Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
M aggie stopped by Powell Water Sports on her way home from Jerry’s Market. With her sister’s visit and Emily’s situation, she’d had little time to visit with her sister-in-law, Ciara.
Ciara’s husband, Crawford, and his son, Luke, were assisting two customers. They waved as Ciara came out from the back room and hugged Maggie.
“Hey, Maggie, I’m sorry I haven’t been by lately. I’ve been so busy at the Outreach Center. How is everyone at the inn?”
“I’m sorry, too. You’d think during the slow season, life around our place would be quiet. Just when I think we’ll have some down time, family drama kicks in.”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry to hear it. Paolo told me about Emily and her mother getting in touch again. What a shock. What’s the latest?”
“Everyone in my family is getting tested. I can’t because of the cancer, but the kids are.”
“I talked to Sarah yesterday, and she told me that she’s thinking of getting tested. She was looking into how she does that from down here.”
Maggie laughed. “Oh? That’s news to me. If I want to know what’s going on with my daughter, I have to ask other people, I guess.”
“You know Sarah. She’s so busy with her family, I hardly ever see her these days. If I hadn’t called her, I wouldn’t have known either.”
“I’ll give her a call. In the meantime, the reason I stopped by was to ask you to do me a favor. I know you’re busy at the Outreach Center, but maybe you could stop by the inn here and there after I go up to Boston?”
“Of course, I’d be happy to. Is everything all right at the inn…anything I should know about?”
Maggie nodded. “A few things actually. The first is that my sister is staying in the cottage.”
Ciara smiled. “Sarah told me. She said her aunt left her uncle and came to Captiva to stay.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see. I’m not so sure about Kat moving here permanently. Everything in up in the air with them. She’s going to be in the cottage for an indefinite period of time.”
“That’s not a problem, is it?”
Maggie shrugged. “It’s fine for the short-term. I’m hoping that soon she’ll go back home, and she and Nolan will work things out. I just wanted you to know that she’s in the cottage. She takes care of her linens, towels and such, so you don’t have to worry about treating her like a guest.”
“Got it. When do you leave?”
“I’m not sure. Lauren should be delivering the baby any day now. Paolo and I have talked about going up the day after tomorrow. I’m about to head home and book our flight. The bigger question is how long we’ll be away. That, I can’t tell you. I’m thinking at least two weeks, but possibly longer. Millie, Riley, and Iris will run the place, but it would be helpful to have one more person to check on things. Check with them to see where they need the most help.”
“I’m happy to help. I understand how overwhelming this is. The last thing you need to worry about is running the inn. You and my brother take care of yourselves and don’t worry about things here on Captiva.”
“Thank you, Ciara. Now, I guess I need to call my daughter,” she said with a chuckle.
When Maggie reached the inn, she saw Sarah’s car parked in the driveway.
“Hey, you. I was about to call you. I was just talking with Ciara. She told me that you’re going to get tested?”
“Hi Mom, yes, change of plans. I’m coming with you to Boston.”
Maggie put her arm around Sarah’s waist and, together, walked to the back porch.
“What? When did you decide this?”
“When I realized my entire family was going to be in Boston without me. I’m going to get tested up there, along with everyone else. Besides, I want to see the baby when Lauren delivers. I’d hate being down here when everyone else is up there. Trevor and his parents will watch the kids. If it turns out that I’m a match, he’ll bring them up to Boston.”
“I’m so glad. You can fly up with Paolo and me. I’m glad you came over. I was about to get my computer and book our flight.”
“How do you think Grandma will react?” Sarah asked.
“Your grandmother is so busy all the time, I’m sure she won’t mind. I would show her how to use her cellphone to video though.”
“Great. I’ll stop by and give her a lesson. So, how’s Aunt Kat and Uncle Nolan? Are they making progress?”
Maggie sat on the porch swing.
“I have no idea. I’m staying out of it as best I can. Hopefully, the two of them will come to their senses and resolve their differences.”
Sarah smiled. “Look at it this way, soon you’ll be in Boston and she’ll be down here.”
Maggie frowned. “Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel better.”
“It feels like a rotation of Wheelers coming and going into that room,” Becca said, waiting for Christopher to finish the first round of tests.
