Threads of Hope: Quilts of Love Series (19 page)

Nina didn’t want to leave until Manny opened his eyes. When he did, the thread of fear inside her unraveled and fell out of every muscle it seemed to have taken residence in. She knew she’d never see Greg the same way now that his unselfish heart and capable hands saved her pet. She didn’t tell him that, of course. Besides, she realized as she relaxed against the headrest, she forgot to ask for a number where she could contact him.

“I’m very confused with this Greg and child situation. Nina, are you awake?” Aretha stretched her arm over the front seat and tapped Nina’s knee.

She answered without opening her eyes. “Am now.”

“If that lovely woman isn’t that child’s mother, then who is?”

“You were there, too. Why didn’t you ask him?” Nina wished Aretha had asked because she wondered the same thing. If he was in a relationship with that woman, then Nina needed to stop feeling gooey inside when he shook her hand or accidentally brushed past her. Even in her anger the night of the benefit, she realized how incredibly handsome he looked. And his being unaware of his own good fortune in the way his features ended up so well-placed on his face made him even more attractive.

“For the same reason you didn’t. How would that have gone? ‘Thanks Dr. Hernandez for saving our pet’s life. Now, where did this child come from and how is that beautiful woman related to her?’ Why wouldn’t we think that was her mother? Two white people do not have a black child. Maybe there’s an anomaly somewhere, but . . .”

Luke cleared his throat. “May I interrupt? Why do the two of you care so much about Dr. Hernandez’s marital status?”

Aretha and Nina exchanged glances.

“That’s a good question,” said Nina and leaned back against the headrest, closed her eyes, and waited for Aretha to announce they were home.

Greg called Elise and updated her on Manny’s status as he, Paloma, and Jazarah were on their way to Marble Slab for ice cream. “Nina is meeting me at the hospital before she goes to the office tomorrow morning. While I’m checking her dog, at least she can spend some time with him.”

“That was a nice thing you did, making yourself available.”

“That’s my job. Animal repair and maintenance,” he said. “I’m just grateful he’s going to make it because if he didn’t, she’d be convinced for life that I’m the enemy.”

“I don’t even pretend to understand why she would think that about you. But, I suppose that’s part of what you’re going to explain to me later, right? Now, go have ice cream and enjoy yourself.”

The next morning, Greg arrived at the hospital to find both Nina and Aretha in the waiting room. Nina looked rested, the puffy-eyed redness of yesterday replaced by clear, deep brown eyes. Her face softened by layers of curls that rested just below her cheekbones. She smiled when she saw him, an unexpected reaction that warmed him like his first cup of coffee on a cold morning.

“Good to see both of you more relaxed today,” he said as he shook hands with Nina and Aretha. He was as glad to see Nina as she was to see him.
Not so fast, buddy. Maybe she’s just happy because she’ll be able to visit her dog now that you’re here
. “Manny’s a popular guy this morning,” Greg said as he moved his stethoscope from his lab pocket to around his neck.

“I didn’t remember until we were home that I left my car at the office. Fortunately, Aretha has time to drop me off, but she has to get to class, so I won’t be able to stay long,” Nina explained.

“No problem. A quick visit is probably best anyway. An ER for the four-legged is just as unpredictable as one for the two-legged,” said Greg. “Manny’s over here,” he walked behind the reception area and opened the door marked “Visitor Room.”

“He looks so small in there,” said Nina, her voice as soft as the blankets on which Manny had been placed.

Manny’s tail thumped as soon as he heard Nina’s voice. His face looked like it had just bloomed out of a clear plastic cone edged in felt.

Nina bent down to stroke his nose. “Does he really need this? It seems so uncomfortable.”

“Those Elizabethan collars—”

“Wait,” Aretha halted Greg’s explanation with a wave of her hand. “As in Queen Elizabeth? What’s she doing in a veterinary hospital?”

“And that’s why we refer to them as E-Collars . . . less explaining. But, you’re right. It’s named after all those high-collared ruffles women wore then. But, for pets, it’s not fashion. Those collars prevent them from scratching, biting, or in Manny’s case, trying to get to his IV line,” said Greg.

“Well, guess that’s better than finding a use for those corsets. Right, Manny?” said Aretha, bending down to pet him.

“Can I take a picture of him?” Nina reached in her purse and took out her cell phone.

“Let’s not make this a magazine photo spread. I hate to rush you, sister, but we need to get going or else the traffic is going to strangle me,” said Aretha, keys jangling in her hand.

“Pictures are fine,” Greg told Nina. “And, if you want to stay a little longer, I can drop you off at the office on my way to work. There’s something I need to give Elise anyway.” He had no idea what that thing was, but he’d find something.

“That okay with you, Nina?” Aretha looked at her watch.

Nina looked at Greg. “It wouldn’t be out of your way?”

He wasn’t certain if she wanted it to be or not. “Isn’t at all. Really.”

Aretha stopped fidgeting with her keys. “Great, then I’m off.”

A round of good-byes, and she scurried out, leaving a cavern between him and Nina. The kind of space that, with
friends, would fill with conversation. Between two people who emotionally circled one another as if in a wrestling match, it echoed.

They fumbled chatting through the few photos Nina snapped with her cell phone, while Greg made notes on Manny’s chart. He gave some instructions to the veterinary technician, then excused himself to return a text and a call he’d received earlier.

