Words Get In the Way (19 page)

39

A
s Callie hurried across the hospital parking lot she felt sprinkles falling on her skin and smelled the warm, steamy scent of cool rain splashing on hot pavement. She looked up at the dark clouds encroaching on the summer blue sky and thought of the Thomas Cole painting that hung in the hospital waiting room.

As she approached the entrance, the doors opened and a gray-haired woman slowly pushed an older gentleman in a wheelchair through the doors. Callie waited politely, silently scolding herself for feeling impatient. The couple smiled warmly and thanked her as they passed, and Callie nodded before bolting down the hall to the elevator. She pushed the button and waited, watching the light click slowly down and wondering if she should have taken the stairs. At last, the door opened, but Callie had to step aside to let a nurse who was struggling to maneuver a cumbersome food cart make her way out. Once inside the elevator, Callie pushed the button for the third floor but, just as the door was about to close, a man and young boy ran up and she had to reach out to hold the door open. The man thanked her, pushed the button for the second floor, and rested his hands on the boy’s shoulders. Callie could feel the boy’s eyes studying her as the elevator climbed. He was probably wondering why she was there, just as she was wondering why they were there.
Are they visiting the boy’s mom?
She shook her head sadly.
Why do people have to deal with illness and tragedy? Why can’t they just be well their whole lives and, when it’s their time to go, simply leave the world peacefully while sleeping? That’s what I would’ve done,
she thought. “That’s how I would’ve handled old age,” she said out loud without realizing it, but then noticing that the boy gave the man a funny look. The door opened and the man smiled as he ushered the boy out, and a nurse bustled in and pushed the 3 again, even though it was already lit. Callie, who had been staring at the floor, looked up and realized it was Jess.

“Hey, Jess!” she said with a smile.

The nurse turned around. “Hey, baby!” She wrapped Callie in a hug. “Your daddy’s doin’ so good! Have you seen him?”

“I’m going now.”

Jess nodded and then looked puzzled. “Do you know they moved him out of ICU?”

“No, I just got here.”

“Well, he’s not on three anymore either. He’s back down on two.”

“Oh,” Callie said with a sigh. “I didn’t know. If I did, I would’ve brought Henry.”

“That’s all right, baby. You can bring that honey with you later. Just go see your dad and tell him you’ll bring his handsome grandson with you next time. That’ll make him happy.” The door opened, and Jess gave Callie another hug.

Callie pushed the button for the second floor and leaned against the wall. While she waited for the elevator to go down, she noticed an outdated poster for the hospital’s Fourth of July picnic hanging on the opposite wall. She had loved going to the hospital picnics when she was little. They’d played volleyball, gone swimming, pedaled paddleboats, eaten lots of food, and one year she’d even beaten her dad at horseshoes.

The elevator door opened and her memory of the picnics slipped away as quickly as it had come. She hurried down the hall, peering into rooms, and finally found her dad in the very last one. He was in a bed near the window and he was watching the news with the volume turned low so he wouldn’t disturb his neighbor.

“Hey, Dad!” she said softly, giving him a hug.

“Hey, kiddo!” he said with a big smile.

They continued to talk in hushed voices. “You look really good.”

“I feel good too.” He looked around. “I’m out of intensive care, you know.”

Callie nodded. “I know, but I didn’t know before I came. I’ll bring him next time.”

“Did you go hiking?”

“Yup.”

“And how’d it go?”

“It was fun. Linden had a child carrier, and although Henry hiked for a while, he finally decided to get in and take a ride, and then he fell asleep.” She paused thoughtfully. “Linden and I finally had a chance to talk too, but it wasn’t easy.” Ben nodded, and Callie smiled. “I think he might’ve forgiven me.”

“I knew he would.”

“And Henry is so good with him. I just can’t get over how they are together.” She looked out the window. “There’s a storm comin’ in.”

“I know. The weatherman’s been talking about it all day.”

“I used to love thunderstorms. Do you remember how we used to sit on the porch and watch them come over the hill?”

“I remember,” he said with a smile.

“Do you remember how the hummingbirds used to come to the feeder, even in the middle of a storm? They didn’t mind getting wet. I think they enjoyed it. They just spread out their wings as if they were taking a shower.”

Ben laughed. “Do you remember the one that hovered right next to your head?”

Callie nodded. “I think he liked my red ribbon. He sounded just like a big bumblebee.”

Ben paused thoughtfully. “Your mom didn’t like thunderstorms though.”

“I know. She always wanted us to come in. Now that I’m a mom, I can understand why.”

Ben searched his daughter’s eyes. “You’re a good mom too, Callie. Don’t ever think you’re not.”

“I don’t know, Dad. I’m not very patient, I lose my temper easily, and half the time I can’t figure out what’s bothering him. It sure would be easier if he would just start talking.”

Ben nodded thoughtfully. “Well, don’t forget to seek out Maddie Coleman. I know she’ll be able to give you some ideas.”

“I will.” Callie nodded. “But right now I just want to know what the doctor has to say about
you.
”

Ben held up his hands. “Rehab, I think.”

“Same place?”

“I guess,” Ben answered with a shrug.

“How soon?”

“I’m not sure, but don’t worry about me.” He smiled, and Callie noticed the color in his cheeks. “You just take care of my grandson.”

Callie laughed. “Okay, Dad, but we’re going to get you well enough to come home too.” She sat down on the edge of his bed and took his hand. “Do you remember when I used to hold your hand in church?”

“How could I not? You could hardly sit still.”

Callie ran her finger over his knuckles. “I used to pretend these were the mountains in the Presidential Range.”

Ben laughed. “I know. You couldn’t keep quiet either.”

“I was bored.”

“Are you still?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I don’t get to church much anymore, with Henry.”

“You weren’t easy, you know, and we still took you.”

