Her Little Spanish Secret

CHAPTER THREE

“LOOK, it’s a shopping mall!” Diana exclaimed. Then she frowned. “I almost wish my luggage hadn’t shown up this morning, or I’d have a good excuse to go buy new clothes.”

Kat nodded ruefully. She was surprised to find Seville was a city of contrasts, from the modern shopping mall to the mosques and bronze statues straight out of the sixteenth century. “A little disappointing in a way, isn’t it?” she murmured.

“Hey, not for me,” Diana pointed out. “I mean, the history here is nice and everything, but I’m all in favor of modernization. Especially when it comes to shopping.”

They’d walked to a small café for breakfast, and found the shopping mall on the way back to the hotel. “Maybe you can explore the mall with Tommy this morning while I’m at the hospital, visiting Juliet.”

“Sounds good. Although don’t forget we plan on taking the boat tour later this afternoon,” Diana reminded her.

“I won’t forget,” Kat murmured. Sightseeing wasn’t top of her list, but it was the least she could do for Diana as her friend spent a good portion of every day watching her son. Besides, sitting for hours at the hospital wasn’t going to help Juliet recover any quicker.

“Here’s the metro station,” Kat said. “Call me if you need anything, okay? I’ll see you later, Tommy.” Kat swept him into her arms for a hug, which he tolerated for barely a minute before he wiggled out of her grasp.

“We’ll be fine,” Diana assured her, taking Tommy’s hand in a firm grip.

“I know.” She watched them walk away towards the mall, before taking the steps down to the metro station to wait for the next train. Despite the fact that she still needed to break the news about Tommy to Miguel, she found she was looking forward to seeing him again. Last night, before she’d fallen asleep, Miguel’s words had echoed in her mind, giving her a secret thrill.

I’ve thought of you often over these past few years.

She doubted that he’d thought of her as often as she’d thought of him, though. Mostly because of Tommy since he was the mirror image of his father. Yet also because Miguel had taken a small piece of her heart when he’d left.

Not that she ever planned on telling him that.

She needed to let go of the past and move on with her life. Whatever her conflicting feelings for Miguel, she couldn’t afford to fall for him. They wanted different things out of life. She wanted a home, family, stability. Miguel wanted adventure. He wanted Doctors Without Borders. He wanted to travel. The only time they were in sync was when they had worked as colleagues in the O.R..

And, of course, during the night they spent together.

Walking into the hospital was familiar now, and she greeted the clerk behind the desk in Spanish. “Buenos dias.”

“Buenos dias,” the clerk replied with a wide grin. One thing about Spain, most people seemed to be in a good mood. Maybe because they had a more laid-back lifestyle here. She found it amazing that the shops actually closed down for three hours between noon and three for siesta. She couldn’t imagine anyone in the U.S. doing something like that.

Yet if the people were happier, maybe it was worth it?

Kat took the stairs to the third-floor I.C.U., entered her sister’s room and crossed over to the bedside, taking her sister’s small hand in hers. “Hi, Jules, I’m back. How are you feeling, hmm?”

She knew her sister wasn’t going to open her eyes and start talking, which would be impossible with a breathing tube in anyway, but Kat was convinced patients even in her sister’s condition could hear what was going on around them, so she decided she’d keep up her one-sided conversation with her sister.

“Seville is a beautiful city, Jules, I can understand why you wanted to study here. I wish I knew exactly what happened to you. No one here seems to know anything more than the fact that you ran into the road and were struck by a car. Can you hear me, Jules? If you can hear me, squeeze my hand.”

When Juliet’s fingers squeezed hers, Kat’s knees nearly buckled in relief. “That’s great, Juliet. Now wiggle your toes for me. Can you wiggle your toes?”

This time Juliet’s non-casted left leg moved again. It wasn’t wiggling her toes, exactly, but Kat was still thrilled at the small movement. Her sister was truly doing better. Juliet would probably only follow commands intermittently, but each day she’d improve and do better.

Exactly the way Miguel had assured her she would.

“Good job, Jules. I’m so glad you can hear me. You’re still in the hospital in Seville, but as soon as you’re better, you’re going to be sent to an American hospital back home. Can you understand what I’m saying? If you can understand me, squeeze my hand.”

Juliet squeezed her hand again, and relieved tears blurred her vision. Her sister was going to make it. Juliet might have a long road to recovery ahead of her, but she was going to make it.

“Katerina?”

At the sound of Miguel’s voice she whirled around and quickly crossed over to him. “She’s following commands, Miguel!” she exclaimed. “She’s starting to wake up!”

He caught her close in a warm hug. “I’m glad,” he murmured, his mouth dangerously close to her ear.

She wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and lean on his strength, but she forced herself to step away, putting badly needed distance between them. What was wrong with her? It wasn’t as if she’d come to Seville in order to rejuvenate her feelings for Miguel. Better for her if she kept him firmly in the friendship category. As if their one night together had been an aberration.

One that had produced a son.

There was no reason to feel as if being around Miguel was like coming home. Truthfully, she’d never been farther from home.

“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her tears on the back of her hand while searching for a tissue. “I didn’t mean to get all emotional on you.”

“Here.” He grabbed the box of tissues from the bedside table and handed them to her. “Don’t apologize, I know how worried you’ve been.”

She blew her nose and pulled herself together, forcing a smile. “I hope this doesn’t mean you’re going to send Juliet home right away, are you?”

