Natural Reaction Read Online Free Page B

any things that concern you.”
    Shocked, Mary sat up, open-mouthed and stared at the doctor for a moment. “Really? I can just go home?”
    Moving closer, Dr. Thorne perched on the edge of the bed. “Mary, you can go home and relax,” she said. “But you need to remember sometimes you can’t handle things all by yourself. Sometimes the only way to solve a problem is by bringing an expert in to help you.”
    “Bradley told you?” she asked.
    Nodding, Dr. Thorne met Mary’s gaze. “You are a strong woman,” she said. “But you are also smart and I hope you realize there is nothing wrong with going to someone to talk about your feelings and your fears.”
    “Yes,” Mary responded. “I know and I’m not afraid to seek help if I need it.”
    Dr. Thorne smiled. “And if others suggest highly that you might need it,” she said. “You might want to consider they may have a better perspective than you.”
    “Understood,” she agreed.
    “Good!” the doctor said, standing. “Now I’ll pull Bradley out of here so you can get dressed. I’ll have the nurse back in here with your discharge papers in the next 20 minutes or so.”
    The ghost was still there and Mary knew there had to be a connection between the ghost and her doctor. “Dr. Thorne,” Mary said, before the doctor pulled the curtain aside. “Why did you become a doctor? Was your father a doctor?”
    She shook her head. “No, my father was actually a Chemistry teacher at the high school. He died in an explosion at the high school when I was a little girl.”
    “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
    “I regret not knowing who he really was,” she said. “I missed not having a father.”
    “Well, I’m sure he’d be proud of who you are,” Mary said.
    “Thank you, Mary.”

Chapter Four

    “I can’t believe you tried to lie to Dr. Thorne,” Bradley said, chuckling, as he helped Mary up the stairs of her home.
    “I didn’t lie to her,” Mary replied, punching in the code for the lock. “I just didn’t explain in great detail.”
    “You told her you had a doctor living with you,” Bradley clarified, opening the door and following Mary into the house.
    She turned back and placed her hands on her hips. “Well, Ian’s a PhD, so he’s a doctor.”
    “So, Mary, me darling, are you asking me to play doctor with you?”
    “No, she’s not,” Bradley said firmly. “But you do get to help play nursemaid.”
    “I don’t need a nursemaid,” she insisted, “Or a bevy of them for that matter.”
    She leaned against the wall, surprised at how exhausted she was just from the trip home.
    “How are you feeling, there?” Ian asked, leaning forward and placing a kiss on her cheek.
    She smiled up at him. “I’m good,” she said. “It’s good to be home.”
    “Would you like some lunch?” he asked. “I’m making haggis.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
    “Well, darn it. I ate at the hospital before I came home,” she said with a sigh, “And I so wanted to try haggis.”
    “Well, I made plenty,” he teased. “Day old haggis for breakfast.” He rubbed his stomach. “Yum.”
    She laughed and turned to Bradley. “You can take me back to the hospital now,” she jested. “Ian has finally found a way to keep me there.”
    “No way, we have you here and now we’re in charge,” Bradley said, pushing the door behind him.
    A gust of wind caught the door and it slammed against the frame. Mary paled and pushed herself against the wall, her breath catching in her throat.
    “Darling, what’s wrong?” Ian asked, moving toward her.
    “No,” she cried out, raising her hands to ward him off. “Please don’t come closer.”
    “Damn it,” Bradley said softly. “I’m sorry, Mary. That was a stupid thing to do.”
    She turned to him, her eyes wide and frightened. “He slammed the door,” she whispered. “When he came to see me, to hurt me, he slammed the door.”
    “It wasn’t him; the wind just caught the door, that’s all. You’re safe