18

“The car that finally stopped was a beat-up ’34 Chevy,” Page told Jack in the cool softly-lighted bar. “Had an old desert rat in it named Norcross. He took charge. Fed me sandwiches and tea from his food box. Stopped some guy in a station wagon and sent him back to Barstow for an ambulance.

“He knew that desert like his own hand. Drove in on a dirt road just east of the lava bed—the one I was looking for and missed—and found Sunny in forty minutes. She drank a quart of that tea. He made her take it in small doses. I swear I wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t gotten to her so fast.” His face was drawn as he thought of it.

“It was a miracle, and that’s the word for it. Norcross drove us back to 66 and the ambulance picked us up there a few minutes later.”

“How did you get Settick so fast?” Jack asked.

“We got Brian first. The guy who got the ambulance for us called him in L. A. He got out to Barstow in a private plane. But by the time he arrived Sunny’s pains had remitted. She wanted to come back to Chicago and have the baby, and you couldn’t talk to her about it. I never saw a girl so set on anything in my life. There weren’t any other symptoms yet and she swore she’d make it back. Brian was against it at first but she told him she wanted her mother. And she wanted Richie to deliver the baby. She promised him, or something, and she was convinced if he didn’t she’d lose the baby. He could never have made it all the way to Barstow but Brian called him in New York and they arranged to have him leave that night for Chicago.

“I think the worst fear Sunny had was that the baby would die. That was why she wanted June, and no other doctor but Richie. Brian said it might make the difference as to how well she pulled through it herself, so we hired a hospital plane and flew back here last night. Richie was waiting for us.”

“Turned out to be an expensive honeymoon, didn’t it?” Jack said.

“You said it,” Page agreed. “But if she makes it, it’ll be worth every damn penny. Come on, boy, it’s been over thirty minutes. I want to get back.”

Jack slid off the bar stool and they walked out into the early evening together. “So you brought her straight to the hospital then?” he asked.

“Yes, and called the Rothelis. They came in about five this morning.”

“You still think you’re going to tell them who you are?”

“Let’s not get started on that again, Jackson. You’re too good a friend. I don’t want to lose you twice.” He walked in silence for half a block and then he added, “It’s not as selfish as you think. I mean, they’ve been looking for me all these years, too, just the way I’ve been looking for them.”

“And here you are, a member of the family twice over. What a handy arrangement.”

“Spare me the humor,” Page said.

“Sorry.”

“It’s my decision, that’s all. Not yours.”

“Yours and Sunny’s,” Jack said. “Is Brian Settick still here?” he asked while they waited for the elevator.

“No. He delivered us safely to Richie and flew back. It was damn nice of him to come all that way with us.”

“What about Richie?” Jack said as they entered the elevator.

“This is his vacation. A little earlier than he planned, but....” They looked at each other. “I know,” Page said quietly. “He’s in love with her. But he’s in there saving her life and maybe my child’s. I can’t feel too bad about the guy.”

Jack smiled at him with a new respect.

They went directly to the maternity waiting room where Ben and June and Laura greeted them.

“Still no news?” Page said, disappointed.

“Not yet,” June said. “One young man came in ten minutes ago to say it wouldn’t be long, and everything’s still all right.”

Page sat down wearily next to Laura. Jack stood by the door for a minute and finally said, “I can’t stand the suspense. I’m going to mosey around a while.”

They hardly paid him any attention.

Jack went out with an idea of getting the truth on Sunny’s condition. It was possible that the nurses and others were trying to soften things for her relatives. He looked around the halls, joshed with the nurses at the central desk, and tried to pump them for information. But they were evasive.

* * *

After fifteen minutes he decided it was no use and started back toward the waiting room. He was nearing the door when he saw a young man, blond and stocky, pulling a white surgical cap from his head as he hurried toward the room from the opposite direction. Jack stopped him at the door.

“Excuse me,” he said. “Dr. Settick?”

“Yes,” Settick said impatiently, reaching for the door. Jack caught his arm.

“I’m Jack Mann. Laura’s husband. You delivered our daughter, Betsy. Remember?”

Settick looked up at him then. “For God’s sake,” he said with a tired smile, and gripped Jack’s hand. “I sure do remember. What are you doing here?”

