now to make sure Juliet gives herself all the time she needs to heal.”
“Excellent. It’s always so much easier for my patients when they have supportive family members. She should be coming out of recovery and heading to her room, if you want to head in that direction. Do you remember where to go?”
“I do,” Caitlin said, looking sour, as usual.
“Thank you,” Olivia said to the surgeon.
“You’re welcome. Juliet is one of my favorite people and has been very kind to me since I moved to Cape Sanctuary. Also, my husband and I love to garden and count on Harper Hill to supply us with everything we need. We need her healthy and strong.”
They all did, Olivia thought as she followed Caitlin along the hallways a few moments later.
The solution was clear. She was going to have to stay, at least through her mother’s initial recovery. Caitlin certainly could not shoulder the burden of running the garden center and going to school at the same time. Knowing Juliet, her mother would hate being sidelined and would probably override any attempts by Caitlin or employees of the garden center to keep her away.
She had already been off since the attack in the coffee shop and would have to call human resources about arranging several more weeks of emergency family leave.
She was already edgy after being in town only a few hours and wasn’t sure she could endure several more weeks.
But her mother needed her help. What choice did she have? She couldn’t abandon Juliet or Caitlin. Olivia might not be able to tackle an armed gunman in a coffee shop. But she could surely manage to put her life on hold for a few weeks in order to help out in a crisis.
JULIET
She flashed in and out of awareness for what felt like a lifetime.
One moment she was with Steve again and they were walking the cliffs on a summer evening with his old dog on a leash.
Another, she was with Natalie in the delivery room, half of her heart aching for her child and the trials she would face as a single mother and the other half overwhelmed with the miracle of life and this tiny, crying little girl.
Then she was laughing with Olivia over a show they used to enjoy together, watching her younger daughter’s face light up with glee as she understood some sophisticated, clever line of dialogue.
She hurt. Everywhere. She heard a whimper and realized it was coming from her.
“I think she might be coming out of it. She’s been moaning in her sleep. Should she be doing that? Is there something else you could give her?”
That sounded like Caitlin’s voice.
“Yes. We can give her more pain meds.”
She didn’t want to open her eyes to see who was speaking. It would hurt too much if she did.
Then a moment later, the tension and pain seemed to flow out of her like the tide receding, and she breathed out, her muscles relaxing.
It took her a long time to come back to full awareness. She didn’t want to. The drugs were lovely. Why would she ever want to leave this place where she was free of pain and fear, heartache and regret?
Eventually, she knew she had to open her eyes, especially when she heard Caitlin and Olivia arguing.
“I’m staying here, Caitlin. I’ve been on the phone with my company and have already made all the arrangements to take leave. I can handle the garden center during the day and work long-distance in the evening for my employer and my own clients.”
“Why? Don’t you think I’m capable? I’ve been helping out at the garden center for years.”
“It’s not a matter of whether you’re capable,” Olivia began.
Juliet wanted to tell her not to bother. When Caitlin was in one of her stubborn moods, there was no debating her. The best thing was simply to move on to another topic and quietly do what you were planning anyway.
She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the room was quiet and she felt a little more clearheaded.
Olivia was sitting beside her. So she hadn’t conjured her in a dream, along with the husband and daughter she had lost.
“You’re really here,” she said, her voice croaking and her throat sore.
Olivia jumped up instantly. “Hi. You’re awake. That’s good. How are you feeling?”
“I’ve had better days.” She cleared away the dryness of her throat. Had she swallowed an entire bag of potting soil?
“The nurse said you could have some ice water when you wake