The Promise

  “Al, I don’t want an operation,” Kevin said, a little tremor in the twelve-year-old’s voice.

  “Don’t be nervous,” Peyton said. “It’s an easy operation, as long as they get to it quickly. Once they get that appendix out, you’re going to feel so much better. But you have to get to the ER right away. No time to waste.”

  “Everything is going to be fine, Al,” Scott said. “I’ll make a couple of calls, all right? I’ll make sure they’re expecting you. No screwing around, no stopping for any reason. Get going.”

  “Thanks, Doc. Tell Justin I’ll call him as soon as I get to the hospital, as soon as I know something.” Al worked Kevin’s shoes back on while Kevin fastened his jeans. Then Al pulled the boy to a sitting position, and rather than helping him down from the exam table, he lifted him in his arms. “Let’s not jiggle it around,” he said with a nervous smile. “Hang on to that bowl.”

  Al was out the door quickly. Scott pulled out his phone and called the hospital ER They had a surgeon there on another case, and they would keep him another thirty minutes to meet Al and Kevin. Scott requested a call-back from the doctor. Then he slid the phone into his pocket and looked at Peyton. “I have a feeling that was a good call.”

  “That one was easy. His symptoms aren’t vague. If we’re wrong, they’re going to take out a healthy appendix. But I guarantee his white count is going to cooperate with the diagnosis.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” He walked out to Devon’s desk. “Do I have anything now?”

  “Mrs. Bledsoe’s check—the usual.”

  “I can take that, Scott,” Peyton said.

  “Then I’m going to walk down to Lucky’s and talk to Norm and Justin, fill them in on what’s happening with Kevin. I won’t be long.”

  “Everyone has your cell phone number, you deliver messages and even offer transportation to family members,” Peyton said. “An all-service physician.”

  He just smiled at her. “All-service,” he said. “Here’s the thing. If the doctor was a long way from here, like in another town instead of down the street, a person might want to wait to see if they started to feel better. When people feel sick or hurt, not only do they not want to be any trouble, they don’t want to go to any trouble. And while they’re giving it another hour, the appendix can blow or that numb left arm can turn into a myocardial infarction. But if their doctor is around the corner...” He paused and gave a meaningful shrug.

  “I’ve never looked at it that way,” she said.

  “Why would you? The cities you’ve worked in had urgent care facilities or ERs on every corner. There wasn’t a doctor here for years. When 911 responded, they had to take the patient to Bandon or North Bend. Now there’s someone they can call. I’m not the salvation of the town, by any means. I’m just willing, that’s all. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. And thanks, Peyton. That was great work!”

  He went out the door, and Peyton watched his departure. She leaned a hip against Devon’s desk.

  “He is, too, the salvation of the town,” Devon said. “Have you ever known a guy like that? That responsive? That genuine?”

  “Yeah,” Peyton said. “Hank on Royal Pains.” When Devon shot her a questioning look, she said, “It’s a TV show. In other words, fiction.” She thought for a minute. “The doctors I worked with have all been excellent physicians and good men and women, but they protected their time and God forbid give a patient a cell phone number. It’s too invasive.”

  “Well, you won’t be expected to do that, Peyton. Scott will handle that.”

  “Be sure to warn his next wife, Devon. Tell her what she’s getting into. Being married to a doctor is hard enough.”

  “I’ll do that,” she said with a laugh. “Want to walk across the beach with me when we’re done here? Have something to drink at Cooper’s?”

  “I’d like that,” she said. “Know what I’d love? A little peek at your new house.”

  “As long as you remember—it’s a work in progress. But we’re close! So close!”

  * * *

  Before closing up the clinic, Devon and Peyton learned from Scott that Kevin was being prepped for surgery. Knowing that Scott would want to drive to North Bend to check on his patient, Devon took his kids off Ashley’s hands. “They like to play with Mercy,” she explained. “And they love the beach.”

  “I won’t be late,” Scott promised.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll give everyone dinner, and if you’re not back by bedtime, they can stay the night. We’re doing sleeping bags this week—they’ll love it.”

