Page 14 of Mountain Freedom
“Something like that.” Her face became a mask. Then she changed the subject. “So, do your adoptive parents live here now too?”
I shook my head. “Nah. They’re still in Nashville. Miss them like crazy. But the city never felt like home, not like this place. So when the opportunity came for me to move back here, I took it. Those years I was gone, I never stopped missing the mountain. Never stopped thinking about all those places we used to wander around until it got so dark we had to go home. We had some good times, even then, didn’t we?”
“We did,” she agreed. “Goodness, I hadn’t thought about any of that in years. But when I stepped out of my car here and smelled the forest, it took me right back.” She shook her head, smiling. “Remember that little clearing where we used to catch lightning bugs? And the creek where we’d go fishing when we played hooky from school?”
“I remember that creek well,” I said, a smile playing on my lips. “How could I forget? That’s where I caught you and Sarah-Lee skinny dipping.” I placed my hand reverently on my chest. “That’s one of my core life memories, Allison.”
She threw her head back and laughed, making a sound that took me right back to that clearing, where we’d run around barefoot, laughing like we didn’t have a care in the world. Like we were normal kids—for a little while at least.
“I had forgotten about that,” she said, turning red even while she was laughing. “Sarah-Lee was furious. Where is she, anyway? Is she doing okay?” Allison cocked her head, curious.
“Still here in Rosemary Mountain,” I answered, unable to stop the look of sadness from crossing my face. “Married now. I don’t see her often, unless a neighbor’s called me to come out. Her husband takes too much after her old man, and she takes too much after her ma to do anything about it.”
Allison’s face fell. “I hate to hear that.”
“Yeah. I’ve tried to get her to leave him and press charges. She won’t. Same old, same old. You know how it goes. Maybe someday I’ll get through to her. But if you’re asking about her, I guess you didn’t stay in touch with anyone from around here?”
She shook her head. “No. We ‘needed a fresh start,’” she said, rolling her eyes and using air quotes. “Mama didn’t want me keeping in touch with anyone from here.” Allison’s eyes grew sad and her voice softened. “I wrote to you once. Borrowed a stamp from a friend at school and mailed you a letter to let you know where I was. But I never heard back, and I wasn’t sure if it was because you didn’t get it or if Mama intercepted your reply.”
“I never got it,” I said, swallowing back the lump that formed in my throat even now. “Either Russell didn’t give it to me or I was already in foster care when it arrived.”
“I’m sorry. I missed you, you know.”
“I missed you too.” More than I could possibly say.
“Mama said cutting off all contact was for my own good, but really, I think it was for hers,” Allison explained. “She wanted to pretend like that chapter of our lives never even happened. I always thought she was so strong, but now that I’m older, Ilook back on it all and think she was really fragile. She couldn’t handle it.”
I understood exactly what she meant. “Fresh starts can be a good thing,” I said.
“Yeah.” She was quiet for a moment. “But I felt like I abandoned you.”
“You were still a kid,” I pointed out. “It’s not like you had any choice about moving away or any way of keeping in touch if your mom didn’t want you to. Besides, it seems like it worked out well for you. I mean, you’re a doctor. That’s no small thing. I’m proud of you, Allison.”
“Thanks,” she said, flushing again with those pretty pink cheeks that reminded me of the girl she had been. The girl I had once dreamed of running away with so we could get married and have a houseful of kids—kids we’d actually love and take care of. Kids that wouldn’t feel the need to prowl the woods for hours at night just to stay away from us. Kids who’d feel happy and safe with parents who loved them. That was before I realized that, with Russell’s blood running through my veins, I could never risk having a family and repeating the cycle.
“So when do you start work?” I asked, deliberately changing the subject.
A troubled look crossed her face. “Today was my first day, actually.”
I studied her. “Didn't go well?”
She let out a breath and shook her head. “Not exactly.”
“What happened?”
“I think I’m in over my head,” she admitted. “I’m still so new to this. This is my first time to really practice on my own. I’ve always had backup—more experienced providers to bounce ideas off of or to double-check what I’m doing. I don’t know, Jackson. I thought I was ready for this, but I feel like little Allison Bell again. Like I went right back to my childhood,and I’m just playing dress up. And that’s about how everyone treated me today. The few patients who even came in, anyway. Apparently, people started canceling their appointments as soon as they heard who was taking over.”
I frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Plus,” she said, sighing, “Beverly, my receptionist, hates me. My nurse didn’t even show up today, so I had to room the few patients who came by myself. On top of that, I’ve already made an enemy of one of them. So all in all, it was a rough start for sure.”
“An enemy?” I asked, my senses coming on guard. I hadn’t forgotten Larry’s attitude about Allison’s return.
“One of my first patients was there for refills,” she explained. “Doc Rogers had been prescribing him a ridiculous number of narcotics, and the interim physicians who handled things until I got here just kept refilling them. I refused to do the same.”
“Good for you,” I said, meaning it.
“I offered him a lower dosage and help getting off of them altogether in time, but I couldn’t in good conscience prescribe what he wanted. Honestly, I’m surprised the combination hadn’t killed him already.”
