A Marriage Takes Two by Janet Lane-Walters Page B

Thanks for the schedule change. How can I repay you?”
    “Want to do the schedule?”
    “Just show me how and I’ll give it a try. Never had the experience of doing one.”
    “Not this time, but I plan to show you how to do a lot of things around here.”
    Why, Carrie wondered, but she didn’t ask. She turned to leave. “I’d better call the school. Again, thanks.”
    “No problem. Helping each other is one of the good things about working here.”
    “See you later.” Carrie continued to the second floor. I really like it here , she thought.
    As she prepared for afternoon med rounds, Tony entered the small room and closed the door. “We have a problem.”
    “Already solved. Hazel told me about Ben. Ruth arranged a schedule switch for the duration.”
    “Efficiency. I like that. I had visions of Chad trying to cook and burning the house down, or having the gang over. What if he beats you home?”
    “Won’t happen. The bus will drop him off here. He can wait in the lounge for me.”
    Tony rolled his eyes. “What if he goes exploring?”
    “Trust me. This will be better than him being alone at the house for fifteen minutes. How’s Ben?”
    “Pneumonia. Not good with his already compromised respiratory system.”
    “Will he be all right?”
    “Hope so. We caught the infection early.” He leaned against the door. “What about dinner?”
    “Pizza.”
    Tony groaned.
    “Then soup and sandwiches. Microwave dinners. Chad and I can run to the store.”
    “That’s almost an hour round trip and we planned to start his room.”
    “We’ll do what we have to do.” With the door closed, the room seemed too small and Tony too near. The scent of him was doing strange things to her body, not to mention her thoughts. “Let me get these meds out so I can finish charting and be ready for him.’
    He opened the door. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
    Those words raised her hopes and she tried to squash them. He meant his words mainly because he was worried about his son. “Glad I’m here.”
    “See you around five thirty. I wish…”  He waved and left.
    What had he been about to say?  The question remained in her thoughts while she gave the medicines, wrote her notes and hurried to the lounge to meet Chad. She opened the door. He sat on the couch.
    “How come I had to come here?” he asked.
    “Ben’s in the hospital and Hazel’s with him.”
    “Do I have to stay here until you and Dad get off work?”  He pointed to the machines. “Can I have a snack?  I’m starved.”
    “Aren’t you always?”  She fished in her purse for some change. “We’ll take it home. I’m off...How was school?”
    He fed coins into the machine and pressed buttons. “Got a ninety in math and a hundred in spelling. Can I go see Ben?”
    “He’s at the medical center.” She opened the lounge door and headed toward the parking lot. The sky was pewter gray. Rain or snow? “We can call when we get home.”
    “I guess...No.”
    She put her hand on his shoulder. “I thought Ben was your friend.”
    “Maybe.” His lower lip quivered.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Doesn’t look like nothing to me.” She leaned in the car and checked his seatbelt.
    “He left me. Dad left me. Mom left me. Everybody does.”
    “You’re with your dad now, and I’m here.”
    “You won’t stay.”
    Carrie’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted to stay, but he was right. She couldn’t unless Tony asked her. “Your dad and I are married.” She pulled into the street.
    “Not.”
    She didn’t know how to respond. She and Tony had to stop mincing around. “I wish I could explain. I’m not leaving. I just took a job at the clinic...and...I want to be here.”
    When they reached the house, she remained in the car. How could she explain anything to Chad when she didn’t know what would happen?
    “Can we start in my room?”
    “After you do your homework. We need to go to the store and buy stuff for