Coming Home (The Morgans) (5 page)

 
Victoria smiled. Dr. Hobbs had treated many a cold, flu, even her broken arm when she fell out of the oak tree on the farm. He had been a kind and caring doctor.

 
“What did he and Mrs. Hobbs do? Did they get the RV and travel like they always talked about?” Tori questioned.

 
“They sure did. Mom got a postcard from Mrs. Hobbs a few weeks ago from somewhere in Arizona.”

 
“Well good for them,” Tori said and she meant it. “They deserve it. He worked hard taking care of this community ever since I was a little girl.”

 
He parked in front of a small brick building with a large glass window with a sign stating Mumford Medical.

 
“This is it.” Drue hopped out of the truck and just as Tori was about to open her door, Drue beat her to it.

 
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks.”

 
She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had opened a car door or any door for that matter for her. It was a lot chivalrous act these days. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan had raised their boys right. No doubt about that.

 
They walked into the clinic. It was a warm welcoming waiting room with large brown chairs and pretty pictures of families and places in the community adorning the walls.

  “Hi,
Gail. Is the Doc available for a walk in?” Drue asked the cute blonde behind the front desk.

 
“You know for you Drue he is always available. I’d make sure of that.” The blonde smiled brightly at Drue.

 
Well then, thought Tori as she frowned. I’ll just bet she would.

 
“It’s not for me. It’s for my…my friend Victoria here.” He hesitated and stuttered slightly.

 
“Oh, well then I just need her to fill this out, and we’ll be good to go.” The blonde looked Tori up and down as if she were trying to decide whether to let her in or not. Tori smiled sweetly at the girl and took the clipboard.

  “Hussy
.” Tori mumbled under her breath.

 
“What was that, Victoria?” Drue asked.

 
“Fussy.” she replied. “You don’t need to make such a fuss.”

 
She quickly sat down to fill out the paperwork and realized she had a problem. The hand she wrote with and the hand that was injured were one in the same.

 
She looked up at Drue as he continued to chat with Gail.

 
“Ah, Drue…” she grabbed his attention.

 
He glanced over at Tori and saw the frustrated look on her face. “What is it?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

 
“You mean besides not wanting to get a shot?” she replied sarcastically. “I can’t fill this out.”

 
“Why not?” Drue asked.

 
Then he saw the problem. He knew Tori was left-handed. He saw the pen in her injured hand.

 
“Ah. I see. Here, let me.” Drue took the clipboard and pen from her. “I’ll fill it out. You just supply the necessary information.”

 
“Okay. You haven’t had any other surgeries besides the appendix removal, have you?” Drue asked.

 
“You remember that?” Tori asked surprised.

 
She had been 10 when that had happened. She thought she was dying. She and Kevin had been playing pirate and damsel in distress under the oak tree that summer when she had doubled over in pain.

 
“Of course I do. Kevin thought you were going to die.” Drue told her. “I wasn’t so sure either, basing it on how you looked and the pain you were in. I thought we were going to have to sedate Kevin he was so upset.”

 
“Yes, even that had a positive outcome.” Tori remembered and smiled. “We ate all the ice cream we wanted for weeks.

 
Drue laughed. “I remember that too. You guys were spoiled rotten.”

 
“We were not.” Tori started.

 
Just then a nurse with a friendly smile called Tori back.

 
“Be a big girl and you might get a sucker when you are finished.” Drue teased her.

 
“Funny. Very funny.” Tori stuck her tongue out at Drue playfully and went through the door to receive her torture.

 
Drue waited. It had been 30 minutes already. There had only been one other patient come in since they had. He didn’t think it would take too long. He hoped everything was okay. It was just a little puncture wound.

 
Just then the door opened and Tori came out. She had a new bandage on her hand and a band aid now on her arm where he assumed she had received her shot. She looked paler now than when she had gone in.

 
He stood and met her at the reception window.

 
“Everything go okay?”Drue asked.

 
She frowned back at him and turned back to Gail to receive her receipt.

 
“Come on. Let’s go.” Tori mumbled.

 
Drue was confused. Was she upset about the shot? Surely it wasn’t that big of a deal. Sure. Nobody likes to get them, but they were necessary when needed.

 
Tori didn’t say anything as Drue opened the truck door for her to get in.

