Daniel's Gift (40 page)

"I'm sorry, Mom," Constance said.

"I'm sorry, too," Merrilee said.

Constance looked at her in astonishment. "You are?"

"I love you," Merrilee said. "Nothing else matters." She held out her arms and Connie ran into them. Mother and daughter embraced so long and so hard that Jenny had to wipe a tear from her eye. Then Richard and William joined in. It was the happiest sight Jenny had seen in a long time.

So much had happened since Danny's accident. So many changes. Was this what it was all about?

Matt walked over and stood next to her.

"You did good," she said, punching him on the arm.

"Aw shucks. Say, did you give Merrilee some Valium or something? I thought at the very least we'd hear about everything Connie has done wrong since her first birthday."

"I think Merrilee finally ran out of breath."

Matt looked at her and nodded. "Haven't we all. I know I'm done whining. Time to move on."

"Do you mean that?"

"Why?"

"I need to go back to work on Monday. They'll let me work part-time, eight to one. I can't afford any more unpaid leave."

Matt looked puzzled. "What do you want me to do?"

"Stay with Danny while I'm at work. I want you to move his legs and arms so his muscles won't atrophy. I want you to talk to him, sing to him, play music, stand on your head, whatever it takes to keep life around him, so close that he wants to reach out and touch it."

Matt's face turned pale at the thought of spending every day in the hospital. "I don't know, Jen-Jen."

"You have to, Matt. I need you. Please, do this for me." She knew it was a struggle for Matt to say yes, that he was wary of hospitals and afraid to make a commitment to anything, even if it was only for five hours a day. But he was the only one available to spend that much time with Danny.

"All right," he said slowly, his eyes meeting hers. "I'll do my best."

"Thank you."

* * *

Four days later, Jenny rushed into ICU after work only to find that Danny was gone. Her first thought was one of horror. Danny had died. They'd moved his body, and no one had called her.

"No! No!" she cried.

"Jenny, it's okay. They had moved him into a private room." Luke's hands gripped her arms. He repeated the words more slowly, breaking through her trance.

"I -- I saw the bed, and I thought ..."

"I'm sorry. They moved him this morning. They have another child coming up from surgery."

"Another child?" Jenny read between the lines. "They've given up, haven't they?"

"No." Luke took her hand and pulled her away from the curious eyes of the nurses. He walked her down the hall, through the double doors, into the main corridor. "Danny's condition is stable. His vital signs are good. In fact ..." Luke smiled broadly. "They took him off the ventilator last night. He's breathing on his own."

She put a hand to her mouth. "Thank God!"

"He can be cared for just as well in a private room with twenty-four-hour nursing. No one is giving up, especially now. You believe me, don't you?"

"I believe you. I'm sorry."

He hugged her. "Don't be sorry. I would have thought the same thing. Want to see Danny?"

She nodded, and he led her down another hallway to room 307. The room was sparsely decorated, but it had a more personal feel than ICU. Danny was still hooked up to several machines, but his chest moved up and down of its own accord. For that fact alone, she was incredibly grateful.

"He's going to make it, Luke."

"This is a small step, Jenny. And they've left the tubes in, in case he has to be hooked up again."

"That won't happen. He's turned the corner. I can feel it."

An older nurse walked into the room and smiled at Jenny. "I'm Angela Carpenter. I'll be taking care of Danny during the day."

"It's nice to meet you." Jenny shook her hand.

"I've raised six children of my own. He won't lack for care. You have my word."

Jenny walked over to the bed and touched Danny's hand. His skin felt slightly warmer. She pinched him lightly: his hand retracted. It was a slight gesture but a good sign that he felt something. "I feel hopeful for the first time in a long while," she said.

"Why don't we celebrate?" Luke suggested. "Have dinner with me tonight?"

Jenny hesitated, tempted by the offer, but at the same time wary. Luke was creeping back into her life. She was getting used to having him around. What would happen when Danny recovered, when Luke went back to his wife? "I don't think that's a good idea," she said.

His face clouded over. "Why not?"

"I feel guilty."

"Don't. Besides, you still haven't shown me your scrapbooks, your videos of Danny. I won't take no for an answer. I'll pick up a pizza and meet you at your house."

A pizza and home videos didn't sound too alarming. Still -- "I saw the newspaper this morning, Luke. There was an article about Sheri-Tech losing out on a potential acquisition. The reporter suggested that your personal life was interfering with your responsibilities as president and CEO."

"Don't worry about it, Jenny. It wasn't that good a deal."

"Really?" She looked deep into his eyes and knew he was lying.

"Okay, I'm a little distracted. But there will be other companies. Right now I need to be with Danny and with you."

"Your parents must be upset about this negative publicity."

"They'll get over it. And if they don't ..." He shrugged. "I'll figure that out later. Are we on for dinner?"

Jenny stared at him, not sure what to make of this new Luke. He had always been pushy and liked to get his own way, but never at the expense of his parents or his reputation. Even their summer fling had been kept away from his friends and family.

"Luke." Jenny put a hand on his arm. "Thirteen years ago when I came to you and told you about Danny, I knew that it would be a problem. I knew that having Danny would be a sacrifice for both of us."

"I didn't sacrifice a damn thing," Luke said. "You did it all."

"Maybe then. But not now. Have you thought about what this is doing to your family, to your career, your position at Sheri-Tech, your wife? Have you, Luke? You have a lot to lose, a lot more than I ever had. It's not too late to walk away."

