First Comes Marriage

“Jake, these burgers are yum-mum-mee.” While Meera was staring at her feet, Gloria had sidled up to Jake and put her hand on his arm.

Meera smiled brightly at her. Best fake smile, Meera—time to mend fences. Gloria was wearing extremely small shorts again, showing off miles of legs that ended in wedged heels. Ah, note to self: pointed heels get stuck in the mud, wedges are the way to go. She would have to go shoe shopping soon; retail therapy might be a good antidote to the stress of Bellhaven. Gloria had paired her shorts with a red-and-white-checkered shirt tied in a knot above her belly button, and a pink cowboy hat completed the look. She and Jake would make a picture-perfect, all-American couple.

“Mmm... This is so good, Jake—what did you put it in?” Gloria purred. She leaned in, and Jake took a step closer to the grill, away from her.

“It’s just beef, Gloria, nothing special.”

Oh, I can’t watch this. Meera excused herself, much to Gloria’s delight and Jake’s apparent dismay. She headed over to see the band.

“Dr. M., can I talk to you for a minute?”

Meera turned to find a young woman standing behind her. The girl was red in the face and heavyset. Meera frowned. The raised rash on her face could indicate a medical problem. “Of course. Come with me.”

Meera led her to the cottage, and she looked around nervously as she hurried along. “Please don’t tell anyone I’m talkin’ to you.”

Meera ushered her into the living room. “Don’t worry. If I’m here as your doctor, I won’t repeat anything you say unless you ask me to.”

“Okay. My name’s Lily...” She still seemed anxious. “I have this problem, and I can’t tell anyone else in town...”

Meera nodded and scanned the young woman’s body, looking carefully at her face. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

Lily’s eyes widened. “You can’t tell anyone!” Her voice was panicked.

Meera put her arm around Lily soothingly. “Like I said, this is confidential. Nothing you tell me will leave this room.”

Lily relaxed visibly. “You promise? You can’t tell a single soul in this town.”

Meera nodded.

Lily collapsed on the couch. “How did you know?”

“The rash on your face looks like pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. And your weight.”

“Everyone thinks I just got fat, but the rash is new and I... Is the baby okay?”

Meera went to her bedroom and brought out the medical bag her father had given her. She opened it and began taking Lily’s blood pressure. She asked Lily some questions and did a brief exam, pressing on her belly. “The rash can happen with pregnancy, and I think you’re fine, but I need to do an ultrasound to be sure. If you’re right about your last period, you’re about thirty-two weeks along.”

Lily shook her head. “I can’t come to the office for an ultrasound. Rose would blab about it to the whole town.” She paused and touched her cheek. “I haven’t told the baby’s father—that’s why I haven’t seen Dr. Harper. I can’t have this town knowing...” She stopped and looked down. “It’s a little complicated.”

Meera squeezed her hand. “If you haven’t seen a doctor since you got pregnant, it’s really important we do an ultrasound and run blood tests to make sure everything is all right. Come to the clinic tomorrow after twelve. Rose goes to lunch and Dr. Harper goes home to check on his wife around then. Wait in the car until you see them leave, then ring the bell and I’ll come get you. They’ll never know.”

Lily nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Dr. M. I had no idea what to do or who to go to. Jake said you’re a good person...” She sat up straighter. “I know the town doesn’t want you here, but please don’t let them run you off.” She put her arms around Meera and held her tight, taking her by surprise. Meera had never been hugged by a patient before. And I haven’t even done anything for her.

She let Lily leave the cottage and followed several minutes later, watching as the young woman rejoined the crowd.

She hasn’t seen a doctor since she got pregnant! Maybe being an outcast isn’t such a bad thing. Then people who need privacy, like Lily, can come to me, and I can focus on those who really need my help. She felt a spring in her step as she went back to the barbecue.

She had to remember to thank Jake for sending Lily. The fact that she’d gone to him when she hadn’t told anyone else in town said a lot about the type of person Jake was.

The band was in full swing and from the look of it, everyone seemed to be having a good time. There were several people on the dance floor, yelling with delight and teasing each other. Perhaps all was not lost. She took in the gleeful faces and grudgingly wondered whether Jake was right. Maybe it was too much to expect the town to rethink their way of life with one barbecue. Where was Jake, anyway?

