The Doctor's Daughter

Holding center stage were a much-older-than-she-remembered Joe Gallant with a slim, brown-haired woman who must be his wife, a teacup and saucer in her hand. Honor Gallant chatted animatedly with an older woman Virginia didn’t recognize. Several ladies stooped over the baby, who was decked out in white lace and satin and gazing quietly up at the world from a fancy bassinet. A gray-haired man leaning heavily on a cane stood proudly beside the bassinet, a rather spectral-looking man in a bowler hat at his elbow, solicitously holding a tray with two cups and saucers and a small plate of cakes.

Virginia fought a sudden ache. How differently she’d welcomed Robert into the world. She’d taken a bus to Regina a week before her due date and stayed with a friend, whom she’d sworn to silence, so that her baby would be born in Saskatchewan and wouldn’t even be traceable in Alberta records. Now she realized she’d probably gone somewhat overboard in her desperate fear that the man who’d raped her might find out about Robert and make life more difficult than it already was.

Suddenly she spotted Lucas Yellowfly and caught her breath. He was even handsomer than she’d remembered, and he’d been handsome as a teenager, when all the other boys had been just gangly and awkward. His shoulders were broad, the man fulfilling the rangy promise of the boy, and he looked terrific in a suit she’d have sworn was handmade, it fit him so beautifully. His hair was still black as coal, and he was tall—he’d been tall at eighteen.

He smiled as he bent slightly toward a dark-haired woman Virginia vaguely recognized. No, she couldn’t put a name to the face. Lucas’s smile was warm. Was this the lady in his life? Although she hadn’t thought of that possibility, Virginia felt some relief. Of course Lucas Yellowfly would have a woman in his life, whether he was married or not. He was too attractive not to be in some kind of relationship.

That would make working with him a little easier. Not that she herself was particularly attracted to him, not anymore. What she’d felt for him all those years ago had been nothing more than a teenage crush. She’d been involved with Johnny Gagnon. Lucas had just been a lucky, last-minute date for her prom and a chance—again—to thumb her nose at the town.

Lucas saw her then, and Virginia knew that the seeds of the attraction that had once existed hadn’t gone away. How awkward, when they’d be working together. His eyes caught hers and she felt almost as if he’d reached across the crowded room and touched her, put his warm, strong hands on her shoulders, run the side of his thumb along her cheekbone... kissed her softly. She took a swift breath. What foolishness!

She forced herself to smile and walked into the room. Lucas moved toward her, his eyes never leaving her face. The woman he’d been speaking with accompanied him. Virginia swallowed hard.

“Virginia!” He took her hand in both of his and smiled in return. His eyes were tender and gentle and welcoming. She felt a prickle of emotion, which she pushed back firmly. She took a deep breath. She finally felt secure, wanted, as though she’d made the right decision in coming back to Glory. That was a great part of Lucas Yellowfly’s charm, as she remembered it. He gave the impression that the person he was speaking to was the only person in the world. It had a great effect on women.

“Hello, Lucas.”

He kept hold of her hand and turned to the woman beside him. “Donna, this is Virginia Lake, the woman I’ve been telling you about. I believe she’s coming to work for Pete and me in the firm. Is that correct, Virginia? Virginia, this is Donna Beaton, an old friend. She runs a gift shop in town.”

Virginia, Virgina... It was as though he couldn’t stop himself from saying her name.

An old friend. “How do you do, Donna?” Virginia said formally, and shook the other woman’s hand. “Yes—” she glanced at Lucas “—I’ll be starting in the office the first week of school, I believe.”

“Welcome to Glory,” Donna said. “I hope you’ll enjoy living here. Well, Lucas, I think I’ll head back to the store now.” She smiled apologetically at Virginia. “I catch up on my bookkeeping on Wednesdays.”

“Virginia,” Lucas repeated, gazing deeply into her eyes. He took her arm, and nodded as the other woman moved away with a small wave, then leaned toward her. “Listen, do you want to get out of here?”

“Sure,” Virginia said, quickly looking around. “Maybe I’d better say hello to the parents of the baby first?”

“Do you know Joe and his wife?”

She shrugged. “Not really.”

“Well, then, why don’t we leave? You can meet them another time.”

Lucas adroitly maneuvered her out of the crowded hall, smiling and saying a few words to people as they left. Then they were back in the bright sunshine, standing on the painted wooden steps that led up to the hall.

