#heartmatch Read online

  “No, I mean—you’re in the best hospital in the world. It’s the wait that makes you more frightened, right?”

  Samantha didn’t respond. She looked down and fingered the photos on her quilt.

  “Your mom and I will be right next to you throughout everything, even recovery.” He smiled. “And guess what?”

  Her gaze lifted. “What?”

  “I’m taking two months off after you have your surgery.” His deep smile lifted her spirits. “You will beg me to get out of your sight after spending that much with me.”

  She grinned and put her mask back in place.

  “That’s my girl.” He scratched his cheek. “What time will mom come back this morning?”

  “After breakfast and my bath.”

  “Does Nurse Elizabeth stay the night?”

  “No, she doesn’t. She’s already here this morning though. She peeked in and blew a kiss before I called you.”

  Samantha wanted to keep his face in front of her all day. She relaxed as her fear began to dissolve.

  “Is snow on the ground yet?”

  She glanced outside. Flakes blew sideways. She could hardly see the street light. “I can’t see the ground but yes, it’s snowing.”

  “You see? The blizzard is supposed to move out some time during the night. We’ll be ready to go when the time’s right. I’ll bring you a special present,” he added as an afterthought.

  She smiled again, for his benefit. Then her lips wavered. Samantha didn’t know how to keep that fake grin plastered on when thinking about her daddy’s safety.

  “Promise you’ll Facetime me while flying?”

  “You’re already worrying about the day after tomorrow? Honey, Dale has been airborne with Cessnas for forty years. He’s an expert. And sweetheart, I’ll do my best to Facetime you along the way if reception’s possible. Okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Believe in me?”

  Her head bobbed, though she didn’t feel enthusiastic.

  “Now,” he brought his phone back in to plant a kiss and moved the cell away again. “I can get a couple more hours sleep. We can Skype later. How’s that?”

  “Okay.”

  “Love you, my precious. You and your mom are my life. Don’t forget that.”

  “I won’t, daddy. I love you too.”

  She disconnected.

  Samantha pressed contacts. Pulled up Jason’s number and called.

  He picked up on the second ring.

  “Sup, Princess?”

  “What?”

  He grinned. “You know. What’s crackalackin?”

  “Jason, are you high?”

  A hearty, deep chuckle erupted. “What’s happening. It’s teen slang, Princess.”

  She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Did I wake you?”

  “No, I got off my computer to fix mom some breakfast before she went to work.”

  “You haven’t been to bed?”

  “Nope.”

  “Games?”

  “Yep.” He smiled. “Enough about me. How are you today, Princess?”

  “Feeling kinda down this morning.”

  “You hurtin somewhere?”

  “In my head. At least that’s where my pain seems to be right now.”

  “Headache?”

  “No. I’m worried about my dad. He’s coming in from Seattle.”

  “Driving? Flying?”

  “Flying with a friend. It’s snowing here and I’m so worried something will happen.”

  “A small plane?”

  “Yes. That’s why I’m afraid.”

  “Well, I’m sure his friend won’t fly if the weather’s bad and hey—if you want to feel better, Tuesday’s my birthday.”

  “Really? You’ll be twenty on Valentine’s Day?”

  “Yep. Want to celebrate with me?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I could bring you a slice of cake.”

  She snickered. “You’d do that for me?”

  “Yep. Just tell me the name of your hospital and I’ll bring a big piece of chocolate, slathered in white frosting.”

  While Samantha could Facetime or Skype Jason, she didn’t want him to see her in person, yet. That could come later, after she’d washed her hair, wore real clothes, and had a new heart.

  She hesitated before answering. Right now, she had no friends except for Jason. She didn’t want to lose him.

  “Maybe your parents wouldn’t like me because I’m mixed?”

  “Oh no,” she blurted out. “My dad works with immigrants. My parents are pretty liberal and celebrate diversity. It’s just—”

  “You don’t want me to see you like this?”

  Samantha nodded shyly.

  “Well, I get that.” He seemed pensive. “Listen. About this fate thing. You know I don’t believe in it, right?”

  “Un-huh.”

  “So, don’t try to convince me.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Don’t know. Maybe one day you might try to say we met for a reason.”

  One day? He said one day? He’s planning on keeping me around?

  “Each to his own belief. That’s what my mom always taught me. Oh, and daddy says to never judge anyone. No one is perfect.”

  Jason pondered. “Do your parents have names?”

  She laughed. “My mother is Jenny. My dad is Benjamin. Ben for short.”

  “I’d like to meet your parents someday. I’ll bet they’re sick.”

  “What? There’s nothing wrong with either of them. Why’d you say that?”

  Jason’s eyes widened. “Do friends visit you?”

  “Not anymore.”

  “Okay, I get it.” He leaned in. Put his face up close so she could only see his mouth move. “Sick means cool, awesome.”

  Samantha giggled. Her mask steamed from her expulsion of breath.

  “You have a nice smile.”

  “Thanks. I’ve changed my mind. You can call me Sam after all.”

  “Okay, and Jason is still my name.”

  “You don’t have a nickname?”

  “My dad calls me Jase.” He thought for a moment. “And sometimes my mom does too. I don’t like it though. My grandpa was Jason.”