 
As he slid in beside her, he started the truck and studied her. “Something wrong?”

 
Tori shifted in her seat and turned to face him with a look of embarrassment on her face.

 
“Nothing, unless you consider that fact that I passed out at the sight of a needle and embarrassed myself to death, anything wrong.” She muttered and looked down at her hands in her lap.

 
Drue couldn’t help it. He smiled. Right there that instant she reminded him of the twelve-year-old Victoria that always pulled at your heartstrings when something hadn’t gone her way.

 
“Is that all?” Drue asked. “Well, would a lollipop make you feel better?”

 
When Tori turned to Drue he was holding up a blueberry sucker from the doctor’s office.

 
He smiled and shook the sucker back and forth and arched his eyebrows, his eyes twinkling.

 
She couldn’t help herself. She started laughing. She laughed at her childish pouty behavior, at the absurdity of her fear of needles and the fact that she had been so embarrassed in the doctor’s office just a few moments ago.

 
All the pent up tension of the morning evaporated. Just like that. She smiled and swiped the sucker from Drue.

 
“Let’s go home and forget all about this morning.” Tori stated cheerfully. She unwrapped her sucker and enjoyed the sweet sugary taste.

 
Drue had been wonderful all morning. From cleaning her up, to bringing her to the doctor to cheering her up, his caring, gentle, and yes, playful persona had been what she’d needed. She owed him.

 
“Drue.” she started. He looked over at her questioning.

 
“Thank you. For everything.”

 
Their eyes met and he smiled back. He placed his hand on her knee and said. “It was nothing Sprite, and you’re welcome.”

 
“You want a lick?” Tori asked Drue teasingly. Then she realized what she had said. Oh God.

She looked at Drue eyes wide in shock.

  He looked right back.

 
“More than you know.” was all that he said.

 
It was enough. Tingles ran through her making her shiver as Drue leaned over and licked the candy, never taking his eyes from her.  She didn’t know where their conversation would take them later, but part of her was very much looking forward to it if his responses and gentle touches today were any indication of his feelings. She never was one to back down from a challenge. She wasn’t about to start now. Her future and her happiness just may depend on it.

 
Drue sat back - a serious look on his face- shifted into gear and headed home.

 
Drue came to a stop in front of Tori’s house and right away noticed Kevin sitting on the front porch waiting for her.

 
“I’m surprised he didn’t meet us at the doctor’s office.” Drue said sarcastically.

  Tori smiled at Kevin through
the window and waved.

 
“He is probably here for all the gory details.” laughed Tori.

  Before she
could open the door, Drue reached over and grabbed her hand.

She stopped and looked over at him questioningly.

  “We still need to talk.” Drue stated very seriously.

 
“Okay, Drue.” Tori started. “I’m pretty sure I know what the topic is, but just so we are clear, is this about last night?”

 
“Yes, it is. I believe you asked me a question that I intend to answer.” Drue continued.

 
“Let’s talk after dinner tonight. Mom said to tell you she and Dad expect to see you there.” Drue smiled.

 
“I think they just want to make sure you are alright too.”

 
“Always nice to know people care about you.”

 
Just then Kevin swung the door open and pulled Tori out of the truck. He bombarded her with questions.

 
“Are you okay? Do you feel very much pain? Is there anything I can do? Did big brother take care of you?”

 
“Kevin, take a breath!” Tori teased. “I’m fine. See? Just a little more than a scratch now.”

 
Kevin looked at his brother through the open door of the truck.

 
“Hey, man. Thanks for taking care of her.”

 
He turned to Tori and ushered her up the steps. “Come on.”

Halfway up the steps he said “You can make us some coffee and tell me all about it.”

She elbowed him in the side and laughed as he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way up the porch.

  “Put me down, you fool.”
she smacked at his back playfully.

 
“I’ve already made one trip to the doctor’s office today. I don’t need to make another one when you drop me.”

 
Drue watched Kevin and Tori as his hands fisted. It was his hands that belonged wrapped around her not Kevin’s. Or was it? He had thought all along that the two of them would end up together, but last night he had replayed the last nineteen years in his head. Never once had there been any sign of a romance between the two. It had just been expected. So if his brother had those type of feelings for Tori, he had never shown them or expressed them. Drue didn’t know what all of these feelings were or what exactly to do about them, but he knew with Victoria here he couldn’t ignore them any longer. He had ignored them long enough. It was time to find out where this might lead, but first he had to talk with his brother. He drove the half mile from Victoria’s house to his, and as he parked in the driveway he vowed to have the first discussion with his brother before talking with Victoria tonight.