“I can’t thank you enough for expediting these appointments, Becca,” Beth said. “Emily could die waiting for a donor.”
“Honestly, they’re used to this. When they have living donors, it’s not unusual to get a steady stream of family members. How was California?”
“Sad, not just the funeral, but leaving my father-in-law there without any family nearby was difficult for Gabriel and his brother. They tried their best to talk Thomas into coming east to stay with us, but he said no. I think he might change his mind. We just have to give him a little time. Everyone grieves in their own way.”
“Give him time,” Becca said.
Beth nodded and smiled. “In addition to being near his family, we gave him another incentive to come east.”
“Oh? What does that mean?”
“At one time, our property had a thriving apple orchard on it. The orchard is still there, although no one has taken care of it in years. While we were in California, we found a box with tons of photos and recipes—all stuff that Victoria made from the orchard. The place was a successful orchard and farm back when Gabriel was a kid. Linda and I plan to get it going again…well, the four of us, that is…and who knows how many others.”
Becca laughed and then faced Beth.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you go to law school? Since when do you know how to run a farm?”
Beth shrugged. “I don’t have the faintest idea how to do this. That’s why I think it’s awesome. I mean, it feels like…destiny or something.”
Becca was still giggling. “Oh, it’s something all right. Does anyone else in the family know about this?”
“No, not yet. We basically came to the hospital from our trip. We’ll tell everyone when the time is right. Right now, we all have to focus on saving Emily’s life. You’re in medical school. What do you think the odds are that someone in our family will be a match? I would think that when they do get a match, it’s mostly family members, right?”
Becca shrugged. “It doesn’t work that way. I mean, the odds are better for sure, but in the end it’s possible none of you will be a match. Then, out of the blue, a perfect stranger could be the right person.”
Beth sighed. “It’s got to be terrifying for her mother. Emily is her only child. They’re very close.”
Becca nodded. “Mothers are programmed to protect their children at all costs. I have no doubt that Eve’s biggest challenge is feeling helpless to do anything to help her daughter. Not being a match had to make it worse.”
“I forgot to ask you…are you getting tested?”
Becca nodded and got up from the bench. “Yeah…of course. I’m just going to do it at my hospital. Speaking of my hospital, I’ve got to get to work. I just wanted to check in on you all and be here for Chris, but they’re taking too much time and I’ve got to get back. Can you let him know I left and I’ll see him tonight at dinner?”
“Absolutely, we’ll catch up later.”
Becca walked down the long hospital hall and looked at her watch. She’d have to take a taxi to get to Tufts in time. It was going to be another long day before she would rest her head on her pillow.
She’d put medical school on hold once before, and it was taking her longer to catch up than she wanted. But the passion was still there, even after long hours and exhaustion that never abated.
Becca couldn’t heal her mother from cancer, but the illness solidified her commitment to doing everything she could to make a difference in the world.
Now, with a family member relying on a kidney transplant, she needed to race against time with the rest of the family.
She reasoned there was no use in telling Beth the truth. It wasn’t time, and there was little anyone could do about it anyway. For now, the focus needed to be on finding a living donor for her sister-in-law. That, and working harder than ever to keep her secret to herself.
Lauren’s water broke just as she and Jeff were about to sit down for dinner.
“I think this time it’s the real deal,” she said.
“That’s what you said the last two times. The hospital is starting to laugh at us when we show up,” Jeff teased.
“No, they’re not. Women have false labor all the time. Can you call Carol next door and let her know that we’re leaving for the hospital? She said she’d stay here instead of having the girls go next door. That way they can sleep in their own beds.”
Jeff dialed their neighbor’s phone, and Lauren got her coat.
“All set. Let’s get you in the car.”
As soon as Lauren got inside, she dialed her mother’s phone. Maggie answered immediately.
“Mom? It’s time, my water broke. We’re headed to the hospital right now. When can you and Paolo get here?”
“Actually, honey, Sarah is coming too. We’re booked on a flight the day after tomorrow.”
“Perfect timing,” Lauren said through clenched teeth. “Gotta go, Mom…contractions coming.”
“Oh, okay. Honey, everything is going to be wonderful. Tell Jeff to call us as soon as the baby arrives. I love you.”
“Love you, too…see you soon.”