  They went to Devon’s house so Peyton could have a tour, and she was immediately in love with it. From the beach, one walked up a wooden staircase to the deck and entered the great room through the double doors. Everything on the main level was finished and furnished—great room, large kitchen, dining room, wide foyer, master bedroom and second bedroom. There was also a driveway and two-car garage on that level—everything a family needed, and it was lovely. The view from the great room, dining room and deck was spectacular. Devon pointed to a staircase to a loft that she explained was Spencer’s office—nice and spacious, but only one room. It was the downstairs that was still unfinished, which one could access from an inside staircase or a stone path and stairs that rose up the hill from the beachfront.

  Devon left Jenny and Will in the great room in front of the TV while she showed Peyton the lower level. It was such a practical arrangement—two large bedrooms with bathrooms separated by a game room. Windows from the game room gave a view of the beach and ocean. There was a smaller deck. “High tide isn’t ever going to be a problem,” Devon said. “But in a tsunami warning, we’ll have to evacuate and pray.”

  They continued the tour. “This is for the kids,” Devon explained. “I thought Mercy would want to be upstairs with us, where she’s been sleeping, but as it turns out, she can’t wait to move down here. She wants to be a big kid like Austin. I wonder where they are?”

  They walked into one of the bedrooms and saw the remnants of wall texturing supplies and drop cloths. “Well, I can see how Spencer spent his day, but I have no idea where he is.”

  Peyton looked around. “It’s wonderful! There’s not so much left to do. It’s bare, but ready.”

  “Painting, papering, a wall unit to be installed for the TV, games, books and things, carpeting, all the final touches. Furnishing. We’re waiting for a couple of built-in desks for the kids’ rooms. Between us we had just enough to furnish most of the upstairs, so we’ve had to order furniture. But we’re almost there. We’ll be done before football practice starts,” Devon said.

  When they went upstairs, Jenny and Will were gone. Devon put her hands on her hips. “Now where are they? I can’t seem to keep track of anyone!” She walked out on the deck to look down toward the dock to see if they might all be out there with Rawley or Landon, fishing. Instead, she saw everyone next door on Cooper’s deck.

  Spencer waved to her, signaling for her to come over.

  Devon’s eyes lit up. “I think Summer is outside. Wait till you see her.”

  “Oh,” Peyton said. “I’ll just...”

  “You’ll just come with me!” Devon grabbed her hand and pulled her back inside and out the front door, right next door and into Cooper and Sarah’s front door. Everyone was out on the deck. Cooper and Spencer were laughing about something, Austin was hanging out with them. The baby was in a big Cadillac of a stroller with a Great Dane standing guard and three little faces peering into it. Sarah was relaxing on a lounge.

  “How are you feeling?” Devon asked, going to her and giving her cheek a buss.

  “Like I never had a baby,” she said. “Until I look in the mirror.”

  “You look wonderful! How’s she doing?”

  But rather than answering, Sarah smiled and said, “Well, hello, Peyton! Nice to see you again!”

  “I hope I’m not intruding,” she said. “I came home with Devon to see her new house.”

/>   “Of course not. We’ve had quite a few drop-ins. And we’re all feeling fine,” she said. “A miracle, because I think I had the longest labor in the history of the world!”

  “How long?” Peyton asked.

  “Like twelve hours or something! It was brutal!”

  Peyton and Devon exchanged glances and smiles.

  “Oh, what? I suppose that’s considered average or something! Well, I was not impressed. And I’ll have you know that I’ve been trained by the Coast Guard. I am fit, strong and—”

  “It wasn’t quite twelve hours,” Cooper said.

  “Yes, it was,” she replied. “What was it, then?”

  “Slightly less, like six. But it looked pretty awful at times,” he said. “I could tell you weren’t having fun. But then, when it was over—it was just over. Wow. I’ve never seen anything like that! Nothing but smiles and giggles. Just like that.”

  “I should have let you do it,” she said.

