Page 9 of The Secret of Emerald Cottage

Chapter Four

Why did I stay away? Head in his hands, Brec slumped in the chair next to Aunt Lilly’s bed at Memorial Hospital while Molly sat by the window, absently turning the pages of her latest cozy mystery. Neither had spoken since they’d arrived thirty minutes ago because his aunt was still asleep, and they didn’t want to disturb her. But the ominous beeping and drone of machines was driving him up the bloomin’ wall.

God forgive me—I’m such a derelict nephew.

He glanced at his aunt for the hundredth time, thinking God might, but would Aunt Lilly? He studied the wizened face that had once been so soft and smooth to the touch and suddenly knew that she would. She was one of the finest human beings he’d ever known, loving, kind, and selfless to a fault, which was one of the reasons she’d never hounded him to come home. One of the reasons she’d never laid any guilt at his feet. And God knows there was plenty to lay.

His gaze drifted to the gnarled hands and shriveled arms that had always comforted him through every trial, always encouraged with every glowing hug, and oh, how he longed to have them do it again. Even though he didn’t deserve it.

“She’s okay, you know,” Molly said softly, as if reading the worry lines in his face. “Doc said coma patients sleep a lot after they come out of a coma, so she’s fine, truly.”

Yeah, but I’m not. Allowing Molly a nod of thanks, he returned his focus on the only person who had ever truly loved him. Tubes trailed everywhere as she lay lost in a mound of sheets like the frailest of dolls while the same question pummeled his mind over and over. Why did I stay away?

But deep down he knew. He just didn’t want to face it. He was the product of people who should have never been parents. People who didn’t love each other or him.

Only themselves.

He looked up when he heard commotion at the door, where three men stood—two older and one in his thirties—plus a young woman with a bouquet of flowers. Hesitation loomed in their eyes until Molly jumped up and ran to embrace first the woman, then the young man. “Cat, Chase—what are you guys doing back here? Your shift was last night.”

The girl’s curious gaze flicked to Brec and back before Molly tugged her inside the room, waving a hand toward Brec. “Cat, this is Miss Lilly’s great nephew—”

“Brec!” Chase side-stepped the girls altogether, cutting Molly off with a broad smile and an extension of his hand as he kept his voice low. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise,” Brec lied as he stood up, Chase’s solid grip reminding him of what a reliable neighbor he’d been to Aunt Lilly over the years. Just like a son.

Unlike her nephew.

Backtracking to the door, Chase tugged the pretty blonde over, practically beaming as he latched proud hands on both of her shoulders. “This is my wife, Cat Griffin. Cat, this is Brec McGill, Miss Lilly’s famous soccer-star nephew, all the way from Ireland.” He gave her shoulders an affectionate squeeze as he grinned at Brec. “Cat’s a total jock who’s in love with every sport known to man, especially soccer, so she’s been dying to meet you.”

Cat smiled and reached to shake his hand, a pretty blush tinting her cheeks that belied a mischievous sparkle in sky-blue eyes. “What can I say, Brec? I have great admiration and respect for athletes and anyone who can master a ball on a field.”

“And Navy SEALS and pastors,” Chase amended with a pinch of her waist. He glanced over his shoulder to nod to an older man. “Speaking of pastors, allow me to introduce Pastor David Pritchett, my boss and pastor, as well as Miss Lilly’s pastor, Molly’s, and Cat’s. Who I understand also used to hang out with your dad during summers at Lake Loon.”

The older gentleman stepped forward to shake Brec’s hand, his closely cropped silver hair circling a bald spot on his crown and kind gray eyes that put Brec at ease. “Hi, Brec. I remember seeing you once or twice with your Aunt Lilly and Uncle Hal at Hope Church.” Like Chase’s, his grip was firm and sure while he surveyed him through a squint, gaze warmed by a twinkle. “In fact, your father was one of my best friends growing up, young man.”

“Ah, yes, the Lads of Lake Loon!” Molly whispered loudly, sending Pastor Pritchett an affectionate smile before she grinned at Brec. “Miss Lilly has told me many a tale about your adventures every summer.”