  She nodded. Jason’s expression had drooped when he spoke about his grandpa.

  Maybe he’d died.

  “Keep smiling, Sam.”

  “Can we talk later? My nurse will be in any minute.”

  “Sure. This afternoon?”

  “Sounds good.” She turned her phone off.

  Nurse Elizabeth walked into her room seconds later.

  “Your dad?”

  Samantha nodded.

  “Okay. Let’s take your vitals and get you bathed before your mom comes to visit. How about I wash your hair today?”

  “Okay.” She’d need a nap after that.

  So tired and I just woke.

  ###

  Jason’s phone pinged. He looked at a text from Darla asking him to call her while his dad was out playing racquetball at the gym. She included her cell number under the text.

  He put her number into his contacts and pressed the Facetime call button. She picked up on the first ring.

  “That’s the fastest I’ve ever had a call back.” She smiled.

  “Sup?” Jason’s curiosity got the best of him.

  “Your dad and I got married late yesterday evening.”

  “And he’s at the gym? That’s weird.”

  “Facts of life,” Darla said. “We’ve been living together for months. He has to have his weekend workout, so off he went.”

  “Did you do the white dress thing?”

  “No. We’ll catch up on that stuff later. Judges don’t care. They just want the ceremony over with. More clients, more money for them.”

  “What’s next?”

  “Your dad’s heading out tomorrow after he shows a house. Probably late morning. It’ll take a little over fourteen hours to get to Colorado.”<
br />
  “With stops that means more like sixteen hours.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Does he know it’s snowing here?”

  “He knows. He’ll stop if the weather gets too bad. Told me he’s a good driver and not to mention the driving part again.”

  “He’s okay coming alone?”

  “Your dad got mad at me for scheming behind his back. After an evening of arguing, he agreed seeing you might be the best thing to do.”

  “You argued before you got married?”

  “No, the other way around,” she laughed.

  “You okay with everything?”

  She shrugged. “We’ve been together every day since we came to California. Right now, I don’t know how I feel about this trip. I’m making a sacrifice for you, Jason.”

  “I’ll owe you.”

  “Payback will be a visit to Los Angeles next summer, meeting my sister, and thinking about going to the university out here.”

  “Did dad tell you he wanted me to move?”

  “I kinda suggested that if your relationship improved, you might like to study in the sun.”

  He grimaced.

  Shit.

  “I should probably call back later and talk to dad.”

  “Up to you.”

  “Okay. I’ll think about it. Over and out?”

  She disconnected. Darla didn’t seem too convinced about his dad’s trip.

  And I’ll never leave the mountains for the ocean.

  ###

  Samantha opened her eyes from a nap and met Elizabeth’s gaze.

  “You kept moaning in your sleep, Sammy. Bad dream?”

  Samantha picked a point on the wall, someplace over Elizabeth’s shoulder and stared at it.

  “Come on. We can talk through whatever’s bothering you.”

  Samantha shrugged. “Daddy’s flying in on Tuesday.”

  “So why the solemn expression?”

  “I’m not feeling good about the flight. He says the storm will be over by then. What if he crashes?”

  Elizabeth rested her hand on Samantha’s arm. “You can’t what if every time a situation arises, my dear. You’ll never rest easy under those circumstances.”

  Samantha cast a skeptical eye at her.

  “Everything about life should be taken day-by-day. You wake up in the morning and you smile because it’s a new day. When you go to sleep at night, you’re grateful for the good things that have happened during the day.”

  Samantha watched as Elizabeth’s face suddenly hardened. A vertical frown line appeared between her brows as if something had clicked in her mind about what she’d just said.

  “What if it’s not all good?”

  She patted Samantha’s arm. “You’re right. Sometimes things happen for a reason and there’s no justification as to why they happen the way they do.”

  “So, what if I die during surgery? Isn’t that fate?” She glanced upwards. “Doesn’t somebody up there already know what’s going to happen to me?”

  “That’s where trust comes into the equation. Your doctors are the best in the world. They will use all of their skills to make your new heart function for you.”

  “Has everything always worked out for you?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. She broke eye contact and looked away then focused on an empty space between her hands and deliberated a moment before she answered. “No, it hasn’t and I didn’t handle my situation well at all.”

  “How did you learn to manage your problem?”

  “I didn’t. I’m still in mourning.”

  “Someone died?”

  “No, someone left me.”

  “Can’t you take your own advice? Go day-by-day and be grateful for what you have?”

  Elizabeth’s head jerked up. Tears welled and then ran down her cheeks. She swiped them away.

  Samantha reached out and touched Elizabeth’s arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  “I’ll be fine. Just give me five minutes to freshen up in the bathroom and I’ll be back to normal.”

  With that Elizabeth jumped up, grabbed her daypack from the floor, and ran out of the room.

  ###

  Thirty minutes later, Elizabeth reentered Samantha’s room. She smiled.

  “I am grateful for what I have. A loving son, a mother-in-law who sometimes loves and supports me, and now I have you. What more could I ask for?”

  Doctor Sadana moseyed into the room and laid a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder.

  “How’s our patient today?”

