The Family

Catherine rode in the back. Marybeth remained stable for the longer than usual ambulance ride; the driver had been barely able to maintain thirty miles per hour. He pulled under the portico by the Emergency Department. Staff appeared immediately. They took Marybeth inside.

Henry helped Catherine out of the back of the ambulance. "If you wait, I'll arrange a ride home for you." He paused. "Catherine, I know this is a difficult time for you."

"I'll be okay, thanks for your concern."

Inside, Henry heard a conversation Mr. Woodward was having with his daughters. "I'm staying. You take the Suburban. I'll try to come home in time to eat." Henry spoke up.

"Perhaps, you could give Dr. Howard a lift home."

"Yes, it's the least we could do to thank her for her helping our mom."

"I'll tell her."

"Catherine, Mr. Woodward's daughter will take you home."

"Are you sure? I don't want them to go out of their way; it's still snowing."

"You don't live far from them. They live on Hall Brook Drive. You're in the same neighborhood. Come with me, I'll introduce them."

"Dr. Howard, please meet Lori and her son Michael and her sister Jaclyn."

"Hello, and thank you, we sure are having a bad winter; one of the worst I've seen in years."

"Yes it is." Lori and Catherine walked out to the car together.

Lori drove slowly; she could barely see. The car did well getting through the newly fallen snow.

"I live by the lake on Gray Knoll."

"Are you the same lady who gave out Hershey Bars on Halloween?"

"I am. I love spoiling the children in the neighborhood. The driveway is on the lake side."

"Thank you, Dr. Howard for helping our mom; have a nice Thanksgiving."

"Same to you and your family, thanks for the ride."

Inside, Catherine threw her coat on the chair and picked up the telephone. She had this conversation. "Any messages?"

"No, you're clear for now; enjoy your day".

"I will, thank you."

She hung up; it rang immediately. She had another conversation. "Hello, Marina."

"Can William come get you?"

"Heaven's no, no one should be out in this weather."

"Do you have any food, Catherine?"

"Actually I do, I brought a plate from the staff luncheon yesterday – plenty to eat."

"Are you sure?"

"Believe me this time, I really do."

"Okay, I'll talk to you soon."

Catherine appreciated her friends concern. They knew she rarely cooked. It was difficult being with them. She felt their restraint when talking with her. Her late husband, Tom, had been their friend too.

She didn't eat immediately. She enjoyed a good football game. Her favorite team, the Patriots were playing, it was halftime. She rested her head on the back of her chair. Her mind drifted to Marybeth's husband. She had heard someone use his first name – Robert.

She had seen his face. His eyes showed the deep love he had for his wife but his face was different; it was concealing his sadness. Catherine knew he was protecting his daughters and grandson.

Her attention went back to the TV. She heard the announcer. "The Patriots will receive the second half kick-off." Catherine watched until the end of third quarter. Now she ate the plate of food; nothing needed to be warmed. She had ham, potato salad and spiced green beans. She ate it with a glass of white wine.

She cheered for the final score; her team had won. An announcer came on screen with a weather bulletin. "This storm will not let up. We'll be lucky if it ends by morning. Even the snowplows are grounded. As soon as it is safe, they will return to the streets."

"I'm glad I'm off tomorrow."

This snow had kept Robert at the hospital. The policeman had to really convince him to stay put. "It's really ugly out there, sir. No taxi would dare try to drive in it."

Reluctantly, he called his house. "I'm fine Lori; go ahead and eat without me. There's food here; I won't starve. Your mom is stable; not sure what that means." He also spoke to his grandson. "Michael, I'll be home in the morning. You can come with me, okay?"

"Sure, Grandpa."

Before he left, his path would cross with Catherine, again. She had been called in for an emergency the next morning. Not all the streets had been plowed. So the hospital had sent their four wheeled-drive Jeep to pick her up. Robert was waiting for the Jeep. The head nurse on Marybeth's nursing unit had arranged for them to transport him home.

Catherine was needed; it wasn't a life or death situation. She paused when she saw him. "How's your wife, sir?"

"Comfortable at the moment, I need to get home to my grandson. He's my best buddy; he likes to go with me to my work site."

"It's nice, you spend time with him. I need to go; I heard my pager go off."

Robert spoke to the driver. "Is she always so pleasant?"

"All the staff respects her. She lets the children call her Dr. Cat." He didn't share her heartbreak.

Michael pounced on his grandpa the moment he came in the door. "Can we go now, Grandpa?"

"Michael, your grandpa just got home. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, the hospital fed me. I was surprised their food was pretty good. I hope you have leftovers; turkey always tastes better the next day."

"How is she Dad?"

"Resting comfortably right now; you can get Michael ready."

While they were gone, Lori received a call from a neighbor. She mouthed the name, Nancy, to Jaclyn as she listened.

"Nancy, do you know Dr. Howard, who lives on Grey Knoll by the lake?"

She listened. Said, "Goodbye."

"What did she say?"

"Confirmed a memory I had. Dr. Howard's husband died a year ago at the hospice."

"I wonder why she was there yesterday."

"Beat's me. Let's make some of Dad's favorite cookies."

The cookies were cooling on the island in the kitchen when Michael and his grandpa returned. He grabbed a couple before going up to change clothes. "Let's have dinner. I want to go back to the hospital."

"Cookies, before dinner, Mom would never have allowed it."

"I snuck cookies around her all the time too, Jaclyn. Besides they're just as good before dinner as after it."

For the moment, he tried not to think about Marybeth; he continued to hope. Hope that the woman he loved would speak to him one day. Everyone was upbeat for Michael's sake.

He bundled up to go back to the hospital. "Are you going to be very late? Remember Jeff will have Michael tomorrow.

"No, I don't plan on spending the night. Are you two talking yet?"

"Trying to Dad, trying."

"See you later."

"Have you really Lori?"

"Yes, I heard his side of the story. Heather was angry; Jeff had thrown her out of the office – physically. She started the rumor Katie heard. Jeff was embarrassed; she had flirted with him and kissed him. He didn't get angry. She thought it meant yes and started to seduce him.

"He came at her with his shoulder; and carried her out the door. He went back for her purse and told her to never set foot in the office again."

"You believe him?"

"I must. I love him and I know he loves me. I only wish I hadn't been so angry that I threw him out of the house. I know now, it was my hormones changing; only a week later I learned I was pregnant."

"I think you're right. Let's watch the Titanic after Michael goes to bed."