Ready-Made Family (4 page)

Another horrendous thought blew through her mind. “I remember a crash…”

“You were driving when you passed out. Your car crashed into a pole.”

Crashed.

The room swam. She didn’t want to know, couldn’t face the question pounding her brain or dodge the dollar marks blowing into her mind like a thousand wayward leaves. She swallowed. She could barely afford to keep oil, gas and wind-shield wiper fluid in the car, much less pay for repairs. Or worse, another car.

A sigh escaped, challenging the grit she’d garnered within to make it no matter what, and do it without complaining.
She’d always faced whatever life brought her head-on without whining, breaking or backing down. For the first time in her life, the pressure threatened to do her in.

“What am I gonna do?” Had she said that aloud? For sure, she was on the verge of losing it. Folding under pressure. Just like her parents predicted she would.

“Let me help, Amelia.”

Ben’s soothing voice pulled her from the mental mire. She studied him. What she interpreted as deep concern emanated from his eyes.

Even if the remote possibility existed that he honestly cared…“You must have an ulterior motive.”

“I care. Period.”

If that were the case and she caved and accepted, that meant losing. And she wasn’t about to let the naysayers win. It wasn’t that she cared about losing as much as she feared losing Reece if her parents’ predictions came true.

“I can’t. Period.”

B
en held his tongue when Reece stirred. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, yawning. The transformation in Amelia mystified him.

Her face lit with an incalculable amount of love when she scooped up the girl as if she were a long-sought-after, newly found treasure. “Hey, Reece’s Pieces. Have a good nap?”

Reece hugged her mom back, then scuttled beside her to eye the tubing in Amelia’s arm. “Is that the medicine that fixed your electric lights, Mommy?”

Amelia blinked and eyed the IV, then Reece. Confusion crossed her features.

Fighting frustration at Amelia’s reticence to his help, Ben picked Bearby off the floor where he’d fallen when Reece sat up. He set the toy in her lap. “Yes, that medicine is fixing your mom. Only they’re called electrolytes. Something that when you get too dry, can cause your heart to go haywire.”

Amelia’s throat muscles constricted, letting him know he got his point across. Fear and remorse in her eyes told him she realized how life-threatening her lack of intake had become.

Silent, Reece watched the nonverbal exchange between her mother and Ben before wringing Bearby like a wet
dishrag. No wonder the thing looked so tattered and misshapen. Kid never let it out of her sight. She clearly used it for comfort and apparently needed its remedy a lot.

God, please put some stability in this child’s life.

Forcing a smile, Ben adapted a lighthearted tone. “But your mom’s better now, so there’s no need for you and Bearby to worry.” Ben ruffled Reece’s hair, then tickled Bearby beneath where he thought the chin might be.

Amelia’s eyes went wild all of a sudden and darted over every surface in the room. “My wallet—”

“Is locked in the safe at the nurses’ station along with all your money,” Ben said.

“Did the doctor say when I could get out? I have to start my new job in another state—” her head tilted toward the wall clock “—a week from Tuesday.”

Eyebrows up, Ben said, “You might want to call them. You’re gonna be a few days late.” Didn’t the girl realize her car wasn’t drivable? “The mechanic said two weeks minimum.”

Amelia’s face paled. “Two weeks?” She threw off the covers and let down the metal rail. “I can’t wait that long. They might not hold the job.” Snapping to her feet, she tried to reach for the IV stand but tottered sideways.

Arms snaked out, Ben lunged forward and steadied her. The contact startled them both. Frozen, they stood face-to-face, staring. Neither moved for the longest instant. Ben couldn’t shake the thought that she felt so right in his arms.

Oh-kay. He definitely needed sleep.

“Take it easy. You’re not leaving Refuge tonight. Certainly not in the next five minutes.” He relaxed his grip on her arms, which were surprisingly more toned than he’d anticipated.

Expression dazed, she slid back to the bed. “But—I need to get to Missouri. We need time to get settled.” Her eyes glazed with moisture but she turned away from Reece and bit her lip. Hands steepled, Amelia pivoted from Reece’s
line of sight and unleashed luminous eyes on Ben. “Did you bring me here?”

He shook his head. “Ambulance.”

Her eyes widened. “How much will that cost without insurance?”

“Two or three grand.”

She swallowed, shuttering her expression when she found Reece watching. “Okay, that’s doable.”

