The Doctor's Redemption

Marsha announced, “I heard from the city contact. He said we had to move soon on the house or the city will have to announce it’s for sale. They can’t hold it forever.”

Laura Jo groaned. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. “How much time do we have?”

“Week or two. At least until things settle down after Mardi Gras. We’ve got to come up with a good way to raise a lot of money. Fast. I know you don’t want to do it but you do have the contacts. Maybe you could put on a party dress and go pick the pockets of all those society friends you used to hang around with.”

Laura Jo shook her head. “That’s not going to happen. We’ll have to find another way.”

What if she had to face her mother and father? Worse, have them see her asking for money. That’s what they had thought she’d be doing if she married Phil. That’s what he’d wanted her to do, but she’d refused. After her fight with her parents she and Phil had gone to Las Vegas that night to get married.

When they’d returned Phil had left to work on an oil rig. Three weeks later he’d come home. A week later all his pay had gone and he’d admitted he’d been fired. He’d made noises about looking for a job but in hindsight she didn’t think he’d ever really tried. Things had got worse between them. The issue that finally snapped them had been Laura Jo telling him she was pregnant. Phil’s snarling parting words were, “I didn’t sign on for no kid. You can’t put that on me. Having you is bad enough.”

Marsha gave her questioning look. “You know I’m kidding but …”

“I’ll come up with something.” She checked her watch. “Now, I have to get to the hospital.” Stepping toward Allie, Laura Jo said to Marsha, “I’ll meet you at the parade tomorrow evening.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Laura Jo leaned down and kissed Allie on the head. “See ya. Be good for Marsha.”

“I will,” Allie replied, then returned to what she was doing.

“Thanks, Marsha.” Laura Jo called as she went up the hall.

Six hours later, Laura Jo was longing for her dinner and a moment to put her feet up. She wasn’t going to get either anytime soon. Working in a trauma one level hospital meant a constant influx of patients, not only the regular cases but Mardi Gras’s as well, which brought out the revelers and daredevils. Weekend nights were the worst and the place resembled a circus with not enough clowns to go around. Everyone had their hands full. The doors were swishing open regularly with people coming in. The constant ringing of the phone filled the area, blending with the piercing scream of ambulance sirens.

As she stepped back into the nursing station the phone rang again. Seconds later the clerk called out, “Incoming. Sixty-seven-year-old male. Heart attack. Resuscitating in transit. Child with head trauma behind that. ETA ten.”

“I’ll take the heart. Trauma six.” Laura Jo hurried to set up what was needed before the patient arrived.

Minutes later the high-pitched sound of the ambulance arriving filled the air and Laura Jo rushed outside. The double rear doors of the vehicle stood wide open. Usually by this time the EMTs would be unloading the patient.

Looking inside, she immediately recognized the EMT working over the patient but not the other man. Then she did. Mark Clayborn. Again he was wearing red biking shorts and a yellow shirt of a first responder.

Mark held the portable oxygen bubble away from the patient as the EMT placed the defibrillator paddles on the patient’s chest. The body jerked. The beep of the machine monitoring the heart rate started and grew steadier. Putting the earpieces of the stethoscope that had been around his neck into place, Mark listened to the man’s heart. “Let’s get him inside,” he said with a sharp tone of authority. He then made an agile jump to the ground, turned toward the interior of the ambulance and helped bring out the patient on the stretcher.

Although confused by why he had been allowed in the emergency vehicle, she still followed his lead. It was against policy to ride in the back unless you were part of the EMT staff. But now wasn’t the time for questions. She stood aside while the two men lifted out the stretcher. The wheels dropped to the pavement and Laura Jo wrapped her hand around the yellow metal frame and pulled. Mark kept his fingers on the pulse point of the patient’s wrist while the EMT pushed.

They had reached the doors when Mark said, “We’re losing him again.”

Tall enough to lean over and push on the patient’s chest, he began compressions. Another nurse met them and gave oxygen. Laura Jo kept moving ahead, her arm burning. To her relief, they got the patient into the trauma room. There Mark and the EMT used the defibrillator once again. Seconds later the monitor made a beep and the line went from straight to having peaks and valleys. After they gained a steady pulse, she worked to place leads to the monitors on the patient. The ER doctor rushed in.

