Trusting Love, page 9
CHAPTER 8
“Good morning. Pull up a chair,” Lexi said the moment Autumn entered the office. “I have the program running already so we can get right down to business.”
“Hi.” Autumn blinked at the bright sunlight streaming through the window where Lexi had pulled the drapes to the side. Yesterday, coming in early Saturday morning to give their assistant a crash course in medical coding had seemed like a good idea. No one would be here to interrupt. She covered her mouth to stifle a yawn. Today, after staying up late to watch a movie and tossing and turning in the heat trying to stay asleep, Autumn wasn’t sure she was up to one-on-one time with their ebullient assistant.
“I’m really looking forward to the movie at Jon’s house tomorrow,” Lexi said. “It’ll be a good way to meet some more people.”
She pointed to the information Lexi needed to enter into the computer. “I have to admit that I wasn’t sure about the movie idea at first, but now I’m looking forward to it, too.” Since she was going to be working with Lexi all summer, she needed to get past the competitiveness that Lexi evoked in her whenever the office assistant mentioned Jon. Autumn could understand it if she had any intention of acknowledging her attraction to Jon. She didn’t. She planned to keep their relationship just as it was, friends and colleagues.
The door to the office swung open, and Jon strode in. “Good. You’re here.”
Autumn froze, her first thought being that he was going to invite her—or Lexi—to lunch. She quickly corrected that to the more likely assumption that Jon had two mothers in labor and needed her for one of the births, which was even more unsettling.
“I need a favor.”
She relaxed. Neither. A birth was business. For Jon business was always all business. He’d never refer to covering a birth as a favor. “What’s up?”
“I need someone to pick my grandmother up at the Amtrak station. Her train gets in at about 1:15, and I have a mother who might be in late-stage labor by then. She’s another one of Maureen’s patients who wasn’t due until after Maureen is supposed to be back from vacation.”
The way Jon spoke sounded like the woman was being inconsiderate to inconvenience him by giving birth early.
“That didn’t come out quite right.” He motioned Autumn to the hallway off the reception area. “Excuse us,” he said to Lexi. When he and Autumn were in the hall, he ran his hand over his hair. “I’m going to admit that I feel at a disadvantage delivering a woman I haven’t been following throughout the pregnancy, that I don’t have my own notes on.”
Jon was nervous? That was a side she’d never seen before. “You were fine with Lisa,” she assured him. “At the follow-up visits, both she and Greg said the birth went well.”
“But you were there. You had personal knowledge of any potential complications. All I have are the medical records. At my other practice, we met weekly to discuss our patients in case we had to cover for each other.”
He was worried about complications. She’d expected him to say he felt at a disadvantage because he didn’t know the mother, didn’t have an established relationship with her. But that was the way she thought, not necessarily the way he did.
“Do you want me to assist at the birth?”
Indecision clouded his eyes. “No, I’d rather you meet Nana’s train, if you can.”
“I can.” She smiled inside at what must be his childhood name for his grandmother. “I’m almost done showing Lexi the medical coding and don’t have any big plans for the afternoon.”
“That would be great.” Relief softened his features. “I invited Nana for a visit earlier this week, and she decided to take me up on the offer immediately.”
“July is prime vacation time in the Adirondacks.”
“I’ll give you my key so you can let her in.” He pulled his keys from his lab coat pocket, removed the house key, and handed it to her. “Thanks, I appreciate this. I’ll call Nana and tell her to look for you.”
He took a step back toward the reception area.
“Wait. There won’t be a lot of people getting off the train at Ticonderoga, but it would help if I had some idea of what your grandmother looks like.”
He blinked. “Right.” He reached in his other coat pocket.
She took the photo he removed from his wallet, a little surprised that he had one. Word at Samaritan had been that he was estranged from his family. The picture was of him as a young teen next to a stunning woman who looked to be in her sixties. Exceptionally good looks must run in the family.
