“The Heart of a Wildflower”
2012 Copyright All Rights Reserved
Chapter 8
Elizabeth stood in the shower and leaned her head back to let the streams of warm water caress her body.
The billowing steam and the feel of the water as it pelted her skin were therapeutic and left her in a reflective state. She started to think about the night before and her date with Zeb. She wanted to hate him, but after the way he had opened up to her, she was struggling. She was already falling for him again and no matter how many times she told herself that she was asking for trouble, her heart just refused to listen.
The water started to run cold and Elizabeth turned around to shut it off. She gingerly stepped out of the shower and reached for the towel that she left on the back of the toilet. Her thoughts started to drift again. Could six years really make that much difference in a man?
It was clear that Zeb wasn’t that same guy that she remembered back in high school. She believed him when he told her that he had grown up. If she learned anything last night at all, it was the fact that Zeb Crooker was distinctly male.
But that didn’t necessarily change any of her circumstances. She still carried a child that they had created together and she gave him up. She never tried to contact him. She never tried to contact his parents. Her mother knew she was pregnant but insisted that she give the child up since she refused to name the father. She had to make an executive decision. It was the only decision that she felt she could make at the time. It was what was best for their son, she reminded herself.
Elizabeth wrapped the towel around her shivering body and walked into the bedroom. Her eyes instantly drifted to the alarm clock on her dresser. “Shit!” She muttered the curse when she saw that it was already eight o’clock. She was supposed to be at the hospital for her next shift in less than thirty minutes. She had been so lost in her thoughts this morning that she lost all track of time. Now she was going to have to rush just to get there on time.
She pushed all thoughts of Zeb behind and rushed into her closet, literally throwing on her scrubs and quickly brushing out her hair. She didn’t bother with make-up and swiped an apple from the fruit bowl on her way out of the door. She started up the car and glanced at her watch, it was fifteen past eight. She had fifteen minutes to make a twenty- five minute drive. She put the car in reverse and spun out of the driveway thinking - piece of cake. She’d make it.
Elizabeth strode into the hospital and 8:30 on the dot. She eagerly welcomed the coolness of the air conditioner when it touched her skin. The humidity was already rising and making the southern heat outside feel absolutely miserable. That didn’t bode well for the afternoon weather either. It probably meant that they were going to be in for a round of severe storms this afternoon, and when the thunderstorms strike, there is an influx of traffic accidents. She was already anticipating this afternoon would be a busy one. She couldn’t stop the light sigh that slipped past her lips when she walked passed the nurses station.
“Good morning Lizzie.” Chris looked up from his clipboard and with the apologetic smile that he wore on his face she knew immediately that she was needed. “They could use an extra hand in Trauma One once you get clocked in.”
“Sure thing,” she replied. Emergency nursing was her job, and every time that she had a hand in making someone better, she knew that all the training and hard work she went through to get to this point was worth it. “Give me just a second to put my lunch and my purse into my locker and then I’ll be there.”
“I’ll let Dr. Mayberry know.” The phone rang and Chris smiled at her while he picked up the receiver.
Elizabeth added a little more pep to her step and made her way to the lounge. She stashed her purse and lunch in her locker and then made quick steps to Trauma One. She stopped outside the door and as a matter of habit; she started to scrub her hands. The water started to run over her hands and a hunky vision of Zeb sitting on top of his horse flittered into her mind. She started to think about the picnic and their playful teasing with the strawberries. She chuckled at the memory.
And then she heard the buzz from the trauma room door bringing her back to reality. God! What is this man doing to me?
She was angry because she had let him slip into her consciousness so easily. He was quickly turning her uncomplicated life into a mess of complications that she didn’t want to deal with. Frustrated, she slammed the back of her hand down on the faucet to cut off the water. She had to figure out how to get Zeb Crooker out of her head. She was at work and when she was at work she needed to be focused. One small slip could be disastrous for a patient. That wasn’t an option. It was time for her to get a grip.
With her head held high, Elizabeth walked into Trauma One with grim determination. For the next eight hours her mind had to be on her patients. Patients like the little boy that was lying on the table in the center of the room. Dr. Mayberry was standing in front of him, blocking most of her view but she could tell it was a little boy because of the small, dirt covered tennis shoes hanging off the edge of the table. A woman’s voice in the corner of the room caught her attention.
Elizabeth turned and frowned when all she could see was the woman’s back. It was evident that she was the boy’s mother; and if that was the case, why was she in the corner talking on the phone. Wouldn’t it make more sense for her to be with her son, holding his hand?
“Ah, there you are. Chris said you were on your way.” Dr. Mayberry turned around and studied Elizabeth with his wise, old eyes. He sent her two winks to warn her that the little boy was scared and nervous. It was an old system that Dr. Mayberry had come up with when they treated kids so that she would know they were dealing with a delicate situation.