Tremors repossessing her hands told a different story. Able to assess body language with microprecision, Ben knew her weak smile was forced. He deducted that a couple grand would devastate their current financial situation. Not counting the cost of car repairs. Again, the urge to help seized him.

In Ben’s experience, when thoughts grew this persistent, God was usually behind the nudging.

Amelia turned on cartoons for Reece then faced Ben. “I need to get something from my car.”

“It’s impounded.”

Head dipped, her lips parted, letting loose a gasp. “Wha—”

Ben leaned in, keeping his voice low on account of Reece. “Registration isn’t in your name. Nor is the insurance up to date.” He’d discovered that while searching the glove compartment to find her parents’ names, which he’d given to Officer Stallings.

“But I gave the money for insurance to my dad and he said he—” She drew a deep breath and fumbled for the call light. “I need to get out of here.” Her thumb pressed the button numerous times as if firing a stream of torpedoes out of a submarine weapons hatch.

“Yes?” A voice broke through a speaker above her bed.

“I’m awake. I need to talk to my nurse, please.”

Crackle.
“I’ll send her in.”
Click.

“Thank you.”

Crackle.
“Welcome.”
Click.

Ben checked his phone for a message from Joel, who’d promised to call after getting Hutton’s prescriptions filled. Joel would read the labels and know Hutton had to take his meds with food. His own stomach rumbled at the thought.

Maybe if Stallings was still on duty, he’d let Ben retrieve the items Amelia sought from her car. Question was, would Amelia trust him with the task? His stomach growled audibly this time.

“Hungry?” Amelia stared at his midsection.

“A little.”

She waved a dismissive hand toward the door. “Feel free to go get something to eat. I—I mean, not that I think you have to come back—”

He grinned. “Trying to get rid of me?”

Her eyes widened. Pretty color of brown, like Reece’s. Far lighter than his.

“Of course not. I—I just meant—”

His hand circled her arm gently. “Kidding. Take it easy. I’m here because I want to be. That all right with you?”

She leveled Ben with a look. “Not sure yet.”

He smiled. “Least you’re honest.” She’d gotten so flustered, she was downright adorable.

Her eyes rolled. “And you’re pushy, not to mention bossy.”

“Let’s not forget nosy.” By no means conceited, Ben was humbly confident. “And nice-looking.” He kept a straight face.

Reece covered her chin and giggled.

Amelia dipped her head, but he caught the grin chasing the frown from her mouth. He got the feeling smiles were a rare commodity for her. He couldn’t kick the urge to help her. At least offer. Who knew if she’d be a willing recipient? Only way to find out was test the waters and try to build rapport.

“And according to Reece, I’m strange.” He poked a gentle finger into Reece’s arm. She giggled again, and this time, her smile remained.

Amelia watched the interaction with what he interpreted
as guarded interest. “I teach her not to talk to strangers. She gets words mixed up sometimes.”

His wink found Reece. “Happens to the best of us.” He returned his attention to Amelia. “They brought a food tray a few minutes before you woke up. You should try to eat.”

Shame darkened her features as she eyed the room until she found the tray. She started to stand.

Palm up, Ben stopped her. “Please, allow me.”

He wheeled the creaky bedside tray over her knees in the bed. He hit the lever to adjust the table height but it caught. Too high for her to eat on. He fiddled with another lever. The table came down. Hard.

“Yow!”

Heat scorched his face and he lifted the tray off her knees. He cast his best sheepish grin. “Sorry. I never was any good at working those things.”

She rubbed her knee and eyed him through long lashes, much the way Reece had at the mall. “Since you saved my life, I’ll forgive you one little bruised knee.”

He nodded, containing his reaction over seeing a quest for truce enter her eyes. And the hint of a captivating smile that he knew if turned up to full wattage would knock his jump boots off.

Amelia waved Reece close. “Here, try some of this.” She offered what looked and smelled like a tuna salad croissant.

“My tummy’s full, Mommy. Mr. Ben and Miss Harker got me something to eat at the big house. And see what else I got?” She lifted a plastic tiara. “This came with my chicken nuggets.”

“What’s the big house?” Amelia asked.

“Refuge Bed and Breakfast. To my estimation, it houses the best restaurant in town. Country dishes. Real eggs fried in bacon grease. Heart-attack-on-a-plate kind of meals. Though they do offer healthy alternatives.”

Reece bounded on her knees in the bed. “Mommy, you
have
to go there. They have curly fries as long as your leg.”

Amelia pulled Reece close. “Is that right? Who’s Miss—?”