  Devon shooed the kids away from the stroller, so Peyton could get a better look. There in the stroller bed, fast asleep with her little hands balled up, wearing a pink onesie, was Summer Cooper. She had a cap of dark brown hair, her mother’s color. Her cheeks were rosy with health, her little mouth bright pink and heart-shaped.

  Peyton smiled at Sarah. “It was worth it—the labor. She’s absolutely beautiful.”

  Sarah glowed. “She is, isn’t she?”

  “Wait till you see these,” Cooper said proudly. He pulled apart the receiving blanket and showed off her feet. “Have you ever seen feet that big on a baby?”

  “They’re pretty remarkable,” Peyton said.

  Hamlet, the Great Dane, moaned. Then he moaned again and nosed the stroller.

  “All right, all right,” Cooper said. He rewrapped the baby, gently picked her up and held her at Ham’s level. Ham gently sniffed her, then he looked up at Cooper. His tail wagged. “That’s going to have to hold you for a while,” Cooper said. And the dog visibly relaxed as Cooper moved to put Summer back in the bed of the stroller. “Ham hasn’t left her side since she came home. He can barely manage enough time to relieve himself.”

  “Cooper, may I?” Peyton asked.

  “Sure, of course,” he said. “She’s very nice to hold. Sarah says we probably hold her too much.”

  Peyton reached for the baby. “There’s no such thing.” She brought the baby against her and instinctively her lips and nose went against that little cap of brown hair.

  “You’re awfully good at that,” Sarah said.

  “I’m a professional,” Peyton said. “I have seven siblings. I held my first baby when I was two. Very big extended family. There have been many since.”

  “I’m surprised you don’t have one of your own,” someone said.

  She laughed. “Maybe that’s why I don’t....”

  But her heart gave a tug. She hadn’t been in a hurry to have children, but now she was starting to feel something was missing from her life. Lots of things were missing. She began to hum to the baby without even realizing it. She swayed with little two-week-old Summer in her arms. She wanted more. She wanted a good, strong, faithful man, a child of her own, a family, a future, a life beyond her life. It almost caused her eyes to tear. She kissed the baby’s head, and when she looked up, everyone was staring at her. She laughed uncomfortably. “Sorry. I got a little lost there for a second.”

  “She’ll do that to you,” Sarah said. “You’re a natural.”

  “Call on me anytime your arms need a rest,” she said.

  “You can expect a call at around 2:00 a.m.,” Cooper said.

  Ham was soon sitting very close to Peyton, giving the little pink bundle an occasional sniff. While Peyton and Devon visited with Sarah for a little while, Ham wasn’t the only interesting thing they observed. Austin was in and out of the house, and everywhere he went, Will was on his tail, asking questions, trying to share a bag of pretzels, acting goofy. After about three or four trips on to the deck and back into the house, Devon leaned toward Peyton and explained. “Will has a man-crush on Austin.”

  “And the Great Dane has an Alpha dog attachment to Summer,” Peyton added.

  “Big-time. Well, Sarah, I’m getting the kids out of here. You’re probably kind of sick of them by now,” Devon said.

  “Actually, I think I’m having an adrenaline rush, but I don’t want to use it cooking for a bunch of kids. Will you invite Austin over?”

  “Sure,” Devon said with a laugh. “Spencer and I will throw some food at them. Peyton, will you join us for dinner? It won’t be fancy, and it could be loud.”

  “That’s very sweet, but I think I’ll call it a day. Let you get your family settled.”

  * * *

  Peyton walked back to the clinic where her car was parked. She had some stuffed peppers from Carrie’s deli at home in the freezer. She could heat up a nice big one and park in front of the TV with it.

  But she sat in her car and texted Scott. Any news on Kevin?

  Surgery went well. He’s in recovery and will be in his room in a half hour.

  She looked at her watch. Just under four hours since she’d seen him in the clinic. That indicated he went quickly into a surgery that was under two hours in length, a very good sign. She started her car and instead of going to her little duplex where a stuffed pepper waited for her, she drove out of town and headed to North Bend.