“Sorry I took so long,” she quickly apologized. “What do you need me to do?”
“Well, it seems as if my new friend had a little accident. He fell off of his bike this morning and I’m afraid he has a small break in his right arm. Looks like we’re going to have to cast it. Why don’t you start the preparations for me? I’m going to give Brandon a little something to help with the pain.”
She glanced once more at the little boy, willing Dr. Mayberry to move slightly to the right so she could at least try to reassure him with a smile, but Dr. Mayberry didn’t budge. He stayed right there and went back to his clinical inspection of the boys arm. “Sure thing Dr. Mayberry,” She tried to infuse an extra dose of cheeriness in her tone. “I’ll be right back with everything that we need.”
She quickly backed her way out of the trauma room and started for the supply closet. She was passing the nurse's station again when she heard the not so subtle clearing of the throat. She stopped and turned around to face Chris who was, of course, grinning at her like always. He pointed at a huge vase of what had to be a dozen pink roses. “Looks like someone has a secret admirer.”
Her gasp didn’t do anything to hide her shock. She walked over to the counter to admire the flowers close up.
“Oh wow, these are absolutely beautiful,” she said in just a little bit of awe.
Chris turned the vase full of flowers so he could see the front presentation. “I admit,” he said sitting back in his chair. “These are impressive. But what I want to know is who are they from? Do I need to go put a beatdown on some undeserving smuchk?”
Elizabeth tossed her head back and laughed. Chris was the one that trained her when she first started at the hospital. In a lot of ways she looked at him like a brother. She shrugged her shoulders. “Why don’t you pull the card and read it for me, Mr. Nosey.”
Chris grunted but reached for the card. He sat back down in his chair with a huff and stretched out his long legs. Showing his impatience, he flipped open the miniature sized envelope and read, “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman. Thank you for the lovely time we shared last night. Hope to see you soon. Zeb.”
He lifted his head up and slapped the card down on the counter. “No, it can’t be. Zeb? Don’t tell me this is Zeb as in the famous Zeb Crooker? The same one that every woman with a sex drive keeps fanning themselves over.”
Elizabeth nodded and pulled one of the flowers out of the vase, bringing it to her nose. “Yup, the one and only.”
“Didn’t he just come back from serving a tour overseas?”
She still refused to look at him. “Yup.”
Chris leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. “Lizzie, all I can say to that is wow. I mean just wow. You are bagging like the towns most wanted bachelor. I guess congratulations are in order. You don’t usually date, so I must admit- I’m surprised.”
She couldn’t formulate a response to that. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to try at this point. Her head was so confused. Her heart wanted to believe but her common sense told her that she was being the epitome of stupid. She looked at the flowers and again admired how pretty and soft they seemed to be. She didn’t even want to think about much money he spent on them. Zeb has once again managed to pull another trick out of his bag and surprised the heck out of her.
“Well, don’t make too much of it. We knew each other back in high school and I think he’s looking to scratch an itch. You’re right, I don’t date and I’m not in the market for a man neither.” She pulled away from the counter. “I need to get this casting material for Dr. Mayberry. Would you mind putting this in the lounge for me, please?”
Chris winked at her. “Sure, you know that I can’t say no to you when you say please and flutter them eyelashes at me. You look just too damn adorable.”
“You are the best,” she called out over her shoulder, already halfway down the hallway.
“Yeah,” he hollered back, “and you best remember that when Christmas rolls around. I’m going to expect something extra good this year.”
Ten minutes later, Elizabeth walked back into Trauma One. She set the basket of supplies down on the tray that Dr. Mayberry had set up in front of the little boy. “Hey there buddy. My name is Nurse Lizzie. I’m going to help Dr. Mayberry put the cast on your arm today.”
The little boy just sat there on the edge of the bed, stock still. His head was down and she could see a slight tremble in his shoulders. Elizabeth glanced around the empty room and wondered where his mother went. The door opened and Dr. Mayberry walked in, rolling up his sleeves.
He looked at the tray and put on a pair of latex gloves. “Looks like we’re ready.”
The little boy on the table let out a little whimper. Elizabeth dropped to her knees in front of him. “Hey,” she cooed and reached for his good hand. “It’s going to be okay. Dr. Mayberry is going to put a really cool cast on your arm so that it can heal. I picked out a neon green color for you because I thought all your friends would think it was cool too. I know you’re scared but I promise that we’re going to make you feel all better. Can you tell me your name?”
The little boy jerked his good hand from her and balled it into a fist, hiding it in his lap. “Brandon,” he whispered, determined not to look at Elizabeth.
“Okay Brandon,” Elizabeth kept her voice soft. “Dr. Mayberry is the best at fixing up broken arms. I promise that you don’t have anything to worry about. He’s going to make you as good as new. And when he is done with the cast, the best part happens. Do you want to know what that is, Brandon?”
