Kisses, Family & Hope

Chapter 3

three

Swan Harbor Zoo

October 31

1:00 p.m.

Emma sat on the bench in Swan Harbor Zoo’s small aviary and watched Jonesy, the white swan she’d been tasked to save. She’d tried to tell Captain Jack avian medicine wasn’t her area, but he’d insisted the bird needed her. Except she’d been at a loss for what to do.

Elsa said she thought Jonesy was losing hope, and while Emma had scoffed at the thought of a swan having hope, she hadn’t been able to come up with anything else.

But when September moved into October and the temperatures dropped, and Jonesy didn’t leave, she’d begun to worry. It had been then she’d reached out for help to an organization that specialized in saving wild birds.

They’d captured Jonesy, relocating him to the aviary in the zoo where another mute swan resided. Her hope had been a ‘friend’ and a special diet would help his demeanor. But so far, she hadn’t seen much progress.

The door to the aviary bounced shut and when she looked over her shoulder, she had to hold in the groan.

“Captain Jack,” she greeted the older man, who seemed to be Jonesy’s biggest champion. “What brings you out this way?”

He studied her carefully. “Sadie told me where you were. I was hoping you had good news from those bird doctors.”

Emma sighed and held up the report she’d been reading. “No answers,” she admitted. “Jonesy has no parasites, hasn’t been poisoned by chemicals and all his blood work came back normal.”

“So, it is his hope.” Captain Jack came forward slowly and sat next to her. “I was afraid of that.”

There was a part of Emma that wanted to laugh at the older man’s affinity to the swan, but the other side of her felt bad. And even though she couldn’t figure out where he was going with his comment, she couldn’t stop her question.

“His hope?”

Captain Jack sent her a side-eye look that had her fighting to stay still.

“Think about it,” he went back to watching Jonesy, “Swan Harbor was founded over three-hundred-years ago.”

“Okay,” Emma began hesitantly. “But what does that have to do with Jonesy?”

“What’s our motto? Swan Harbor is a haven—”

“—of hope for lost hearts,” Emma finished. “So, you’re saying …?”

“Swans are symbols of purity, beauty, grace, and love. Some say when they are around, they help your communication with other people. Some say they are a sign of marital fidelity. And others say they combine the elements of air and water and embody eternal life. And what is the first step to forever?”

“Hope,” Emma murmured, struggling to connect all sides of herself.

She was an animal doctor and wanted to believe she could help the sick. But she was also a woman in love who’d changed the way she thought about things since moving to Swan Harbor.

Except, she was a realist, and believing the hope of a town could be connected to a wild bird was … well … ridiculous.

“That’s right.” He beamed happily, and she knew it was because he thought he’d gotten through to her.

Emma took a deep breath, not wanting to hurt him, but scientifically it was ….

“Let’s say,” she offered, striving to maintain a neutral voice, “there’s something to what you’re saying. How do you return hope to a swan?”

He shrugged as if it was no big deal, “We find the key to set us free.”

“Okay,” Emma stretched the word out, her mind going in multiple directions. “I guess I’d want to know where we look for the key, and what we do in the meantime.”

A look of intense concentration crossed his face, “As for where we look for the key, I can’t tell you. I’ve been searching for it since I was a boy. But in the meantime, Swan Harbor needs more hope. It’s the only way we’ll survive.”

Emma’s phone buzzed and with relief she pulled it out of her pocket. “I’m sorry, Captain Jack. While this has been an enlightening conversation, I have an emergency. We’ll talk later.”

“Okay, dear.”

But as she left him behind, she could hear him talking to Jonesy, and the thought, 'Kooky old man', floated through her head.

Is it any different from you talking to Millicent, or Trudi, or Nina?

Which was true, so maybe she’d cut him some slack for talking to the bird, but everything else, well ….

* * *

Portland Airport

October 31

2:00 p.m.

Ava stood at the lost luggage counter and observed the young woman, who was looking for the missing suitcases. She was around Emma’s age, very pregnant, and obviously uncomfortable. And while it wasn’t the first time her own unplanned pregnancy had crossed her mind, the feelings this time seemed to be more raw … closer to the surface than ever. Why was that?

