Page 53 of Love on the Brain
“Right. I forgot about that.” Jane was supposed to have gone, but she needed all the extra hours she could get, and helping Dr. Keppler close up at the end of an era was something her brain could focus on, whereas wedding dress shopping would awaken the aches in her heart. Shelby had given her a pass, and she’d reluctantly taken it, but it was for the best. She didn’t want to bring her sister down. “Okay. We’ll figure something out.”
Dr. Keppler arrived a short time later, and Jane assisted her as she checked Macy over and examined the towels. Jane did her best to keep her expression from twisting into a look that represented the heartache she was feeling for her friend. She always marveled how the doctor could keep her face unreadable during the most tragic of times.
“Let’s get you to bed, Macy,” Dr. Keppler said. “Jane and I will help you stand. It’s only a short distance.”
“Okay.”
Jane retrieved clean towels from the closet and laid them out on the bed under where Macy would lie, then returned to the bathroom, where Dr. Keppler crouched next to her. Together, they stood, boosting Macy up between them, and walked her to the bed.
The doctor stood back as Jane lifted Macy’s legs and set a pillow under her knees. “You’ll need a few days of rest while your body recovers. Youmustknow that this is not your fault. I didn’t find any evidence to indicate a cause. While devastating, it’s unfortunately common.”
Macy nodded and closed her eyes. “Thank you for coming here, Dr. Keppler. I—I just couldn’t go to the hospital. My mother doesn’t even know.” Tears streaked down her face. “It’s good this happened while she’s in Nashville visiting my brothers. No need for her heart to break, too.”
“Oh, Mace.” Jane eased herself on the bed and leaned over to pull Macy into her arms. “I’m so sorry this happened.”
“Me, too. Even though Hunter and I never should have gotten married, we did, and we tried to make it work. I know this baby wouldn’t bring us back together, but it sure would have been loved, by both of us.” She raised her gaze to meet Jane’s. “You should see him with his five-year-old. He’s been the most amazing dad since he found out about her. He’s even learning French, since she and her mom live in Monte Carlo.”
Jane hugged Macy tighter. “I’m so glad to hear that.”
Macy nodded. “He gets a bad rap, but under it all, he’s kind and thoughtful. He’s just not for me. I’m one hundred percent certain of that.”
The buzzing of Macy’s phone on the nightstand drew their attention. Macy reached for her phone and swiped. “It’s Shelby. They’re on their way back.” She glanced at the doctor. “Can I be alone until she gets here?”
“I’d rather you not be.” Dr. Keppler looked at Jane. “Go ahead and get Noah. I can stay with her until Shelby arrives.”
Jane shook her head. “No, you have plans. I have an idea, though. Be right back.”
She left the room and sought out Kevin. She found him in the large kitchen, right where he said he’d be, staining a cupboard that lay across a trio of two-by-fours set across a pair of sawhorses over a drop cloth.
“How late are you here until?” Jane asked. “It’s just after five.”
Kevin looked up from his project and met her gaze. “I’m not leaving until I see for myself that she’s okay. There’s a couch, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
His attempt at a joke fell flat, but Jane smiled anyway. “You’re a good guy, Kevin. I can tell you care about Macy a lot. She’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
He averted his gaze. “I don’t want to bethat guyanymore. The guy who asked out the one girl his rival on the football team had feelings for. The guy who abandoned said girlfriend after her almost deadly accident because he thought a state basketball title was more important. The guy who ran from doing the right things because he was scared.”
Jane laid a hand on his shoulder. “We’ve all seen a change in you. Keep at it, and Macy will notice, too. If you want her to.”
“Mmm.” He dipped his brush and ran it down the side of the decorative wood. “I do. But it’s complicated.”
“That’s how you know it’s important.” She squeezed his shoulder and retracted her arm. “I’ll let Macy and the doctor know you’ll stay until Shelby arrives.”
“And longer,” he grumbled. “Is she going to be okay?”
“She’ll recover physically.” Jane lowered her gaze and reached for her ponytail. “I can’t really say anything else.”
Kevin nodded, and Jane returned to Macy’s bedroom to update her and pray over her. Dr. Keppler left, and Jane was about to say goodbye when Macy reached out and clutched her hand.
“Jane? Can you tell Kevin it’s okay if he comes in? Just for a minute. I don’t want to worry him. I’m sincerely touched he reached out to you today, and I want to thank him.”
“Sure thing,” Jane replied. “I’ll go get him now and get a soup started for you so you can get some sustenance.”
The soup was ready and waiting by the time Kevin joined Jane in the kitchen. She ladled some into a deep mug, surprised to see his lower lip trembling and sadness etched into lines on his forehead. His concern for Macy seemed to age him at least five years.
“I didn’t know,” he said softly, joining her at the stove. “I’ve been working on this house, outside and in, almost every day,for months.I never noticed she was pregnant. Sure, her face was rounder, and she wore loose clothes around the house, but who doesn’t? And she’s always gained and lost pounds over the years. There were rumors in high school about her having eating disorders… It wasn’t my business, you know?”
Jane flashed a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay. She didn’t want anyone to notice. Youdidnotice something was off today, and you did the right thing, calling for help. She wouldn’t have, and it could have been a more dire situation than it was.”
