The Cancer-Capricorn Connection Read online

  Why hadn’t she tried to reach him? She’d known his cell number. With the internet she could have located him. Could her present glare be caused by shards of memory from that time?

  He sucked in a breath and remembered Cate’s mother. She’d raised her daughter alone and saw no need for a man in their lives. He’d received a dose of the woman’s bitter remarks during his single visit to Cate’s home. What had Cate told his daughter about him?

  His hands clenched. If he had known would he have changed his plans? Probably not. If they’d married, they’d have grown to resent each other. Did she realize that? They had to talk and soon.

  * * *

  When Cate saw Rick and an older man choose a nearby booth her shoulder muscles tightened. The last bite stuck in her throat and she feared she would gag. From his startled expression, she knew he’d seen Maddie and realized the child was his daughter. She prayed he’d ignore them but he wouldn’t. Maddie was his only blood relative unless he’d married and had children, a distinct possibility. Why else had he chosen a house with five bedrooms?

  She pulled several bills from her wallet and tossed them on the table. “This should cover mine and Maddie’s lunch. We need to hit the grocery story.”

  Lauren looked up. “There’s food in the basement freezer and the fridge is stocked. My welcome present.”

  “I saw what’s there but we’ll need some cleaning supplies and Maddie’s favorite cereal.” She slid from the booth and signaled her daughter. Somehow she had to solve the new dilemma without upsetting Maddie.

  “Cate.” Rick’s deep voice caressed her name.

  She kept walking, hoping he would realize she didn’t want to speak to him.

  Maddie tugged on her hand. “Mom, I think that man knows you.”

  “We went to college together.” She chewed on her lower lip. There were things she couldn’t tell her daughter. Like we were friends. We fell in love. We had sex. I was pregnant. He rode away.

  “Don’t you like him? I saw your friends talking to him. He lives in the house across the street.”

  Cate paused beside her car and unlocked the door. “In and seatbelt on, please.”

  “I will. You didn’t answer my question.”

  Cate considered her answer. “Years ago we were friends. Right after graduation he left without saying goodbye. I guess I’m not a forgiving person like my friends.”

  Inside she shook. She had to tell her daughter her father had surfaced. Any questions Maddie asked should be answered in a neutral voice. She didn’t want her daughter to hate the man who had fathered her. Right now she was too angry to talk about him. Still, she’d had his name placed on the birth certificate.

  Her mother had been furious. Their conversation popped into her thoughts.

  “You’ll give him a way to claim her.”

  “If I ever see him again, he has a right to know.”

  “Does he? Just like your father he left. Do you think I enjoyed answering your questions? How will you deal with her?”

  “When the time is right I’ll know.”

  Cate released a held breath. Her mother had answered her questions with bitter remarks. Never had the older woman allowed a fact to emerge.

  The time to tell her daughter about Rick had arrived too soon. Was Maddie old enough to learn about her father and his actions in the past? Did it matter? She had to find a way before Rick made the first move.

  She parked at the grocery store. She and Maddie walked the aisles selecting cereal, bread and other needed staples. Cate picked up microwaveable popcorn for the movie they planned to watch this evening.

  At the house while stocking the pantry she weighed her options. Though her new job was a challenge, if Rick made trouble, she and Maddie could leave Eastlake. She had no desire to look for another job. She could tell Rick to back off and threaten to sue him for back child support. Could she do that? Or she could tell her daughter the truth in several ways. Some could be designed to raise her child’s resentment toward him.

  Rick had seen Maddie. His failing to realize she was his daughter fell into the area of impossible. Every time she looked at her child she saw him. Hair and features. Only Maddie’s eyes were green instead of deep brown. She pursed her lips. She had to tell her daughter but not today or even tomorrow. She needed the right time and the right words. She also needed to know more about him. In nine years a person could undergo changes.

  Maddie ran to the kitchen door. “I’m going to swing.”

  “Enjoy.” Cate walked to the living room. The doorbell rang. Tension froze her. She wanted to run but there was no escape. When she saw Lauren, relief nearly made her black out.

  “What’s wrong?” her friend asked. “You’re as white as a sterile four by four.”

  “I thought you were Rick.”

  “Who is Maddie’s father.”

  The clipped words helped Cate regain her inner balance. “He is and…I feel like running and hiding.”

  “Don’t chicken out. Face him. Clear the past so you can more forward.”

  “I wish I could.”

  “Look at me. I fell in love with Alex when I was a teen. He married Rhonda. I ran from seeing them and went to work for that international health group. When I returned he was a widower. I remained deeply in love while he wallowed in the past. I stayed and found happiness. So can you.”

  “I’d just like to push this all aside.”

  “No matter what happens I’ll back you. So will the others. Face Rick and let him know what you feel.”

  “I need to tell Maddie first and that’s difficult. We’ve never talked much about her father.”

  “Don’t delay too long and don’t feel guilty that you didn’t look for him. You weren’t the one who took off for parts unknown.”

  Lauren’s words struck Cate as the truth. Graduation day was a well of anger and hurt. Today, tendrils of guilt entered her thoughts. She had let him go and hadn’t tried to let him know about their daughter. “Do you want to come in?”