Was it that Peter had reached out to Emma and would be visiting soon? Or was it because the out-of-control way Finn made her feel reminded her of that time in her life?

“Here’s what I found out.” The young woman set the claim stubs on the counter and pointed to the notes she had taken. “Your luggage is on the way to Portland … Oregon.”

“My luggage is on the way to Oregon?” Ava repeated, fighting the annoyance inside. “And now what?”

The young woman winced and rubbed her back, “Once it gets to Portland, they’ll re-tag it and …” but then her voice died, as a panicked expression crossed her face.

“Are you okay?” Ava asked, looking around for someone to help.

“My water just broke,” the young woman whispered.

“Oh, wow.” Ava felt her eyes widen in shock and stepped behind the counter to support the woman’s weight. “Is there someone to call?”

“I’ll do it,” the younger woman panted. “Just help me sit.”

Ava guided her to a chair about three feet away, and pushed the phone toward her, “Here,” she glanced at the girl’s name badge, “Rachel. Tell me what extension to dial.”

“2 5,” Rachel panted, wrapping her hands around her contracting stomach.

Feels like you’re being turned inside out, Ava remembered.

“7 6,” Rachel continued once the contraction subsided. “Hello,” she began as soon as the phone was answered, but then another pain hit, and the phone fell out of her hands.

Ava grabbed the receiver just before it clattered to the floor, “Hi, this is Ava King,” she introduced herself, taking charge of the situation. “I’m in lost luggage with Rachel, and she’s in labor.”

“In labor?” The male on the other end repeated. “How can she be in labor? She’s not due for another month.”

“Excuse me,” Ava snapped. “I’ll let you ask the infant when it’s here. Apparently, she—”

“He,” corrected Rachel.

“Apparently, he has other plans.”

“Alright,” Rachel’s supervisor gave a long-suffering sigh. “I’ll call medical.”

“Gee thanks,” Ava murmured when he’d hung up.

“He’s a jerk, isn’t he?” Rachel grunted.

“That’s being nice.” Ava squatted in front of her, “What can I do?”

But before she could be given any instructions, Rachel groaned and grabbed her hand. “Tell me it’s going to be okay. It’s too early.”

Ava searched for a way to comfort the young woman. After the debacle with her marriage, she’d pushed away much of her maternal cravings because they hurt too much. And what she allowed herself to remember about that time in her life was minimal.

“When are you due?”

“Two weeks,” Rachel panted.

“So, the baby is just a little early,” Ava began. “Let’s think positive, and focus on getting you to the hospital.”

She heard a commotion and glanced up as two paramedics rushed in.

“Not going to make it,” Rachel screamed. “He’s coming.”

“Stay strong,” Ava encouraged, but who was she talking to; the baby, the mother, or herself?

The paramedics lowered the stretcher and helped the expectant mother onto it. But when they lifted it to rush out the door, Rachel wouldn’t let go of Ava’s hand.

“Come with me, please.”

“But …” Ava began, except one look into Rachel’s big eyes and the word no refused to come out. Instead, she looked to the paramedics for guidance, “Is it okay?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

As Ava followed the stretcher from the office, she ran into the person she assumed had been on the other end of the phone.

“You’re going with her?” he asked, surprise evident on his face.

“I am,” Ava retorted, hefting her carry-on bag a little higher on her shoulder. “Give Rachel’s emergency contact a call and tell them what’s happening.”

He sputtered a few times, but Ava refused to back down and grudgingly he agreed.

“Thank you,” she offered her saccharine sweet smile meant to disarm even the biggest jerk. And once she was comfortable he would follow her directive, she took off after the paramedics.

“Okay, Rachel,” Ava told the young woman, as soon as she’d caught up with her. “He’s going to call your family to meet us at the hospital.”

Rachel’s face contorted as another contraction hit.

“Breathe through the pain,” the paramedic at the foot of the stretcher suggested.

Ava wanted to snap and ask him what in the hell he knew about breathing through the pain, but instead tried to guide Rachel’s breathing. “Deep breath in,” she encouraged. “Don’t hold your breath, it makes it hurt more.”

“Don’t leave me,” Rachel clutched Ava’s hand as the stretcher was lifted into the ambulance.