  Samantha caught the shoulder squeeze he gave Elizabeth.

  “She’s full of questions.”

  His hand dropped. “Exactly what we hoped for.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes locked onto Doctor Sadana’s for a brief second before he turned away and walked out of the door.

  Her nurse arched an eyebrow. “Not what you think, my dear. Now how about a board game to pass the time?”

  Her mother came into the room with a bouquet of daisies and kissed Samantha’s cheek. “From your dad.” She filled a container with water, arranged the blooms, and put them on the window sill. “Look,” she pointed. “Flakes are coming down in a pretty steady stream.”

  “No,” Samantha cried out. “What if—”

  “Uh-uh.” Elizabeth shot her a look and waggled her finger.

  Her mother’s lip pursed slightly “You two holding secrets?”

  “We have no secrets, mother.”

  “Elizabeth?” Samantha’s mother had a quizzical air about her.

  Uh-oh. Here comes the flood of questions.

  Samantha pretended to stare out the window.

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “Call me Jenny.”

  “What’s on your mind Mrs. Brown?” Elizabeth asked, obviously avoiding the informal name.

  Her mother frowned before continuing. “Do you have children?”

  “I have one child.”

  Her mother nodded and put a finger to her chin. “Oh, so you’re married.” She glanced at her hand.

  “I’m divorced. If there’s something you’d like to know, you could ask to see my records.”

  “Mother,” Samantha piped in. “Is this necessary?”

  “We haven’t chatted, and I’d like to get to know your nurse better.”

  Elizabeth glanced at her watch. “I can give you another five minutes.” She sat on the edge of the bed by Samantha’s feet.

  “Does your child live with you?”

  “Mother,” Samantha huffed.

  “A few questions. I’m not prying.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Oh yes you are.”

  “Maybe we could do this another time. In the cafeteria over coffee,” Elizabeth suggested as she stood to go.”

  Samantha heard a clink. She peeked over the side of the bed.

  “My knitting supplies,” Elizabeth explained.

  “It’s a flask.” Her mother scooped up and examined the container.

  “I can explain,” her nurse whispered.

  Samantha’s mother shook a finger at her. “Just as I thought. I innocently followed you into the bathroom when I arrived, to privately ask you a question. Between your sobs, you guzzled. I saw you through the crack in the stall door.”

  Elizabeth glanced from one to the other.

  “I can’t believe you have the job of taking care of my daughter and you’re drinking.” She unscrewed the lid and whiffed. “What is this smell?”

  “If you’d only allow me to give an explanation.”

  “We can discuss this in front of your supervisor.”

  “Please stop. I don’t want Elizabeth to leave. She’s the only one in this hospital I trust.”

  Elizabeth held Samantha’s hand, rubbing her palm vigorously. “Please, she cannot be stressed. We need to take this discussion out of this room immediately.”

  “Mother, please. You and daddy always told me never to judge before understanding the is
sue at hand. And you’re doing just that. Judging her.”

  Samantha pressed a hand to her chest where her heart seemed to be pounding harder than usual. Elizabeth jumped to attention.

  “Calm down, my dear.” She took the stethoscope from around her neck, put the ear tips in, manipulated the tubing, and adjusted the tunable diaphragm.

  Samantha’s mother stepped around to the other side of the bed. “Is she okay?”

  “Mrs. Brown, could you please leave the room? I need to call Doctor Sadana.”

  “We’re not finished here, you know?”

  She shivered at her mother’s harsh tone and cold gaze.

  Elizabeth pointed toward the door. “Please.”

  Her mother left through the open door.

  “My temples are throbbing,” Samantha stated. She squeezed her eyes shut.

  “You’ll be fine, my dear. It’s been a stressful time for you and your parents. The wait can be a grueling and an emotional challenge for all concerned.”

  Samantha rubbed her temples. “My mother usually quizzes everyone she meets.”

  “She’s just protecting you.”

  Samantha nodded.

  “I tend to be that way with my son too. I lost one son years ago and I’m forever shielding the one I have left in my life.”

  “My heart fluttered when mother yelled at you. I got scared.”

  “Did you feel pain during our moment of discussion?”

  “No. Concern maybe. For you.” She reached out her hand and clasped Elizabeth’s. “I know you’re a good person. That’s all that matters to me.”

  Samantha stared into the depths of her nurse’s eyes.

  Elizabeth heaved a sigh. “I have my story and I am guilty of trying to conceal my pain in ways unknown to others. I love deeply. Always have, always will and for that I will not excuse myself.”

  “So, are we good?” Samantha pulled her blanket up.

  “Yes, my dear.”

  “I’ll go out and have another chat with your mother.”

  “And I’ll Skype my friend.”

  The wind howled. Samantha pulled the blanket to her chin.

  Please let this storm come and go quickly.

  FEBRUARY 13

  Monday

  Weather forecasters reported the storm that hadn’t moved in on Sunday was now on its way, full force. Snow would start piling by nightfall. The temperature had dropped to the teens. Gray clouds darkened and a strong wind arose to swirl the already accumulated snow. Sonic chased some of the crystalline flakes before running back into the warmth of the kitchen.