way she often was at the end of the day. She smiled to herself. Walking Mari home seemed to be good therapy.