A Prescription for Love (2 page)

Things were working out. She had a nice room in a lovely house and a job. For the first time in her twenty-three years, she depended on no one but herself. A quick count of the coins in her purse assured her she could stop at the coffee shop and purchase something to eat. In a week she would receive her pay.

She frowned. She’d never asked what the wages were. Well, no matter, Mrs. Wilson didn’t charge much for her room, and she had plenty of clothes. Food would be her only expense.

Her lips broke into a smile again and her heart sped up. She actually did it. All on her own, with no one telling her what to do. Wouldn’t they all be surprised to see her now? Her parents, Clarence, his mother. Especially his mother. The woman who’d told her more than once she must marry her son because she could never look after herself, and no other man would have her.

She hurried the two blocks to the coffee shop. Warmth surrounded her as she stepped into the cheerful restaurant. Old Mrs. Bonner, whom she’d met her first day in Guthrie, waved after she delivered plates to a woman and young child. Heidi’s stomach growled as she took a seat at a table near the blazing stove. Relaxed, now that her ordeal had ended, she inhaled deeply and unbuttoned her coat.

“What can I get fer ya, sweetie?” Honey, the waitress with the brassy blond hair who’d told her about the ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the pharmacy, stood next to her, pad and pencil in hand.

“I’ll have some of the chicken noodle soup, please. And a few crackers.”

“Is a bowl of soup all you’re gonna eat for supper?”

“I have to watch my money. I won’t receive my first pay for another week.” She grinned.

Honey’s smile revealed a chipped tooth in front. “Girl, did you get that job at the pharmacy?”

Heidi nodded excitedly. “Yes, I did. Mr. Henderson hired me to work as a clerk in his store. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Sweetie pie, your news is the best I’ve had all day. I’ll tell you what, I’ll bring you extra crackers to celebrate your new job.”

“Thanks. I’m really excited.” No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop smiling.

After Honey left, Heidi sat back and watched the other diners. Everyone here had jobs. She belonged. A normal person. No one observing her would ever guess she had something wrong with her.

Her thoughts drifted to Mr. Henderson as she took a sip of water. He seemed to be a nice man. A friendly smile, good teeth. She laughed. Why she noticed his teeth, she had no idea. More relaxed, she wondered about him. Certainly a good-looking man. Tall, brown wavy hair, hazel eyes. Clean-shaven, with a stubble of a beard already showing. She’d noticed his hands when he wrote on the pad and tapped his pencil. Strong fingers, with neatly trimmed nails. Was he married? Engaged?

She chided herself. Mr. Henderson had offered her a job, nothing more. She wanted to present a good impression so she could succeed. What he looked like and whether he had a wife or fiancée didn’t matter.

Honey brought her soup, four large crackers, and a piece of apple pie. “The pie is my present to you for your new position.” She winked as she placed the steaming bowl and a plate in front of her.

“Thank you, Honey. I should be giving you a present for telling me about the job.”

The waitress shook her head. “No. I just let you know. You did the rest.” She placed her hand on one hip and grinned at her. “When do you start?”

Heidi closed her eyes in pleasure as she took a sip of the thick, delicious soup. “Tomorrow.”

Another diner signaled for Honey. “I gotta go. Good luck tomorrow. Stop in and let me know how your day goes.”

“I will. Thanks.”

Heidi returned to her meal. The soup warmed her, and the unexpected treat of the apple pie provided a nice ending to a wonderful day. With the tension of the day over and her belly full, she had to stifle a yawn. The five block walk to Mrs. Wilson’s house suddenly seemed far. The quicker she could reach home, the better. She’d been told for years night air would trigger a breathing attack.

She waved to Honey and paid her check with the cashier. Tomorrow she would be doing a similar job, collecting money from customers. Her coat buttoned, hat snugly tied under her chin, and a plaid wool scarf tucked securely around her neck, Heidi stepped into the cold night air.

After a half a block, her breathing labored.
Stay calm. Don’t panic.
She slowed her gait and repeated the words. Kept her mind occupied with happy things. Her new job, her new independence. The happy thoughts weren’t working, and anger surfaced. The breathing illness would
not
come. She would
not
succumb to it.

By the end of the first block, she’d broken out into a sweat.
Please let me reach home and lie down.

