Rhett by Margaret McHeyzer

 

 

 

On opening my eyes, I blink several times trying to gain my bearings. Rhett’s holding my hand, his head lowered and leaning on the bed. His body is bent in an uncomfortable position, half on a chair, half hanging off. “Rhett?” I say, my voice croaky.

He sits up and rapidly blinks. “Dani, you’re okay,” he says as he cups my hand in both of his. Standing, Rhett leans over and kisses my forehead.

“Why are you here?” I notice he’s wearing his uniform. “Why are you in your uniform?”

“I haven’t been home yet.” He rubs his eyes and rolls his head from side to side.

“But you’re still in that uniform, not the one you leave to go to work in.”

He looks down, and nods. “My turnout gear. Yeah, I haven’t been back to strip out of them. I took the coat off, leaving me with two layers.” The fluorescent yellow stripe of the coat slung over the back of a chair catches my eye as the sun reflects on it. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. My head is sore though.” I lift my hand to feel on the back of my head, and wince when my fingers come in contact with the small shaved area.

“You had to have ten stitches. There’s a bandage over it.”

“What time is it?” I ask as I try to remember exactly what happened.

Rhett taps his phone alive and before he has a chance to reply, the door swings open, and Elise rushes in. “For God’s sake!” she sighs when she sees me. “You scared the shit out of all of us.” Elise slings her bag on the chair where Rhett’s coat is. She walks over, kisses Rhett on the head, then leans over and kisses me on the head, too. “What happened?”

“It all happened so fast,” I say as pieces of the incident start appearing in my mind. “Tony was being a dick for some reason.”

“The chef?” Rhett asks.

I nod, then rub at my forehead trying to put the events in chronological order. “Is he okay?” I ask.

“He’s in surgery.”

My stomach knots. “The baby?” My left hand protectively covers my stomach.

“The baby is fine,” Rhett says. Both Elise and I sigh. “They performed an ultrasound when you came in, and said the baby is okay. But, before you leave, they’ll do one more just to make sure.”

“When do I get to go home?”

“You’ll be coming home with me today,” Rhett replies.

“I don’t live with you,” I say as I look to Rhett, then to Elise. This isn’t a conversation I want to have in front of his mom.

“I’m going to go and grab myself a coffee.” Elise stands, takes her bag and leaves the room.

“Rhett...”

“No! No, Dani. Your home is with me. My home is with you, so no. Don’t for one moment think you’re going back to living in that damn tin shed.” He stands forcefully and paces over to the window, he leans against the edge where the wall and window meet.

“Wow, you’re not overreacting at all, are you? Tin shed? The stable is bigger and nicer than my trailer was.”

“Marginally larger, but yes, it’s nicer. But our home is even better than that.”

“Rhett.” I close my eyes, ready to make my argument.

“I said no, and that’s final,” he says. My brows lift as my eyes spring open to stare at him. “You have no option in this, Dani. Your place in this world is beside me, not anywhere else. We can go back to the stable, thank May for all she’s done for you, and pack your stuff to come back home. There’s no further discussion.”

“I think we...”

“I’m not talking about it. I’m not living another moment without you being close to me,” he says with authority.

Hmm. If I’m being honest, I like how assertive he is. “What if...”

He walks over to me, sits on the edge of the bed, leans down and seals his mouth over mine. Rhett’s kiss is possessive and passionate, but also desperate. Pulling back, he leaves me wanting more. “I will protect you until my last breath. We’re a family now, and you’re never leaving me again.”

“Okay,” I whisper falling under the spell of his hypnotic eyes, and controlling voice. Jesus, am I attracted to this? Bet your ass I am. “Okay, Rhett.” His mouth is on mine again while his hand lays splayed across my belly.

He finally pulls away, and sits on the chair beside me. “I know this baby has come along at the worst possible time,” he says. I scrunch my brows together, horrified he’s actually said this, especially after what drove us apart to start with. “Before you say anything.” He holds his hand up to stop me from reacting. “But I’m already in love with him, and I can’t imagine my life without you, or our baby.”