“Came to hold a friend’s hand,” Jack said with a smile.

“Well, how are you? How’s Betsy? She must be quite a young lady by now.”

“Sure is—and we’re all fine.”

“Jack can you hold on a minute?” Settick said. “I have a difficult case here and I want to tell her family—”

“Sunny Pringle?” Jack interrupted.

Richie, about to enter the waiting room, turned again to gaze at Jack. “You know her?” he said, surprised.

“That’s why I’m here. Page is an old buddy of mine.”

The doctor rubbed his forehead, frowning, and his expression alarmed Jack. “No kidding,” Richie said. “Maybe you’d like to give them the news, then. I’m pretty beat.”

“Sure,” Jack said. “How’s Sunny?”

He watched Settick’s face and experienced abrupt relief when he smiled again.

“She’s exhausted, but she’s okay,” Richie said.

Jack hesitated. “A million thanks, doc,” he said at last. “I speak for her family, too, especially Page.... Then I guess the baby came?”

“Yes, it came.” He spoke quietly, obviously holding himself in.

“No go?” Jack asked, almost afraid to know.

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” Richie said. “There’s some hope. Quite a bit, in fact. It’s pretty small, only three and a half pounds, and dehydrated, but we’re going to keep a twenty-four hour watch. You know, Sunny’s had problems all through this pregnancy....” He hesitated, not sure how much Jack knew.

But Jack nodded. “I know all about it,” he said.

Richie gave him a fleeting glance of surprise. “Well, that, and its coming so early.... I wouldn’t want to say anything for sure.”

“Boy or girl?”

“A boy. I think she wanted a boy. She never said so, but when I told her I wish you could have seen the look on her face. She looked the way she did the day I told her she was expecting.” He smiled to himself, and Jack understood. That was one fine intimate moment Settick had shared with Sunny; probably the last. And it had happened while he was delivering another man’s child to her.

Jack felt a strong sympathy for him. Settick had no way of knowing that Jack knew his feelings for his favorite patient. And Jack had no intention of humiliating him with the knowledge. But the sympathy communicated itself to Settick and he opened up a little.

“He isn’t deformed?” Jack asked.

“No, he’s perfect. Just so damn tiny, and I don’t know how strong he is. Any little kid who can live through that desert and a premature birth must be pretty tough, though. We can’t feed him for a little while yet—I don’t think he could take it. But I want to get him started on water as soon as I can. He needs the fluids badly.”

A little silence fell and Jack took advantage of it to press a question that had made him apprehensive for many months. “Doc,” he said, speaking cautiously. Richie, lost in himself, looked up. “What do you think—about talking to Page and Sunny?” Jack said. “It’s a hard thing to ask you, but somebody’s got to and they’ve had an earful from me.”

“Talking to them? What about?” Richie said.

“You know what about,” Jack said simply. “I wouldn’t ask you otherwise.” He saw from Richie’s face that he understood and was on his guard. All the doctor had to go on was Jack’s word that he was Page’s friend.

Jack pulled him to the wall out of the stream of corridor traffic, and spoke with hasty urgency.

“The incest, Doc,” he said. “Let’s not beat around the bush. Page was the one who fought it, the one who feared an abnormal child and all the rest. If you’d give them just five minutes—”

“They’d resent it,” Settick objected. “I’ve stuck my nose too far into their business as it is.”

“One more inch,” Jack said.

“He wouldn’t leave her now, would he?” Richie said. “With the baby and all?”

“What if they lose the baby? Somebody’s got to get to him before that, if it happens.”

“But he’s jealous of me. I mean—” He stopped himself, but Jack shook his head.

“You’d be surprised what a big boy he’s getting to be,” he said with a grin. “He can take it. Do this for them, Doc. Sunny would always remember it.”

Richie turned away for a minute of self-argument. “Would it save the marriage?” he said. “Because that’s the only justification for it. Sunny doesn’t know I know about her and Page. And I tried to tell Page once, but he didn’t catch on.”

“It might be the only thing that could put Page on the right track permanently,” Jack said.

Another pause, this one briefer, and Settick said, “Okay. I’ll do it for Sunny.”

