I sat on my bed and slipped off my heels before unclipping my silk stockings from my garter belt. Slowly, I began rolling them off my legs. “He had a patient presenting with symptoms he had never seen before and wanted my opinion.”
Anna turned so her feet were hanging over the side of her bed. “He could have asked for any other nurse to assist him. Why you?”
I shrugged, though I knew the answer.
“Maggie?”
Sighing, I set the stockings next to me on the bed and wiggledmy bare toes. “I’ve been giving him advice, and he’s been impressed with my knowledge.”
“What kind of advice?”
“Medical advice.”
She frowned. “You mean, from the future?”
“Not necessarily—though, sometimes it’s knowledge that isn’t readily available yet.”
Anna stared at me, something akin to panic settling in her features. “You know what Mama and Daddy told you—you’re not supposed to change history, Maggie.”
My defenses rose. “I’m notknowinglychanging history, Anna. I don’tknowthe outcome of a person’s health—whether they’ll live or die or what will kill them. I can speculate, but that doesn’t mean I know for certain.”
“Why even take the chance?”
“I’m not doing it on purpose. Sometimes I can’t help it. Like with Dr. Philips. I suspect he has a condition called celiac disease, which means his body does not properly digest a protein found in some grains. But without proper diagnostics, it’s only a guess. So when I suggested he do an elimination diet, I wasn’t knowingly changing the future. It appears he took my advice and has eliminated everything but bananas and rice from his diet. As he adds foods back in, he’ll hopefully realize which ones cause his symptoms.”
“You’re doing this with other patients?”
“Not all of them. And it’s something I just realized I could do today.”
“What about Grandfather? Did you tell him what he needs to do for his problems?”
I studied my sister, watching her face to read her emotions. “I’d rather not talk about Grandfather.”
“Why?” She frowned, sitting up straighter. “Because I’m too delicate? Too fragile? I’m not a child, Maggie. And I’d appreciate if you stopped treating me like one.”
My mouth slipped open. “I’m not treating you like a child—you’ve been through a traumatic experience. I don’t want you to worry about things that you don’t need to.”
“It’s not your job to shelter me. I’m more capable than you realize, and when you treat me like a child, you’re telling me that I’m not.”
“That’s not—”
“I know you want to make things better, but sometimes you can’t fix people or situations. And you, of all people, should know that it can be dangerous to try. You’re not God, Maggie.”
Her words hit me like a blow to the gut. Had I been acting like God? Trying to control and change things that weren’t mine to control and change? I didn’t want to admit that her words offended me, especially because I had sacrificed so much to help her.
“I’m not trying to play God,” I told her, my voice unsteady. “I’m just trying to do the best I can with the tools I’ve been given. I didn’t ask to be born this way, and frankly, it’s more than I can handle sometimes.” Tears pricked my eyes, and I wiped at them with anger. “You have no idea what it’s like, Anna—to know things about the future that I can’t tell a living soul, not even Mama and Daddy. My hands are tied in so many ways. So when there is something Icando, I want to do it.”
Anna was quiet as she looked down at her hands. “I know it’s not easy for you,” she said, “but please don’t treat me like I’m incompetent. I’m trying so hard to be strong again.”
I went to her and put my arm around her. “The last thing I want to do is fight with you.”
“Because I can’t handle it?” She gave me a saucy look, making me smile.
We were both quiet for a moment, and then she said, “Are you falling in love?”
WasI falling in love? And if so, who was I falling for? I immediately thought of Gray when we were at Arlington House,of the way he had admired me after I treated the soldier, and the way he made me feel like the only woman in the world when we were together. We had chemistry and attraction, but was it love?
And what about Seth? I couldn’t stop thinking about the Ford’s Theatre Gala, which was quickly approaching. It had been weeks since I’d seen him at my parents’ house, and I was counting down the days until I saw him again. Was that love brewing?
