Free Long Road Home, The by Lori Wick Page B

was upon her. Sitting in the kitchen after lunch with a cup of coffee, Abby waited for the barber to emerge from Paul’s room. He had quite suddenly asked her if she could get someone to cut his hair.
    Abby had been very pleased by the request, not because she cared how he looked, but because of the nice way he had asked her. She felt he was feeling a bit better each day, and his mood improved in kind.
    However the surprises were not over that day when Abby paid the barber and saw him on his way. She nearly questioned the price, but figured he must charge more for coming out of his shop. She kept silent, and her curiosity about the cost was answered a few minutes later when she walked into Paul’s room.
    Paul lay still on the bed, his eyes closed as though the effort of sitting still for the barber had exhausted him. Abby stoodby the bed and stared. Not only had the barber cut his hair, but every whisker of Paul’s beard was gone. With a start, Abby realized how good-looking he was. Suddenly the picture of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Grandma Em’s parlor popped into her mind. He had been very handsome in that picture, but his long hair, beard, and the bitter scowl he was always wearing had marred the man Abby met in person.
    Here now, with his features clean-shaven and relaxed, Abby thought him almost stunning. It was at that second Abby was caught staring. For the first time in their association, Abby felt vulnerable.
    “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” she nearly stuttered. “Do you want me to clean things up a bit?”
    Paul nodded without answering and closed his eyes as he tried to dispel the lingering image of her standing there so uncertainly for the first time. He did not want to be attracted to this woman. It would be disloyal to Corrine.
    He told himself he did not like fat redheads and forced himself to concentrate on Corrine’s image: tall, willowy, silver-blonde hair. It was getting harder and harder to remember her smile. He had seen it so briefly.
    As Abby worked around the bed, using a small brush to remove the hair, he tried to ignore her. Usually all he had to do was center his mind on the pain in his legs, but they didn’t hurt so much now and that didn’t work. He felt Abby lean over him, and the fragrance of her bath oil drifted to his nose.
    Jasmine. Rage exploded in Paul’s brain. He didn’t want to smell jasmine. Corrine had always smelled of roses, and Paul wanted nothing to destroy that memory.
    “What is that stuff you’re wearing? The stink is enough to choke a man.”
    The outburst was so unexpected that Abby jumped back in surprise. To her horror, tears flooded her eyes as she realizedwhat he had just said to her. Ian had loved the smell of her bath oil, and now her patient thought she stank.
    Never would Abby have dreamt such a small thing could cause the dam to burst, but without finishing her task she ran from the room.
    Her bed pillows were the recipients of Abby’s tears which came in a torrent. Her eyes felt twice their regular size when she woke hours later to the sound of knocking on the door.
    It was Lenore. “Abby, there’s a man here. He’s nearly frantic with worry. He can’t find the doctor or midwife, and he’s heard you were a nurse. His wife is having their first child, and he’s terrified.”
    The nurse in Abby wanted to leave immediately, but she was here to do a job. “What about Mr. Cameron?” Abby asked. “I can’t just leave.”
    “I’ll see to him. You go and do what you can.”
    Abby quickly pulled herself together and rushed down the stairs. The man waiting for her was young, and he did indeed look sick with worry. He pulled her along explaining as they went, and causing Abby to nearly run to stay up with him.
    Paul waited all afternoon for his nurse to return. Her reaction to his comment was certainly puzzling. Red usually gave as good as she got, and he had said much worse things than not liking her perfume. He felt