“I’m here,” Ava promised, following her inside.

“Thanks,” Rachel panted as another contraction hit.

Ava smiled at her and tried to stay close to her head and out of the paramedic’s way.

“I’ll be here as long you need me. Is the baby’s father meeting us at the hospital?”

“No,” Rachel murmured. “He doesn’t want anything to do with his son. Besides, he joined the Army and I don’t …”

“I’m sorry.”

Words that sounded so trite even as they fell from her mouth.

“How about your mother, father?”

“My mom will come when she gets off work,” Rachel explained.

The ambulance slid to a stop in front of the Emergency Department, and the slamming of the doors reminded Ava of when she’d been taken to the hospital. Alone and scared. Her father had been away on business, and who knows where her husband had been. She’d never asked him. But the sense of being alone had never been so great as it had been when she’d been rushed from one room to another.

The baby’s heartbeat is erratic.

We need this baby born now!

And when, hours later, after an emergency Cesarean section, they’d laid Emma in her arms, she’d felt an immediate connection.

Why hadn’t she walked away from Peter? Why hadn’t she told her father she didn’t want to work eighty-hours a week?

Remember what you told Emma? You can’t go backwards.

She knew that, and most days; she listened.

Rachel was wheeled into the Emergency Department, and while they were checking on her, Ava stepped outside and dialed Emma.

“Hi Ava,” Sadie, Emma’s office manager, answered. “Emma’s in surgery. Can I relay a message?”

“Everything okay?” Ava asked, thinking about the situation in Swan Harbor at the beginning of the year. “Not another…”

“No,” Sadie assured her. “A dog ate a hard-plastic action figure, and Emma’s working on removing it.”

“That happen often?”

“You’d be surprised. Oh, hold on.” Sadie requested before disappearing to answer another phone call. “Sorry about that. Anyway ….

“Listen, I won’t keep you,” Ava went on to explain where she was, and what had happened. “Just let Emma know why I’m not on my way.”

“Do you need a ride back to the airport?”

“No, I’ll get a cab or an Uber.”

“Okay. I’ll let Emma know as soon as she gets out of surgery. Tell Rachel congratulations.”

“Thanks, Sadie.” And then, she remembered she was supposed to meet Anita at the bonfire, “Will you do me a favor and let your mom know why I’m running late?”

“No problem.”

Ava crammed the phone into her pocket and went searching for Rachel.

* * *

Maine Medical Center

October 31

6:00 p.m.

Finn stepped into the lobby of the Maine Medical Center and glanced around to get his bearings. When Killian explained Ava’s situation, he’d been only too happy to pick her up, but now that he was close, he had to wonder what she’d think. If he were to call her, would she look for another door out of the hospital in hopes of avoiding him?

The information he’d been given was limited; her cell number, the name of the hospital, and ‘Rachel’ was having a baby. How was he supposed to find her with that?

Come on, Mate. You’ve a knack for locating things.

The information desk, he decided, stepping around a woman with bright blue hair.

“Finley Reade.”

Before he even gave her his attention, he knew the voice.

“Karen Adams.” Finn turned his best smile her direction. “You’re quite far from The Lighthouse Inn, aren’t you?”

“You know who I am?” she asked breathlessly.

Finn’s smile grew, “How can I forget the one responsible for giving me the room with the best view, when I am in Swan Harbor?”

She blushed. “I’m, uh, just doing my job.”

“And you do it very well. But tell me, what brings you so far from home?”

“I just found out I’m a grandma,” she beamed.

Family Birthing Center, he thought. Could finding Ava really be that easy?

“Wow, congratulations! A lad or a lass?

“A boy,” she ran her hand down her hair, “hence the new color.”

“That’s quite the statement.”

“You don’t think it’s too much, do you?” she asked worriedly.

“No, no.” He directed her toward the gift shop, “Let’s see what they have for the new mother and baby.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense. It’s my pleasure,” he assured her.

Finn picked out a bouquet of balloons and paid for it and the small blue bear Karen chose. And then he followed her through the line to get visitor’s tags, thinking once they were on the right floor, he’d make his excuses and leave.