"I'm not walking away, Jenny. I'm not leaving Danny again. I want you to trust me. I want Danny to trust me. I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen."

"Really? It's easy to say the words."

"What do you want me to do? Just say it, I'll do it."

"No, I won't ask again, not for anything. You have to make your own choices, and I have to make mine."

Luke gave her a grin. "Then make a choice. Dinner or not?"

She threw up her hands in surrender. "All right. You bring the pizza. I'll open a couple of cans of soda."

"Deal."

Luke kissed her impulsively, a warm, personal kiss that lingered on her lips long after his mouth was gone.

"This is starting to become a habit," she murmured.

"A good one, I hope."

"Probably more risky than good. Anyone could walk through that door, including your wife."

"I'll take that chance."

"You know, for a man who never liked to live dangerously, you're walking awfully close to the edge."

"I'm beginning to like it out there. I haven't felt this alive in a long time." Luke kissed her again, and left, but his warmth and his words stayed with her.

* * *

A few hours later, Luke arrived home, whistling as he turned the key in the lock. As the sound penetrated his brain, he laughed, breaking the melody. He hadn't whistled in years, hadn't felt so hopeful about the future in a long time.

Danny was making progress. That alone was enough to make him happy, but seeing Jenny, watching her smile, tasting her lips again made him feel like jumping in the air and clicking his heels.

His good mood lasted until he got in the house and saw Denise and his mother sitting in the living room, sipping tea out of fine china cups while a Bach melody played in the background.

"Luke, darling. Look who came to visit," Denise said.

Luke kissed his mother on the cheek, the way he always did. "Mother. It's nice to see you. What brings you north?"

She smiled, but there was worry in her eyes, and he could bet that she had already gotten an earful from Denise. "You, of course. How are you?"

"Fine."

Luke walked over to the bar and poured himself a shot of whiskey.

"I thought we could take your mother to dinner at Max's Cafe," Denise said. "A lovely big salad would be nice."

"Are you staying overnight, Mother?"

"I thought I'd stay a few days. Anne Howard is having a bridal shower for her daughter on Friday, and I'd hate to drive back and forth."

"Then I can spend time with you tomorrow. I have to go out this evening."

Denise sent him an annoyed look. "Where are you going? To the hospital, again?"

"You know I want to spend as much time as possible with my son."

"And with her," Denise said sharply.

"Oh dear." Beverly looked from one to the other. "I was afraid of this. Luke, we need to talk about your plans for the future."

"My plans?" Luke smiled at the irony of the word.

"Because we've already lost Genesys. We can't afford any more missteps."

"It will all work out, Mother."

"You're the president of the company now, the visionary. If you're distracted, the business could blow up in your face, all your father's work down the drain."

"I don't think that will happen," Luke said evenly.

Denise sighed and exchanged a look with Beverly that clearly said, "I told you so."

"Your father wants to talk to you, Luke," Beverly said. "He hasn't been feeling well. I think you should go down tonight. Clear your head. Get your priorities straight."

Luke loosened his tie. "Oh, they're straight, Mother,

Why?'

And I don't plan on going anywhere right now. You may refuse to acknowledge the fact that you have a grandson, but I won't walk away from him."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Denise said in frustration. "You don't even know this boy. Please, drop the martyr act. And think about me for a change. There was a nasty little tidbit in the society column this morning about you and your love child. It's not just your reputation that's at stake here."

"I'm sorry, Denise. But I don't give a damn about some gossip columnist's titillating remarks. I intend to do everything I can to help Danny get better and become a part of my life."

Denise rose to her feet, her face as red as her hair. "Don't you mean our life, Luke?"

"I can do this with you or without you."

She put a hand to her heart. "You would leave me for him? I'm your wife."

"He doesn't mean that. Tell her you don't mean that," Beverly commanded.

Luke got up and left the room. The silence was deafening.

"He doesn't mean that," Beverly said.

Denise crumpled like a rag doll, slumping onto the sofa, all pretense gone. "I'm afraid he does."

"You have to fight for him, Denise."

"How?"

Beverly sent her a long, pointed look. "Maybe you should think about getting pregnant."

Denise looked away. She absolutely refused to tell Beverly the truth. It wouldn't help, and it could only hurt. Beverly was her ally at the moment. She couldn't afford to lose her support.

"I don't want to trap Luke." Denise stood up and walked over to the mantel. She picked up their wedding picture. Luke looked handsome, strong, arrogant. She looked gorgeous. They also looked young.

"He's changing, Beverly. I see it every day. I don't know him anymore."

"It's this child."

"No, it's more than that. Luke has been different this past year, even before we moved back here. He's been restless, unhappy, and he seems to be searching for something that I can't give him." She turned to Beverly. "Did this ever happen to you and Charles? Did you wake up one day and realize the man you married was gone?"

Beverly looked at her through troubled eyes. "Charles and I have always wanted the same things. Of course, we argue now and then, but it passes. I thought you and Luke were the same way."

"So did I." Denise set the wedding photograph down. "I've been unhappy, too. I want Luke back, the way he was, not the way he is now. I think he's going to leave me."

"Denise, you're getting ahead of yourself. This will blow over."

"When? It's Christmas. We have parties to go to, plans to make, and I can't get Luke away from the damned hospital. Now, everyone is whispering behind my back. I won't stand by and be humiliated. I'll leave first if I have to."

"Don't do anything rash. If you love each other enough, you can get through this."