“More like misadventures,” Pastor Pritchett said with a grin, “but Miss Lilly always kept us in line. Speaking of which,” he said, his manner sobering quickly as he looked at Brec’s aunt, “how’s our girl today?”

Molly stepped close to the bed to lay a gentle hand on the covers near Aunt Lilly, who still snoozed away. “She’s been sleeping since we got here, but Doc Andrews says that’s to be expected after coming out of a coma. But I have to admit, it does make me a little nervous, her not waking up with all of our jabbering.”

“Nothing to be nervous about, Molly.” A tall dark-haired man in scrubs with silver at his temples entered the room with a commanding air. “Miss Lilly is just fine. The nurse told me they gave her a sedative around five because she didn’t sleep well due to ankle pain.” He rounded the bed to pat Molly on the back while he nodded at the others. “Which she wouldn’t tell the nurses, of course, until they discovered it on their own.”

He scanned the monitors over her bed. “Apparently she reinjured that first sprained ankle when she fell into the lake, so between the sedative and not wearing her hearing aids, it’s no wonder she’s still asleep. Which is exactly what she needs right now.”

Slapping Chase on the back, the man winked at Cat then shook the pastor’s hand. “’Morning, Dave,” he said with a smile before offering a handshake to Brec. “You must be Miss Lilly’s famous great nephew from Ireland. I’m Dr. Ben Carmichael, a friend of Miss Lilly’s.

“And my stepfather,” Cat added with a proud lift of her chin.

Brec offered a polite smile as he shook his hand. “Good morning, sir. Are you my aunt’s doctor?”

“No, just a friend and a cardiologist at Memorial on rounds, so I thought I’d check on her.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Brec asked, heat warming his neck over the waver in his voice.

“The prognosis is good, Brec. Your aunt is in post-coma stage 3, which accounts for any confusion or difficulty with memory along with the UTI she contracted, but she’s well on her way to stage 4, where she’ll hopefully be able to complete routine tasks without difficulty. She may, however, still need help with problem solving, making judgments and decisions. Of course safety is a big concern, especially with her ankle, but I don’t see any reason why she can’t go home in a few days, especially with both you and Molly looking after her.”

Brec hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until it seeped through his lips in audible relief. “Thanks, Doc. I appreciate the update.” He paused, face in a grimace. “So no expected complications or problems?”

Dr. Carmichael smiled and slapped him on the back. “I doubt it. Sometimes there can be personality changes, but from what I’ve seen and the nurses have said, Miss Lilly is in rare form, grousing up a storm over being confined to bed, and preaching to anybody who’ll listen.”

Brec couldn’t help it—he grinned, remembering how he’d always thought Miss Lilly needed to be a pastor instead of Uncle Hal because she sure preached his ears off whenever she had the chance. “Thanks, Doc—you have no idea how good that is to hear.”

“Oh, I think I do.” Dr. Carmichael gave Cat a side hug as he cast an affectionate nod at Miss Lilly. “This lady is pretty darn special to all of us here, so you might say we’re like family.”

Family. Something cramped in Brec’s chest, and he realized it was a sorry mix of guilt, shame, and longing.

“I better finish my rounds or Tess will have my head.” He winked at Cat on his way to the door. “I’m taking your mother to lunch and surprising her by shopping for a new car, so mum’s the word. Nice to meet you, Brec, and tell Miss Lilly I dropped by.”

“See you later, Ben,” Chase and Cat called in unison while Cat gave Molly a hug. “We better head out too, Molly, because Chase and Pastor Dave have to drop me off for a meeting at school, but tell Miss Lilly we’ll be on visitor shift tonight, okay?”

Molly gave her a quick embrace. “Will do, Cat. Thanks for coming, you guys, and Pastor Dave, you too. She’ll be sorry she missed you.”

“Tell her I’ll be back tomorrow to check in on her if you will, Molly.” The pastor turned to Brec. “Good to meet you, Brec, and I’m glad you’re here. You mean a lot to her, you know, so I hope to see you again when she’s able to return to church.”

Not likely, sir. Brec gave a perfunctory smile, offering his goodbyes to all three as he watched Molly usher them to the door, pretty sure he wouldn’t be seeing the good pastor anytime soon. Listening to Aunt Lilly babble on about God was one thing.

Going to church was something else altogether.