The door swished open. A nurse with a name tag bearing
Bailey, RN
scurried in. “Sorry about that. I was tied up with a new admit. Good to see you awake and coherent.” Smiling, she switched out Amelia’s IV fluid.

“You’re hanging another bag?” Amelia eyed the wall clock.

“Yes, ma’am. You were severely depleted. You’re fortunate. When you came in, the electrical conductivity of your heart wasn’t firing well. We’re playing catch-up. We’ll draw blood in the morning. If your potassium’s back on track, you could be discharged Tuesday to rest. The doctor will want to follow up with you Wednesday. Make sure nothing more ominous is going on.”

“But I don’t live here. We’re just passing through town. I’m on my way to a secretarial job in Missouri. Waiting is out of the question.” Panic piggybacked Amelia’s words.

Nurse Bailey raised raven brows. “Tuesday would be the earliest you’d be released. We need to be sure you’re able to keep liquids in and maintain normal potassium ranges on your own. Not only that, Doc Callahan has a strict policy to have hospitalized patients return to his office for a follow-up visit two days after discharge.”

Silence blanketed the room. It was so heavy, Reece must have noticed. Her hand ceased coloring, and she regarded her mom carefully. Amelia’s lazy eye started twitching. Nervous trait, maybe? Other than that, she didn’t reflect the anxiety Ben knew blasted her the second those words left Bailey’s lips.

Amelia brushed her hand down Reece’s back. “We’ll need to find a way around that.” Her voice remained unruffled, but the pulse at her neck fluttered. “Maybe I could follow up with a doctor in Missouri.”

Bailey regulated the IV drip rate. “Not sure that’s an option. Besides, I gather your car’s in worse shape than you.”

Amelia’s eyes sought Ben.

He pocketed his hands, mostly to keep from placing them on her shoulders in comfort. “When you crashed after fainting, your car didn’t fare well.” He paused to let her soak in the news.

Her enthralling eyes watered. She blinked and hid her face from Reece but one tear escaped.

His fingers ached to brush it, and her pain, away. “Once the police release it to a garage, it’ll be in automobile ICU awhile, I’m guessing.”

Bailey cast a kind smile. “And I’m afraid Dr. Callahan won’t release you if he thinks you’re gonna skip town. Maybe your man here can find you all a place to stay for a few nights.”

Amelia’s face flamed. “He’s not, we’re not—”

“I’m a friend,” Ben finished for her, though they’d only just met and weren’t friends. Yet. He wanted to spare her dignity.

The nurse halted and cut him a sour look. “But I assumed you were family, all the questions you were asking.” She peered at Amelia. “You okay with him being in here?”

Properly scolded, Ben nibbled his lip. He felt oddly busted out even though it hadn’t been his idea to stay. Miss Harker apparently had a “tense situation arise” with Amelia’s parents that she didn’t want to solve with Reece in earshot.

“He saved my life and possibly my daughter’s. I think he just wants to make sure we’re going to be okay.”

Head lifted, Ben met and held Amelia’s gaze. “Besides, I was watching Reece for Harker.” He faced the nurse. “She must have gotten hung up.” She’d gone downstairs to talk to Amelia’s family by teleconference with the doctor. Maybe he ought to go investigate the holdup.

Nurse Bailey plumped Amelia’s pillows. “All right, then. I assumed because he came in with you, and your little girl insisted on him staying, that he was family. My apologies for breaking any confidentiality. I’m usually rigorous about
checking visitors, but we’ve been swamped this evening.” She cast apologetic, motherly glances at Amelia. Then her smile vanished as she slashed another zesty look at Ben.

Uh-oh. Not even Amelia’s endorsement had gotten him added to Bailey’s friends list. No doubt if Amelia oracled the orders, Bailey’d bounce him right out of here.

“I haven’t properly thanked him anyhow.” Amelia eyed the phone, then Bailey. “Does it cost to use that?”

“Not for local calls. It won’t let you call long distance unless you use a card or it’s added to your bill.”

Amelia’s face fell. Ben spotted her attempt to hide it. He doubted Reece picked up on it since Amelia seemed ultra-mindful of choosing discreet words and controlling facial reactions. She lifted her arm as Bailey approached with a blood pressure cuff.

A beep sounded from the IV machine. Reece’s eyes widened. “What’s that?”

Ben pointed to the puffy cuff. “This gadget hushes flow for a second when it hugs your mom’s arm. This alerts nurses. It’s loud because it doesn’t know when they’re in the room.”