“You bring a car?”

“No,” Virginia replied, very conscious of Lucas’s hand still on her elbow. “I walked over from your office. I left my son with Mother.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting him,” Lucas said. “What’s his name?”

“Robert.”

“Starting grade one?”

“Kindergarten. He’s just five.”

The unspoken question hung between them: Who is his father? Virginia bit her lip.

“I walked, too,” Lucas said easily as they reached the sidewalk. He let go of her elbow, for which she was grateful, and adjusted his stride to hers, hands in his pockets. “So, what are your plans, Virginia? I suppose you’ll be staying with your folks for a while?”

“A few days. I’m going to look for a place to rent while I’m here—”

“While you’re here?” he interrupted, one eyebrow raised.

“Sorry.” She felt herself flush slightly. “That didn’t sound right, did it? I’m planning to stay. When I find a place to rent, I’ll go back to Stettler and pack up our stuff.”

“Stettler. That’s where you’ve been living?”

“Yes.” She could be as clever at not giving out information as he could be at soliciting it. She wanted to smile.

“It can be tough renting in Glory. Most people own, and there’s not much in the way of apartments in a small place like this.”

“I’m hoping Mother and Dad will know of something.”

By this time they were at the far side of the square. Virginia noticed a delicatessen-café—Molly McClung’s—that hadn’t been there when she’d lived in town. Lucas gestured toward it. “Coffee?”

She hesitated, but only for a second. Lucas was not only going to be her boss now, one of them, but he was well connected here. He was also her friend, or he had been, years and years ago. She needed a friend in Glory.

“They’ve got great carrot cake,” he teased, one hand on the door, the other reaching for her elbow again.

“Sounds good.”

The interior was dim and cool and bursting with good scents. Homemade soup, fresh-baked goods, spices, peppermint tea, fresh-squeezed orange juice....

They sat in a booth next to the window. A plump woman came from behind the counter to take their orders, then Lucas turned back to Virginia with a devilish grin. She waited, trying hard not to smile herself.

“You aren’t going to believe this, Virginia Lake, but I think I’ve got just the answer for you.”

She toyed with her spoon. “What do you mean?”

“An apartment. I’m moving out of my place and as far as I know, Mrs. Vandenbroek hasn’t rented it yet.”

“You’re moving out?” She added cream to her coffee, which had just arrived, and stirred it.

“Yes. You remember my sister, Theresa?”

“No.” Virginia shook her head and took a sip of the coffee. It was delicious. Her eyes met Lucas’s over her cup.

“Well, she’s a few years older than I am.” Lucas pulled his coffee toward him. “Anyway, she’s got an eight-year-old daughter, Tammy—she’s in grade three this year. Theresa’s shipping her out to live with me for a couple of months, so I’ve bought a house. It’s bigger and closer to the school.”

“Bought a house?”

“It was high time. I’d been thinking about it for a while.”

Virginia frowned. “Why is she sending her daughter to you?”

Lucas sipped his coffee, then set down his mug. “Theresa’s in a patch of trouble. She’s had problems with substance abuse in the past, liquor mostly, and she swears she’s going clean this time. She’s checked into a sweat lodge or some damn thing on Vancouver Island. Something she thinks is going to do the trick for her. Get in touch with her Indian spiritual side, all that stuff.”

“You don’t sound like you believe her,” Virginia said flatly, still frowning.

“Hey, I’ve heard a lot of big dry-out plans from Theresa over the years. She’s been through detox, through different twelve-step programs, you name it. I’ll keep an open mind on the sweat lodge.” He shrugged. “Who knows? It could work for her this time.”

“What about Tammy’s father?” Virginia didn’t know why she asked that question. The whole thing was none of her business.

Lucas paused and their eyes held for a second too long. “He’s not in the picture. Theresa’s never told me anything about him.”

The statement seemed to hover there. The waitress brought their carrot cake just then, and Virginia was glad of the interruption and determined to change the subject.

“I’ll have a look at the apartment. Thanks. Is it close to town?”

“Alder Street. Not far from the office.”

Virginia thrust a fork into her cake. It was very good. She tried to ignore the statement about Tammy’s father, but she couldn’t. Lucas—everyone, the whole town—must be wondering about her son. Who was Robert’s father? Well, she did know that, although sometimes she wished she didn’t.