  “I can’t. On the way here Johnny fell asleep. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You did dash off. See you Monday. Have you found anyone to watch Maddie?”

  “Your father-in-law enrolled her at the Community Center.”

  “Liz’s boys are there and so are many children whose parents work at the hospital.”

  After Lauren drove away, Cate made a green bean and tuna salad for dinner. At five she called Maddie inside. Once they finished dinner, they unpacked their suitcases.

  With this done, Cate popped a bag of corn and they watched the latest animated feature. When the movie ended Maddie yawned. “Upstairs. Bath and bed.”

  ‘I had fun today. Thank you for the swing set. Johnny and the twins really liked it.” She ran off.

  A short time later, Cate followed. She kissed her daughter good night. As she walked downstairs she felt thankful. Her daughter hadn’t asked about Rick.

  She carried a glass of iced tea outside and sat on the swing. The moon shone brightly. As she gently rocked, she saw a car parked in Rick’s driveway. Before long she had to face him and have that talk with Maddie. She couldn’t allow anger to color either conversation. Hopefully she would find the right words.

  Chapter 2

  When Rick pulled into the driveway of his new home, he stared at the house across the street. Cate’s car sat in the driveway but he saw no signs of activity. He moved to where he could see the backyard and watched his daughter climb hand over hand across the bar above the swings.

  Clint pulled a bag of groceries from the back. “You planning to visit?”

  “Not yet.” Rick left the SUV. He handed a second bag to the older man. “We need to get these things inside quickly.”

  “Especially since you bought six kinds of ice cream.”

  Rick laughed. “The sale price was great and I’m an ice cream junkie. When do you plan for this afternoon?”

  “A tour of the basement to mark my space. And you?”

&nb
sp; “Unpacking. Checking the yard.”

  “Are you avoiding our neighbor?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Why?”

  “She needs time to recover from the shock of seeing me and what she did.”

  “Excuse me. Son, you left. She didn’t.”

  “She could have called.”

  “And learned you had no intention of changing your plans. You didn’t handle the situation with her very well.” Clint’s voice held an edge of anger.

  Rick grabbed the last two bags and strode to the house. His foster father had nailed his past actions. He was avoiding Cate. He’d also had a shock seeing a child who could only be his daughter.

  Right now he could kick himself but his foot wouldn’t reach his ass. Regret filled his head with all those could have been moments. He should have told Cate about his acceptance to medical school. He should have waited and spoken to her after the ceremony ended. He should have told her he wouldn’t change his dream. He hadn’t and he couldn’t imagine her accepting his reasons then and not even now.

  Had Cate known she was pregnant that morning? He recalled what she’d whispered as they lined for the march into the stadium. “We need to talk.” He hadn’t been ready for another argument about their future. So he had escaped.

  “Rick, the groceries.” Clint shouted.

  He hurried to the kitchen and unloaded the bags. He left out two steaks for dinner. Clint quickly mixed a marinade. This done, they went to the basement. He and Clint designed a small apartment, one bedroom and sitting room, a bath and a dark room.

  That evening over steaks, Clint’s observations made Rick squirm. “The little girl we saw at the restaurant is your daughter.”

  Rick nodded. “She has to be.”

  “What do you intend to do?” His voice took on that stern father quality Rick had heard the day they had met.

  "I don’t know.”

  Clint placed his fork on the plate. “I can’t advise you and you know why.”

  During the years Rick had lived with the older man he’d learned many things about his foster father’s past. Clint’s inner sadness caused by the flight of his wife of less than a year and his wondering if there had been a child was one of the reasons.

  What could he say? He finished his steak and rose. “I’m heading up to finish stowing my stuff.”

  Clint nodded. “While you’re facing new challenges, I’ll find a contractor to make the changes in the basement.”

  Upstairs Rick tackled hanging bags and boxes. What a change from his first arrival in Eastlake. One duffel bag had been enough. Occasionally he halted and stood at the window facing her home. Lights shone in the first floor windows but he caught no glimpse of her or his daughter.

  Would their paths cross at the hospital? Could they ignore personal baggage from the past and work as professional colleagues? He had to try but he also needed to know why she had never reached out.

  A daughter. He had a child. The little girl was his only relative. He didn’t even know her name.

  He and Cate had to talk. Could he explain his abrupt departure? He’d loved her but not enough to sacrifice his dreams. Another reason for his flight had been her mother. The older bitter woman had expected Cate to follow her ideas of where to live and work. He’d been certain Cate wouldn’t protest. She’d always hated to make waves. Had she remained the same?

  He hung the last of his suits in the closet and went downstairs. With a beer in hand he joined Clint to watch a ballgame. Tomorrow he would find time to speak to Cate.

  A restless night of tossing and turning and constant emergence from dreams filled with guilty regret and frustration made him head for a cold shower. Cate must hate him. What else could she feel toward the man who had vanished with no thought of her? He’d spoken of love so many times when their bodies had been entwined after making love. One of those times had produced a daughter.

