The Secret Place

By Shelilah Peters

This romantic story is about Leah and Nick, who meet on a beach in Hawaii when Nick is eleven and Leah is eight. Leah is a descendent of Hawaiian royalty and a dead shipping business. Nick comes from a long line of doctors, and his parents expect him to become a trauma surgeon. Every summer, Nick returns to his summer home with his parents and spends the summers with Leah, surfing, hiking, fishing, and frolicking on the beach. They are young, innocent, and carefree. They meet at their special spot they call the Secret Place, dreaming of the future, sharing their deepest thoughts and aspirations. As the years pass, they form a close relationship that will challenge their love for each other. At eighteen, Nick leaves for medical school, and Leah pursues her career in art. On the fortieth anniversary of his parents, Nick returns to his summer home, having completed medical school. He and Leah reconnect after five years and fall deeply in love. But as fate would have it, circumstances stop them from being together, and they go their separate ways. Nick is conflicted with his pursuit of becoming a doctor and his love for Leah. Leah is caught in a predicament she cannot run from. Find out how they reach each other again and reconnect despite the twists and turns of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524506513

Shelilah Peters

S. M. Peters is married with two sons. Writing has always been a hobby and has written many short stories and memoirs of growing up in the 1950s in Hawaii. Recently retired, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of writing in earnest. She has worked in mortgage lending in her early years and in the administration office of a mental health agency in the past twenty-one years. Mrs. Peters’ interests are sewing, scrapbook making, jewelry making, canning, crafting, and selling all of her works. She likes cooking, reading, playing the ukulele, and singing. She resides in Hawaii with her husband of forty-seven years and her three dachshunds.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Nick was not up to attending the dinner. He hated to dress up in a tux, but he promised Mimi that he would attend, and support her father in raising funds for the new wing at the hospital. She picked out a dark navy suit with a matching cummerbund for Nick. He did not have the heart to tell her navy was not his color choice, he would have preferred black, but there was no way of changing her mind.

When Nick picked her up at her apartment, she thought to herself how nice he looked; if only he would not fuss too much about dressing up but said, Darling, you look so handsome, all the women will be swooning. After the fundraising, I hope you will come up for a nightcap. Nick did not reply.

The fundraising was a gallant affair held at San Francisco’s Top of the Mark. Three hundred prestigious guests were there including the governor and his wife, notable doctors from all over the country, and men and women of note in politics. Media was there with their cameras catching glimpses of the governor and other important guests. Mimi was in her element as she greeted the guests and attended to their every wish. She was the consummate hostess, and her father was very proud of her knack for fundraising. The fundraising was the event of the year. Mimi spent months planning and coordinating everything: the menu, guest list, flowers, transportation, and all the media coverage for the event. She was admired for her grace and wit.

Mimi stood out in her evening gown. She had on an emerald green fitted dress with a halter top that outlined her pretty figure and long legs. She was stunning. This was the third fundraising Nick had attended with Mimi, and he always felt uncomfortable. Tonight was no different, and besides he had a headache and wished he hadn’t promised to come. The truth of the matter was that formal soirees were not his cup of tea. He preferred lounging on his La-Z-Boy, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Although Mimi was a woman to be desired and a successful editor popular with everyone, Nick felt they did not share a kindred spirit; he didn’t have anything in common with her. She had tastes for fine wine and dinners, he was happy with a poki and a beer. He loved the outdoors and walks on the beach, she hated sand on her feet. He liked going to the open markets, she hated the crowds. She loved Nick, but he did not have deep feelings for her, and hated himself for feeling that way. What was wrong with him? Any man would be happy for a catch like Mimi.

The night was a huge success. They raised enough money to build a new wing at Oakland’s Memorial Hospital; such a worthy cause, for the wing was dedicated for children with special needs. Nick was a volunteer there on days; he could spare the time, and found it a satisfying work.

Later that night when he took Mimi home, she asked Nick, Want to come up for a nightcap?

Nick did not want to disappoint her and tried to find the words. Babe, I got a long way to drive home; and I have rounds tomorrow morning, and I actually had a headache all night long.

Disappointed, she said, Poor baby and hugged and kissed him, and whispered in his ear. You could stay over tonight, she hinted.