  Six

  It wasn’t routine for Peyton to visit her patients in the hospital. She had, of course, if she was concerned or had a patient with whom she’d developed a close relationship. Rounds were more a function of the physicians, not their assistants. But she wanted to see how Kevin and his family were getting along. Al, this single man in his fifties, taking on three teenage boys even though he had major responsibilities to his employer, just plain intrigued her. Though she didn’t know him well, she didn’t think she’d met a more likable man in a long time.

  She was given the room number, and when she went to the second floor, she saw Scott just exiting the room. “Well, Peyton! I didn’t know you were coming up here.”

  “Last-minute decision,” she said. “How’s he doing?”

  “He’s a little goofy,” Scott said. “But he’s in good shape. I’m sure he’ll be discharged in a day, maybe two. And he’s going to sleep very well tonight! Al and the other boys were here when he came out of recovery. I just sent them on their way—I think they’re convinced he’s all right and won’t be much company tonight. He has plenty of people to wait on him if he needs anything.”

  “Aw, I was hoping to see Al. Is he doing all right with his youngest just out of surgery?”

  “Holding up fine,” Scott said. “It went like clockwork. Have you eaten?”

  “No, but I have one of Carrie’s stuffed peppers in the freezer at home.”

  “Save it. I’ll buy you dinner. Then I have to pick up the kids. Devon fed them and has them parked in front of a movie, and I’m hungry. What country do you feel like—Japan, Italy, Mexico or some good old Pacific ocean fare?”

  “You don’t have to do that, Scott....”

  “I should have done it a couple of weeks ago! I’d be glad for the company. I could manage some nachos and a big fat burrito. I’m not on call tonight, and I’m in the mood for a cold beer. Want to follow me? I know a great little place.”

  “All right. Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I’m starving!”

  Twenty minutes later they were seated in a small but crowded Mexican restaurant, with a beer each and separated by a bowl of chips and salsa.

  “So, you have the weekend off?” she asked Scott.

  “More or less. I’m on call to the hospital Saturday night and Sunday night, but that doesn’t mean they’ll need me. For that matter, I’ve been called to North Bend when they need help, even when I’m not on call. It’s rare for me to say no, but I like it better when I’m being paid to sit at home.”

  “But what do you do with the kids? Especi
ally now with your babysitter out of town?”

  “Devon and I have an arrangement. Mercy is at my house a lot, too. When Spencer’s teaching and coaching and Devon is working at the clinic, Mercy has been at my house with my kids and Gabriella. I have her overnight now and then, so Spencer and Devon can have time alone. And now we’re going to have to figure out a few things, because Gabby is coming back next week, but she’s decided to move back home at the end of summer to go to college in Washington state so she can be closer to her mom. I think that cancer scare got to her.”

  “I can imagine,” Peyton said. “What are you going to do?”

  He gave a shrug. “Devon and I have been talking about it. We’re thinking about day care, but there’s no day care in town. We’ll also have to find a babysitter to share during clinic hours. After clinic hours, we’ll share the load, just like now. It really does take a village, especially in my case. We’re going to barely blink, and the girls will start public school—just another year. Then it’s going to get even more complicated....”

  Oh, yes, she thought. After-school clubs, sports, lessons, friends to hang out with or invite over. And needs—needing rides or clothes or supplies or equipment. “You have no idea,” she said.

  “You speak as one who knows,” he said.

  “I’m the oldest of eight, remember? I have ten nieces and nephews with number eleven due soon. Plus, Dr. Ramsdale was a single father of three, and there were times he had to ask office staff to pick them up or chauffer them.”

  “I hope you understand, I really don’t intend to do that to you. That last time was a big emergency, Devon on her honeymoon...”

  “I appreciate that, but I didn’t complain, did I? I understand extreme circumstances. And you know what? I enjoyed your children. They’re very entertaining. And they’re nice, Scott.”

  “Will miracles never cease,” he said, just as their dinners arrived—a big burrito for him, a taco salad for her. “What was it like growing up with all those brothers and sisters?” he asked.