  Tori handed Kevin a steaming cup of black coffee and doctored hers up with French Vanilla creamer and two spoons of sugar. Mmmm…she loved that smell. No better medicine than a good cup of coffee.

 
“Let’s go sit on the front porch.” Tori led the way and took a seat in one of the cushioned wicker chairs.

Kevin sat next to her.

  “I’m sorry you had to put up with Drue at the doctor’s office.” Kevin said. “I’m sure he was a real peach to deal with.”

 
“Actually he was great through the entire thing.” Tori smiled, reflecting on the morning.

 
“Seriously?” Kevin joked. “We are talking about my stoic no-nonsense brother, right?”

  “Yes, we are
. He was very compassionate and kind.” Tori shared. “He cleaned me up, got me to the doctor and even rewarded me with a sucker for being a big girl.” Tori laughed.

 
Kevin stared at Tori as she told him some of the details of the morning. He watched her animated face and saw something hidden behind what she wasn’t saying.

 
Hmmm…thought Kevin. Interesting. Very interesting.

 
It would seem that maybe fate was finally stepping in to help this situation along between his best friend and his brother that had been there for years. Maybe, just maybe he could play a hand in it as well.

 
“I know you only just arrived yesterday, Tori, but what’s the plan?” Kevin asked. “It’s mid-October. You said you are here for four weeks. Does that mean you are going to be here for Thanksgiving?”

 
“Yes. I am scheduled to go back to work the Monday after Thanksgiving. Sooner if I get everything worked out.” Tori answered.

 
“What does ‘everything’ consist of?”

 
“Well, the biggest decision I have to make is what to do with the house, Kev.” Tori sighed.

 
“I live in Chicago. Even though it’s only two hours away, this place is a lot to take care of. I can’t imagine not having it to come home to, but at the same time, I’m not sure I am prepared to take care of it right now either.”

 
Kevin took her hands into his and squeezed as a show of support.

 
“Listen, Sprite. You know my family and I are here for you. If there is any way we can help you, you know we will.”

  “I know that
. I just have to figure this out. I’ve got some thinking to do. It’s a little complicated, but life is, isn’t it?”

 
“I miss them both so much that sometimes I feel like it will consume me.” Tori said sadly. “Then I hear grandma tell me that having a pity party never helped solve anything.” Tori smiled again. “Something to be said for all the wisdom she shared. She was usually right.”

 
“You will figure it out, Tori. Sometimes you just have to listen to your heart.”

 
“What? Is this my let whatever happens, happen best friend going soft on me?” Tori teased.

 
“Just don’t be in a rush to make a decision. Take the month and enjoy your time back home.” Kevin said. “I, for one, am glad to have you here, and I know I’m not the only one.”

 
Tori wasn’t about to ask who else he was referring to. Kevin knew her inside out, and she was pretty sure he knew she felt “something” for Drue. He knew her too well not to know, but they had never once broached that subject. She wasn’t quite ready to now. Maybe soon. Once she understood herself what those feelings were and what she was going to do about them.

 
Kevin jumped up from the chair.

 
“Enough of this serious talk. It will ruin my carefree reputation!” he mocked.

 
“Need to finish up a few things.” Kevin stood and hugged her. “Call me if you need anything, otherwise,   I’ll see you at dinner.”

 
“Thanks, Kev.” Tori hugged him good-bye and took their coffee mugs into the kitchen and washed them up.

 
It was four o’clock. She had two hours until dinner. She had enough time for a quick nap to refresh herself until then.

 
She went upstairs to her bedroom and set her phone alarm for five just in case. She didn’t want to be late. Mrs. Morgan would tan her hide. She drifted off smiling as she remembered how many times Mrs. Morgan had threatened to do just that.

  Drue saw Kevin coming across the yard from Victoria’s as he tinkered in the garage needlessly reorganizing tools and parts that were already organized. One thing that Dad had instilled in his boys at an early age was to respect your belongings and take care of them. He didn’t tolerate using something and not putting it back where you found it.

