Like a Charm (3 page)

A
fter three days of tofu and veggies, I decided to take a trip into town. While her food choices leave me hungry, Mom does have a way with herbs, and my energy levels grew each day. The doctor in Atlanta had called and said it was time for some follow-up blood tests.

Mom told me a new doctor had come to town and that he'd moved here from one of the larger hospitals in Dallas. I scheduled an appointment for eleven o'clock and made a list of stops I wanted to make while I was out, including the library, Piggly Wiggly (where I would buy nonperishable food items such as Little Debbie snack cakes and Spaghetti-Os to hide in my room), and Delilah's clothing store for some jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers.

It took me twenty minutes to convince my parents I'd be fine on my own. Mom passed over the keys to my Lexus, which she'd used to transport me from Atlanta to Sweet, and I headed out on my merry way.

While it looks like my parents' place is in the middle of nowhere, it's only ten minutes from town. The West Texas plains are flat and dry, and you can see Sweet from five miles away.

The first stop was the Sweet Library. I've always been drawn to the place, and I love the building. It's as old as the town, which was settled in the early nineteenth century, and it reminds me of the Coutances Cathedral in France, though the interior isn't as elaborate. There are huge spirals at the top and it sits in the center of the small town. The arched windows and gargoyles over the double doors make it look like something out of a Grimm's fairy tale.

Inside, its two stories had rows of books crammed into every available space. I had spent a good portion of my summers in the corners of this place. It was my sanctuary away from home—and it had air-conditioning, something my parents' trailer had lacked back in the day.

I stepped through the front door and took a deep breath. There's something about the smell of books—the leather and the paper, and the slight mustiness of the older books—that is comforting.

“Kira Smythe, it's about time you stopped by.” Mrs. Canard, who had been the librarian for as long as I could remember, stood behind her desk. Her short gray curls wisped around her face.

Moving toward her, I smiled. “I've missed you.” I meant the words. She'd taken me under her wing the first day I stumbled in here at the ripe old age of five. To me she was part librarian and part magician. She always seemed to know exactly what I needed. Through the years she had become family. I never knew my grandparents, but Mrs. Canard was a great substitute.

“You are as beautiful as ever, though a bit pale.” She gave me the once-over. “Are you just going to stand there, or give me a hug?”

I moved closer and paused. “I have mono,” I whispered.

She waved the comment away. “Germs don't bother me, dear. Come here.”

Her chubby arms wrapped around me and the scent of her Estée Lauder Youth-Dew filled my senses. For the first time since I arrived in Sweet, I felt like I was really home. She held me for a moment then let go.

The library had always been a magical place for me. I lost myself in new worlds every single day. It was the one place in Sweet where I felt like I really belonged.

“I have the new Janet Evanovich and a great selection of mystery authors, and a paranormal by Nora Roberts I know you'll love. That woman can tell a story. I know how much you love the classics, so I'll throw some of those in too. Maybe a little Edith Wharton; she's a wonderful read in the winter.” She took off, flitting around the library like a fairy on speed.

Before I could grasp what she was saying, she put a pile of books in front of me.

“I really just came by to see you. I don't know if I can read all of these before I leave next week.” I laughed. It was colder closer to the desk, and I shivered.
She must be cutting back on the cost of heating.

“Fiddlesticks. You need rest and the best way to do that is with a book. Keeps the mind busy and the body still. I have no doubt that you'll be back for more by Wednesday.” Waving the books under a scanner, she placed them on the counter. “My guess is it's been some time since you've read something for pleasure.”

Right, as always, but I wouldn't admit to her that the majority of my reading materials had to do with research for various contracts, law reviews, and journals. It would be good to sit around reading for a few days. Funny that it had been one of my greatest pleasures, and lately I'd found so little time for it. I'd found little time for anything
fun
the last few years.

I gave her another hug. “I love that you always know exactly what I need.” From the corner of my eye I thought I saw a shadow, but when I turned to look I didn't see anything.

Must have been the trees outside…except there isn't any sunshine to make shadows.

When I faced Mrs. Canard again, she gave me a strange look. “I'm the librarian, Kira. It's my job to
know
.” She gave me a tight squeeze, then pushed me toward the door. “Look at the time—didn't you say you had a doctor's appointment? When you feel better, come back and see me. We can catch up.”

“Uh.” No, I hadn't told her about the doc visit. At least, I didn't remember saying anything. I tried to turn around to look at her, but she kept pushing me. “Take care of yourself, Kira. You have an important job to do.”

I shrugged. “Okay.”

She was getting up there in age, but she'd always seemed together mentally. Now I wondered if Mrs. Canard might be heading toward senility. While she'd never said much about it, I knew she didn't think corporate law was the right occupation for me. I distinctly remembered her face when I told her I'd be studying law at Harvard. There was disappointment there along with wariness. I never realized she thought what I did at Zeb Corp. was
important
.

Of course, I didn't even remember telling her about my doctor's appointment, so I had no right to point fingers at her for acting a little strange.

As I stepped out of the library, I heard a voice before the doors closed. “She's not ready,” a husky-voiced man said. Mrs. Canard answered back, “She will be, and you're lucky she didn't see you.”

No one else had been in the library during our brief chat. I wondered who had been talking.

 

I
arrived at the doc's right at eleven, signed the various forms, and handed over my insurance card. I sat in the waiting room. I hadn't been sick much as a child, and when I was, my mom used home remedies. Still, I'd been to see my old doctor, Dr. Levy, for sinus infections and various other ailments the herbs couldn't quite cure.