“You can photocopy it. She still looks like that, only fifteen years older.”
He didn’t want her to take the photo with her. Was he afraid she’d lose it? She handed it back. “I don’t need to. I should be able to recognize her. Go on back to your mother-to-be. Your grandmother and I will be fine.”
The way Lexi glanced from Jon to Autumn as they entered the waiting room from the hallway made Autumn wonder if she’d been eavesdropping.
“Thanks again,” Jon said as he left.
Autumn closed the office door and turned to Lexi, who was looking up at her with her head tilted to one side. Autumn readied herself for a question or comment about Jon.
“How well do you know Josh?”
That wasn’t something Autumn had not expected. “I know him and his family. I went to school with his brother. Josh was a couple of years ahead of us, so we didn’t really hang out together. He served in the National Guard in Afghanistan with Dad and works for my stepmother’s environmental engineering company.”
Lexi laughed. “I’m still getting used to how small Paradox Lake is and how the families all know each other.”
“If I think a moment, I can probably come up with more. Why do you ask?”
“When he drove me home from the meeting the other night, he invited me out to go swimming next weekend.”
“Oh.” Autumn silently took back all of the testy thoughts she’d had earlier about Lexi and Jon. She was never at her best when she was overtired, which wasn’t a good trait in a midwife. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him I’d let him know today.”
“I say go for it.”
“That’s what Kari and Eli said, too. I might as well have some fun while I’m here.” Lexi tapped her finger on the desk. “I’m going to do it.”
Autumn smiled. “Let’s get the rest of your coding training out of the way and you can give Josh a call to let him know.” And I can get to Ticonderoga to pick up Mrs. Hanlon.
“So I enter 59400 here for global maternity care.”
“That’s right. It’s our most-used code.” Autumn showed her a few more things. “Can you finish up by yourself? Kelly will be in for a one o’clock appointment.”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Good because I’d better leave for the train station if I’m going to get there in time to pick up Jon’s grandmother.”
Autumn left a lot more confident Lexi would work out as a summer office assistant even though she didn’t have any medical office experience. She was a quick learner and seemed to have gotten over her initial infatuation with Jon. Although Autumn couldn’t see her and Lexi being as close as she and Kari were, they should get along fine as co-workers for the time Lexi was here.
Now, if only she was as confident about her and Jon developing a good working relationship.
Twenty minutes later, Autumn sat in a line of cars near the intersection of Route 74 and Montcalm Street watching the minutes tick toward one fifteen, the time she was supposed to pick up Jon’s grandmother. She craned her neck. Traffic was halted as far as she could see, blocking the view of whatever the problem might be. No cars had passed from the other direction as long as she’d been stopped.
The car ahead of her inched back, and the driver did a U-turn so he could head back into Ticonderoga. Autumn looked at the space in front of her. She could do the same. But depending on where the problem was that could make her even later. She closed the space between her car and the car ahead and turned hers off. She should be okay calling the birthing center on her cell phone since traffic wasn’t moving anyway.
“Ticonderoga Birthing center,” the weekend receptionist answered.
“This is Autumn Hazard. Is Dr. Hanlon available?”
“Hi, Autumn. I’ll try his office.”
Autumn tapped her foot while she waited.
“Sorry, he didn’t pick up. Do you want me to page him? He’s probably in the birthing area. He has a mother in labor.”
“No, don’t page him.” If he was with Maureen’s mother-to-be, he wouldn’t want to be interrupted by a personal call. “I’ll leave a message with you and on his voice mail. If you see him within the next half hour, let him know that I’m stuck in a traffic jam, and it looks like I’ll get to the train station late.”
“Got it.” The receptionist transferred Autumn to Jon’s voicemail, and she left her message there as well.
Autumn looked up from her phone to see a county sheriff car slowing down beside her from the other way. Great. Using a cell phone while driving was illegal in New York. The sheriff deputy stopped and rolled down his window. Autumn did the same, breathing a sigh of relief when she recognized him from high school.