 
Well he guessed now was as good a time as any to have that talk with Kevin. He really wasn’t looking forward to it.

 
He’d rather sign up for a root canal than discuss his feelings with his little brother.

 
“Hey, man, what are you up to?” Kevin asked as he came into the garage.

 
The smell of gasoline, oil and dirt penetrated the air where tractors, lawnmowers, gas cans, tools and parts were housed.

 
“Just straightening up.” Drue wiped his hands on a shop rag and cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you have a few minutes?” Drue asked his brother. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

 
Kevin studied his brother. Whoa. He could count the times on one hand that his brother had wanted to talk about anything other than farming. He didn’t think this had anything to do with the farm by the looks of how uncomfortable his brother was. Drue’s forehead was creased and his eyebrows drawn together as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

 
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

 
“Are there any romantic intentions on your part regarding Victoria?” Drue pushed out. He wasn’t one for beating around the bush.

 
Kevin almost choked on his own saliva. He hadn’t expected his brother to start the conversation there.

 
“What?” he almost hollered. “Tori is like a sister to me.” Kevin said. “That would be like incest or something. Gross!”

 
“So, I take that to mean you do not.” Drue stared at his feet as he talked.

 
“No, big brother. I have feelings for Tori. I love her, but just like I love you, Mom and Dad. She’s part of the family.”

 
Kevin had a feeling he knew where this was headed, but he had no intention of making it easy for Drue. He knew Tori had been drawn to Drue since they were little kids. He also knew Drue had been drawn to Tori, but he always refused to give in. He didn’t understand why. Tori was an amazing woman. He always wondered why something hadn’t developed between them, but it never had. They had always been two peas in a pod or more like two partners in crime but nothing more than best friends.

 
“Kind of a strange line of questioning coming from you, big brother. What gives?”

 
Drue cleared his throat yet again and looked up at Kevin.

 
“What would you say if I told you that I do have feelings for Victoria, and they aren’t exactly brotherly.”

  Drue wait
ed for his brother’s response, holding his breath.

 
“Hot Damn!” Kevin erupted. He jumped off the green and yellow riding lawnmower seat he’d been sitting on. He smacked Drue on the back and said “It’s about time you admitted that.”

 
Drue was stunned. What did Kevin mean it was about time? Had he known all along the struggle Drue had fought to keep Tori at bay?

  “You’r
e not angry?” Drue questioned. “It doesn’t bother you that I have feelings for her?”

 
“Of course I’m not angry.” Kevin told Drue. “I’ve wondered what’s been holding you back all these years. It was obvious the two of you were drawn to each other, but you never pursued her.” Kevin stared at his brother.

 
“Why is that exactly, Drue? And why now? What’s changed?” Kevin waited for Drue’s answer.

  “You were the reason I never pu
rsued Victoria. I always thought the two of you belonged together and would eventually end up together.” Drue took in a deep breath.

 
“It didn’t matter how I felt if you had feelings for Victoria. I just kept brushing them off and telling myself it was nothing, just an annoyance that would eventually go away.”

 
“And…” Kevin prompted for Drue to continue.

 
“The feelings haven’t gone away, Kev.” Drue said and chuckled. “She drives me crazy. Having her home for just two days and it’s cracked that wall wide open and…” Drue shook his head. “and I can’t believe I am telling you all this.”

 
Kevin smiled at his brother. It was rare to see Drue so flabbergasted and not in control. He liked it- a lot.

 
“Drue, sparks fly off you and Tori when you’re together. Most people think its tension because you are at odds, but it’s really because you guys gravitate to one another.” Kevin continued.

 
“I think it’s great. Tori’s an amazing person, and you’re not such a bad guy either.” Kevin joked to lighten the situation.

 
“So if you’re asking if I am okay with you pursuing whatever it is between you and Tori, then yes, I am okay with it on one condition.” Kevin said with all seriousness.

 
Drue raised his eyes again at Kevin’s serious tone.

 
“Condition?” Drue asked.

 
“Don’t hurt her.” Kevin finished.

 
“I don’t know what this is or where it will lead between Victoria and me, but I will not intentionally hurt her.” Drue told Kevin. “It’s the last thing I’d want to do. It’s the other reason I never entertained the idea of a relationship with Victoria. I don’t want to create any friction within our family.” Drue continued.