Jack clapped him on the back.

“You don’t mind telling her family about the baby?” Settick said.

“Not a bit.”

“Thanks. Tell them they can see her for a minute when she gets to her room. I wouldn’t let them ordinarily till she’s rested, but she needs her mother. And Page. The baby’s in the nursery if you’d like a look.” He started to walk away, but Jack called him.

“Richie,” he said. “I’m glad you got here in time. Page said Sunny was determined to get back here for you.”

“I’m pretty glad myself,” Settick said. And then he turned and walked off down the hall.

* * *

Jack entered the waiting room, walked over and sat down, and looked at everyone. Page was brooding in silence, the others conversing quietly.

“It’s a boy,” Jack said. They all looked up slowly and suddenly June gave a gasp and clutched Jack’s arm.

“What?” Page cried as the words registered in his head. Jack smiled. “It’s a boy. Sunny’s fine.”

“And the baby?” they all asked together.

“He’s very small,” Jack said. “Three and half pounds and Settick says he’s had a hard time of it. But he’s perfectly formed and he has a chance. He’s in the nursery now.”

“Oh, my God,” Page said. A heavy pulse was visible in his throat. June cried freely and so did Laura. Rotheli was speechless with joy and relief.

“I ran into the doctor in the hall,” Jack explained. “He was beat to the bricks. Told me to tell you the good news.”

“Can I see Sunny now?” Page said, springing up and heading for the door.

“Calm down, old buddy,” Jack said, chuckling. “What would she do with a nervous nitwit like you in her room? The nurse’ll come get you when it’s time. Relax boy, she’s okay.”

They filed up to look through the nursery windows.

“Look at all the babies,” Jack said. “Makes you realize what they mean by ‘population explosion.’”

Laura shushed him and they walked along looking for name-tags on the plastic bassinets.

“Here he is!” Rotheli exclaimed. He had gone off to investigate on his own, and called them from the end of a corridor where he was looking through the glass into a special room for the premature babies. Page rushed up, followed by the others.

“Lord,” he said, astonished by the impossibly small baby in the incubator. “Is that all?”

“Is that all?” June cried, amused and dismayed both, as Laura and Jack joined them.

“He’s so wrinkled. He looks like the map of Asia,” Page said.

“He’s absolutely beautiful,” June whispered.

“He’s absolutely bare, too,” Page said. “What’s the matter with these damn nurses? The poor kid will freeze to death.”

“He’s in an incubator,” Laura said with a smile. “It’s body temperature in there.”

“Well, doesn’t he need diapers like the rest of them?” Page asked.

“After two days on the desert?” Jack grinned.

“He’s too little to stand dressing yet,” Laura said gently. “He’s okay, new papa. They know better in there what to do with him than you do.”

A young nurse came in and hung a card reading: “Baby Boy Pringle” on the end of the incubator, and then, seeing the crowd outside the window, she smiled at them. Jack pointed at Page, who went red with the first flush of fatherly pride.

“Hey,” he said, turning curiously to Rotheli. “She just put that sign up. How did you know it was our baby?”

“He looks—well, a little like both of you. God, I remember when I first saw Roger,” Rotheli said nostalgically. “I must have told you about Roger, Page. He was our first. We lost him.” His eyes were fixed on his grandson with a wonderful expression.

Page stared at him. “Was—Roger that little?” He had been going to say, Was I that little? The near miss made him shaky.

“Not that little, but he was small, and had those same eyes....”

“The most beautiful eyes,” June whispered, surprising them all with this recollection salvaged from sickness. Page watched her, fascinated, the way children are, to hear his own mother speak of him with such love in her voice. He cherished every word and never afterward forgot it. “You watch,” June said. “This one will have eyes like that when he gets them open. Great big dark blue eyes that dominate his whole face. Like two plums pressed in a cookie. So bright and sweet.”

Page wanted to embrace her. Here he was, a man and a father, with the living proof of his virility in that bassinet, and he wanted to put his arms around June and selfishly tell her everything and be mothered. There was nothing of revenge left in his feelings at all. But he responded to Jack’s tug on his sleeve and got hold of himself. Jack had been keeping an eye on him and he could see what was building up.