The wheezing got louder, her air more elusive.
Slow and steady steps
. People watched her cautiously.
A few more steps
. She stopped, took shallow breaths. Halfway through the second block, she reached out for a light post and clung to it, attempting to keep herself upright to allow more air in her lungs. Black dots danced in her eyes.
Oh, no, don’t faint.

“Miss Lester?” A warm, familiar voice came from a distance. Heidi moved her head, and the dark dots merged into one large one, right before she collapsed into the arms of her new employer.

Chapter 2

Michael couldn’t have been more surprised to find Miss Lester in his arms than if he’d found her standing naked on Main Street. He almost landed on his knees when she fell into him, but he quickly recovered and held her up. Frantically, he cast a glance around, as if the answer to his dilemma would stroll by.

“Miss Lester?” He held her with one arm and tapped her face lightly with his fingers. She opened her eyes and he noticed her difficulty breathing. In fact, she fought for every breath she took.

“Are you choking?”

She shook her head. “Can’t . . . catch my breath.” She panted the words.

Michael held her upright, then pulled her hands high over her head. “Keeping your arms up will help open your airways. Also, try to calm yourself.”

After a minute, her breathing seemed to ease a bit. Michael took a deep breath himself. “Isn’t Mrs. Wilson’s house about three more blocks?”

Still gasping, she nodded.

“All right. I don’t want to leave you here while I fetch my buggy, so we’ll slowly walk the rest of the way.”

Michael removed her scarf from her neck, then wound the plaid wool loosely around the lower part of her face, covering her mouth and nose. He slid his arm around her shoulders and they started off.

“How long have you had this condition?” he asked.

When she attempted to reply, Michael stopped her. “Never mind, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t speak while you’re walking. We can talk later.”

Michael encouraged her to take slower steps until they arrived at her front door. “I’ll see you inside.”

Heidi pushed on the doorbell. From the glow of the streetlight, her face still lacked any color, and although slightly improved, her breathing remained labored.

“Mr. Henderson, what brings you to my door?” Mrs. Wilson glanced from him to Heidi. “Oh dear, Miss Lester, what’s wrong? You look dreadful.”

“May we come in, Mrs. Wilson?” Michael edged Heidi forward to move her out of the night air.

“Of course, I’m sorry, please do come in.” The older woman, her silver braids tightly wound on her head, stepped back. She frowned at the condition of her boarder as she quickly closed the door and directed them to the parlor, overstuffed with furniture and knickknacks. Michael escorted Heidi to a sofa and settled her. “Mrs. Wilson, can you fetch me a pan of steaming water and a towel?”

The woman hurried off and Michael sat next to Heidi and took her hand. “There is a treatment I can do to help your breathing.” He helped her off with her coat, hat, and scarf. Her color stayed pale and she continued to struggle to breathe, but the frantic expression on her face had eased. “Take short, panting breaths, and keep calm.” He rubbed circles on her back.

After a while, Mrs. Wilson returned with the pan of water, a towel draped over her arm. “Where should I place this?”

Michael dragged over an end table in front of Heidi. “Right here.”

“Miss Lester, I want you to hold your face over the water. I’ll tent the towel over your head to hold the steam in. At first you’ll feel uncomfortable, as if it’s harder to breathe, but then your lungs will open and you’ll start to improve.” He eased her head over the pan and made a tent with the towel.

At first she fought and gasped, but Michael continued to rub her back until she relaxed and her struggle lessened. After several minutes, he pulled the towel away and she raised her head. Sweat beaded her face and the dark circles under her eyes highlighted the paleness of her skin. She smiled slightly, then leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes.

Mrs. Wilson frowned at Heidi and turned to Michael. “Will she be all right?”

“I’m not a doctor, but I’ve had a lot of experience with asthma. Since she’s relaxed and out of the evening air, she should be fine.”

Michael’s gaze moved back to Heidi. A lone tear tracked down her cheek. He then addressed Mrs. Wilson. “Can I speak with Miss Lester privately for a moment?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll be in the kitchen.” She patted Heidi’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine now, dear. If you need help getting ready for bed, let me know.”

Heidi nodded and glanced sideways at Michael.