“The apartment’s not big. Two bedrooms, one fairly small, which I used for a den, a kitchen, one bathroom, a small living room. It’s on the top floor of Mrs. Vandenbroek’s house. There’s a separate entrance. She’s okay. Decent-landlady, not too nosy.”

“Furnished?”

“Yeah. I had some of my own stuff, so she put a few things in the basement. She could rent it completely furnished, I’m sure.”

Virginia didn’t miss the curiosity in Lucas’s dark gaze. He must wonder why she’d want a furnished place, like some oilfield worker moving in with a pair of jeans, two T-shirts and a case of beer for the fridge. The truth was, she hadn’t accumulated much in the past few years. She’d moved too many times to want to burden herself with furniture. Apart from Robert’s toys and their clothes, there wasn’t much to bring down from Stettler. She could easily get it all in her car.

“Shall I tell Mrs. Vandenbroek to hold the place for you?”

Virginia met Lucas’s gaze. “Yes. I...uh, I really appreciate this, Lucas. It makes things a bit easier.” She barely recognized her own voice, low, hesitant, even slightly wobbly.

“Hey.” Lucas covered her hand with his briefly and signaled for the check. “What are friends for?” he asked easily. “Do you want to go over and see it now?”

“No, I’d better get back to see how Robert’s getting on with Mother. Thanks, Lucas.”

Almost as though conscious that things were moving a little too fast—although in which direction Virginia couldn’t have said—Lucas nodded. “I’m going back to the office for a couple of hours. Anything I can do for you?” He held the door open for her as they left the café.

“Not at all. You’ve been very helpful. Very kind.”

He smiled. “I, uh, I guess I’ll see you later.”

Virginia nodded. “Thanks again.”

“I’ll call your folks and leave my landlady’s number with them. You can see the place whenever. You don’t have to wait until I move out.”

“Okay.” She watched him cross the street, then turned and began to walk slowly toward where she’d parked her car.

She was glad he’d left it at that. That he hadn’t made her any offers she’d have had to refuse. Friends. They were thinking along the same lines, at least

CHAPTER FOUR

LUCAS REALIZED he’d been counting the days until Virginia came to town. It was now precisely twenty-two days since he’d spotted her application and eight days since he’d seen her at the christening.

He peered into the fogged-up mirror and drew the razor carefully over his chin. It was Thursday, but he wasn’t going into the office today. He was moving.

He’d better come clean with her right off the bat. No sense letting her go on thinking he’d forgotten everything that had happened twelve years ago. Maybe it meant nothing to her—just another date—but it had meant plenty to him. He’d never forgotten her, not in all that time. His thoughts of taking up where he left off when he’d looked over that application sure hadn’t changed since last week.

She was beautiful now. Of course, she’d always been beautiful to him, even the first time he’d seen her when she was scrawny and maybe eleven or twelve. She’d been up a big sycamore, determined not to let any of the neighborhood boys into her tree house, and was pelting down anything she could lay her hands on—twigs, stuff from the treehouse, one of the other girls’ sneakers. He’d just happened by with his buddy Adam Garrick. They were too old and too cool to get involved—must have been sixteen, at least—but he’d never forgotten it. Spit, vinegar, sass. She’d been on fire with righteous indignation and he’d thought if she was a little older, he’d like to get to know her.

Well, she’s a little older now. He whistled under his breath as he dabbed at the traces of shaving cream on his face and swiped the mist from the mirror with his towel.

He glanced out the small bathroom window, which he’d propped wide-open. Another gorgeous day. He was moving his stuff over to the new house this morning, and Virginia and her son were moving into this place on the weekend. Tammy was arriving on the weekend, too, on Sunday. He’d drive to Calgary and pick her up at the airport.

Lucas was still whistling as he finished dressing. Jeans, an old T-shirt, sneakers. Much as he enjoyed playing the lawyer-about-town, he liked getting into his old gear at home. He was looking forward to furnishing the new house on Second Avenue and settling in with his niece. He’d always gotten along well with Theresa’s daughter, and this way afforded a chance to try out being a parent. Plus help his sister.

Not that he wasn’t ready to make the big leap himself. Marriage. Kids. A mortgage. He already had the mortgage and now he had a woman in mind, as well. And she came complete with a kid already, which was just fine by him.

