go to the game or stay here until we get home. You’ll be back in your apartment in time to go to work on Monday,” Jason reasoned.
“But…I don’t get off work until eleven.”
“No problem. We won’t be home until after eleven. Then we have to be at the field at noon tomorrow,” Jeff said. “It’s not much time together, but we want to spend it with you.”
All the way home, Megan mentally kicked herself for agreeing to spend the next two nights at their home. She’d always thought of herself as levelheaded. Ever since high school, she’d known exactly where she was going, and she’d plotted her way there, never once wavering from her predetermined path. She’d studied Pre-Med in college, earned her degree and enrolled in the best nursing program in Texas. Her college friends said she was nuts not to go on to medical school, but she knew that wasn’t for her, however, she did want to have the science classes as a base for further studies.
She loved helping people, especially the kids. Their vulnerability touched her. She knew what it was to feel powerless, to live in fear. Growing up, shuttled from one distant relative to the next, she had no control over her life, and lived in constant fear of being turned out completely. It wasn’t any way for a child to grow up, but she’d found strength within herself and survived until her maternal grandparents found her and took her in. She was a ragtag teenager by then, with no direction in life.
The youth group at her grandmother’s church was going to the local Children’s Hospital to celebrate Halloween with the kids, and she’d signed Megan up to go. Money was tight, but her grandmother had come up with an old-fashioned white nurse’s uniform for her costume. It was her first Halloween costume ever, and she loved it. She was only fourteen at the time, but the youngest kids must have thought she was older, and mistook her for a real nurse. When the church group was ready to leave, they found her playing a card game with a group of kids.
From that day on, Megan knew what she wanted to do with her life. She hadn’t had time for boys in high school, although she had dated some in college – enough to lose her virginity to another Pre-Med student. After nursing school, she dedicated her life to her work, with the idea in the back of her head that one day she’d fall in love with Mr. Right and have a houseful of kids. Not that she had much hope of finding Mr. Right when she spent so much time at work. It had never seemed like a sacrifice until now. Now she wondered if she hadn’t been missing something in her life.
Chapter Five
Now, all she could think about was the two men who wanted her. Her . And, she wanted them more than she had ever wanted any man. They had an insane life – on the road for a week or more at a time – games almost every day. Finding time to be with them would be almost impossible.
Since the Holder brothers’ visit to the ward, many of the children had become baseball fans. Christopher was doing better, but he still wasn’t well enough to join the group gathered in the day room to watch the game. So Megan made a point to stop in as often as possible to catch a few minutes of the game with him. If he’d been a fan before Jeff’s visit, he was a worshiper now. His favorite baseball card, now autographed, sat on his tray table surrounded by what Megan thought of as a shrine.
Christopher improved daily, and everyone noticed his renewed enthusiasm for life. A positive outlook and a real desire to get well could work wonders for any patient, but especially children. Megan smiled at the exuberant boy clutching his Mustangs stadium blanket in one hand, while his new baseball glove dwarfed his other hand. Jeff had given him the items, and as he autographed the glove, told Christopher not to give up his dream of being a professional baseball player. If dreams and wishes could make it so, then one day she’d be watching
“But…I don’t get off work until eleven.”
“No problem. We won’t be home until after eleven. Then we have to be at the field at noon tomorrow,” Jeff said. “It’s not much time together, but we want to spend it with you.”
All the way home, Megan mentally kicked herself for agreeing to spend the next two nights at their home. She’d always thought of herself as levelheaded. Ever since high school, she’d known exactly where she was going, and she’d plotted her way there, never once wavering from her predetermined path. She’d studied Pre-Med in college, earned her degree and enrolled in the best nursing program in Texas. Her college friends said she was nuts not to go on to medical school, but she knew that wasn’t for her, however, she did want to have the science classes as a base for further studies.
She loved helping people, especially the kids. Their vulnerability touched her. She knew what it was to feel powerless, to live in fear. Growing up, shuttled from one distant relative to the next, she had no control over her life, and lived in constant fear of being turned out completely. It wasn’t any way for a child to grow up, but she’d found strength within herself and survived until her maternal grandparents found her and took her in. She was a ragtag teenager by then, with no direction in life.
The youth group at her grandmother’s church was going to the local Children’s Hospital to celebrate Halloween with the kids, and she’d signed Megan up to go. Money was tight, but her grandmother had come up with an old-fashioned white nurse’s uniform for her costume. It was her first Halloween costume ever, and she loved it. She was only fourteen at the time, but the youngest kids must have thought she was older, and mistook her for a real nurse. When the church group was ready to leave, they found her playing a card game with a group of kids.
From that day on, Megan knew what she wanted to do with her life. She hadn’t had time for boys in high school, although she had dated some in college – enough to lose her virginity to another Pre-Med student. After nursing school, she dedicated her life to her work, with the idea in the back of her head that one day she’d fall in love with Mr. Right and have a houseful of kids. Not that she had much hope of finding Mr. Right when she spent so much time at work. It had never seemed like a sacrifice until now. Now she wondered if she hadn’t been missing something in her life.
Chapter Five
Now, all she could think about was the two men who wanted her. Her . And, she wanted them more than she had ever wanted any man. They had an insane life – on the road for a week or more at a time – games almost every day. Finding time to be with them would be almost impossible.
Since the Holder brothers’ visit to the ward, many of the children had become baseball fans. Christopher was doing better, but he still wasn’t well enough to join the group gathered in the day room to watch the game. So Megan made a point to stop in as often as possible to catch a few minutes of the game with him. If he’d been a fan before Jeff’s visit, he was a worshiper now. His favorite baseball card, now autographed, sat on his tray table surrounded by what Megan thought of as a shrine.
Christopher improved daily, and everyone noticed his renewed enthusiasm for life. A positive outlook and a real desire to get well could work wonders for any patient, but especially children. Megan smiled at the exuberant boy clutching his Mustangs stadium blanket in one hand, while his new baseball glove dwarfed his other hand. Jeff had given him the items, and as he autographed the glove, told Christopher not to give up his dream of being a professional baseball player. If dreams and wishes could make it so, then one day she’d be watching
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