“Hey.”

She placed a hand on her chest. “Could you not sneak up on me like that?”

“What was that about?” He nodded toward Lily.

Meera shrugged. “Nothing. She just had to use the bathroom and wanted to tell me how much she hates tofu burgers.”

Jake smirked. “You’re such a bad liar, it’s written all over your face.” Meera started to protest, but he waved her off. “It doesn’t matter. It’s time to do the two-step.”

“I beg your pardon?”

His eyes gleamed. Grinning ear to ear, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her onto the dance floor. She squealed. He twirled her and began showing her the steps to the dance. She felt breathless as she followed his steps, feeling a little anxious at her clumsiness.

“I can’t do this, Jake.”

He shook his head. “Let go, Meera. It’s about the music and having fun. You don’t have to do it right—just try it, be free.”

She grinned. You don’t have to do it right? Then how was she supposed to have fun? She took a breath and started moving again, watching everyone else’s feet so she could copy their steps perfectly. Several people on the dance floor were making eye contact with her, nodding encouragingly. Jake introduced her to old Mr. Leeland, who grabbed her hand and twirled her. She couldn’t help dissolving into giggles as the elderly man tried to dip her. She caught Jake’s eye, and he winked at her as she stepped on Mr. Leeland’s foot. He laughed good-naturedly and led her across the floor. She couldn’t keep up with the steps; everyone’s feet were a jumble.

Someone twirled her and suddenly she was being passed from partner to partner, each one kind about her mistakes. She caught Rose staring at her, a smile on her face. Maybe Jake was right. She stopped worrying about the steps and started enjoying the music.

She felt completely carefree as Jake caught her hand and lifted her up when she began stepping on his toes.

She didn’t know how long she spent dancing, enjoying herself with each breathless round on the floor. There were cheers and hoots from the crowd as she finally made a circuit without stepping on any toes. I can’t remember the last time I felt this free. Jake had long since passed her off to another dance partner, but she searched for him in the throng.

Billy John had just grabbed her hand when a loud scream jolted her. Several others joined in, and chaos broke out as people began running in all directions. The band stopped playing. “Everyone clear out.” It was Jake’s voice, but she couldn’t find him in the sea of arms and legs. What’s happening? She looked around frantically and gasped. Flames! The grill was on fire along with the edge of a tablecloth.

“Move aside.”

Meera saw Jake running toward the fire with an extinguisher. The tablecloth was now fully ablaze and lighting the roof of the tent. She took out her cell phone, but put it away when she heard the faraway sound of sirens. She ran out of the tent and stopped a safe distance away, noticing Jake had done the same. A few of the ranch workers were approaching with extinguishers, but Jake waved them back. The fire had spread too much. The slight breeze had carried the flames across the field, right up to the barn. The fire department would have to handle it.

The fire engines arrived in a blaze of lights, their sirens screaming. Several firefighters ran toward the fire, aiming their hoses.

Jake stood several yards away from her. As if he knew she was looking at him, he turned and caught her eye. Oh, boy! Even from a distance, she could feel his fury. He stalked over.

“Tell me you opened the vent on the back of the grill when you set it up.”

Her mouth went dry. She put a hand to her forehead, trying desperately to remember. She could see his instructions in her mind’s eye; she had written them down precisely on the clipboard. The paper said to open the vent after the coal heated up, but all she could remember was that she had been reading that very instruction when he walked up to her. And she had lost her train of thought. She didn’t remember actually opening the vent.

“I...I’m not sure I did. Oh, God, Jake, I’m so sorry.”

His eyes reflected the flames that were demolishing the barn behind her. “Do you have any idea how dangerous a fire is on a ranch? What it can do to the animals? Not to mention the fact that I may have lost a barn full of hay. Do you know how much bales cost these days?” He began pacing as the firefighters doused the fire. It seemed to be coming under control, but Meera could see a mess of soggy black ash on the ground and a black shell where the pretty red barn had stood. She thought that she’d ruined the barbecue earlier with the veggie dogs, but this? This was a complete disaster.

When Jake came close to her again, she touched his arm. “I’ll pay for the damage.”

He whirled to face her. “Are you kidding me? You can’t wave your magic credit card and make this all okay, princess.”