Heath's Choice by Terry Fowler

Author:Terry Fowler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-08-29T00:00:00+00:00

Ten

Heath came home from the hospital on the same day the Holts called to say they were on their way. That news didn’t thrill Jane, but she’d done everything possible to prepare herself for the onslaught of criticism she knew Clarice would provide.

She returned to work after a couple of days off. Sammy started figuring out how to play around the cast. While Jane helped Val prepare the wedding venue for a wedding on Saturday, Sammy stayed with the Truelove family.

Despite Jane’s concerns that it was too much on her, Cindy welcomed the child back, insisting the two patients could comfort each other. Sammy took her books and toys to Heath, who was pretty much off his feet until the doctor put a walking cast on his leg. He could get around with the crutches but said it wasn’t the easiest thing he’d ever done.

When they came to the house for lunch, Jane found Sammy banging her storybook against Heath’s arm in an effort to wake him. “Sammy, no. Heath’s resting,” she said, swinging the child up into her arms.

He woke and offered her a sleepy smile. “It’s okay. I told her to get her storybook and fell asleep before she got back. Let her stay. She’s good company.”

Jane lifted the child onto the arm of his chair. “I’m so sorry about this, Heath.”

“It can’t be helped.”

“It could. Now both of you are in pain, and it’s my fault.”

“I’m not in pain,” Heath said, pulling a bottle of pills from his shirt pocket and shaking them at her.

Horror filled Jane.

“What’s wrong?”

“You can get addicted to those things.”

“I only take them when the pain is really bad.”

Jane reached for the bottle and read the label. “Garrett took those for his knee injury. He said he could stop anytime, but he couldn’t.”

Heath frowned. “I was only trying to lighten the mood. I’m not a pill taker. Never have been. I rarely take aspirin. I might be a little uncomfortable, but I’ll survive. Sammy will, too.”

Jane fingered her daughter’s blond curls. “Please watch her around those pills.”

He slipped them into the back of the table drawer under some papers. “When do you expect the Holts?”

“This afternoon.” She found the idea depressing.

“It will be okay, Jane.”

“I hope so.”

❧

Her in-laws hadn’t been there an hour when Clarice started. “We want to take Sammy back to the hotel and spend time with her there.”

Her grandmother held out her arms, but Sammy turned her head into Cindy Truelove’s neck. When she refused to let go, Clarice pulled her from Cindy’s hold. Sammy sobbed.

“Is it necessary to upset her like this?” Cindy asked, dismayed by Sammy’s distress.

“She’s my granddaughter. I think I know what’s best for her. She’ll calm down once she’s in the car.”

Sammy’s cries turned into screams as she reached out to the people she knew and loved. Jane stepped in and took her child from Clarice. “No. I’m not putting her through this. You can visit here, and if she becomes comfortable and wants to go with you later, we’ll decide then.

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