“Hi, Autumn. Are you on your way to a delivery? We’re letting emergency vehicles through.”
She wished she could say she was, for more reasons than the opportunity to get out of the traffic line. If she were, it would mean some normalcy in her life. “No, thanks. I’m on my way to the train station to pick up a friend’s grandmother.”
“Okay.” He started to roll up his window.
“Wait. What happened?”
“A truck carrying chickens jackknifed. The trailer rolled over and there are chickens everywhere.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Thankfully, no. The driver is shaken up. The EMTs are treating him.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“We’ll be getting traffic moving soon.” The deputy rolled up the window and moved on.
Autumn restarted the car, and the vehicles ahead of her started moving slowly. Mrs. Hanlon would have arrived at the station about 10 minutes ago. She flexed her fingers on the steering wheel. She didn’t know why she was so concerned about Jon’s grandmother arriving at the station with no one to meet her. It wasn’t like she was a child. And if Jon had gotten her message, he would have alerted his grandmother.
But if he hadn’t…Autumn thought about the closeness she shared with her family, the photo Jon had showed her of him and his grandmother and the rumors she’d heard about him being estranged from his. If this visit from his grandmother was some kind of reconciliation with his family, she’d hate to do anything that might upset that.
When she finally reached her destination, Autumn rushed into the small square brick building housing the waiting area that was the Ticonderoga Amtrak station. Mrs. Hanlon sat on the polished wood bench in front of the large picture window that looked out over the parking lot. A woman about her aunt Jinx’s age with two small children—the only other people at the station—glanced at her watch and out the window at the parking lot.
“Mrs. Hanlon.” Autumn crossed the small room. “I’m so sorry I’m late. There was an accident and traffic was backed up.”
Behind her stylish designer glasses, the older woman’s eyes widened. “Excuse me. Do I know you?”
Autumn clutched her car keys in her hand. Hadn’t Jon called his grandmother? “I’m Autumn Hazard. I work with Jon. He had a birth and asked me to pick you up for him. Didn’t he call?” Her words tumbled out without a breath between them.
“Oh, no. I turned my phone off.” Jon’s grandmother reached into the Burberry bag on the bench beside her and took out her phone. “Yes, he called and texted me your picture.”
Jon had a picture of her on his phone? When could he have taken that, and why?
“A link to your picture,” Mrs. Hanlon corrected herself. “On the birthing center website. You’re a midwife.”
“Yes.” She still was, technically, even if she hadn’t delivered any babies on her own for several months. “I did my clinicals at Samaritan Hospital when Jon was a resident there.”
A warm smile reminiscent of Jon’s lady-killer one spread across her face. “So, you’re old friends.”
Autumn wasn’t sure that’s the way she’d describe their relationship. Their friendship was still developing. “Do you have luggage?”
Mrs. Hanlon pointed at a large family-sized suitcase Autumn had assumed belonged to the other woman. Either Mrs. Hanlon had a tendency to really over pack or was planning on a long visit.
“Will you and the kids be okay here by yourself?” Mrs. Hanlon addressed the other traveler. We can wait until your husband gets here.” She looked at Autumn for a confirmation.
“Of course.” The station was a little isolated, outside of Ticonderoga proper, on the edge of the Fort Ticonderoga historic site property. “If your husband is coming Route 74, he probably got stuck in the same traffic I did.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to stay. I see him pulling in now.” She pointed to the parking lot.
“It was nice meeting you,” Mrs. Hanlon said. “And I wish you the best with your house hunting.” She turned to Autumn. “Her husband recently took a job in Ticonderoga, and she and the kids are here for a week to look at houses.”
“I think you’ll like it here. The area’s a great place to raise kids,” Autumn said. “Of course, I’m biased. I grew up on Paradox Lake about 20 minutes from here.”
