Chapter 15 Lacey
LACEY
The afternoon sun streamed through the hospital windows as Lacey sat on the edge of her bed, fully dressed and increasingly impatient with the discharge process that seemed to drag on forever.
The mandatory wheelchair waited beside her bed like some kind of medical chariot she had no desire to ride in.
"I still don't understand why Margo got to leave this morning, and I have to wait until mid-afternoon," Lacey grumbled as a nurse appeared with the inevitable paperwork that seemed to multiply every time she thought they were finished.
"Your sister explained this to us already," June replied with patient amusement from her position in the visitor's chair.
"Margo had a less severe concussion, and her blood work came back completely clear of any residual chemical exposure.
You, on the other hand, had a more significant head injury, and Lucy wanted to monitor you for an extra twelve hours to make sure there were no delayed complications. "
"I feel fine," Lacey protested, though she had to admit that standing up too quickly still made her slightly dizzy.
"You feel fine because you've been lying in a hospital bed for the past day and a half," June pointed out reasonably. "Lucy wanted to make sure your balance and cognitive function were completely stable before releasing you to the wild."
The nurse finally finished her documentation and stepped back, smiling professionally. "All right, Dr. Peltz, you're officially free to go. Hospital policy requires that you use the wheelchair to the exit, but after that, you're on your own."
Lacey suppressed the urge to argue about the wheelchair requirement, recognizing that it would only delay her escape from the antiseptic confines of the medical facility.
She settled into the chair with as much grace as she could manage and allowed the nurse to push her through the corridors toward the main entrance.
"I'm perfectly capable of walking," she muttered under her breath as they passed other patients and visitors who glanced at her with sympathetic expressions.
"Of course you are," June agreed cheerfully, walking alongside them with Lacey's discharge instructions and personal belongings. "But sometimes it's easier to just go along with the rules than to fight every battle."
At the hospital entrance, Lacey immediately stood up from the wheelchair, waving off June's offer of assistance with perhaps more emphasis than was strictly necessary.
"I'm fine," she said firmly, taking a few steps to prove her point. "See? Steady as a rock."
June just laughed and stepped back, recognizing Lacey's need to assert her independence after being treated like an invalid for the past thirty-six hours.
They walked to Carmen's car, which June now used regularly since Carmen was driving the EMT Captain’s vehicle. As June started the engine, Lacey was already focused on the practical concerns that had weighed on her throughout her hospital stay.
"Did you manage to get in touch with Dr. Vernon about rescheduling her interview?" Lacey asked before June had even pulled out of the parking space. "I'm worried that all this drama with the fire and me getting attacked might have scared her off."
"I did speak with her," June replied calmly as she navigated through the hospital parking lot. "She was very understanding about the circumstances."
"Did you tell her about the clinic burning down?" Lacey asked with growing worry. "Because if she's looking for a stable practice to join, the fact that someone tried to murder me at my workplace might be a significant deterrent."
"I kind of had to mention it," June admitted as they pulled out onto the main road. "She was in town this morning and saw the damage herself."
Lacey felt her heart sink. Dr. Vernon had excellent credentials and impressive experience with both domestic animals and wildlife rehabilitation.
As a widow in her mid-fifties who was looking to settle down in a small coastal town like Sandpiper Shores, she had seemed like the perfect addition to the practice.
When the woman had contacted Lacey just a few days ago, it had felt like the answer to her prayers. Finding qualified veterinarians who were willing to work in small towns was challenging enough without adding the complications of arson and attempted murder.
"And she's still interested in the position?" Lacey asked, hardly daring to hope. "June, I really need her expertise. Between the regular domestic animal practice and the wildlife rehabilitation work, I can't handle everything on my own."
"I know you do," June said with a reassuring smile. "She did agree to reschedule, and I'll fill you in on all the details as soon as we reach our destination."
