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“They’re good girls. It’s ah… taken me some time to figure it all out. So, how is the leg?” He clears his throat.
“Would it help if I said I completely understand? And my leg is fine. Thanks for asking.”
He shrugs and stares down at his feet shuffling in the dirt, coating his black runners in a layer of dust. He lifts his head, and our eyes meet. “Is that man here with you?”
His question throws me. “Who?” I ask, my brow furrowed.
“When I helped you at the hospital, there was a man who came at me for helping and told me not to touch you.”
Eli.That sounds like him.
“Oh, no. He isn’t here.” My throat swells with emotions. “I’m actually surprised you remember me because I must have been on some high dose painkillers that day and a little out of it that I don’t remember you. I’m sure I’d recall being helped by a Formula One racer. I mean, I’m a huge fan, so I’m surprised I didn’t jump on you,” I joke and kick my boot in the dirt.
“You were in a bad way. You told me you were trying to get to your baby, and I think something about the guy not letting you see her.”
“How can you recall something like that? That was a year ago.”
His sad eyes meet mine, and then I know. It was the day he lost his wife. It was also the day I received a heart transplant because of complications from Olive’s birth. My heart had weakened, and I’d needed an emergency heart transplant. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long and because of the severity of the situation I went to the top of the list.
Now I think about it, the nurse told me I was very lucky because there was an organ donor who matched right away. I’d heard the nurses discussing an accident when I was lucid.Could his wife have been an organ donor?My mouth drops, but I quickly snap it shut. Surely not, no.
“That was the day Ruby came into the world, and my wife left it.” His voice is low, but I don’t miss the pained tone of his words. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know you, yet here I am, talking about private things to you, and I don’t know why.”
“I’m happy to listen if it helps you.”
“Maybe it’s the fact that I helped you on the day, and I couldn’t help my Anna-Beth.” His words catch, and he drops his gaze to the ground.
“I’m truly sorry for your loss. I… I know what it’s like to lose someone.”
We stare at each other for a moment. Nothing else around us matters. The birds singing in the large trees are all the noise we need at this moment. I’ve never had someone approach me and be so open and upfront. It’s almost too good to be true that he’d show any interest in me.
“It seems those who are lost find each other when it’s needed… maybe,” he offers and rests his hand on my arm, which still leans on the fence. I don’t make a move to pull away. It’s good to have someone understand. He’s known great loss just like I have.
Maybe we have something in common.
“Looks that way. I’d be happy to show you around one day. There’s a children’s area where parents can leave the kids and have a little time for themselves. My sister, Mabel, is the childcare worker and organizer of it all.”
“Were those people who rushed to you your family?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah, big family.”
“That’s really good, though. So, a family-run business here then?”
“You could say that. I mean, I only came back yesterday after being gone for a couple of years.”
“Ah, now the whole baby situation makes sense.” He grins as if having a light-bulb moment.
“What situation?” I frown.
He takes his hand from my arm and points up the road where we were only a moment ago. “When everyone was shocked to see your daughter. Was that their first time meeting her?”
“It was. There’s a big story there.” And an even bigger one between Sebastian and me if my calculations are correct.
“There must be. Anyway, I better let you get back to your daughter. I hope to see you around.” He holds my gaze and gives me a mega-watt smile, causing my heart to stutter.
I turn back to the barn and head inside again, the entire conversation with him plowing through my mind. I can’t help but wonder if he’s here for a reason or not because if I’m correct in my assumption, then he might end up resenting me.
Could it be I was given Sebastian’s wife’s heart?