Mark and the EMT backed away with exhausted sighs, giving the ER doctor, Laura Jo and the other staff members space to work. For the next twenty intensive minutes, Laura Jo followed the ER doctor’s instructions to the letter. Finally they managed to stabilize the patient enough to send him to surgery.

Laura Jo had to talk to the family. They must be scared. When she asked the admission clerk where they were she was told exam room five.

“Why are they in an exam room?”

“The man’s granddaughter is being evaluated.”

Laura Jo headed for the exam room. It shouldn’t have surprised her that Mark was there, too. He came out as she was preparing to go in.

“Well, fancy meeting you here,” he drawled in a deep voice that made her think of a dark velvet night.

“It’s not that amazing really. I work here.”

“I figured that out. So how’s your daughter? Healing nicely?”

“She’s fine. A little tender but fine.”

“Good. By the way, I’m Dr. Mark Clayborn.”

“Yes, I know who you are. As in the Clayborn Building, Clayborn Bank, Clayborn Shipping.

He gave her a studying look. “Do I know you?”

“I’m Laura Jo Akins. Used to be Laura Jo Herron.”

“Herron? My parents used to talk about the Herrons. Robert Herron. Real estate.”

She looked away. “Yes, that’s my father.”

He had pursed his lips. “Well, that’s a surprise. Isn’t it a small world?”

Too small for Laura Jo’s comfort. It was time to change the subject. “Thanks for helping out. Now I need to talk to the family.” She gave the door to the exam room a quick knock and pushed it open.

It turned out that she was wasting her time. “The nice Dr. Clayborn” had updated them and also seen to Lucy, their little girl, but they appreciated Laura Jo coming in. By the time she’d returned to the nursing station things seemed to be under control in the ER. All the exam and trauma rooms were full. The critical cases were being cared for. Those waiting were not serious.

“Why don’t you take your supper break while you can?” the lead nurse said.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s now or never. You know the closer we get to Fat Tuesday the merrier it gets around here.”

Laura Jo laughed. “If merry is what you want to call it. Okay, I’ll go.”

“I’d rather call it merry otherwise I think I might cry,” the lead nurse said with a grin.

Laura Jo grabbed her lunch box. It had become a habit to pack a lunch when money had been so tight even before Phil had left. Reaching the cafeteria, she scanned the room for an empty table. The busy ER translated to a full room. As soon as a table opened up she headed for it. Before she could get to it Mark slid into one of the two seats available. Disappointed, she stopped and looked around for another spot.

He waved her toward him. “You can join me, if you like.”

Laura Jo looked at him. Did she really have a choice? She was expected back in the ER soon. “Thank you.”

He grinned at her. “You don’t sound too excited about it.”

What was he expecting her to say? You’re right, I’m not? “I have to eat. The ER won’t stay calm for long.”

“It did look a little wild in there. I’ve certainly had more than my share this evening. I haven’t done this much emergency work since I was on my med school rotation. Don’t see many head trauma and heart attacks in family practice.”

Laura Jo pulled her sandwich out of the plastic bag. “I understand that the girl was sitting on top of her father’s shoulders and toppled off. When the grandfather saw what had happened he had a heart attack.”

“Yeah. Thank goodness it all happened within running distance of the med tent. For a few minutes there wasn’t enough of us medical personal around to handle all that was going on. I’m just glad the girl has regained consciousness and the grandfather is stable.”

“The girl will be here for observation for at least one night and the grandfather for much longer, I’m afraid.”

He took a large bite of his hamburger and they ate in silence for a while before he asked, “So you knew who I was the other day. Why didn’t you say something?”

“There just didn’t seem a right moment.”

“So you’ve seen a lot of Mardi Gras.”

She straightened her back and looked directly at him. “I’m not that old.”

He grinned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that.”

Laura Jo had to admit he had a nice smile. She grinned. “That’s not what it sounded like to me.”

“I was just trying to make pleasant conversation and didn’t mean—”

“I know you didn’t.” Still, it would have been nice if he’d at least thought she looked familiar. She’d been invisible to her parents, unimportant to her husband and just this once it would have been nice to have been memorable. But, then, it had been a long time ago.

