When Morning Comes Read Online Free PDF Page A

egocentric. “No, but you’re a hell of a doctor. You fight for your patients, you just don’t always fight with them.”
    â€œI don’t have time to pamper them like you do,” he said. “Mrs. Ward is a prime example. Letting her postpone the surgery without pointing out the risk would have been negligent of me.”
    Sabrina thought of pointing out that he hadn’t had to scare her, but then perhaps he had. “Dr. Mathis, you have your ways and I have mine. I’ll promise to try and see your point, if you’ll agree to try to see mine.”
    â€œThere’ll be no more confrontations?” he asked, staring intently at her.
    â€œI’ll do my best,” she told him.
    He didn’t like the answer. She could see it in his clenched jaw. She smiled inwardly. Who would have thought it, that she was the one person Cade Mathis couldn’t ignore.
    â€œI don’t want to have this conversation again,” he said.
    She tossed the towel on the chaise and folded her arms. “I wouldn’t bet on it, but just remember, we’re on the same side.”
    â€œGood-bye, Ms. Thomas.” He turned.
    â€œSabrina.”
    He glanced around at her. His expression was stoic.
    At that moment, she decided that she’d see him smile. “Since we’re going to have a better working relationship we shouldn’t be so formal, don’t you think?”
    â€œSomething tells me it doesn’t matter what I think,” he said, and kept walking.
    Sabrina smiled, then laughed. “You might be right.”
    *   *   *
    â€œDid she pay you for the painting?”
    Kara signed inwardly, and fought to be patient with her mother, but it was becoming more and more difficult. Nothing Kara did pleased her, but at least she hadn’t started in on her the moment she got home. “It was a gift, Mama. Sabrina is a friend.”
    Her mother, sitting at the small table in the kitchen, tsked and punctuated the remark with a thump of her cane on the tile floor. “If she was a true friend, she wouldn’t take advantage of you.”
    Her back to her mother, Kara continued stirring the shrimp in the skillet. Reasoning with her mother had always been challenging. Since the death of her father eighteen months ago, it had become impossible. Hazel Simmons had been pampered and sheltered by her husband of thirty years, her every wish granted. She was angry that he had been taken away from her, angry that she had to do with less since his death. In return she made life miserable for everyone around her.
    â€œShe’s coming over for dinner in a bit,” Kara said, steeling herself for the disapproval.
    She didn’t have long to wait. “Shrimp is expensive.”
    â€œMama, we aren’t so bad off that we can’t invite a friend over for a meal.” Kara set the sizzling shrimp aside and faced her mother. “I enjoy cooking and having friends over.”
    â€œThen invite Burt.”
    Kara shoved her hand through her hair. Her romance with Burt Collins, an internist at Texas, had lasted only three weeks. “Burt doesn’t want to be here any more than I want him here.”
    Her mother pushed herself up on her cane. “He would be if you weren’t so hard on him. You could take him back, and we wouldn’t have to watch every dime.”
    Money. It always boiled down to money. Their father had worked hard, but he hadn’t saved very much. The money from his life insurance policy had barely paid for his medical and funeral expenses. Near the end of his lengthy illness, he had worried about his wife more than himself. Kara had assured him she’d take care of her mother. She’d known it wasn’t going to be easy when she moved back in, but she hadn’t realized how demanding it would be.
    â€œMen are entitled to sow a few wild oats before they get married,” her mother said. “Take him