"Where exactly are we going?" Lacey asked, suddenly realizing that June was driving toward the center of town rather than toward the Sandpiper Inn where Lacey had been staying. "Why are we heading to the town square?"
"You'll see," June replied with obvious secrecy as she navigated the familiar streets toward the historic district.
Lacey frowned as June pulled into a parking space near the old post office, one of the most beautiful buildings in Sandpiper Shores.
The structure dated back to the town's founding and had served multiple purposes over the years, including a brief stint as a medical clinic in the back section during the early twentieth century.
The building was large and stately, with classic architectural details and extensive grounds that stretched back toward the waterfront.
Lacey had often thought it would make an ideal location for a veterinary practice, especially one that needed space for wildlife rehabilitation.
But the property had been closed for the past five years, ever since the postal service had moved to a more modern facility.
"Why are we stopping here?" Lacey asked as she studied the impressive facade of the old building. "Are we going into the town hall for some kind of paperwork?"
"No," June said, still not giving anything away. "Come on."
Lacey's eyes narrowed as she stepped out of the car and noticed that the front door of the old post office was slightly ajar. After everything that had happened to her over the past week, even small anomalies made her nervous.
"I hope vandals haven't gotten into the old post office again," Lacey said with a sigh, pointing to the slightly open door. "The last thing this town needs is damage to one of our historic buildings."
"Let's go find out what's happening," June suggested, taking Lacey's arm gently.
"Are you kidding me?" Lacey balked, pulling back slightly. "I've been the victim of enough 'accidents' and 'surprises' for one week. I'm not walking into another potentially dangerous situation."
"I'm absolutely sure it's safe," June told her with conviction. "Come on, trust me."
She took Lacey's hand and began pulling her up the three stone steps that led to the building's front entrance.
"June, if I get attacked by some scared vandal hiding in there," Lacey warned, "I'm going to be very upset with you."
"You won't be attacked by anyone," June assured her. "Now come on."
Before Lacey could voice any more protests, June grasped her hand firmly and pulled her through the doorway into the building's main room.
Lacey stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her. A crowd of familiar faces filled the space, and the moment she appeared, everyone shouted in unison, "Surprise!"
"Welcome to the new Happy Animals—Sandpiper Shores Veterinary and Wildlife Clinic," June announced with a huge grin.
"Are you serious?" Lacey asked, her heart racing as she looked around and saw clear evidence that renovations had been taking place.
The old postal service counters had been removed, the floors had been cleaned and refinished, and she could see modern electrical work and plumbing installations in progress.
"We're completely serious," Mina Dillinger said, stepping forward with an ornate set of keys in her hands. "Now, I have to warn you that it's not in the condition I would have preferred when you first saw it. But we only had a couple of hours to get everything ready for this surprise."
Lacey felt tears begin to form in her eyes as she looked around at the group that had gathered to welcome her.
Holt stood near the back with Rad beside him, both men smiling with obvious satisfaction at her reaction.
Noah and Ginny were there with their daughters, Katey and Zoe, who were practically bouncing with excitement.
Tom Morrison had come, and Dean was there too, his expression warm and proud as he watched her take in the surprise.
Even some of the younger generation had shown up to support her. Grace, Andy, Becky, and Tyler stood together near the windows, all of them grinning as they watched her process what everyone had done.
"I don't know what to say," Lacey managed, her voice thick with emotion.
"You don't have to say anything, Mom," Noah said, moving closer with obvious pride. "The whole town has been popping in and out all day, helping us move whatever equipment we could salvage from the old clinic. People have been incredible."
"You did all of this?" Lacey asked, feeling overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of her community. "In just a couple of days?"
"Well, we had a lot of help," Ginny added with a smile. "And Mina was amazing about letting us access the building and start the basic renovations."
"Come on, Gran," Katey said, stepping forward with the confident enthusiasm of a sixteen-year-old who had been deeply involved in the planning. "We want to show you what we've accomplished so far. And wait until you see what's being built out back for the wildlife rehabilitation area."