Donners Bend (31 page)

He became fidgety
. 
His hands jittered so much that he’d have
to
clasp them together and press them down into his lap to keep them unnoticeable to
Ellie
, a
nd even then, she knew something was wrong as she could see how they’d shake
. 
Not being able to keep still, he’d have to walk back and forth across the room
just
to calm himself
.

The doctor noticed this and became worried that Jamie’s m
anneri
sms would affect
Ellie
and make her nervous, thinking that Jamie was becoming fidgety because of her worsening condition
. 
After many days of this, Dr
.
Hughes asked Jamie to come speak with him outside, so
Ellie
wouldn’t hear.

“
Mr.
Rhodes
, I’m sorry to say this, because I know how much you care about Miss
Henderson
, but I think it’s best if you made your visits to her
less
often
.”

Jamie was confused
.
“I don’t understand, Doc
. 
She wants me here
. 
She asked me to stay with her.”

“I understand that,
Mr.
Rhodes
, and I understand that you wish to stay with her, but I don’t think it’s good for her for you to be here right now.”

“And what, you think
Jon
’s better for her?” Jamie asked angrily, “Is that it
? 
Look, I know what everybody in
Donners Bend
thinks of me since I came back from Lakewood, and I know that everyone thinks
Ellie
and
Jon
make a
darn
fine match, but she asked me to stay with her, and I don’t understand what would make you want to defy her wishes.”

Dr.
Hughes was taken aback, “This has nothing to do with
Mr. Smithton
. 
It’s about your smoking habits.”

“What about them
? 
You told me not to smoke near
Ellie
and I don’t, so what
’s
the big problem?”

“Although you’ve done a wonderful job obeying
what I’ve asked
, it’s taken an effect on you, as I’m sure you’ve noticed
. 
You’re jittery, and shaky, and always seem slightly nervous about something
. 
I’m sure Miss
Henderson
has noticed this and she’ll get the wrong idea
. 
She’ll think you’re nervous because of her condition
. 
She’ll become worried, and worrying isn’t good for her right now.”

Jamie ran a hand through his hair and walked to the edge of the porch, sighing
. 
He turned back to
Dr.
Hughes and said, “If it’s best for
Ellie
, I suppose I can come by less often, but I’m not going to stop coming completely.”

“I understand,
Mr.
Rhodes and
I thank you for your consent.”

But just then they heard
Ellie
cal
ling
from inside the house:

“Jamie!” she yelled, “Where are you, Jamie?”

She hadn’t been awake when he left, so when she
did wake up, it was to an
empty chair
, and
she
immediately
became worried
. 

“
I’m
r
ight here!” Jamie called, walking quickly back to her room
. 
Dr.
Hughes followed at a slower pace and watched from outside the door as Jamie took
Ellie
’s hand and kissed it assuring, “It’s alright now,
darling
. 
Don’t worry.”

“Please don’t leave me, Jamie,”
Ellie
pleaded, reaching up a weak
pale
hand to touch the side of his face.

“I won’t, love,” he assured, “I won’t.”

As she slowly drifted back to sleep, Jamie looked up at
Dr.
Hughes, who was still standing at the doorway
. 
Without words, a silent agreement was made between them as
Dr.
Hughes realized he couldn’t take
Ellie
away from the man she wanted most
.

Jamie just decided that he’d have to take breaks during the day to have a smoke on the porch
,
or else he’d just have to do it out the window, because without it he wasn’t himself
.

A few days later Jamie finally convinced his mother to let the children come to
Ellie
’s with him
. 
The voices of the young
Rhodes children
surrounded the dozing
Ellie
:

“May I sit on the edge of her bed, Jamie?” asked Leah, “I promise not to bounce or wake her.”

“I already told you, Le
ah
, you mustn’t ask such things
. 
If you were ill
would you like to wake up to find a silly little girl on your bed?” Jamie replied.

“But I promise I shan’t wake her, Jamie
! 
I promise!”

“Quiet, or you will wake both her and Wes.”