“So do you attend any of the krewe festivities?” He chewed slowly, as if waiting patiently for her answer.

“No. I don’t travel in that social circle anymore.” She took a bite of her sandwich.

“Why not? As I remember, the Herrons were a member of the same krewe as my family.”

“I’m an Akins now.”

“So Mr. Akins isn’t a member either, I gather.”

“No, and Mr. Akins, as you put it, isn’t around to be a member.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. He left years ago.”

“Oh, I thought …”

“I know. For all I know, he’s alive and well somewhere.”

Having finished his meal, Mark leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, it has been a pleasure running into you, Ms. Atkins.”

Laura Jo stood to leave. “You, too, Dr. Clayborn. We do seem to keep running into each other.”

“Why, Ms. Akins, you don’t believe in serendipity?”

“If I ever did believe in serendipity, that would’ve been a long time ago. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”

CHAPTER TWO

ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON Mark made his way through the side streets of Mobile, working around the parade route, which was already blocked off. It was one more week before Mardi Gras weekend and there would be a large parade that afternoon and another that night in downtown Mobile.

Throughout the week in the surrounding towns parades were planned, culminating in three or four per day until the final one on Fat Tuesday. Then Ash Wednesday would arrive and end all the revelry.

He’d been assigned to work in the med tent set up just off Government Street at a fire station. He’d wanted to say no, had even suggested that he work one or two of the parades in a nearby town, but he’d been told that he was needed there. His gut clenched each time he crossed the bay but his partners wouldn’t like him not being a team player during this time of the year. Plus, Mark had no desire to admit why going into Mobile bothered him.

All he hoped for now was a slow day, but he didn’t expect it. He wanted less drama than the last time he’d worked a med tent a few days earlier. Still, there had been some interesting points.

Dinner with Laura Jo Akins had been the highlight. He had at least found out she wasn’t married. And she seemed to be anti-krewe for some reason. He had no doubt that she’d grown up on the social club festivities of a krewe, just like him. Why would she have such a negative view now? Or was her pessimistic attitude directed toward him? Did she know about the accident? His part in it?

Laura Jo Akins also appeared to be one of those women who knew her mind and stood her ground, but it also seemed there was a venerable spot to her, too. As if she hid something from the world. What was that all about?

Mark looked over the crowd again. At least she took his thoughts off worrying that he might see Mike at a parade. He looked forward to seeing her pixie face if they ever met again. People were creatures of habit and usually showed up in the same places to watch the parades. He wasn’t sure why she interested him so, but she’d popped into his head a number of times over the past few days.

He had been at the med tent long enough to introduce himself to some of the other volunteers when he looked up to see none other than Laura Jo walking toward the tent. She caught sight of him about the same time. He didn’t miss her moment of hesitation before she continued in his direction. He smiled and nodded at her. She returned his smile.

A few minutes later he was asked to help with a woman who was having an asthma attack in the unseasonably warm weather. It was some time later before he had a chance to speak to Laura Jo.

“I believe we might be caught in some Mardi Gras mystical mojo,” he said, low enough that the others around them couldn’t hear.

“I don’t believe any sort of thing. I’m more of the dumb luck kind of person,” she responded, as she continued to sort supplies.

He chuckled. “Didn’t expect to see me again so soon, did you?”

She spun around, her hands going to her hips. “Did you plan this?”

“I did not,” he said with complete innocence. “I was told when and where to be.”

“I thought maybe with the Clayborn name …”

What did she have against the Clayborns? Did she know what he’d done? If she did, he couldn’t blame her for not wanting to have anything to do with him. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing.”

“Dr. Clayborn, we need you,” one of the other volunteers called.

Mark had no choice but to go to work.

Half an hour later, the sound of a jazz band rolled down the street. Because the med tent was set up at the fire station, no one could park or stand in front of it. Mark and the others had an unobstructed view of the parade. Thankfully there was no one requiring help so they all stepped out toward the street curb to watch. Laura Jo seemed to appreciate the parade. She even swayed to the music of “Let the good times roll.”