“By the time you finish, Manny will probably be ready for me to go anyway,” she said.

He didn’t recognize the telephone number that showed on his phone, but the text originated from the same place. They were both from Dr. Percy Maxwell, who owned two hospitals, one in Houston and one in Galveston. The doctor Greg worked for at the Cypress clinic referred him to Dr. Maxwell as he’d been searching for a full-time veterinarian to join his staff. While Greg appreciated the flexibility of a relief practice, it also meant working more weekends and the strong possibility of working holidays because that’s when other doctors wanted vacation time. Knowing he could be at the same clinic every day, with a schedule that would be better for spending time with Jazarah, was appealing. Not being his own boss . . . that would be the challenge. But he trusted God would lead him down the path he needed to follow, and if it meant someone else walked ahead and cleared it, well, so be it.

Greg discovered both of them graduated within four years of one another from L.S.U.’s School of Veterinary Medicine, which, Dr. Maxwell, joked would make football season less contentious. They arranged to meet Sunday afternoon, so Percy would have more time to show him the clinic and answer questions without the interruptions of the staff and clients.

So, now Greg did have something to “drop off’ to Elise, this new information. He smiled. One God-incident at a time was enough to take one more step forward.

Nina buckled her seat belt, relieved Greg drove something roomy, with open space between the front seats. Just being alone with him created enough tension that she expected static electricity to lift her hair off her head when he opened the door to his black Volvo SUV.

Nina surveyed the leather seats, the plush interior, the built-in entertainment systems in the back headrests. “Very nice for . . .” she paused for something more diplomatic to pop into her brain than, “for what it is.”

He laughed as he started the engine. “It’s okay. You can say it. It’s nice for an SUV.” He stopped before leaving the parking lot. “I can drive through Starbucks or something on the way in, if you’d like a coffee.”

“Thanks, but Michelle probably has some made at the office by now, so I’ll just get a cup there.” Had she been talking to Aretha she would have added, “And I’m such a klutz, I’m sure I’d be wearing half my latte on my white angora sweater.” She reached into her purse to turn her cell phone back on. “I appreciate the extra time with Manny. It was so strange walking into my house last night, not hearing him yelp or his nails
clicking against the floor.” Nina stopped. “Good grief, that sounds more melodramatic than I thought it would.”

“Not at all. I understand.”

When he glanced at her, Nina sensed that he truly did. “Speaking of high drama . . . I never did thank you for the quilt you sent to my office. Before all this happened with Manny, I intended to get in touch so I could reimburse you. I wanted to give it to Aretha for her birthday, so I don’t think you should have to pay for my gift to her.”

“You know, now that I’ve spent time around Aretha, I see why you thought of her when you saw it. She’s quirky with attitude . . . and style.” He took the exit off the freeway to Nina’s office. He smiled. “But, I know a better way you can pay me back.”

Nina’s rapid blinking must have radiated the heat that just caused a reddish flush on his face. “Excuse me?”

“Whoa, talk about something not sounding like you thought it would. What I should have said was, instead of reimbursing me, why don’t you send a check to We Care for whatever you would have bid? I’d probably have done that with the money you would have given me, anyway. This way, the benefit . . . benefits,” he said and grinned.

“Okay, clever.” That did make sense, especially since she considered he might not have told her what his final bid actually was. “You were right. Your idea is better. I’ll mail them a check this week.”

“But don’t think I let you off the hook for that dinner. Just let me know when and where.”

“I’m sure I owe you an entire banquet for what you’re not charging me to take care of Manny. I don’t expect you to lose money taking care of him.”

He eased into a parking spot in the garage and looked at Nina. “I’m not, but I appreciate your saying that. For me, it’s a
chance to pay it forward. There have been times where people have reached out to help me, and those unexpected blessings made a huge difference in my life. God’s making it possible right now for it to be my turn.”

Nina’s conscience squirmed at the mention of blessings and God. As yet, no one convinced her that a few lucky breaks meant God orchestrated them. Her brother dying, her bizarre relationship with her parents . . . were God’s arms long enough to reach out to help with those? And, if they were, why hadn’t He?
A conversation for another day or month or year, Nina
. “Then, I suppose I can start my own paying forward with dinner. I’ll check my calendar, send you a few dates that work, and you can pick the day and the place.”

“I should leave the place up to you. I don’t do dinner out much, so I’m not all that familiar with where to go.” Greg checked the time on his cell phone. “Guess it’s time for you to start reporting. I’m glad this worked out . . . being able to talk.”

Nina opened the door, but Greg still hadn’t turned off the engine. “Aren’t you going up, too? To see Elise?”

“Oh, I, you know, this is probably a busy time for her, and I didn’t warn her I was coming. I’ll call her. Not like I can’t find her outside of her office.”

He looked like a man who’d just been caught by his office mates doodling a woman’s name in his planner. She decided to leave him with his dignity. “Of course. When I see her, I’ll tell her you didn’t want to disturb her.” Nina eased out of the leather seat. “Thanks so much for the ride. Talk to you soon.”

“No problem. Glad to help. And, um,” he shifted to reverse, “you have a good day.”

As he drove off, Nina was proud of herself for not asking him if he’d really needed to see his sister. She was pretty sure she knew the answer to that question. And it made her smile.