  He stepped from the shower. Clint rapped on the closed bathroom door. “Did you forget the golf game with your partners?”

  Rick turned off the spray. “What time is it?”

  “Seven. We’re to meet them at eight. I’ll load the clubs.”

  Rick rubbed his body dry. “Be with you in a few.” He quickly finished his morning routine and strode downstairs.

  In the kitchen, he filled a mug with coffee he hoped would jump start his head. The fogginess was his fault.

  Clint handed him a plate of scrambled eggs and sausages. He ate and joined his friend at the gray SUV.

  “Did you sleep last night?”

  “Marginally.”

  “Nerves?”

  Rick shook his head. “Her.”

  “You can’t spend your nights and days wallowing in guilt. Admit you made a mistake and move on. How badly did you err?”

  Rick shrugged. “Very. Back then leaving seemed my only option. We’d been a couple for almost a year. We’d talked about marriage and that’s where the trouble began. She knew how much I wanted medical school. She thought my yearning was foolish. The month before graduation we quarreled constantly and then had passionate makeup sessions.”

  “What was her plan for your future?”

  “To return to her mother’s home and work at the local hospital.” Rick released a groan. “That wasn’t for me. I’d already applied to several medical schools. When the acceptance came I kept quiet.”

  “She didn’t know.”

  “None of my friends knew. I didn’t want any more fights so I grabbed my diploma and left.”

  Clint chuckled. “I’m amazed she hasn’t come over and knocked you on your kiester.”

  Rick shrugged. “Not Cate. She doesn’t like to make scenes. She’s angry but I have no fear of physical violence. Seems your life and mine are on parallel lines.”

  “Except I was married and my wife disappeared, leaving me in limbo.’

  “Did you try to find her?”

  “I did when I returned from that first assignment. I regret not knowing if she lied about there being no child.” He tossed Rick the keys. “Your town. You drive.”

  At a few minutes before eight, Rick parked the car in the country club lot. His partners waited at the entrance to the links. He introduced Clint to Bob Stack and Larry Greene. They loaded their clubs onto the back of a golf cart and the round began.

  After the eighteenth they walked to the club house for lunch. Larry raised his glass. “Welcome to Eastlake.”

  “Glad to be here,” Rick said.

  Bob leaned forward. “Tell us about this new system you forced the Board to order.”

  “Robotics,” Rick said. “Oh, we’ll do the surgery, not the machine, but what we’ll be able to do is design a cutting guide to show the least invasive way to go.”

  Larry shook his head. “Does this really work?”

  “I wouldn’t have persuaded the hospital to purchase the program if I didn’t believe how much time we’ll save and how much less pain for the patients.” He turned to Clint. “Part of the grant for this came from my foster dad.”

  Clint smiled. “I let you finance yourself through college and medical school so this was my gift. It’s another form of photography.”

  Their lunches arrived and after finishing Clint and Rick drove home. Rick turned to the older man. “A question.”

  “Ask away.”

  “What would you have done if you’d found your wife and discovered there was a child?”

  “Taken care of them financially and tried to form a bond with my child.”

  “What about suing for custody?”

  Clint shrugged. “Wouldn’t have happened unless there was a cause like neglect or worse, I wouldn’t take a child from her mother.”

  “Would you have tried to win her love again?”

  “I don’t think that would have been possible, especially after the way she vanished from everyone she knew.”

  “Makes sense.” Rick turned into the street. He didn’t want custody unless he and Cate marr
ied. That seemed as impossible as climbing a glass mountain. Cate refused to speak to him. He might have to force the issue.

  At the house he opened the rear of the van. The sound of a ball bouncing caused him to turn.

  “Score!”

  The piping voice brought a smile. His daughter aimed a basketball at the hoop attached to the garage door. He’d played forward in high school and college. She tossed a second time. “Score.”

  “Not bad,” Clint said.

  Rick leaned against the car. Though they’d never spoken pride settled in his chest. An urge to dash across the street and announce his paternity was batted aside. He had no idea what Cate had told the child about him.

  * * *

  On Monday morning, Cate sipped coffee while Maddie finished her breakfast. Her daughter’s appetite remained unchanged by any anxiety her new situation promised. Cate wished she could say the same. Would she meet Rick at the hospital? His specialty in orthopedic surgery meant his patients would frequently arrive at the Rehab Center, her territory.

  Maddie put her bowl and glass in the dishwasher and took two lunches from the fridge. She handed one to her mother. “Aren’t you excited? I am.” Maddie skipped on the way to the car.

  “Maybe a little. No, a lot. New things can be scary.”

  “But we don’t let anyone know.”

  Cate chuckled. She glanced across the street. His car remained in the driveway. Was he at home or had he ridden the bike to the hospital?

  At the Community Center, Cate parked and followed Maddie to the door. She waved to Brandon and Justin. Cate punched in the code she’d been given and the door opened. “Have a good day. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.” Maddie joined her friends.

  Cate drove up the hill to the hospital and found a space in the staff lot. She walked to the four story red brick building across the street from the hospital. The building had once been a dormitory for student nurses. The sign above the door read Eastlake Rehabilitation Center.