Robert. Kind of an odd little duff, with his glasses and his serious face and big brown eyes. Somehow Lucas had pictured a miniature version of Virginia, only male, but Robert was dark, not fair. He’d met the boy the day after he’d seen Virginia at the christening; the two had been downtown when he’d gone to the hotel to meet a client for lunch. That was Glory—business lunch was over a burger and a mug of beer at the Glory Hotel, not a steak and a glass of cabernet at the Palliser. Which was just fine with him. Lucas’s clients tended to be more of the break-and-enter variety than the insurance-fraud type. Which was fine, too.

He might have set up practice in Glory initially to rub the town’s nose in his success, but he had to admit he’d grown fond of the place; now he couldn’t imagine leaving. That was why buying the old Murphy house hadn’t hurt quite as much as he’d thought it would. A house, after all, was a big commitment.

Two stories, white-painted, wide wooden veranda with gingerbread trim, picket fence, lilac hedge, the works. It was in an older neighborhood, close to the center of town. Lucas liked everything about it, from its hardwood floors and stone fireplace to the sunny kitchen and the big yard out back with the raspberry bushes and the Norway maples. Next on his list, after he moved his stuff over this morning, was to buy more furniture and get it delivered.

Maybe Virginia and her boy could help him pick some out

Lucas pulled the door shut behind him and clattered down the outdoor stairs.

Virginia and Robert were coming up the sidewalk.

“Hello!” she said, shading her eyes against the morning sunlight. “We just wanted to get a key from Mrs. Vandenbroek so I can show Robert the apartment. Are you leaving?”

“Just to grab some breakfast at the Chickadee.” Lucas had most of his morning meals at the Chickadee Café, a low-end, no-nonsense place tucked in behind the Glory Hotel.

He peered in his landlady’s kitchen window. Everything was spotless and shining and silent inside. “I believe she said something about going over to her sister’s to pick peas this morning. Hey, come on up. I can show you the place.”

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

Lucas regarded her for a few seconds. She looked gorgeous in khaki shorts and a plain, long-sleeved white shirt and sandals. Robert wore green shorts and an Edmonton Oilers T-shirt—in the middle of Calgary Flames country. He’d have to set the boy straight. “It’s no trouble at all.”

They followed him up the stairs.

The door opened into the kitchen. There was another door, a fire escape, off the main bedroom. Lucas stood back as Virginia and her son walked into the apartment.

“See, Robert? Here’s where we’ll be having our meals. Does the table stay?” She turned, her sea-blue eyes echoing the query.

“Table and chairs stay. Bed stays. Stuff in the den goes. Sofa and chair stay. End tables and lamps go.”

“Coffee table?”

“It stays.”

Lucas leaned against the doorjamb, watching them. It felt weird to have Virginia in his apartment. It felt even weirder to think she’d be sleeping in what he’d thought of as his bed for well over a year. And she’d be sitting down at his table with her son.

“You mean this is mine? I get a room all to myself?” Robert said, looking up at his mother in wonder.

She smiled quickly, glanced at Lucas, then back at her son. “Yes, Robert. All yours.” She ruffled his hair in a gentle gesture and Lucas felt his heart go thump-thump.

“Do I get my own bed’ and everything?”

“Yes, honey. We’ll have to buy you some furniture, won’t we? For your very own room. A desk, maybe, and a—”

“And bunk beds?” Robert grabbed his mother’s hand. “Oh, boy! Bunk beds, so I can have a friend sleep over with me?”

Virginia paused, but just for a second. “Sure. Bunk beds.”

Lucas cleared his throat. “I’m, uh, I’ll be doing some shopping myself when I get my stuff moved over. After lunch. Maybe you and Robert would like to come along.” This was as good a time as any to jump in and show her that he had every intention of being a friend and more if she’d allow it.

“Here in town?”

“There’s always Riddley’s. Or we could go to Lethbridge or drive into Calgary. Make a day of it.” Man, he was full of good ideas.

“Can we, Mom? Can we get bunk beds today? Yippee!”

Robert suddenly bolted into the bathroom and slammed the door. They heard his excited voice, slightly muffled. “I’m going to try out our new toilet!”

Lucas and Virginia smiled at each other. Lucas waited. He’d thrown out the invitation. The next move was Virginia’s.

“Well, it’s very kind of you to offer, Lucas. We’ve got our car, though—”

“I’ve got the pickup. Come with me. We’ll take Robert over to the Grizzly Drive-in. You remember it?”

Virginia laughed. “Is that still around?”

“Yep. And Mrs. Perkins is still running it, too.

