Searching for Harmony (Boston Love 1)

Walking up to the nurses’ station, I waited patiently as one of the nurses talked to a guy who looked to be a few years older than me. His blond hair was a mess and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Mr. Harris, I assure you, your sister is getting the utmost care.”

He pushed both hands through his hair and let out a long breath. “Please just make sure no one talks to her first before me. Please.”

The nurse’s eyes softened and I instantly knew whom they were talking about. It was her, the woman from yesterday’s car wreck.

Clearing my throat, I spoke. “Excuse me, are you speaking about the young woman in yesterday’s car accident on Boylston Street?”

The guy turned and looked at me. “Yes. Who are you?”

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I said, “I’m one of the responding firefighters. I am…I tried…um—” The words wouldn’t form in my mouth as I fought like hell to tell him I was the one who worked on his nephew.

Reaching his hand out to me, he said, “Jake Harris. I’m Harmony’s brother.”

Harmony. What a beautiful name. The way she was looking at me yesterday flashed across my memory and I squeezed my eyes shut to block it out.

She had counted on me. Begged me, and I let her down. Those blue eyes would haunt me for the rest of my life.

“Preston Ward. Have you eaten anything, Jake?”

Jake’s voice cracked. “No, I haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday morning.”

Walking closer, I asked the nurse for a piece of paper and reached for a pen. I wrote down my cellphone number on the paper she handed me and smiled. “If Harmony wakes up, please just call or text me.”

Nodding, she whispered, “When Mrs. Banks wakes up, I’ll let you know.”

Slapping Jake lightly on the back, I said, “Come on, lunch is on me. I hear the food here is amazing.”

Jake looked at me and managed to give me a weak smile.

By the time we got our food and found a table, I discovered that Jake was finishing up medical school at Boston University School of Medicine. His parents no longer talked to Harmony and Jake was all she had left.

Sitting at the table, I decided to go ahead and ask the question. “Why do your parents not speak to Harmony? If you don’t mind my asking.”

Jake took a bite of his club sandwich, then a sip of Coke. “About two weeks before Harmony and her husband, Trey, were set to graduate high school, she found out she was two months pregnant. She was set to go to Harvard and Trey was going to the University of Massachusetts. Needless to say, their plans changed. Trey’s parents bought Harmony and Trey a house and his father brought him into his business with the agreement that he would still go to school. Harmony was also expected to continue with college after the baby was born.” Jake let out a small laugh and shook his head. “My sister took classes that fall and right up until she gave birth to TJ at the end of December.” Jake smiled as he closed his eyes and shook his head. “Harmony wants to be a nurse. Has since she was little. I remember when I left for college, she cried her eyes out and begged me to take her with me.”

Smiling, I said, “She must be pretty smart to have gotten into Harvard.”

Jake’s smile faded some as he took another bite. After a few minutes, he continued talking. “When Harmony and Trey told my parents she was pregnant, they gave her two options. Abortion or be disowned.”

About choking on my sandwich, I gasped for air as I asked, “Are you kidding me?”

“I wish I was, but no. My parents are real assholes. The only reason I stay on their good side is because I’m dating the daughter of a Massachusetts senator. They put up with my behavior because they know that will help me advance. I call bullshit. Daddy likes to hobnob with the senator and I’m pretty sure he has helped my father with a few business deals.”

I noticed tears beginning to fill Jake’s eyes as he looked away. “It’s me and Harmony. It’s always just been us.” He turned back to me, and I watched as a tear rolled down Jake’s cheek.

“How do I do it, Preston? How do I tell my sister she’s lost everything…again?”

Closing my eyes, I dropped my head. My heart was pounding and I felt my hands starting to shake. Taking in a deep breath, I looked back at Jake and whispered, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save him for her. I tried like hell and I can’t…I can’t get the look in her eyes to leave my mind. They were pleading with me. She was—” My voice cracked and it was my turn to look away while I swept my tears away with my fingers.

“Oh no. You were the firefighter working on TJ?” Jake asked.

I nodded quickly. “I’m so sorry. I keep replaying everything over and over in my head. If I hadn’t gone to the driver first, would those few split seconds have been enough to bring the baby back? Those few precious moments where I made the wrong decision.”

“Trey Junior.”

My head snapped to Jake. Tears slid down his cheeks. “The baby, his name was Trey Junior, but we called him TJ.”