He hesitated, he did not want to go there, and he knew sooner or later that she would be expecting more from him. Maybe some other time perhaps I’m tired and need to go to bed.

He kissed her and held her closely, but he felt guilty because he did not love her. He couldn’t put off telling her, he thought to himself. He needed to break it off soon, but he was too tired to think about it. He went home, and immediately fell into a deep sleep. The call came in a little after two AM; he barely slept, and Nick felt groggy. He reluctantly dressed, and rushed to the hospital for another emergency.

Chapter 2

Nick recalled the circumstances that led to his meeting Mimi. He completed his first year residency at the Oakland Memorial Hospital. He wanted to concentrate his skills in a trauma hospital, and was pleasantly surprised when an opening in the Trauma Center in San Francisco opened up. Nick had studied hard through medical school, and was dedicated to his work. He was working his way to becoming a trauma surgeon, and the opportunity to work at San Francisco was ideal. Many of his patients requested having the handsome doctor with the blue eyes attend to them, especially children and seniors. Nick really cared for the welfare of his patients, and would spend extra time with them even when it meant passing up some lunches and break time to be with them. He had a great bedside manner. Nick felt that caring for a person was more than just mending wounds; he felt like mending hearts went a long way as well. Most of his patients suffered critical injuries and trauma that affected them physically and mentally. His goal was to restore them wholly, if he could, and better than they were before. He wanted to be there for his patients whenever he was needed.

On one such occasion, Nick was called into emergency. He was at Nathan Samuels’ house for dinner when the call came in. When he arrived at the emergency room, he was briefed about the patient. The man had been in a car accident, with a broken leg and internal bleeding. He asked the attending trauma nurse the status of the patient. Twenty-four-year-old male with multiple injuries, broken ribs, shattered right leg, and internal bleeding sustained in a car accident. A truck side swiped his vehicle on the highway in Emeryville, she informed him.

Why was he brought here instead of Oakland Memorial? Nick asked the nurse.

Oakland Memorial was inundated with their own emergency, a fourteen-car pileup in Hayward. You know this time of year the fog comes up from the bay and visibility is, well, no visibility. Nick nodded in agreement as he recalled his own experience driving through the fog on many occasions.

Nick went into action, working feverishly as he and the team repaired the ruptured spleen, removed gravel, glass, and shattered bone from the patient’s right leg. They set in a titanium pin and set the bone. Along with the broken leg, many cuts, scrapes and cracked ribs, the young man should recover. The first hour was critical to surviving critical injuries, and the young man was fortunate to be in such able hands. The San Francisco Trauma Center was the premier place to go for such life threatening injuries. The Center won numerous awards for their high survival rate, employing state-of-the-art techniques, and administering aid in first sixty minutes was critical for their success. Nick was passionate about the work they did, and was proud to be a part of it.

When the trauma team was completed, Nick said, Okay, it’s a done deal and he pulled off his gloves. Keep me informed on his progress, and let me know when he comes out of the anesthesia. Is the family waiting outside?

Nick was met by the family who waited anxiously outside the recovery room. The first to speak was a young woman obviously upset as she had been crying. Is he alive? she asked hysterically. She must be the wife, he thought.

Nick spoke calmly, He is alive and we were able to save his leg. I’m Doctor Castle, and I think he will make a full recover but he has a long way to go. The next 24 hours is critical. We had to repair a ruptured spleen. He has a couple of broken ribs, several contusions, and because of the injury to his leg we had to put in a titanium rod to support the shattered bone. He will need extensive rehabilitation. In the meantime, we’ll wait and see.

The woman sobbed profusely. The man and the woman beside her introduced themselves as the man’s parents. Thank you, doctor, for saving our son!

Nick took hold of the mother’s hand and sincerely said, You are most welcome, and you may see your son as soon as he comes out of the anesthesia.

Nick had a busy day as he repaired a femoral artery of a construction worker who fell on some rebar, and punctured his right thigh. The forty-six year old man went into cardiac arrest, and had to be resuscitated twice before he was stabilized. Late in the afternoon, he assisted a child who stopped breathing for no apparent reason, and were undergoing some tests. He attended to his rounds, filled in charts and paperwork, and attended a meeting with the