The Promise - By Danielle Steel Page 0,21
bottles and transfusions that hung over the bandaged girl, but the nurses seemed to be speaking to her as she was carried out. He liked the look of the nurses, young but competent, and they seemed to work well as a team. That was what he wanted. They were all going to be part of a team for the next year and a half, and everyone was important. There was no room for reluctance or incompetence. Everyone had to be the very best they could be, including Nancy. But he would see to that. She was going to be the star of this show. He watched her being carried toward him and waited until the stretcher had been gently set down inside the ambulance. He smiled at the nurses but said nothing, and held up a hand gesturing them to wait as he eased in beside Nancy and sat down on a seat next to her. He reached for her hand and held it.
“Hello, Nancy. I'm Peter. How was the trip?” As though she were for real. As though she were still someone, not just a faceless blob. She could feel relief wash over her at the sound of his voice.
“It was okay. You're Dr. Gregson?” She sounded tired but interested.
“Yes. But Peter sounds a little less formal between two people who're going to be working together.” She liked the way he said it, and if she could have, she would have smiled.
“You came out to meet me?”
“Wouldn't you have come out to meet me?”
“Yes.” She wanted to nod, but she couldn't. “Thank you.”
“I'm glad I did. Have you ever been to San Francisco before, Nancy?”
“No.”
“You're going to love it. And we're going to find you an apartment you like so much you'll never want to leave here. Most people don't, you know. Once they dig in their heels, they want to stay here forever. I came out here from Chicago about fifteen years ago, and you couldn't get me back there on a bet.” She laughed at the way he said it, and he smiled down at her. “Are you from Boston?” He was treating her as though they had been introduced by friends. But he wanted her to relax after the long flight. And a few minutes without movement would do her good. The nurses were also glad of the opportunity to stretch as they chatted with the two ambulance attendants. Now and then they glanced in to see Dr. Gregson still talking to Nancy, and they liked him already. He exuded warmth.
“No, I was from New Hampshire. That's where I grew up anyway. In an orphanage. I moved to Boston when I was eighteen.”
“It sounds very romantic. Or was the orphanage straight out of Dickens?” He gave everything a light touch, a happy note. Nancy laughed at the question about Dickens.
“Hardly. The nuns were wonderful. So much so that I wanted to be one.”
“Oh, God. Now listen, you—” And she laughed at the tone of his voice. “When we're through with our project, young lady, you're going to be ready for Hollywood. If you go hide in a convent somewhere I'll … I'll … why, I'll head off the bridge, damn it. You'd better promise me you won't go off and become a nun somewhere.” That was easy. She had Michael to get ready for. Her dreams of being Sister Agnes Marie had faded years ago, but die wanted to tease Gregson a little. She already liked him.
“Oh, all right.” She said it begrudgingly but with laughter in her voice.
“Is that a promise? Come on, say it … I promise.” “I promise.”
“What do you promise?” They were both laughing now.
“I promise not to be a nun.”
“Whew. That's better.” He signaled to the two nurses to join them, and the attendants moved toward the front. She was ready to go now, and he didn't want to tire her with too much patter. “Why don't you introduce me to your friends.”
“Well, let's see, the cold hands are Lily, and the warm ones are Gretchen.” All four of them laughed.
“Thanks a lot, Nancy.” Lily laughed benevolently as Nancy smiled to herself. She felt safe with her new-found friends, and all she could think of now was what she would look like for Michael after it was all over. She liked Peter Gregson, and suddenly she knew that he was going to make her someone very special, because he cared.
“Welcome to San Francisco, little one.” Lily's cool hands ware replaced by