Page looked back at his infant son: so small and homely, face screwed up, chest working, small fists clenched tightly. He felt love and hope and fierce anxiety all at once.

“I have to see Sunny,” he said. “I have to.”

“You think you’re tired,” Jack reminded him. “Let the poor girl catch her breath.”

Moments later a nurse came to fetch Page. But when the others tried to tag along she held up a hand to stop them.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “Usually we only let the fathers in. Dr. Settick wants to see them together for a minute. Mr. and Mrs. Rotheli?”

Ben nodded at her.

“I’ll come for you when the doctor is ready. Your daughter is anxious to see you. She’s been through quite a lot, you know. I don’t know how long you’ll be able to spend with her today. Mr. Pringle, you come with me.”

She went off with a starchy rustle and Page rushed after her. Jack called after him, “Keep in touch, boy!” but Page was too distracted to hear.

June turned and told Jack, “I’ll tell him for you.”

Page went directly to Sunny’s bed. He leaned over her, pausing for a moment to look at her and reassure himself, and then kissed her very gently. He didn’t even notice Richie Settick in a corner of the room.

“Darling, you’re wonderful,” he whispered. “I’m so proud of you.”

She was weak and quiet beneath her falsely healthy sunburn, but profoundly happy. She knew the whole truth about the baby’s chances, but she knew the scope of Richie’s ability, too, and her hopes were strong.

“Did you see him?” she asked. “How does he look? Is he in an incubator?”

“Yes. He looks like the future president of the United States,” Page laughed. He kissed her again while she smiled at him and would have kept on kissing her, but Richie cleared his throat and Page looked up suddenly.

“Sorry to butt in,” Richie said.

Page turned to face him. “Don’t apologize,” he said quickly. “That’s my department.” He held out his hand.

Richie came over to take it but added uncomfortably, “I have one more thing to say to you. You may not feel so apologetic afterwards.”

“You’ve earned the right to speak your mind,” Page told him. “Shoot.”

Sunny stiffened a little. She hadn’t expected any speeches from Richie and for a dread moment she imagined him confessing his love for her. She watched him anxiously.

“I wanted to say this to you now,” Richie said, “before I have to leave. Before we know for sure how things will turn out for the baby, and all.”

“Say what?” Page said. Sunny tried to interrupt but Settick silenced them both with a wave of his hand.

“This isn’t easy for me—or for you,” he said self-consciously. “But I—oh hell, I don’t want to sound like a pompous idiot. I just want you to know that I—I understand what the problem is between you two.”

He stopped a moment and looked at their faces, both turned toward him with amazed attention. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen you together,” he went on quietly. “You look a lot alike.”

Sunny’s mouth dropped open and Page made a sudden move as if to break in on the doctor. But something in Settick’s expression stopped them and they let him finish.

“I don’t know whether it’ll make any difference to you—what I’m going to say,” he continued. “I figured the whole thing out months ago, Sunny. The incest thing. It wasn’t your fault I did. You were too unhappy to keep secrets very well.

“Page—if you’ll forgive me—there’s only one thing wrong with your wife. And I don’t mean the fact that she’s your sister.” The Pringles stared at him. “I mean the fact that she’s afraid of losing you. If she knew your marriage was secure for the rest of your lives, she’d be a well woman right now.

“I know why you objected to the marriage, Page, and I respect your reasons. God knows I’m not passing judgment. I only want to make you see, if I can, that the reasons don’t stand up any more. Sunny’s life is at stake, and maybe your sanity. Don’t worry about the baby. I’m going to watch that child day and night if I have to stay here a month. Whatever happens, I can assure you of this much: there’s not a damn thing wrong with his heredity. If he makes it he’ll be strong and sane and healthy.”

There was a little silence while Richie girded himself for the last and toughest thing to say. Sunny and Page waited intuitively for him to go on. Settick walked to the door and put his hand on the knob. At last he turned back and added, “I can’t tell you to go back together. I can only ask you to, and recommend it ... not as a ‘professional man,’ but as a friend.”

He smiled a little. “For God’s sake, Page, don’t let her go. Don’t ever let her go.”

The two men looked hard at each other and then Richie left them alone together.