Brought Together by Baby. Carolyne Aarsen

compassion in their depths. “She sustained a very serious fracture of the femur, complicated by what looks to be an older fracture farther up the bone. We want to talk about airlifting her to New York to be operated on there by an orthopedic specialist.”

      “New York?” Charles reached blindly behind him as if to steady himself.

      Rachel, still holding Gracie with one hand, caught him and slowly pushed him toward the chair she had just vacated.

      In the process Gracie overbalanced backward, her arms flailing. Rachel tried to grab her, but Eli was right there, catching the toddler just before she fell, settling her back in Rachel’s arms.

      “Thank you,” Rachel said, feeling woefully inadequate. She couldn’t even hold the child without almost dropping her.

      “She does tend to be a bit restless,” Eli said quietly, his hand still on Gracie’s shoulders. “It’s the C.P. that causes the sudden unexpected movements.”

      Rachel’s stomach fluttered and, to her shame, she felt dizzy again.

      “Can you please take her,” Rachel asked, thrusting Gracie toward Eli before she fell, still holding the squirming child.

      Eli gave her a questioning glance, but took Gracie, easily swinging her into his arms.

      Rachel looked away, pulling in another long, slow breath as she moved past her father to lean against the bed before she turned back to Dr. Mendoza. “I’m sorry. You were telling us about my mother. What are her chances for a full recovery?”

      He slipped his hands in the pockets of his lab coat, rocking lightly on his heels. “They are excellent. What slows it down is the intensive rehabilitation she will have to undergo. There’s a facility connected to the hospital in upstate New York that specializes in orthopedics and will be taking care of her.”

      “When will she have to leave?” Rachel asked.

      “We are setting up the transfer right now.”

      So soon, Rachel thought, still unable to process the fact that her always capable mother was disabled. But like a drowning swimmer, she clung to what the doctor told her. Doctors didn’t use words like “excellent” unless there was a very good chance the patient would be all right.

      “How long will she be there?” Charles asked.

      “Approximately three to four weeks, which is contingent on how well she heals and how well the femur and surrounding tissue respond to therapy.”

      “That long.” Charles slumped back, rubbing his chin with his hand, looking lost and forlorn.

      He glanced up at Rachel, and she caught his hand in hers, her heart stuttering at the thought of her always strong and capable mother, helpless and in pain.

      “I can’t be apart from her that long,” he said quietly.

      “I know, Daddy.” She squeezed his hand. “Is there a way he could go upstate and stay with her, Dr. Mendoza?”

      “Of course. This institute gets people coming in from all over the United States. There are facilities where your father could stay. It would probably be better for your mother if he did.”

      “And what about Gracie?” Charles asked.

      Dr. Mendoza looked over at Eli. “I think Dr. Cavanaugh can answer the rest of your questions. I must return to your wife and prepare her transfer.” He shook Charles’s hand, then Rachel’s. “I’m sorry I don’t have better news, but at the same time, we can be thankful that she didn’t injure herself worse.”

      “Thank the good Lord, no,” Charles agreed, but Rachel could hear his heart wasn’t in the pronouncement.

      “Can we take Gracie along?” Charles asked Eli as Dr. Mendoza left.

      Eli shook his head. “I think it would be best if she stayed here.” Eli glanced at Rachel, then back at Charles. “Beatrice is going to need your full attention if you want to help her, and it wouldn’t be good for Gracie’s health to get moved around that much.”

      Charles nodded, releasing Rachel’s hand. He pressed his hands against his knees and, like an elderly man with too many worries pressing down on his shoulders, slowly got to his feet.

      “Well, I guess I’ll have to make a decision about our little girl.” He passed his hand over his balding head and gave Rachel a careful smile.

      “Rachel, honey. Would you be able to take care of Gracie?”

       Chapter Four

       “M e? Take care of Gracie?”

      Rachel’s shocked look was unmistakable to Eli. She pressed her hands together, then ran them down the sides of her skirt.

      “But I’ve got so much to do…” She caught her lower lip between her perfectly straight teeth.

      “She’s attached to you, Rachel,” Charles continued, the pain evident in his voice.

      “I am not sure I could devote the time necessary to Gracie that she needs.” Rachel pressed her lips together as if holding back words she knew condemned her.

      Charles sighed lightly. “I would hire a nanny, but she doesn’t take well to strangers. I know she is comfortable around you.”

      Rachel crossed her arms, as if weighing and planning this inconvenience in her life.

      Just as Eli was about to make an alternative proposal, Rachel put her hand on her father’s shoulder and straightened her shoulders. “However, she is my sister. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.”

      “Thank you, dear,” Charles said, patting his older daughter on the shoulder. He turned to Gracie and picked her up, holding her close. “Can I take her up to see Beatrice?” he asked Eli.

      Eli held the curtain aside. “Beatrice might be too medicated to recognize her, but you can try.”

      Charles left first with Gracie, but as Rachel passed, Eli put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She pulled back, her hazel eyes flashing her annoyance. Another small chink in her usually cool facade.

      He held his hands up as if to show his innocence. “I’d like to talk to you for a moment,” he said quietly.

      Rachel glanced from him to her father, then nodded. “Sure. Just for a moment.” She composed her features again. Businesslike. He suspected this was the face many of her clients and co-workers saw every day and for some reason he liked the annoyed look she had just given him much better. Made her seem more approachable.

      Eli slipped his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and decided that being straightforward was the way to go with this woman. “If you can’t take care of Gracie, I’m sure I could find an alternative for you.”

      Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need an alternative. She’s my sister. I can see to her care.”

      Her assured statement surprised him. He thought he was offering her a reasonable out. But it didn’t sound like she wanted to take it.

      “I’ve never taken care of a toddler before, but…” Her confident voice faltered for a moment. Then she lifted her chin and held his gaze as if underlining her next statement.

      “I will do this.”

      And for a moment, a grudging admiration snaked past his concern. She was loyal, he gave her that. “I can give you what information you need if you are willing to come to my office,” he said. “Can you bring Gracie by after this?”

      Again a heartbeat of hesitation. “I can give you half an hour,” she said.

      Eli wondered what Rachel was going to do with Gracie after that. One thing was for sure. In spite of her insistence that she could take care of Gracie, he knew he would have to keep a close eye on the little girl. He wasn’t going to let her care suffer for the sake of this