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Chapter 190: Parenthood
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Diagnosis: Love Chapter 191: Break
NOAH"Where's the baby?" Alison walked into the kitchen, her face etched with fatigue. We'd had a long and trying few days as Evangeline had apparently been going through a growth spurt: she nursed almost constantly and was difficult to console the rest of the time. She'd fought sleep, and she'd cried piteously no matter what we'd tried to do. The pediatrician had assured us that this was normal and we'd get through it, but privately, I thought he was a heartless imbecile who clearly didn't understand that our daughter was advanced and needed more attention than the typical newborn. But finally, today we'd caught a break. Alison had gone upstairs to take a shower-her first in three days-and somehow, I'd managed to get the baby to sleep without the benefit of a boob. More than that, I'd actually laid her in the crib without waking her up. I was pretty satisfied with myself, all in all. I was also crossing my fingers that she'd stay asleep long enough that her mother and I could d
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 192: Happily Ever After part 3
ALISONA human being can accomplish almost any task while sobbing her eyes out. I'd known this from experience in my past life, but after Noah left that afternoon, I went about proving it all over again.I cried as I wiped the table and counters. I wept as I took out a frozen macaroni and cheese to eat for dinner. I sobbed as I climbed the steps and listened at the baby's door-she was still asleep in the crib. I sniffled as I switched a load of newborn clothes from the washer to the dryer.He was gone, and I was alone. Again. Naturally.The hell of it was that even as he'd pleaded his case to me, even as he'd told me that he loved me, I'd known he was telling the truth. I believed him. But I couldn't trust what he thought he felt, not when people changed their minds about being in love all the damn time. People claimed to love a friend or a child or a lover, and then they changed their minds. It happened. I knew it first-hand. I'd experienced it over and over again before I was t
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 193: As long as we both shall live
NOAHNoahIt was a beautiful day for a wedding. We gathered at mid-morning under the covenant oak on Jimmy and Anna Girard's farm. Alison and I had decided that since Emma and Deacon's wedding had been the start of our love story, we should say our vows under the canopied branches of that same steadfast tree. We hadn't wanted anything grand or involved, but it was important to us that the special people in our lives were present. So when Alison and I joined hands and made our vows, among those surrounding us were Emma and Deacon, Darcy and Jackson, Jenny and Nico, Mira Hoskins, and all of the people who worked with Alison in her practice. Maggie Corning, the midwife, and Brooke Slater, Alison's therapist, were there, too. My family had flown down en mass from Wisconsin and other key points around the country. My mother couldn't stop smiling, and my dad looked proud. Even my brothers and sisters and their families were behaving themselves. And then of course, there was the Tam
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 1: Doomed to love
Jenny"I will never be able to thank you enough for this. Not as long as I live." I turn in a small circle, my arms wrapped about myself, taking in all the details of the room where I'm standing. It's all shades of tan and brown, a complete study in understated elegance, and I am one hundred percent in love. I can't wait to lay on the extra wide couch and watch Grey's Anatomy with a big glass of wine. Or a beer. I'm not that picky."Jen, you're making this a bigger deal than it is. You're helping me out, too, you know. I mean, I'm moving to Chicago, and I still have a year left on this lease. I'm just happy that someone I trust can sub-let from me." Nico stands across the room from me, leaning against the doorjamb, his back to the screened patio and pool. The late afternoon sunlight casts a glow on him, gleaming on his silky black hair and burnished skin. With his impossibly wide shoulders and the broad chest that tapered to narrow hips, he looks like a god who's popped down
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 2: First day and I said what?
JennyFirst days of anything are not fun for me. I've always been like this. I threw up every first day of classes all during high school and college. By nature, I'm not an anxious person, but new situations and people make my nerves jump. So, although I'm really excited about this new job and can't wait to get started, on the morning I'm scheduled to go in for the first time, I'm kind to my stomach and stick to peppermint tea for breakfast. The last thing I need is to toss my cookies on the drive over or worse, all over the desk of the HR rep.I'm ready to leave a full hour ahead of my scheduled appointment time. The new oncology wing at St. Agnes doesn't open for another month, but the hospital's human resource department asked me to come down early, as they want the staff to be fully integrated in the set-up and running of this venture. Today, though, I'm going in for my official face-to-face interview and to sign my contract. My hiring was provisional, based on my resume,
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 3: Out of the frying pan
JennyFor the next ten minutes, as Mrs. Cosgraves rummages for my contract, and then having found it, sets it on the desk in front of me, I vacillate between two extreme mental states. The first is screaming in horror and frustration, asking me what the fuck I just did. The second is a calm, soothing voice, assuring me that it's all going to be okay. That Nico will never have to hear about this. That he doesn't know anybody in this town, so no one is going to call me out on what could be considered either a bald-faced lie or an insane fantasy.When I sign the contract – unread, I might add, which I know on another level is probably a really stupid thing to do – the HR rep announces that it's time for her to take me on a tour of the new wing. I stand up, nearly knocking over my chair in my hurry."Oh, I'm sure I can manage to find it by myself. You're so busy…" I glance around at the empty room. "I mean, I'm sure you have so much to do with the opening, and the last thing you need
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 4: Ladies' night
Jenny"Margaritas!!" The five women sitting in lounge chairs around my pool raise their glasses, giggling as everyone tries to clink with everyone else. I tap my glass against Stephanie's and then lean back, stretching my legs. "Did you have time to read the book?" she inquires, sipping her drink. "I know we've been keeping you pretty busy at St. Agnes. I hope hosting tonight didn't put too much pressure on you.""Nah." I shake my head and sway my bent legs side to side. "The work is challenging, but I'm glad I can be part of the ramping up to the opening process. That should make the transition on our first few days easier." "Oh, it's going to bedlam," she replies, casually waving her free hand. "These things always are. No matter how much training we do, no matter how much prep . . . it takes a while for things to start running like a well-oiled machine. But it'll come together eventually." "Thanks for the reassurance." I take a healthy gulp of my drink. "Hey, don'
Diagnosis: Love Chapter 5: Partners in a lie
JennyI've never had a stroke, but in the process of my education as a nurse practitioner, I had to learn about the symptoms and signs. As I stand in front of Nico, staring at him, I'm pretty sure I might be experiencing a cerebral hemorrhage right now. Either that or a panic attack. I can't be sure. All I know is that I can't speak, I can't move, and it's entirely possible that I'm having hallucinations because I can't think of any reason Nico should be back in Florida. I must be imagining this. Maybe those margaritas were a little more potent than I'd thought. But then everything happens at once, and I know for sure I'm not dreaming. The women behind me, who'd lapsed into shocked silence moments ago, suddenly all begin talking at once. Talking might not be an accurate description, actually; they're alternately sighing, screeching, and quite possibly speaking in tongues. My Virginia-born grandmother would say that they're carryin' on. Nico spares the group a glance over my
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