The Doctor Delivers. Judy Christenberry

I am.”

      “Need me to carry you to bed?” he asked, ignoring her protest.

      “No!” she said with a gasp. She pushed herself up from the chair, then wavered.

      Nick reached out to steady her. “Okay, just take my arm and we’ll stroll to the bed.”

      She put her hand on his bent arm. He loved the warmth of her near him, her depending on him. You’re being foolish, he warned himself. The moment she gets well, she’ll be focused on her career again and have no need for you.

      But she needed him now.

      Liza fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, comforted by the last words she heard the doctor say. He’d keep watch until she woke up.

      Five hours later, she stirred, not sure what had awakened her. The late afternoon sun was pouring into the room from the opened draperies. Was that what had bothered her? Or had there been a noise?

      Immediately, fear filled her. Was the doctor there? Had that man returned? Or maybe the phone had rung. Maybe Emily had called and she’d missed it.

      She sat up in the bed, still tired, but a little more awake.

      “Dr. Hathaway?” she called, and waited anxiously for him to open the bedroom door. Relief poured through her when he did. She checked her watch. It was just after four o’clock. She was going to owe him a whopping bill for round-the-clock care.

      “How are you feeling?” he asked, smiling at her.

      Such a handsome man. It would be easy to have him around, she decided, to look at if nothing else. “Fine. Has anyone called?”

      “Nope. Oh, I take that back. Your mother called, but she didn’t want to talk to me.” He grinned like a little boy who’d done a magic trick. “She hung up.”

      She couldn’t help smiling back. Making her mother disappear would be a magic trick indeed. Cynthia normally traveled with Liza, but she’d been negotiating an appearance on a talk show in Chicago and had left her here in Saratoga Springs.

      “Anyone else?”

      “Nope. I didn’t awaken you for lunch. Are you hungry?” he asked, watching her.

      She laughed, her voice a little shaky, still with a huskiness that wasn’t normal. “I think all you try to do is fill me up with food.”

      “Well, so far I haven’t done such a good job. You missed lunch. Why don’t you slip on your slacks and we’ll go to the restaurant downstairs.”

      “No! I mean, I need to be here in case I get any calls,” she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

      He left the door and walked over to her bed, sitting down on the edge as he’d done in the hospital.

      “Before we make any decisions about dinner, I think you’d better answer a question for me.”

      She supposed she owed him that at least, since he’d done so much for her. With a hesitant nod, she watched him.

      “Who is Mrs. Tremble?”