“Thanks. The mountains are pretty, but it’s a lot more isolated than where we live now.”
“It’s all what you’re used to.” Autumn remembered counting the time until her clinicals would be finished and she could move back up north where she could live a more isolated lifestyle.
Autumn reached for Mrs. Hanlon’s suitcase handle.
“You don’t have to do that,” the older woman said.
“Yes, I do.” She shot her a quick smile.
Jon’s grandmother went ahead and opened the door for her. As Autumn wrestled the suitcase out to the car, she eyed the diminutive elderly woman with admiration, thankful that the luggage had wheels. The woman must work out daily to have handled the case herself on the trip up here.
While Mrs. Hanlon made herself comfortable in the passenger seat, Autumn stashed the suitcase in the back seat. No way would it fit in the trunk with her equipment and the twins’ swim toys, which she’d never taken out. Her cell phone rang as she opened the driver’s door. She frowned at the display. The birthing center. Was Jon calling to check up on her and his grandmother? Hadn’t he gotten her message?
“Hello.”
“Autumn, it’s Lexi. Kelly called a couple of minutes ago to see if you were still here. She and Kari are at Tanya’s. Tanya’s little boy was born this morning. Anyway, Allie and her husband are on their way here, and Kelly wants you to come and be with them until she can get to the center. She’ll be here as soon as she can.”
“I’m at the train station. There was an accident and I had to wait in traffic. I still need to drop Mrs. Hanlon off at Jon’s house. It'll be forty or forty-five minutes before I get back to Ticonderoga. “Allie should be fine until I arrive. And Jon’s there.”
“Okay, I’ll let Kelly and admissions know.”
“And call Kristen in if she’s not there already. She can be with Allie until I get there.”
“She’s right here. See you in a bit.” Lexi clicked off.
“Is there a problem?” Mrs. Hanlon asked.
Autumn explained what was going on.
“I can wait at the birthing center. It’s not like I haven’t spent many hours touring medical facilities with my husband or waiting on him while he conducted JMH business.”
Autumn wasn’t sure where the bitterness in Mrs. Hanlon’s voice was coming from, but it would make things easier for her if she could go directly to the birthing center. “That would be good if you really don’t mind. Jon has a mother in labor, so I can’t tell you when he’ll be available. But I’m just going to stay with one of our mothers until the other midwife arrives. Then I can take you to the house.”
“I make sure I always have a book to read.” Mrs. Hanlon tapped the eReader protruding from the pocket in the side of her leather purse. The resigned look on her face almost made Autumn change her mind and drive out to Paradox Lake first.
They arrived at the birthing center 10 minutes later. Autumn’s parents-to-be were checking in with the receptionist. After greeting them, Autumn introduced Mrs. Hanlon to the receptionist and asked her to make the older woman comfortable in the staff lounge. She sensed Mrs. Hanlon watching her and was glad when she and the parents turned the corner to the birthing suite.
Jon walked through the lobby and frowned when he saw no one in the reception area. He was going to have to talk with the office manager. But not right now. He was in too good of a mood. The delivery had gone well, almost as perfectly as the one with Autumn the other day. All that had been missing was the atmosphere of closeness Autumn and that couple had shared. Plus, his grandmother was here for a visit, and he’d had a call earlier in the day from the director of Help for Haiti saying they had received his C.V. and were very interested in his joining the nonprofit organization when his one-year contract with the Ticonderoga Birthing Center was over.
“Nana.” He started when he entered his office and found his grandmother sitting in his desk chair reading. “What are you doing here? I thought Autumn was driving you to my house.” Jon’s bored his gaze into hers. “Did Grandfather ask you to check out the facility?”
“No, but I’m sure he would have if I’d given him enough notice of my visit for him to think of it.” She closed her eReader and placed it on the desk. “As for why I’m waiting in your office, your friend got a call to come here and cover for another midwife until she returned from a home birth. I found that interesting, that they do home births.”
