A Marriage In Wyoming. Lynnette Kent
shook his head. âNo, itâs not. You shouldnât have to deal with diabetes. Nobody should.â He shrugged. âBut itâs happened. And in the long run you will be happiest and be able to enjoy your life if you learn to take care of yourself.â
Lena had broken into sobs. Justino put his arms around her but looked at Garrett. âI think she wants to be by herself.â
âWeâll step out for a few minutes.â He picked up his hat, held the door for Kim and Rachel, and then followed them into the hall. âI guess you have to expect an emotional reaction. Itâs a pretty serious diagnosis.â
âYes, it is.â Kim gave him a calm smile. âAs her fatherââ
He cleared his throat. âIâm not her dad. Iâm acting in his place.â
âOh.â Her brows drew together as she turned to Rachel. âAre you her mother?â
âNo, Iâm the physician in Bisons Creek, where Lena lives.â
âI just assumed...â The nurse took a breath. âWell, if you are Lenaâs guardians, youâll have to help her overcome her resistance. Her very life depends on it.â
As Kim left them, Garrett rubbed the nape of his neck. âAcceptance is a hard enough lesson for an adult to learn, much less a teenager. This kind of situation poses a real test of faith.â
âFaith isnât the solution here.â Rachel took a deep breath, trying to curb her impatience at his approach to the problem. âWe have to convince her that medical science canât be ignored. Itâs a fact that she has diabetes, a fact that she has to take insulin or suffer serious consequences. Faith wonât change those facts. Thereâs no other reasonable choice.â
His brows drew together in a worried frown. âEasier said than done.â
âIt is a daunting prospect.â His obvious concern softened her mood, and she put her hand on his upper arm. âBut youâll take it a day at a time. An hour at a time.â
The frown cleared and then he smiled at her. âThatâs all we ever have to manage, in fact. This moment. Thanks for reminding me.â
For a moment, she returned his smile, surrendering to the attraction sheâd been resisting all day.
Then she remembered his vocation and disconnected her gaze from his. âWe should check on Lena. I hope sheâs calmed down by now.â
In fact, the girl had fallen asleep, curled on her side toward Justino, who sat next to the bed, holding her hand. When Rachel and Garrett entered, he eased his fingers free and came across the room to face them.
âTell me the truth,â he said, his young face set in grim lines. âWill Lena die from this diabetes?â
When Garrett glanced at her, Rachel tilted her head to indicate that he should field the question.
âThe effects of untreated diabetes can be life threatening,â he told the boy. âWhat we have to do is convince Lena to take the medicine that will prevent those effects. It wonât be easyâat first anyway. But with care she can live to be a grandmother. Or a great-grandmother!â
Justino sighed. âShe has always hated getting shots at the doctor. But somehow she will manage. Sheâs strong. And Iâll help her.â
Garrett gripped his shoulder. âI know you will. Weâll all be on Lenaâs side, supporting her as she gets used to a new routine. And we have Dr. Vale here in town as an added bonus. Sheâll be great backup.â
Justino gave Rachel one of his rare smiles. âMaybe you will be more than backup,â he told her. âMaybe you will be the mother Lena doesnât have.â
* * *
AFTER CALLING THE ranch to give everyone a report on Lenaâs condition, Garrett sat down beside Rachel in the waiting room. He leaned over and spoke in a low voice. âYou look terrified.â
She stared straight ahead. âI have no idea what youâre talking about.â
âWhen Justino said you could be the mother Lena lost. You went pale.â
âI was startled, thatâs all. Teenagers are usually more suspicious of adults.â
âI think these two are grabbing at whatever resources they can reach. Youâre going to be one of them.â
Her expression relaxed slightly. âIâm glad to be Lenaâs doctor. But I canât step in as her mother. Thereâs a reason doctors donât treat their own familyâitâs called objectivity.â
âDo you want kids some day?â
Now she frowned at him. âI donât know. Do you?â
He nodded. âDefinitely. Kids are fun.â Then he reconsidered. âBut also scary. I guess I have to get past that somehow, to be useful to Lena.â
âThatâs the point of remaining objective,â Rachel said. âWhen youâre taking care of somebody, you focus on the facts and what can be done, not the emotions involved. Itâs called equanimityâstaying calm in the midst of a high-pressure situation. As one of my teachers suggested, âFirst, take your own pulse.ââ
âSo thatâs how you doctors manage. Must take lots of practice.â
âInternship and residency are all about equanimity. The more cases you see, the better your control.â
Garrett cocked his head. âAnd you like being in control.â
âAre we still talking about medicine?â
He grinned. âThatâs up to you.â
âWell, then, I admit Iâm pretty much a control freak, professionally and personally. Life runs smoother that way.â
âYouâve never encountered circumstances you couldnât control?â
âOf course I have,â she said, her tone sharp. Then she drew a deep breath. âEverybody does,â she said more calmly.
âThatâs good. For a minute there, I thought you were perfect.â When she laughed, he nodded. âThere you go. I knew youâd have a great laugh.â
Her lips parted in surprise, and her cheeks flushed. He wondered if he might get a flirtatious comeback.
But in the next moment, she stood up abruptly. âIâm going to stretch my legs. Iâll be back in a few minutes.â
Before Garrett could say another word, sheâd hurried out the door.
* * *
BETWEEN A TRIP to the restroom and a walk around the entire hospital, Rachel managed to waste half an hour she might have otherwise spent sitting with Garrett Marshall. Flirting with Garrett Marshall.
Not that flirting was a skill sheâd had much practice withâmedical school and training hadnât left a lot of time for romance.
But Garrett wasnât someone she wanted to think of in a romantic context anyway. She wasnât going to fall for the cowboy type, no matter how ruggedly handsome he might be. Of course, Garrett was more than a cowboy. He was also a minister.
And that was the real issue between them, one that couldnât be resolved with any amount of flirting or getting better acquainted. As a pastor, Garrett Marshall counted on the effectiveness of prayer