means more to me than being sexually compatible. It means being an important part of your life as you'll be in mine. It means encouraging you to be everything you've ever wanted to be, sharing in your triumphs and comforting you in your failures. It means giving you the courage to try again. That's what love is all about."
Jody didn't know what to say. She wasn't likely to meet anyone like Glen in a good long time. A man who looked outside himself was a rarity. He'd spoken of his broken relationship and the pain it had brought him, and yet he was willing to trust again, willing to love again.
"I've been thinking about marriage for a long time," Glen went on. "And because of that I've put unnecessary pressure on you and Timmy. I want you to know how sorry I am."
"Please," she said, "don't apologize again. It isn't anything you've done."
He stood as if sitting had become intolerable. "I want you to know I don't plan on taking Jeff away from you and Timmy. It would be impossible. All I'm asking is that you give me a chance to prove myself to you. All I'm asking is that you make room in your life for me."
Jody recalled the way her son's eyes had lit up when she mentioned the outing with Glen and how that expression had gradually faded as he looked at the trophies that had once belonged to his father. Like her, Timmy had assumed having dinner with another man would betray Jeff's memory.
Glen plowed his hand through his hair. "I realize men aren't supposed to react to rejection like this. We're supposed be flippant and to take it on the chin and all that. Forgive me, Jody, if I've made you uncomfortable. I hope I haven't embarrassed you, but I wanted to speak my piece. I figured I'd better do it while I had the courage." He turned and walked out of her kitchen.
He was at the front door before she stopped him. "Glen?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for stopping by. You've given me something to think about. I'll . . . probably see you at the copy machine soon."
He nodded and his soft, dark eyes held hers captive. "I can be patient, Jody, I just haven't proved it yet, but I promise you I will." With that, he turned and let himself out the door.
"Here they come." Bonnie Stewart stuck her head in the labor room door where Leah was stripping the sheets from the bed. Her patient had recently delivered a healthy eight-pound baby girl, her third child. The labor and delivery had gone smoothly and mother and father were delighted with their latest addition.
Leah's shift had been over half an hour earlier and she'd hoped to be long gone before the birthing-class tour group arrived. There was something about ten pregnant woman parading through the labor and delivery rooms that left a sour taste in her mouth.
She was being unfair, Leah realized, but meeting with these groups had always been a painful experience for her. Dealing with the mothers-to-be, one and often two or three at a time, was challenge enough. A roomful tested the very limits of her patience.
"I'll be out of here in nothing flat," Leah tossed over her shoulder. Bonnie didn't know the extent of Leah's dislike for these predelivery tours, but she was aware enough to warn her the little darlings were on their way.
"Leah, hello."
Once Leah had been asked to be a guest speaker for one of the birthing classes and she'd talked briefly about labor and delivery and answered an hour or more of questions. As luck would have it, the tour guide was Jo Ann Rossini who'd been the instructor for the class Leah had visited. Jo Ann walked into the room with ten or more women, all in varying stages of pregnancy.
"Ladies, this is the nurse I mentioned earlier. I sincerely hope one of you is lucky enough to go into labor during Leah's shift. Leah Lundberg is one of the most wonderful labor coaches you're likely to meet."
Leah appreciated Jo Ann's kind words, but she was eager to escape.
"I'll be out of your way in just a moment," Leah said, bundling up the sheets and stuffing them in the laundry basket.
"There's no need to hurry. You'd probably do a much better job of giving a tour around the labor room than me," Jo Ann insisted.
"Leah's shift was over a half hour ago," Bonnie said, coming in.