Then we’ll go shopping for bunk beds.”

Virginia laughed again, then shrugged. “Okay.

Sounds fine.”

They heard the toilet flush, then the faucet, and Robert came out, wiping his damp hands on his shorts. “I like this place, Mom. It’s cool.”

“Good. Now let’s get on our way. Mr. Yellowfly has lots of things to do this morning.”

Lucas groaned. “Oh, please, Virginia. Lucds. Listen, Robert...”

The boy looked up at him, a tiny smile hovering on his too-serious face.

“Promise to call me Lucas, okay? Don’t forget.

Never Mr. Yellowfly—never.”

“Okay...Lucas.” The boy grinned up at his mother. “He said to, Mom!” he protested when she murmured something about manners. Lucas hadn’t seen him smile like that yet. It suited the boy.

He stepped aside as they came back into the kitchen. “When do you want to go? Like I said, I was thinking of this afternoon. But if tomorrow’s better for you...”

“This afternoon will be fine.”

“I’ll pick you up at your parents’?”

“Great.”

“Let’s make it before lunch so we can buy Robert a Grizzly burger. I should be finished moving this stuff by then.” Lucas gestured to the stacks of boxes already neatly packed and piled on the kitchen floor. “Half-past eleven, say?”

Virginia smiled and nodded. As he left them on the sidewalk to make his way to the Chickadee Café for his usual two-over-easy and stack of hots, Lucas could hear Robert asking what a Grizzly burger was and Virginia trying to explain.

ROBERT’S EYES WERE HUGE when they drove up to the Grizzly Drive-in. The take-out diner, built in the shape of a bear’s head, was a landmark in Glory, and Virginia had many memories of late-night swoops to the drive-in with Johnny or some of her friends for burgers and malts.

Lucas obligingly growled—a Glory tradition, albeit one usually practiced by children—and Mrs. Perkins growled back.

“Say, that you, Virginia?” she exclaimed, bending low from the counter inserted into the snarling bear’s mouth to peer into Lucas’s pickup. “Well, I’ll be danged! Good to see you, dear. What’ll ya have?”

It was said that Mrs. Perkins never forgot a face.

Lucas ordered a burger and fries for Robert, an order of onion rings for her and got himself a rootbeer float. They parked on the side of the potholed parking lot and ate their meal with the windows of the pickup wide-open.

“What do you think, Robert?” Lucas asked, smiling at Virginia over her son’s head.

“Cool!” He had his carton of french fries on his bare knees and was squeezing the hamburger a little harder than necessary so that mayo and ketchup dripped.

“Yuck!” Virginia wiped at her son’s knees with a napkin.

“Here.” Lucas handed her some packages of moist wipes from the food bag, which she used to finish cleaning up Robert. She hated to be too hard on the boy; it wasn’t often that she’d seen him enjoy himself like this.

The onion rings were as good as she remembered. The hell with cholesterol, she decided, licking her fingers.

She sneaked a glance at Lucas as he sat, slouched back in his seat, one arm crooked out the window, the other holding his drink. He caught her glance and grinned. She smiled, suddenly brimming with good feeling. Simple. Uncomplicated. She’d found so few opportunities to relax in the past few years, certainly not with someone like Lucas, someone she’d known since she was practically a kid. She wondered who else from her school days was still living in Glory. Maybe she’d look up a few old friends soon.

Lucas seemed very relaxed, too. She was grateful for that. Obviously a lot of the stuff she’d thought about working with him was strictly in her own head. She’d have to make sure it stayed there.

They’d decided to drive to Lethbridge to check out Cooper’s Department Store. Calgary would have been a better bet for selection, but a big-city mall was the last place Virginia felt like visiting on a sunny late-August afternoon.

They were driving down the highway that led to Lethbridge, deep in the St. Mary River valley, when Robert suddenly spoke up from his position on the bench seat between Lucas and her. He’d been quiet for the last five miles or so.

“Are you my dad?” He looked at Lucas wistfully. Virginia wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. She’d never heard anything like that from her son before.

“Me?” Lucas’s startled eyes met hers over the boy’s dark head. “Your dad?”

There was no mistaking the alarm in his voice. Virginia had to say something.

“Robert—”

“No, it’s okay,” Lucas said, and smiled at the boy. Robert continued to gaze seriously at him. “No, I’m not your dad, pal. What made you think so?”