Page 52 of Sweet Home

As they came out on the other side, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Hang on,” he said, pulling over.

He hated to stop and take a call, but a small-town doctor couldn’t exactly take evenings off. It could even be his parents calling about Elizabeth.

“Dr. Lawrence here,” he said, picking up on the car speaker.

“Oh, Dr. Lawrence, thank goodness,” a voice sounding both stressed and relieved said. He recognizedit right away as Ellen Harris. “It’s my mom. I can’t get her to take her medicine.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” West said gently.

“I tried all the techniques we talked about,” Ellen went on. “But she’s so upset. I don’t know, I just… I don’t know what to do.”

West was pretty sure that what most people would do was take Mrs. Harris over to the skilled care facility in Burlington. But he also knew Ellen wasn’t ready to let go of her mother just yet. And Ellen was such a kind and efficient person that he wasn’t sure those nurses over at the facility could do any better. They certainly wouldn’t love her mom like she did. Kitty Harris was a lucky woman to have raised such a daughter.

“Why don’t I stop by?” he said. “Would that be all right?”

“Oh, West,” Ellen said, sounding like she was crying, or ready to.

“I was already on my way into town,” he told her. “See you in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Ellen murmured.

West glanced over at Dulcie.

She only gazed back at him, her eyes wide.

“Sorry. Duty calls,” he said. “I can turn around and take you home before I go over there.”

“No,” she said firmly. “It sounds like they need younow. Let’s go.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Very sure,” she told him.

“Thank you,” he told her, meaning it. He hated to think of Ellen being distressed, andif she was, it was a pretty safe bet that her mom was even worse off. “Kit Harris is a wonderful person. It’s a shame that she’s having such a hard time.”

They drove on into town in silence. West put all his focus on the road. He wanted to get there quickly but safely.

“I’m just going to hop out for a second here,” he told her when they reached the country store.

“I can run in and get the coffee,” Dulcie offered immediately, taking off her seatbelt.

“No, no,” he told her. “I can get it. I’m going to grab something for Mrs. Harris too.”

Dulcie didn’t argue, but she got out of the truck with him anyway.

The little store was decked out for the holidays, and in spite of the hour and the temperature, a couple of the old timers were standing out front talking each other’s ears off.

“West,” one of them said, waving.

“Hey, Doc,” another called out, his eyes straying to Dulcie and back to West again with interest.

He waved to them all, wondering how long until the whole town knew he was running around at night with the poor girl Joe Fournier had rescued from a snowy ditch.

Honestly, he was surprised at the little twinge of pride he felt at the idea of being connected with her, even if it was only a little silly gossip. He was pretty sure there was already plenty after they attended the tree lighting together over the weekend.

He pushed open the door to the shop. As usual,it was warm and bright inside, and filled with colorful items from all over Vermont.

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