He wandered over to stand just behind her. “You enjoy a good parade as much as your daughter does, I see.” Mark couldn’t help but needle her. She reacted so prettily to it.

“Yes, I love a good parade. You make it sound like it should be a crime.”

“And you make it sound like it’s a crime that I noticed,” he shot back.

“No crime. Just not used to someone taking that much notice.”

“That’s hard to believe. You mean there’s no man who pays attention to you?”

“Getting a little personal, aren’t you, Doctor?” She glanced back at him.

“No, just making conversation.”

“Hey, Mom.”

They both turned at the sound of Laura Jo’s daughter’s voice. She was with another woman about Laura Jo’s age and there was a boy with them about the same height as the daughter.

Before her mother could respond the girl said to Mark, “I know you. You’re that man who helped me the other day. Look, my hands are all better.” She put out her hands palms up. “My knee still hurts a little.” She lifted her denim-covered knee.

“And I know you.” He smiled down at her. “But forgive me, I’ve forgotten your name.”

“Allie.”

He squatted down to her level. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Allie.” Standing again, he glanced in the direction of the woman he didn’t know. Laura Jo must have gotten the hint because she said, “This is Marsha Gilstrap. A friend of mine.” She looked toward the boy. “And Jeremy, her son. I thought ya’ll were going to watch the parade over on Washington.”

“We wanted to come by and say hi to you,” Allie said.

Laura Jo gave her daughter a hug then looked down at her with what Mark recognized as unbounded love. He liked it when he saw parents who really cared about their children. Her actions hadn’t just been for show when her daughter had been hurt at the parade. She truly cared about her child. He recognized that love because his parents had had the same for him. That’s why his father had insisted Mark not get involved with Mike’s case after the accident. His father had feared what it might do to Mark’s future. He been young enough and scared enough that he’d agreed, despite the guilt he’d felt over leaving the way he had. Now he didn’t trust himself to get close enough to care about someone. If he did, he might fail them, just as he had Mike. He hadn’t stood beside Mike, whom he’d loved like a brother, so why would he have what it took to stand by a wife and family?

A float coming by drew Allie’s attention. Mark put a hand on her shoulder. “Come on. This is a great spot to watch a parade.”

Allie looked at her mother in question. Laura Jo took a second before she gave an agreeable nod but he got the sense that she didn’t want to.

Allie glanced at the boy. “Can Jeremy come, too?”

“Sure.”

Jeremy’s mother, in contrast to Laura Jo, was all smiles about the boy joining them.

“We’ll just be right up here if you need us.” Mark made an effort to give Laura Jo his most charming smile.

He nudged one of the volunteers out of the way so that the children had a front-row place to stand. A couple of times he had to remind them not to step out beyond the curve. Because they were standing in front of the fire station, there were no barriers in place. After a few minutes Laura Jo and her friend joined them.

“Thanks, we’ll take these two off your hands,” Laura Jo said, as if she was helping him out. What she was really doing was trying to get rid of him.

“Look at the dog. How funny.” Allie squealed. The dog was wearing a vest and a hat. “I wish I had a dog to dress up. Then we could be in a parade.”

Laura Jo placed her hand on top of Allie’s shoulder. “Maybe one day, honey.”

There was something in the wispy tone in the girl’s voice that got to him. It reminded him of how he’d sounded the first time he’d asked if he could be in a dog parade. When he and his brother had participated in a parade it had been one of the greatest pleasures of his childhood. He could surely give that to Allie without becoming too involved in her and her mother’s lives. “You could borrow my dog. Gus would be glad to let you dress him up,” Mark offered.

“Could I, Mom?” Allie looked at Laura Jo as if her life depended on a positive answer.

“I don’t know.”

“I think Allie and Gus would make a great pair.” He had no doubt Laura Jo hated to say no to something her daughter so obviously wanted to do. But why was he making it his job to see that Allie had a chance to be in a parade? Was it because Laura Jo was a hard-working mother who couldn’t do this for her daughter and it was easy enough for him to do? It would be a great memory for Allie, just as it had been for him.

“Please, Mom.”