The waiting room hadn't changed. The white walls were covered with pictures of hunting dogs, and magazines from the nineties and some of the same worn children's books I'd read years ago graced a small wooden coffee table. There was a brown plaid couch and some chairs that matched.

I must have been the last appointment for the morning, because no one else was there.

Five minutes later, the nurse said, “The doctor will see you now.”

She led me down the hallway to a small room. “Have a seat.” Sticking a thermometer in my mouth, she grabbed my wrist. Once she had my pulse she wrote it down and told me I had a temp of one hundred.

I'd actually been feeling better until she said that.

“He'll be here in a minute.”

About the time I wished I'd brought one of the library books with me, the door opened. I looked up and gasped. “Sam?”

The magnificent hunk of man smiled. “Yep.”

“What are you doing here?” I hadn't seen him in years, not since he graduated from Harvard. He was going to medical school while I was studying law. We had met in a pub when we were both on horrible blind dates and become the best of friends. He's gorgeous, with dark wavy hair and a body most actors in Hollywood would pay big bucks for, but he's always been like a big brother to me. “I mean, I thought you were working in Chicago.” I jumped off the table to give him a hug.

“I've been in Dallas the last few months. Dr. Levy's a friend of my dad's and had asked him if he knew anyone who could help while he takes care of his mom in Omaha. I needed a break, so here I am.”

“Wow.” I saw something in his eyes and realized there was more to the story. I'd been keeping up with him through the grapevine and I knew he was on his way to becoming one of the best neurosurgeons in the country. After his residency, every hospital in the country wanted him. I'd also heard his engagement had been called off at the last minute, but I never knew why. “It's…weird for you to end up here of all places, but it's really great to see you.”

“So what is the woman who was set to take over corporate America doing back in Sweet?”

She had a mental and physical breakdown and needed her mommy.
“This illness. My parents insisted I come home.” I sat back on the table, and he moved closer. Putting his hands on my neck, he checked out my glands.

“Hmmm,” he said. I hate when doctors do that.

“I can't stay much longer though, because I have to get back to work. But my brain feels like it's in some kind of weird fog. I can't concentrate, and I keep forgetting things.”

Taking out his stethoscope, he listened to my breathing. When I took a deep breath, I coughed with a horrible hacking sound.

Sam clicked his tongue. He took some blood and finished his exam. “You really should be in bed,” he chided as he wrote notes on my chart.

“Well, I didn't think you'd have time to make a house call.” I smirked.

“I would for you,” he said without looking up. “I'm afraid you are going to have to call the office and tell them you can't work for a while longer. You don't need the stress on your mind and body.”

I wondered what he'd say if he knew I'd been talking to Justin daily and e-mailing paperwork back and forth. I did rest, but there was still so much work to do. I had to get back. It worried me more than anything that things had run so well without me.

“Sam, I can't just hand everything over. I'm in the middle of some huge contracts.” The sound of paper tearing made me look down. My hands held two fists full of the paper that had lined the examining table.

Sam stared at my hands and then gave me a strange look. “You have to take some time off for your physical and mental health. If you can't take care of yourself, I'll haul your ass back into the hospital.”

I clasped my hands in my lap, willing myself to stay calm. “Maybe I can rest the next few days.”

I leaned back and stared up at the ceiling for a minute and then back at him. “Why can't I remember what happened on the roof? Am I going crazy?”

Reaching out, he squeezed my shoulder. “I've always thought you were a little soft in the head, but no, you aren't going crazy. Your mind isn't ready to deal with what happened to Melinda.” I blanched. The mention of her name sent chills over my body.

Holding up the file, he said, “The doctors at the hospital faxed over your records. I'm sorry, really sorry, for everything you've gone through. Obviously very traumatic events have transpired, and your mind and body are defending you by shutting down. There's some healing that needs to take place first, which is why I want you to go home and rest.”

I shrugged. “Okay, okay. I've already loaded up on books. I plan to stop at the Piggly Wiggly for supplies, and Lulu's for a real meal. My mother's been feeding me nothing but tofu and veggies. I'm craving beef.”

He laughed. “That's actually your body trying to fight the infection. You do need more protein, of which tofu is an excellent source.” He paused. “But I can't eat that crap either. How about I buy you a hamburger at Lulu's for lunch? But then you have to promise to go home and go to bed.”

I smiled. “That's the best offer I've had in weeks.”

 

L
ulu's has the best food on the planet. It's good Southern fare with a few surprises thrown in here and there. Seventy-year-old twins, Ms. Johnnie and Ms. Helen, who, according to the pictures on the wall, have lived a raucous life, own the café. There are photos of all kinds of famous people littering the walls of the cozy diner, including presidents, rock stars, and basketball teams, and the twins are in most of the pics.

Known for their colorful personalities, as well as their clothes, the twins never disappoint.

“Well, look at that. Kira's home and she already has the handsome Dr. Sam in hand.” Ms. Johnnie winked at me.

“Kira?” Ms. Helen peered through the opening between the kitchen and the dining room. “I'll have you some lemon meringue out in just a sec.”

Much like the library, Lulu's had been a sanctuary for me. My mother would never let me have sweets, or red meat for that matter. In high school, I would save birthday and Christmas money from relatives so I could buy hamburgers and pie. The twins even let me sweep the café for a free meal now and then. Sometimes I'd just come to visit, and they'd regale me with stories from the good old days while they piled plates of food in front of me. I loved them like family and felt guilty that I hadn't been back to visit in so long.