It Must Have Been the Mistletoe(23)

“How serious?” he asked.

“She refuses to go to the hospital. She says it’s her time. It’s her heart. Dr. Roy is with her now and he says she doesn’t have long.”

“I’m on my way,” Drew said. He slipped the phone back into his pocket and turned to look at Alison. “I have to go,” he said. “It’s an emergency and—”

“I thought you said there was another doctor—”

“It’s Ettie.”

Alison’s eyes went wide. “Is she all right?”

“I don’t know. She’s refusing medical care and won’t let them take her to a hospital. If I get there in time, maybe I can convince her to go.”

“In time? Is it that serious?”

Drew nodded. “She’s eighty-five years old.”

“I’ll come with you,” Alison said, her eyes swimming with tears. “I want to tell her how important she is to—”

“No,” Drew replied, holding tight to her arms. “You have a recital to give. And there’s nothing you can do. If this is her time, then we have to let her go.”

“No!” Alison cried. “You have to help her.”

“I made a promise to Ettie and I intend to keep it.”

“What kind of doctor are you? You’re supposed to save her.”

Drew pulled Alison into his arms and gave her a fierce hug. “You need to focus on your music right now. Sing Ettie’s songs tonight and tell everyone to say a prayer for her. That’s what you can do.” He kissed her again, his hands cupping her tear-dampened face. “I have to go. I’ll call you later. Good luck.”

Drew took one last look at her, then walked out. This was not how he’d wanted the weekend to go. But then, trying to recreate a fantasy had been a foolish notion in the first place. He and Alison spent the majority of their time in the real world. And in the end, the real world might be exactly what pulled them apart.



THE TINY GRAVEYARD WAS set in a small clearing on the mountain. It didn’t appear on any maps, nor did it have an address. But everyone in the area had known Miss Ettie and they were all going to her funeral. Alison simply had to ask directions.

Though she hadn’t known Ettie that well, she felt they’d shared a special connection through her music. Alison had sung her songs at the recital, had asked for prayers, and yet the phone call from Drew still came. Ettie had passed that night at 9:13 p.m., December eighteenth, before Drew could get back to see her once more.

Drew had called Alison about the funeral and she had offered to sing some of Ettie’s favorite songs. Over the phone, his voice had sounded strained and detached, as if planning Ettie’s funeral had been too much for him. But he’d gratefully accepted her offer.

Alison walked along the muddy path to the old graveyard, her thoughts on the talented woman who’d lived her life without much notice. She deserved more. People needed to know about her. From her tiny cabin in the mountains, Ettie Lee Harper had carried on the musical traditions of her ancestors. And like a gift, she’d given them to Alison. There had to be some way to pay her back.

A small crowd was huddled outside the weathered picket fence and Drew greeted each guest as he stood beside the preacher. When he saw Alison approach, he whispered something to the man, then walked toward her.

“Hi,” he said, leaning close to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for coming.”

“I had to be here,” Alison said. “For you and for Ettie.”

“I think we want to start and finish with a song,” he told her. “The service will be short. She didn’t want anything fancy.”

“I’m sorry, Drew,” she said. “I know how much Ettie meant to you.”

“She was the reason I came back.” He gave her arm a squeeze. “There’s a lunch after the burial, at the church. You should come. We can talk.” He forced a smile. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Drew, I’ve been thinking and—”

“No, don’t think. Not right now. Can you stay?”

Alison shook her head. “I can’t. I have exams to give and office hours. I have to leave right after the service.”

After their weekend together on the mountain, it had seemed like such a simple thing to continue seeing each other. But since they’d parted, they had been pulled in opposite directions. Though they only lived a few hours apart, they inhabited different worlds with different priorities. No matter how Alison looked at it, the most they could share was a casual weekend relationship. Drew needed to live close to his patients and she needed to be close to the university.