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“What do you think, Doc?” Doyle said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

When Olive had collapsed in front of him, he almost hadn’t caught her. Thankfully his hand, the one that hadn’t been holding Livvy, had been on her shoulder, and he felt her start to fall. He’d been able to wrap his hand around her waist and keep her from hitting the ground, but then he’d had to get someone to hold the baby while he put both arms around Olive and carried her to a cooler room where she had more room to breathe.

Thankfully the wedding was in the assisted care facility, and there happened to be a doctor in the building.

He’d come as soon as he had been called, and Doyle had told him Olive’s history of having a baby and having malaria and how she’d been tired and weak lately.

“I think you’re right. I think it’s mostly fatigue. She has no fever, and her heartbeat and respiration are steady, her oxygen stats and blood pressure are all good. Still, she should probably go to her doctor and be checked out, but in the absence of any other symptoms, I recommend a lot of rest, as well as a follow-up visit to someone else who can run the tests that I cannot.”

He shifted Livvy who was back in his arms. He didn’t even know who had held her while he’d carried Olive.

Olive blinked, but she hadn’t said much since she’d regained consciousness, shortly after he’d set her down.

“Thanks, Doc.” He paused, then said, “How much do I owe you?”

The doc waved his hand. “I’m here on call. I’m being paid whether I see people or not. This was a little extra, a nice break in my routine.” He put a hand on Olive’s shoulder. “I hope you feel better, miss.”

Mertie had been extremely concerned, but Doyle had convinced them to take the wedding party and continue to the cafeteria where they were all going to eat. He told her that he didn’t think that there was anything seriously wrong, but he would let her know as soon as he knew.

“I’m typing a text to your sister letting her know exactly what the doctor said. I told her I would.” It wasn’t easy to type a text with one hand while he held the baby in the other, but he was getting rather good at it. In fact, he kind of liked the way the baby felt in his arms, her chubby warmth and her sweet smiles. Of course, there were other things less lovely, like dirty diapers and middle of the night crying, but she was a sweetheart, and he found himself falling in love with her.

“I feel terrible that I took so much attention away from the bride and groom. That wasn’t my intention at all.”

“And they know that. It’s not like someone chooses to pass out at a wedding. Plus, you were considerate enough to wait until they presented the bride and groom and people saw them kiss and cheered for them.”

Her eyes closed wearily, and it seemed like her whole body fell into itself as she breathed out.

He felt better now that the doctor had taken her blood pressure, which had been low but still in the normal range, and taken the other stats as well. Still, he wanted her to go see a doctor.

“Do you want to make that appointment, or do you want me to do it for you?” he asked, figuring that maybe that question would be better than asking her if she was going to do it.

“What appointment?” she asked, her eyes barely opening before they shut again like her eyelids were too heavy for her to hold open.

“For you to see the doctor. He said he couldn’t see anything wrong, but he recommended rest and another doctor’s appointment. I can make it if you’re too tired to.”

“I can’t afford it just now. I know it’s just that I’m tired. Just need to rest.”

“I think you’re probably right. After all, you’ve been through a lot, but I think it would be better to be safe than sorry. I’ll pay for it—” He put his hand up as she started to interrupt him. “And you can pay me back. But it would make me feel better if you got checked.”

“I don’t think I need a doctor,” she said, her lips set in a stubborn line even though her eyes were still closed.

“I think Livvy deserves to have a mother who can raise her and doesn’t die of some disease that could have been caught and cured if the mother hadn’t been too stubborn to go to the doctor. Now I think that you’re right, that you’re just tired, but I also think that you need to get checked out.”

He brought Livvy into the conversation because he thought that that might sway Olive, and he’d been right. As soon as he said Livvy’s name, her eyes opened and landed on her baby, and a soft, maternal look came over her face. Her mulish expression melted into acquiescence by the time he finished speaking.

“Do you mind?” she said wearily. “The very idea of calling and trying to figure it out and then going, and then they’ll probably want to send me for tests, and I just... I don’t think I can do it all.”

“I will take care of it for you.”

“I don’t have a doctor.”

“That’s fine. Blueberry Beach has a new hospital, and I’m sure there are doctors there who are accepting new patients. We’ll get you in with someone.”

“I’m sorry to be such a problem.”

“You’re not a problem. I actually feel like I’m doing something taking care of you. It doesn’t necessarily give me a purpose exactly, I just...like it,” he finished lamely. Unable to articulate exactly how he felt about it. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to protect her and provide for her and be the person that she could depend on for whatever she needed. It was an honor to be able to call the doctor and make the appointment and watch her baby and do all the things.

Last time you got too involved with her, she cut her losses and cut out, leaving you with a broken heart.

He heard that voice in his head, and he had to give it credence because it was correct.

But she’s changed. She’s not the same person that she was, and she’s not going to do that again.

You don’t know that. The only thing you have to go on is her word.

Her behavior is different, I’ve seen it. Look at what she did for Cassie.

The voice was silent. It was true that he didn’t know anyone else who would do what Olive had done, who would be more concerned about the person’s salvation than they were about getting their own way, or winning an argument, or giving up what they had every right to.

And yet wasn’t that the example that Jesus sent? He had given up his throne in heaven, given up the access that he had to ten thousand angels who could have come and saved him from the crowds who wanted to crucify him. And yet, he allowed them to do it, not just because he had the sins of the world to pay for, but because allowing them to crucify him, rather than killing them and keeping them from it, meant that perhaps they would see what he had done, believe in him, and be saved from an eternity in hell.

He’d never seen such a living example of what Jesus had done, even though what Olive did was just a shadow of his sacrifice. He still felt like she was on the right track.

And if that was the kind of person that she’d become after rededicating her life to the Lord, he knew that he could trust his heart with her.

Of course, he didn’t know how she felt about him.

“I’d like to take you home, but I’m guessing that you’d like to stay and be a part of your sister’s wedding if possible.”

“I was wondering how I was going to say that to you. I know I just passed out, and I don’t want to cause any more problems for anyone or take any more attention off of Mertie, but I would like to stay, at least until people have eaten and all the celebration is mostly over.” She paused, and then she said, “But if it’s going to be too much trouble, and you’re afraid that you might have to do more than just carry me to the car, I’m willing to leave. If that’s best for you.”

It would have been best for him. It would take a lot of the worry off his shoulders and keep him from spending the next two hours wondering if he was going to catch her if she passed out. But he couldn’t say that to her, because he didn’t want her to miss the celebration of her sister’s wedding. He knew how much it meant to her.

“Let’s stay. But only if you promise to let me know the next time you’re feeling the way you felt before you passed out.”

“I promise.”

“How about we just try sitting you up a little bit first, okay?”

She nodded, and he said, “Let me set Livvy down. She’s going to need to be changed and have a bottle soon. I didn’t keep track of the last time I gave her one, but I know it’s been a while.”

“I think you’re right. I’m sorry. You’re doing everything.”

“Stop apologizing, it’s not necessary. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be. You have lots of other people who would love to help take care of you, and I’m the one who gets that honor, and that’s what it is. An honor.”

She gave him a look like she didn’t believe what he was saying, but she didn’t argue. Probably because she didn’t have the energy, and he almost made a crack about how nice it was when she was too tired to argue, but he didn’t.

She sat up and swayed a little, like she was still a bit dizzy. He knew it would be best to take her straight home, but he’d help her as long as he could. Because it was what she wanted and he found he couldn’t tell her no.