He handed her the towel to dry her face, then rose and shoved his hands in his pocket and jingled the change there.

Miss Lester stared at him, her shoulders slumped. “You don’t have to say it. I know you’ve changed your mind about hiring me. I understand. If you’ll excuse me.” She choked out the words as she moved to rise.

Michael placed his hand on her shoulder. “I dislike people speaking for me. Sit back down.” He paced in a circle and came to stand right in front of her. “How long have you had asthma?”

“My whole life,” she mumbled to her lap.

He hunkered down in front of her and lifted her chin with his index finger. “What type of treatment has your doctor given you?”

“Not much. He’s been telling me for years not to strain myself, but instead to stay quiet and calm.” Her eyes filled with tears and spilled over down her cheeks.

“Has he given you any medicine? Any treatments?”

She shook her head and wiped her eyes with shaky fingers.

He sat alongside her. “There are treatments for asthma. A very promising one is Belladonna, which helps with the spasms the lungs have during an asthma attack. Also, there are ways to discover what sets off an attack. A lot of times it’s food or something in the air, mainly trees and grass.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “If he hasn’t tried any of those things, he’s not been practicing good medicine.”

Heidi sat very still, her eyes widening. “Do you mean I could be cured?”

He shook his head. “No. Not a cure, but certainly a way to keep your asthma under control.”

“Is there a doctor in Guthrie who could help me?”

“Yes, Dr. Kane can help. I’ll speak with him.” He took a deep breath. “Now about the job.”

Heidi winced. “I understand . . .”

He held up his hand to cut her off. “No, you don’t. I’ll expect you first thing tomorrow morning. But—” His hand rose again when she began to speak. “—you will have to take breaks during the day, and most of all keep yourself calm.”

Heidi’s eyebrows rose. “You mean you still want me to work for you?”

“As I told you before, we’ll try it for a week. Let’s see how you do before we decide anything. I know more than one person with asthma who works every day. I’ll fix up a packet of Belladonna for you, which will help.” He slapped his palms on his knees and stood. “But for now, I think you should retire and get a good night’s sleep. I’ve found proper rest and nourishing food are the best things to counter any illness.”

“Thank you so much.” Heidi rose slowly. “You don’t know how much the job means to me.”

Michael smiled and headed for the door. Mrs. Wilson came back from the kitchen. “Good night, Mr. Henderson. Thank you for helping Miss Lester tonight.”

He tugged at his hat brim, and left.

Michael adjusted the collar of his coat and lowered his head into the wind as he hurried home. The mystery of Miss Lester continued to grow. What a quandary this had become. The heartbroken look on her face when she thought she no longer had the job twisted his gut. There seemed to be a lot more as to why she came to Guthrie desperate for a job than what he’d discovered so far.

And to suffer from asthma and have a doctor who did nothing for her, except hand out advice, bordered on criminal. He would see Dr. Kane in the morning to assure himself mixing up a prescription for Heidi would be all right. Several customers had had a great deal of success with the medicines he’d compounded for them.

He had to remind himself Heidi only worked for him, and his training and experience could help her. Nothing else. In an attempt to protect his once broken heart, he’d steered clear of relationships for years. Memories of his fiancée, twisting her handkerchief, while confessing her indiscretion with another man still haunted him.

Then, with tears rolling down her cheeks, she’d begged him to go through with their wedding three weeks away because her lover, the father of her unborn child, already had a wife. He shook his head at his foolishness in agreeing. That is, until, tied in knots over the whole thing, he sought out his Uncle Jesse, who’d talked some sense into him.

Enough time had passed so her betrayal no longer pained him, but the incident had left a scar around his heart. Never again would he allow a woman to be in a position to hurt him. Over the years, his few dates were casual, and he took care of his needs with a very special lady who had no desire for a permanent relationship either. But he had to be careful with Miss Lester. Her deep blue eyes, golden red hair, and sensuous lips could chisel away at his determination.

Heidi dragged her clothes off and hung them in the closet next to her bed. Mr. Henderson had done more for her asthma tonight than the doctor she’d seen all her life. Dr. Wells and her parents had been alike, just patting her on the head, telling her to relax and not to strain herself. And Mr. Henderson knew people with asthma who worked every day!