A Diamond For Kate

Momentarily distracted, he frowned. The scent was vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t for the life of him think why. A memory danced on the edges of his mind, just out of reach. He inhaled again, hoping to recapture the perfume and perhaps jog the memory free, but the scent was no longer detectable.

It had to have come from one of the nurses, he silently reasoned, probably the one who’d tried to stop him getting out of bed, the one who’d prevented him from falling.

He remembered leaning hard against her for support, feeling her strength as well as her softness, recalled how there had indeed been the scent of jasmine in the air.

He shook his head. Undoubtedly his sense of smell was heightened by his blindness.

Marsh gradually loosened his grip on the bed-covers and, wanting to keep the panic at bay, turned his thoughts to the accident

The last thing he remembered was seeing the flashing amber lights, warning them they were approaching Cutter’s Junction, a busy intersection to the south of Kincade. He’d been talking to Sabrina, telling her how much they were going to enjoy living at the Blue Diamond Ranch with her grandparents and her uncle Spencer.

But the happy homecoming he’d envisaged had taken a bad turn, and now he found himself trapped in a world of darkness. Nothing in his thirty-seven years had prepared him for this new and alien world, a world without vision, a world that left him feeling totally powerless and utterly defenseless. Was this his punishment for turning his back on his daughter?

Chapter Three

“Kate, why don’t you take Sabrina upstairs to see her father?”

Kate opened her mouth to object, then shut it again, knowing she should have anticipated Dr. Franklin’s request. After she’d found him and explained the situation, Sabrina had begged to see her daddy.

“Is there a problem? I have a few charts to write up before I finish here.”

“No,” Kate replied, darting a quick glance at Sabrina. “It’s just...well, I mean...” She floundered. “Is he able to—?” She ground to a halt, hoping Dr. Franklin would be astute enough to fill in the blank himself.

“Oh—right.” Dr. Franklin nodded in understanding. He turned to the child. “There is something you should know. When the accident happened your father got a rather nasty cut on his forehead as well as a few bruises and a black eye.”

“A black eye?” Sabrina repeated. “I’ve never seen a black eye before.”

“Oh...and that’s not all,” the doctor continued in the same light vein. “Because of the bump to his head and the bruising around his eyes, your father isn’t able to see.”

Sabrina threw Kate a worried look before turning back to the doctor.

“I know that sounds scary,” Dr. Franklin continued evenly. “And believe me, your father isn’t happy about it, either,” he added in an attempt to make Sabrina smile. “But once the swelling goes down, he’ll be just fine.”

“He’ll see again?”

“He’ll see again,” the doctor acknowledged.

The news of her father’s condition didn’t appear to have upset the little girl unduly, and silently Kate credited the calm, matter-of-fact way Dr. Franklin had explained the situation.

“Can I see him now?”

“Yes. He’s upstairs in Room 516,” he told Kate. “I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes.”

Kate carried Sabrina to the elevators and lowered her to the floor after pressing the call button. “Dr. Franklin’s nice, isn’t he?”

“Can I press the number?” Sabrina asked as she scampered inside the elevator that had just arrived.

“Sure,” Kate replied, pleased that the prospect of seeing her father had cheered Sabrina. She herself had mixed feelings on the matter.

When they got out on the fifth floor, Kate felt Sabrina’s hand slip into hers and glancing down at the child, she flashed her a smile. “Everything’s going to be just fine.” But she saw that Sabrina’s steps had already slowed, and a look of apprehension clouded her small features. Kate gave Sabrina’s hand a squeeze. After tapping the door lightly, she pushed it open.

“Who’s there?” Marsh asked, annoyed to hear a slight tremor in his voice. Since the nurse named Heather had left, he’d become restless and agitated, hating the continuous darkness.

“Dr. Diamond. I’m the nurse who tended you earlier. I’ve brought your daughter to see you.” She tugged gently at Sabrina, who was standing behind Kate clutching her teddy.

“Sabrina? Sweetheart, are you all right?” Relief and excitement echoed in Marsh’s voice. He’d been fighting the urge to get up and go in search of Sabrina, foolish as he’d known it would be. But he’d needed to hear her voice, to know she was indeed all right.

Sabrina made no reply.

“Say hello to your father, Sabrina.” The nurse gently coaxed the child.

“Hello, Daddy.”

“Are you all right? Are they taking care of you?” he asked, trying with difficulty to keep his tone even, so as not to frighten her.

Silence followed his questions, and he had to bite back his frustration at her nonresponse. During the past four months, ever since he’d brought her home, she’d driven him to distraction at times by her unwillingness to communicate. He wished he could see her, see for himself that she was unhurt.

“She’s fine. Not so much as a scratch,” the nurse told him.

Behind them the door opened, and Dr. Franklin entered.

“The doctor man said you can’t see,” Sabrina suddenly announced, her natural curiosity winning the battle with her reserve.

Marsh’s mouth curved into a semblance of a smile. “If you mean Dr. Franklin, then he’s right.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Dr. Franklin said.

“Tom? Where did you come from? I didn’t know you were there.” But there was relief in Marsh’s tone at the presence of his friend. “I was telling Sabrina you were right about me not being able to see,” Marsh went on, attempting to make light of the situation.

“It’s only a temporary setback,” Tom said easily.

“Sabrina, why don’t you climb up here beside me?” Marsh suggested, patting the covers with his uninjured hand. Hearing his daughter’s voice had reassured him somewhat, but he had a longing to touch her.

“Kate can lift you onto the bed,” said Dr. Franklin.

“Kate?” Marsh repeated the name, and at the sound of it Kate felt her pulse wobble.

“Kate’s nice. She’s the nurse who’s been looking after me.”

“And me, too, I believe. Thank you, Kate, for all you’ve done.”

“You’re welcome,” she murmured, lifting Sabrina onto the bed.

Marsh felt the movement beside him, and instinctively he reached out to her. His hand made contact with warm, bare skin, and for a split second he felt a tiny jolt of electricity zip up his arm.

The air suddenly seemed rife with tension, a tension he didn’t understand. Puzzled, he curled his fingers around what he guessed was a forearm, but he knew by its size it didn’t belong to Sabrina.

Marsh heard a sharp intake of breath at the same time as the scent of jasmine assailed him. He instantly recognized it as being the fragrance he’d found strangely disturbing earlier. Once again a memory danced elusively at the edges of his mind, only to drift out of reach.