“Fairhope has a parade on Sunday evening that I believe dogs are allowed in. Why don’t you and Allie come and meet Gus that afternoon? You could bring some clothes for him and see how he likes them.”

Laura Jo gave him a piercing look that said she wasn’t pleased with the turn of events.

In a perverse way he liked the idea he was able to nettle her.

“Allie, I don’t think we should take advantage of Dr. Clayborn’s time.”

“Please, call me Mark. And I don’t mind.” He really didn’t. Since he’d been back in town he had kept to himself. It would be nice to spend the afternoon with someone. “I’m sure Gus will be glad to have the company. I’ve not been around much the past few days. Marsha, you and Jeremy are welcome, too.”

“Thanks. It sounds like fun but I can’t. Jeremy can if Laura Jo doesn’t mind,” Marsha said, smiling.

Laura Jo shot Marsha a look as if there would be more to say about this when they were alone.

“Mom, please,” Allie pleaded. “Please.”

“Won’t your wife mind us barging in? Won’t your children be dressing him up?”

“No wife. No children. So there’s no reason you can’t.”

“Then I guess we could come by for a little while but I’m not making any promises about the parade.” Laura Jo looked down at Allie.

“Great. I’ll expect you about two. Here’s my address.” He pulled out a calling card, turned it over and, removing a pen from his pocket, wrote on it. “I’ll have Gus all bathed and waiting on you.”

Allie giggled. “Okay.”

Mark looked at Laura Jo. “See you tomorrow.”

She gave him a weak smile and he grinned. He was already looking forward to the afternoon.

Laura Jo wasn’t sure how she’d managed to be coerced into agreeing to go to Mark’s. Maybe it was because of the look of anticipation on Allie’s face or the maternal guilt she felt whenever Allie asked to do something and she had to say no because she had to go to work or school. Now that she was in a position to give her child some fun in her life, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. But going to Mark Clayborn’s house had to be one for the record. She didn’t really know the man. She’d admired him with a young girl’s hero worship. But she knew little about the man he had become. He’d been nice enough so far but she hadn’t always been the best judge of character.

She’d searched for a sound reason why they couldn’t do it. Marsha certainly hadn’t been any help. It was as if she had pushed her into going. For once Laura Jo wished she had to work on Sunday. But no such luck.

Allie was up earlier than usual in her excitement over the possibility of being in the dog parade. Jeremy had been almost as bad, Marsha said, when he ran to meet them at the car later that day.

“So are you looking forward to an afternoon with the handsome, debonair and rich Dr. Mark Clayborn?” Marsha asked with a grin.

They’d had a lively and heated discussion over a cup of coffee late the night before about Mark. Marsha seemed to think she should develop him as an ally in funding the single mothers’ house. Laura Jo wasn’t so sure. That was a road she’d promised herself she’d never go down again. She wasn’t ever going to ask her parents or her society friends for anything ever again. That certainly included Mark Clayborn.

After today she didn’t plan to see him again. This afternoon was about Allie and seeing a smile on her face. That only. Allie had been begging for a dog for the past year but they didn’t have a lifestyle that was good for taking care of a dog.

Laura Jo pulled her aging compact car off the winding, tree-shaded road into the well-groomed, riverbed-pebbled drive of the address she’d been given. The crunch made a familiar sound. Her own family’s place just a few miles down the road had the same type of drive, or at least it had the last time she’d been there.

The foliage of the large trees with moss hanging from them gave the area a cozy feel. Soon she entered an open space where a sweeping, single-story beach house sat with a wide expanse of yard between it and the bay beyond.

“Do you see Gus?” Allie strained at her seat belt as she peered out the window.

“Now, honey, I don’t want you to get your hopes up too high. Gus may not like being dressed up.” Laura Jo didn’t want to say “or you.” Some owners thought their dogs loved everyone when they often didn’t.

“He’ll like it, I know he will.”

“I think he will, too,” Jeremy said from the backseat.

Laura Jo looked at him in the rearview mirror and smiled. “We’ll see.”

She pulled to a stop behind a navy blue high-end European car. To Mark’s credit, it wasn’t a sports car but it was finer than Laura Jo had ever ridden in, even when she’d still been living with her parents.