As they wound their way through the hospital, Finn asked questions meant to keep Karen talking. And while there was a part of him that felt a slight twinge of regret, he was using her to get what he needed, it wasn’t enough to force him to come clean.

“Let’s see,” she murmured. “It looks like this is her room.”

Finn winked. “After you,” he nodded, already making plans for his escape.

She giggled and pushed the door open all the way, “Rachel, honey! Where’s that baby?”

Rachel?

Finn stepped into the room behind Karen, his eyes immediately scanning for the woman who made regular appearances in his dreams. He found her sitting in a chair in a corner, holding the new baby, the look on her face a cross between joy, fatigue, and something he couldn’t decipher.

“Hi mom,” Rachel, the new mother, greeted Karen. “Come and meet—”

“—Ava King!” Karen squealed.

His eyes met Ava’s briefly before hers bounced to Rachel and then Karen, “Would you like to meet Riley?”

“Can I?”

And then, as if she’d just remembered he was standing behind her, Karen waved in his direction and took the balloon bouquet.

“This is Finley Reade,” she told her daughter. “Both he and Ava are frequent guests at The Lighthouse.”

Finn could see the questions on Rachel’s face and jumped to answer them.

“I ran into your mother in the lobby.” He sent her his most charming smile. “It was pure luck we were heading to the same place.”

“Oh, that was nice,” Rachel smiled. “Thank you for the balloons.”

“My pleasure. And congratulations.”

Karen sent him a measured look, “You never told me you were coming to Rachel’s room.”

“Didn’t I?” Finn frowned. “Could have sworn I mentioned it.”

“No,” Karen shook her head, “you didn’t.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Finn stepped in to waylay any conversation tracks he didn’t need. “I was sent on a rescue mission.” His eyes sought Ava’s again. “Killian told me where you were.”

Ava raised a dark brow. “Killian sent you?”

Well, he’d volunteered as soon as he’d heard, Finn thought. But that was just a technicality.

“Said you still needed to go back to the airport for your luggage and rental car,” he responded without really answering the question.

“Luggage!” Ava wrinkled her nose and exchanged looks with Rachel. And then she stood and moved to hand Riley to Karen. But something had Finn stepping close to peek at the babe.

“He’s beautiful, Rachel. I have two sons myself, and it seems like yesterday they were that size. Enjoy every minute, as they seem to fly by.”

“Thank you, again,” Rachel smiled and turned her attention to Ava.

While the two women were saying goodbye, he waved to Karen, who was cooing to the baby, and stepped into the hallway.

He didn’t have to wait long before Ave came out to meet him. The look in her eyes was still there and, just as before, he was unable to decipher it.

“I’d appreciate a ride back to the airport,” she retorted in a clipped voice.

Her tone surprised him, to the point where he snapped back, “By all means,” before he could water it down. “Your carriage awaits.”

She studied him through squinted eyes for a second, before turning on her heels and heading toward the exit.

The entire way to his car, Finn asked himself what else he’d expected. He’d known she would be annoyed he was there to pick her up, but a part of him had hoped he’d be wrong. That she’d smile and be happy to see him.

“Let me get that for you.” He opened the passenger door and waited for her to slip inside.

She was quiet until they were pulling out of the hospital parking lot, “Did you know Rachel was Karen’s daughter or was that a lucky find?”

Finn winced, “What does it matter? Karen got to see her grandson, Rachel got a gift, and you’re getting a ride.”

“And what do you get, Finn?”

The words whispered over his skin, with goosebumps following in their wake, “I made Rachel smile, met her new son, and now have the pleasure of your company.”

“And that’s it?” Ava asked suspiciously.

She was looking for something specific, but he wasn’t sure exactly what.

“At heart, I’m a simple man,” he murmured. “There’s nothing more important than family, a smile, kindness, and hope for tomorrow.”

He was surprised when she didn’t say anything, but directed him toward where she needed to pick up her rental car.

“You can just drop me off. I’ll be fine.”

Finn looked at her as if she’d asked the impossible. “I’m not that big of a ponce. Once I know you have what you need, I’ll leave.”

“You expect me to believe that?” She blew out her breath, “Never mind. Just park.”

“You’re welcome,” Finn tossed back as he pulled into short term parking.