Aww. He makes my heart flitter with so much love. “You’re forgiven for what I was thinking,” I say. “But, it could be a her not a him.”

“It’s a him, for sure.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s a her, for sure,” I counter.

“We only have seven and a half months to wait,” he says.

“Wait, no. I want to know the gender.”

“I don’t,” Rhett says. “I want it to be a surprise.”

“Fine, I won’t tell you what it is then.”

“You can’t find out!” Rhett’s mouth opens in playful shock. “No.”

“Sorry, buddy. But I want to know, so I’m finding out.”

The door opens, and Elise walks in holding two coffee cups. She hands one to Rhett and sips on hers. “I didn’t get you anything, because I have no idea if you’re allowed to eat or drink.”

“It’s okay. I’ll eat when I get home.”

“Which will be where?” Elise asks as she brings her coffee cup up to her mouth. Her eyes dart between Rhett and myself.

“She’s coming home with me,” Rhett says proudly and squeezes his fingers around our linked hands.

“Under protest,” I add. “Apparently, I have no choice.”

“You don’t,” Elise adds matter-of-factly. Her reply has left me speechless. “I’m glad you both sorted things out, because it’s obvious to me that you’re better together than apart. He was a miserable bastard.” She discreetly points to Rhett.

“No, I wasn’t,” Rhett counters. Both Elise and I stare at him. “Okay, maybe I was,” he admits. “But that’s your fault.” He stares at me.

“Mine? How can it be my fault?”

“Because I’m totally in love with you. Obviously, that makes it your fault.”

“You’re turning into a marshmallow,” Elise teases as she lifts her coffee cup. “A giant-sized jar of Fluff.”

Rhett and I both chuckle.

The door opens and a doctor walks in. “Ah, Rhett you’re still here.” The doctor looks at Elise. “Elise, I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you?” He stands taller and puffs his chest out.

Elise glides over to the doctor and shakes his hand. “I’m doing great, Lou, how are you?”

“Keeping busy.” He smiles at Elise. Wait, are the tips of his ears turning red? Does he like Elise? Oh, well, this is interesting. He stands staring at Elise for a few seconds too long. Hang on, Elise won’t actually look him in the eyes. Oh my God, have these two hooked up? Hmm, interesting. “How are you doing, Dani?”

“I’m okay, I want to go home though.”

“Okay.” He picks my chart up and maneuvers himself closer to Elise. Can Rhett see what I’m seeing? These two are hot for each other, from the way their bodies dance around each other. “Your chart tells me all your vitals are good. I’d like to do another ultrasound on the baby.”

“Okay,” I say.

“Alright then.” He looks to Elise and smirks before returning his attention to me. “I’ll get that set up, and once it’s done, you can go home. For the next few days I want you to take it easy though, okay?”

“She’ll be on bed rest,” Rhett says proudly as he pulls his shoulders back. “I’ll look after her.”

“Bed rest isn’t necessary, Rhett. She just needs to take it easy.”

“What about work?” I ask.

“Not for the next five days, just see how everything is going. Now, if there’s any double-vision, vomiting, or headaches, bring her back,” he directs the last part to Rhett.

“I’ll take very good care of her.”

“Excellent. I’ll leave you to it, and get the ultrasound set up.”

Doctor Johnson heads toward the door. “Actually, Doctor Johnson, could I have a word please?” Elise asks.

“Of course, Elise.” They both walk out of the room and close the door.

I turn to Rhett, a giant smile hurting my cheeks. “What?” Rhett asks.

“Your mom and the doctor.”

He looks at the door, completely unaware. “What about them?”

“You’re so clueless. Didn’t you see the way they were looking at each other?”

Rhett screws up his mouth. “What? Mom? And that doctor?” He points toward the door. I eagerly nod. “Nah, not Mom. Nah.” He shakes his head adamantly. “Nope. Nah.”

“Rhett, trust me, something’s going on there.”