“Not yet. I would like your sister to be completely off the ventilator and more awake before she’s transported back to the U.S.”

“Sounds good.” She was relieved to know they wouldn’t have to leave Seville just yet. Especially as she hadn’t told Miguel about Tommy. A wave of guilt hit hard. Should she tell him now? No, this wasn’t exactly the time or the place for a heavy conversation. Besides, Miguel was working, making rounds. No doubt he had many patients to see.

She was about to ask him what time he got off work when he reached over to take her hand in his. “Katerina, will you have dinner with me tonight?”

She hesitated just a moment before nodding her assent. Wasn’t this what she’d wanted all along? A good time and place to tell him about his son? A quiet dinner with just the two of them would be the perfect time to give him the news. “Yes, Miguel. Dinner would be wonderful.”

“Excellent,” he murmured. His gaze was warm and she had to remind herself this wasn’t a date. Her son’s future was what mattered here, not her roller-coaster feelings for his father.

“What time?” she asked.

“We’ll go early as I know you’re not used to our customs yet. Shall we say eight o’clock?”

A wry grin tugged at the corner of her mouth because eight o’clock wasn’t at all early back home. “All right. Where should I meet you?”

“I will pick you up at your hotel. Which one are you staying at?”

“We—I’m at the Hesperia hotel,” she said, using the correct Spanish pronunciation while hoping he didn’t catch her slip.

“Excellent. There is a wonderful restaurant just a few blocks away.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, but I need to finish making rounds. Did you have any questions about the chart copies I gave you?”

She’d read through his entire stack of notes early that morning, before Tommy had woken up. “I noticed her electrolytes keep going out of whack—do you think that’s because of her head injury?”

“Yes, brain injuries cause sodium levels to drop, but try not to worry as we are replacing what she’s lost.”

She’d noticed the IV solution running through Juliet’s IV was similar to what they’d use in the U.S. Except for the equipment being a little different, the basics of medical and nursing care were very much the same.

“Thanks again, Miguel, for everything,” she said in a low voice, trying to put the depth of her feelings into words. “I’m so relieved to know my sister is in such good hands.”

“You’re very welcome, Katerina. I’ll see you tonight, yes?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. After he left, she walked back and sat down at her sister’s bedside.

She was lucky that Miguel was here. Not just because he spoke English, which was a huge help, but because she knew he was an excellent surgeon.

Ironic how fate had brought her face to face with Tommy’s father after all these years. Her previously suppressed feelings for Miguel threatened to surface and she took a long, deep breath, ruthlessly shoving them back down.

She needed to protect her heart from Miguel’s charm. And even more importantly, she needed to preserve the life she’d built with her son.

Miguel finished his rounds and then took a break to call his brother. Unfortunately, Luis didn’t answer the phone so he left his brother a message, requesting a return phone call.

He rubbed the back of his neck, debating whether he should go out to see his brother after work or not. He should have time before dinner as he wasn’t on call this evening. But at the same time, going all the way out to the farm and back would take at least two and a half hours, and he didn’t want to be late for his dinner date with Katerina.

Miguel was pleased Katerina had agreed to see him again tonight. He felt the need to make it up to her for leaving so abruptly after finding out about his father’s stroke. The night they’d spent together had been incredible. There had always been the hint of awareness between them while working together in the operating room. At times it had seemed as if Katerina could practically read his mind, instinctively knowing what he’d needed before he’d had to ask.

He’d been tempted to pursue a relationship, but had told himself it wouldn’t be fair since he wasn’t planning on staying. Maybe if things had been different …

No, he’d made his decision. He’d already given notice at the hospital that he was leaving at the end of the academic year, which was just three months away. He’d first heard about Doctors Without Borders in Madrid from one of his colleagues. He’d quickly decided that he wanted to join as well once he’d finished his training. He’d known early on he didn’t want to stay on his family’s olive farm. He’d wanted to travel. To learn about other cultures. He’d jumped at the opportunity to study in the U.S. and now couldn’t wait to join Doctors Without Borders.

So why was he torturing himself by seeing Katerina again? If he had a functioning brain cell in his head, he’d stay far away from her until her sister was stable enough for transport back home.

Katerina wasn’t the woman for him. He knew he shouldn’t measure all women against his American mother, but after living in both cultures he understood a little better why his mother had reacted the way she had. The two lifestyles were very different. Maybe if the olive farm hadn’t suffered two bad years in a row, there would have been money for vacations back in the U.S. Would that have been enough for his mother? Or would that have only emphasized her loss?

Truthfully, he couldn’t understand why his mother just hadn’t purchased a one-way ticket to New York and returned home if she’d been so desperately unhappy here. Instead, she’d stayed to become a bitter woman who’d made all their lives miserable. Until she’d unexpectedly died of an overdose, which had been determined to be accidental rather than a suicide attempt.

Miguel shook off his dark thoughts and concentrated on his patients. He loved everything about being a surgeon. There wasn’t nearly as much trauma here in Seville as in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but he didn’t mind. One thing he never got used to was losing patients.

Especially young patients. Like the twenty-five-year-old pregnant mother they’d lost during his last shift in the U.S.

After finishing his rounds on the adults in his case load, he made his way over to the children’s wing, which happened to be in the oldest part of the hospital. He wanted to visit Pedro, his young appendectomy patient. The young boy would need to stay a few days for IV antibiotics before he could be discharged.

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