Brandon’s head slowly raises and for the first time Elizabeth got an up close and personal look at his eyes.
“What’s the best part?” he asked curiously.
Elizabeth straightened and stumbled back a step. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. There was no denying it; the evidence was as plain as the nose on her face.
Brandon’s eyes. Zeb’s eyes. They were one and the same. The small child sitting only inches in front of her had Zeb’s gorgeous cerulean blue eyes and the same warm chestnut colored hair. He had the face of a young Zeb Crooker. Seconds passed by as the reality slowly sank in and Elizabeth realized that she wasn’t breathing.
“Nurse Lizzie,” the soft voice spoke again. “What is the best part?”
Dr. Mayberry nudged Elizabeth in the side with his elbow and she fought to quickly regain her composure.
“I, I eh… I’m sorry Brandon.” She dragged her hand through her ruthless mane of curls and just as quickly pasted a fake smile on her face. “After the cast is dry then you can have all of your friends autograph it.”
His response was an innocent grin that she had seen hundreds of times before. It was his father’s grin.
Elizabeth stood rigid at Brandon’s side while Dr. Mayberry carefully fitted his arm with a cast. She couldn’t seem to pull her eyes away from him. The last time that she had seen her son, he was a little over an hour old. The emotions coursing through her were enough to choke her. Elizabeth couldn’t believe it but the evidence was sitting right in front of her.
Brandon let out another whimper when Dr. Mayberry put a little pressure on the cast. Her base maternal instincts kicked it. She longed to hold him but didn’t dare. She reached for his good hand instead.
Brandon, you are doing such a good job. It won’t be much longer. You’re being such a big boy and I bet your mommy is going to be so proud of you.”
Elizabeth didn’t miss the fact that when she mentioned Brandon’s mom, he dropped his head and stared at the ground. It also hadn’t escaped her that the woman she had seen earlier has yet to return. “Dr. Mayberry, did Brandon’s mom say where she was heading?”
Dr. Mayberry was wiping down the cast with a dry towel. He paused for a moment before glancing back in her direction. “She said something about taking a phone call outside, but that was a good half an hour ago.”
She looked back down at Brandon and her heart ached. This was so hard for her. She had no doubts that this was her little boy. Brandon was her son.
On the heel of that thought, Elizabeth mentally chided herself. No, she was the one that gave him up so he could have a better life. She no longer has any rights to this little boy. He has another mother, one than can take care of him and give him what he needs.
She fought back the swell of tears that were threatening to spill and straightened her spine. She refused to let Brandon see her upset. It wasn’t fair to him. She was only his nurse and it was her job to make him feel better. She reached in the pocket on the front of her shirt and grabbed a red marker. She always carried one around for just for this reason. She knelt down in front of Brandon again and was taken aback when he looked up at her with those brilliant, bright blue eyes. “Hey, can I be the first to sign your cast?”
Brandon’s meekness seemed to just fade away, and she swore that at that very moment she was witnessing what had to be one of the cutest smiles she had seen. He bravely held out his neon green cast to her and under his breath he mumbled. “Yes, please.”
“Okie dokie,” she smiled, feeling warmth spread inside her chest that left her feeling tingly all over. “Where do you want me to put my John Hancock?” He pointed to a place right below his elbow. She carefully signed her name as Nurse Lizzie and drew a smiley face at the end. “That should do it.”
The door behind them squeaked opened and Nicole confidently strutted into the room. Shock rocked Elizabeth’s system again. What is she doing here? The woman standing in front of her had blond hair. Blond hair with bleached highlights that were similar to another woman that she’d seen six years ago wrapped firmly around Zeb’s body.
It couldn’t be.
“Hello Lizzie, I see you’ve met my son, Brandon.” The knowing glint in the woman’s eyes was unmistakable.
Elizabeth eyed her warily while her stomach started to turn cartwheels, threatening to usurp the measly apple she ate for breakfast. “Yes,” she swallowed hard, struggling to keep her composure. “He was a brave boy. He did very well for Dr. Mayberry.”
She snorted. “Well if you’re done then we need to be leaving. I have already wasted half the day in this godforsaken place.”
Elizabeth noticed that Brandon stayed eerily quiet and made sure to keep his eyes pinned to the floor. She instinctively wanted to pull him in her arms and tell him that everything would be okay. She didn’t though. Instead, she gave his good shoulder a small squeeze. “Yeah, he is set to go.”
Nicole swiftly replied, “Finally!” She abruptly grabbed the little boy by the shoulder and gave him a push towards the door. All Elizabeth could do was stand there with her heart in her stomach. She felt so damn helpless as she watched the miracle that Zeb and she had created together walk out of her life.