“No way. Mom’s like, old. And the doctor? Nah. He’s too old for Mom.”

“How old are you?” I ask.

“Twenty-three, why?”

“And your mom is how old?” I try to get him to realize Elise isn’t old at all.

“She’s like...” He shrugs. “I don’t know, fifty-one I think.”

I smack my forehead while shaking my head. “First, the fact you don’t know how old Elise is, that’s just on another level. But even if she’s only fifty-one, she’s still a beautiful woman, and he’s a nice-looking man.”

Rhett sticks his tongue out and cringes. “That’s just gross. She’s my mother. She doesn’t have sex.”

“Because clearly you and your brothers were products of immaculate conception,” I tease.

“That’s not what I mean. I’m just saying, Dad died years ago.”

“So her sex life should be non-existent because your dad passed away?”

He waves his hand in front of his face. “Can we not talk about my mom having sex. It’s not a mental image I want. Especially after she told me she was going to throw swinger parties once I moved out.”

I burst into laughter, because I have no idea if Elise is a swinger or not, but this conversation is clearly uncomfortable for Rhett. Which inspires me to continue on with it. “Do you think your mom is a swinger?” I ask, pushing the comfort level for Rhett.

“For God’s sake, stop.”

“I mean, she’s an attractive woman, Rhett,” I say seriously. “I can imagine men would be quite turned on by her.”

“Stop it.” He sticks his hands over his ears and sings, “La-la-la.”

Elise returns and stops walking as she stares at Rhett then looks over to me, laughing. “Should I ask?” She points to Rhett.

Rhett opens his eyes, stops singing and lowers his hands. “I was saying to Rhett that I think you and the doc have a connection,” I say.

“Dani!” Rhett screeches.

“We do. We have a connection every Tuesday night, sometimes three times in the same night.”

“Mom!” Rhett nearly collapses.

“You go, girl.” I hold my hand out to her for a high five.

“I do go out, every Tuesday night with Lou. And every Thursday night with...”

“Nope, no. No, no. no.” Rhett’s shaking his head. I’m laughing, and Elise appears completely unfazed. “I don’t want to know any more.”

“Dani asked, I answered.” Elise shrugs.

Rhett can’t handle knowing his mom is sexually active. “More power to you,” I say as I hold a thumbs up to Elise.

“Nope. We’re not talking about this anymore. Not doing it.” Seeing Rhett so uncomfortable is quite amusing. “No more.”

“You’re such a prude, especially considering I know what you two have been doing.” Elise points between Rhett and me. “Anyway, would it be okay if I stick around for the ultrasound?”

Rhett turns to me, and I nod. “We’d love you to, Mom. Just, no more talking about you and anyone doing stuff.”

“Ugh, fine.” She rolls her eyes. “Is there any family history like juvenile diabetes, blood pressure, anything like that in your family, Dani?”

“Why would you ask that, Mom?” Rhett says.

“Because things like that could be important to a pregnancy.”

Wow, how heartbreaking that I know nearly nothing about my family history. I actually don’t recall any memory with anyone other than my parents. “I actually don’t know any other member of my family.” My soul cries with the knowledge that I’ve been left on my own. What crappy parents I have.

“What about before you came to Mulberry Point, where were you?” Rhett asks.

“We never stayed in any one place for longer than a few months; half a year at most.”

“You don’t remember being around uncles, aunts, cousins? Anyone like that?” Elise asks. I shake my head in response. “That’s so sad. You could have a massive family out there.”

“All I can tell you is, even in my earliest memories it was only my parents and me. Sometimes I’d go to sleep in the back of the car, and in the morning, we were hundreds of miles away from where we were the night before.”

“Well, now you have a very protective family, Dani.” Elise hugs me. “Because my three boys will do everything in their power to protect their family.”

“Damn straight we will,” Rhett adds confidently.

“Yeah, I’m figuring this out.” I smile. It may not be something I’m used to, but I’m starting to understand that I’m part of the Morgans. Especially now that I’m pregnant with Rhett’s baby.