“Do you like my picture?” Gracie asked
. 
She’d been sitting at the window and she held up a drawing of the hills and snow outside.

“I love it,” Jamie replied.

“It’s your turn!” Demi informed her sister with impatience
. 
She and Leah had been playing checkers on the floor.

“Quiet down,” Jamie requested again, “If you don’t listen this time
,
we’ll have to leave
. 
Do you understand?”

The children nodded
, a
ll except for the snoring Wesley, who was lost in dreamland
. 
His dark curls were rumpled and he leaned into Jamie’s warm chest where he’d been sleeping comfortably in his brother’s arms
.

For a few more minutes the room was silent, or as silent as it can be with four children inside
. 
Gracie sat looking out the window and drawing little sketches on her paper with colored pencils, while Jamie and Wesley sat still in the chair beside
Ellie
’s bed
,
and Wesley slept
. 
Demi and Leah, playing checkers, easily took the winner as the loudest group
. 
They bickered and quarreled when the other made an illegal move or their king was taken, and Jamie had to continually remind them to lower their voices
.

After a few more minutes had passed,
Ellie
’s eyes finally opened, and quite shocked was she to find all five
Rhodes children
there with her
. 
Gracie noticed her first:

“
Ellie
’s awake!” she shouted happily, “Can we talk now, Jamie?”

Jamie didn’t answer her but asked, “
Ellie
? 
Are you awake,
Ellie
?”

“Uh
huh,” she mumbled, rol
ling
over to face him, “How long have you been here?”

“’Bout an hour
. 
The children haven’t had it easy
,
though
. 
I would
n’t
let them talk for fear they’d wake you.”

“And did they do a good job obeying?”

“Of course we did!” Demi exclaimed, climbing onto
Ellie
’s bed after Leah
.

“I drew you some pictures!” said Gracie, handing them over.

“Thank you, Gracie
. 
I love them,”
Ellie
replied.

Wesley began to rouse then, from all the loud voices
. 
And he looked up with drowsy, half-shut eyes and a confused expression.

“Hey, little man
. 
Have a good sleep?” asked Jamie.

Wesley didn’t answer, but looked around himself dozily before spotting
Ellie
.

“Did you just wake up
,
too?” he asked in a little voice.

“I did.”

“Good,” Wesley mumbled, laying his head of dark curls back onto Jamie’s shoulder.

Ellie
smiled.

There was a pause as the children finally became silent
. 

Demi broke it, asking what all the other children had been wanting to
,
as well:

“Why haven’t you come to see us,
Ellie
? 
Don’t you like us anymore?”

Ellie
looked hurt, “Of course I do, Demi
. 
I love you all and I always will, you know that
. 
I’ve wanted to come see you, but the doctor says I’m too weak to be on my feet right now
, but
maybe your mother will allow you to come see me here now from time to time
until I’m back on my feet
. 
I’d like it very much if you would.”

“Are you sure?”

“Oh yes, quite sure.”

F
rom then on, Jamie brought the children with him every Sunday afternoon when he came to visit
Ellie
. 
They told her that they’d prayed for her during church and they always brought with them paintings they’d done and games to play
. 
No matter how bad she was fee
ling
,
Ellie
’s spirits always brightened when she saw the merry children
. 
Jamie knew this, so no matter how much
Dr.
Hughes told him the children should be gentler with
Ellie
, he refused to make them change their ways
. 

As
Ellie
slowly gained back some of her strength, she longed to get out of bed
;
but her legs were still to
o
weak to support her
. 
So, Jamie brought with him a surprise on his carriage one day
. 
He brought her a wheelchair
. 
A simple one, but a nice one nonetheless, with soft white pillows padding the bottom and back.

Ellie
was shocked when she saw it and she hugged Jamie tightly for being so generous
. 
He carried her out of bed and set her down upon it, laying a quilt on her lap
. 
Wearing a clean black suit, he looked quite different than
Ellie
in her old nightdress, but no one was around to make much of it
. 
If someone had seen though, they would have thought
Ellie
a terribly improper lady for going outside, where anyone could see her, in her nightclothes
.