Callie looked down. “This is different, Dad.”

Ben searched her eyes. “It’s important, Cal. No matter what trials you’re facing, God gives you the strength to get through them, and a church family is always there to help. I honestly don’t know if I’d have made it through your mom’s passing without the love and support of our friends at church.” Callie nodded, remembering the endless supply of casseroles and pies, the long snowy walks her dad had taken with friends, and the countless phone calls to “just check in.”

“Okay, Dad. We’ll try.”

“Good!” Ben looked pleased.

They talked for a while more until Ben finally said, “You should get going, Cal. You’ve wasted enough time hangin’ around here.”

“I’m not wasting time,” Callie replied. “But I am going to go. One of Linden’s cows is getting ready to calve, and I’m a little worried about Henry’s reaction.”

Ben nodded. “Maybe when you get home, you can find that hummingbird feeder. I bet Henry would get a kick out of it.”

“I will.” She leaned over and gave her dad a hug. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, kiddo!” he said softly.

40

L
inden held on to Reba as best he could while Cindy worked at her other end.

“I have both hooves,” she shouted over the sound of the rain pounding on the roof. Linden nodded as she started to pull. After several minutes, she shouted in frustration, “It won’t budge and we’ve got to get it out of there.”

“Want me to try?” Linden shouted back.

But Cindy didn’t seem to hear him. Instead of answering, she looked around and asked, “Do you have any baling twine?”

Linden nodded and climbed out of the stall to cut twine off of a hay bale. He reached for the scissors hanging on the wall, and his heart suddenly stopped.
Where is Henry?
He looked around the barn. “Henry!” he called, but there was no response.

“Linden! The twine!” Linden cut the twine, yanked it off the hay bale, and hopped back over the railing. With shaking hands, he stood beside Cindy, trying to remember his Boy Scout knots. “Just tie it!” she shouted, but his mind and heart were racing. He glanced at the hay bale again, hoping to see Henry sitting there, but the spot was still empty. Fumblingly, he finally tied two half hitches around each hoof and they both began to pull. Linden could feel the twine tightening around his hands, and he could also feel the calf beginning to move.

“Keep pulling! It’s coming!” Cindy shouted. Linden glanced over at Cindy’s hands and realized she had gloves on. He felt the twine cutting into his hands and wished he’d thought to do the same. Reba looked back and widened her stance while Linden and Cindy continued to pull. Before long, the calf’s hind legs were out and Linden tried to pull on its haunches, but it was too slippery and he ended up having to pull on the twine again. Finally, when it was almost halfway out, they both realized that
it
was a
he,
and the rest of him slid out like a big glob of milky Jell-O and landed on the clean shavings in a wet heap. Reba immediately turned around and began licking away the sac and Cindy made sure he was breathing.

“I’m going to look for Henry!” Linden shouted.

Cindy caught sight of Linden’s hands, and he followed her gaze. His palms were striped with angry cuts, and his tan knuckles were smeared with blood. He shook his head, turned, and climbed numbly out of the stall. He didn’t feel any pain. The only sensations he felt were nausea and fear. Cindy left the new calf in his mother’s care and, together, they searched every corner of the barn, calling his name over and over ... but there was no sign of him.

Linden shook his head in disbelief. “Callie warned me that he wanders off. Damn! I should’ve been watching him. I’m going down to the river and then I’ll check the house.”

Cindy followed him into the rain. “I’ll look in the woods and the meadow.” Linden nodded and they parted, each frantically calling. Linden sprinted to the river, his heart pounding. An image of Henry’s lifeless body floating in the water flashed through his mind and he felt another wave of nausea. He stumbled down the riverbank, calling and searching for any sign of him. He ran downstream, ripping through the brush and scanning the river’s width and depth for anything that looked out of place, praying that Henry hadn’t been drawn to the river. Finally, he headed back along the footpath, still calling. He saw Cindy, and she just shook her head. He leapt up the porch stairs and looked in every room and closet, but the house was achingly silent.
Henry, where are you?

Cindy came up on the porch. “Linden,” she said in dismay, “I hate to say this, but you better call 911.”

41

T
he storm had passed when Callie emerged from the hospital and she wondered if the worst of it had missed them. She walked quickly to her car, making a list in her head of the things she needed, glanced at her watch, and realized it was already after six.
How did it get so late?

She hurried through the store, picked up a few items, and then stopped for gas. While it was pumping, she rolled down her car windows. As promised, the storm had ushered in cooler air, and it swept breezily through the windows, blowing her hair around her face as she drove. She turned on the radio and an old Journey song drifted out. She smiled wistfully and sang along, remembering her own long-ago, carefree, summer nights.

She glanced in her rearview mirror and suddenly realized that the cars behind her were pulling over. She looked up at the sky to see if there was another rainbow, but the sky was dark. She turned off the radio and, within seconds, the eerie wail of sirens filled the silence. She pulled over to the side of the road and watched as two police cars and an ambulance sped by. She whispered a prayer, as she always did, for whoever needed help, and then continued on.

She forgot all about the radio and drove in silence, the sirens still echoing in her head. For some reason she couldn’t seem to shake the foreboding that had settled on her heart ... and, when she pulled onto the dirt road, the feeling overwhelmed her. There were emergency vehicles parked on both sides of the road, and their lights were flashing across the sky and through the trees. Callie began to shake.
Oh, no! What happened?
There was no room to get past all of the vehicles in the driveway, so she finally just abandoned her car with the engine still running and ran the rest of the way. Linden was standing near a trailer, talking to several policemen, but when he saw her he broke away. “Oh, Callie, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He was soaking wet, and his eyes were wild with panic and disbelief. “Reba was in trouble and I looked away for a second, and then he was gone!”

Through a blur of tears, Callie read the words on the side of the trailer and tried to comprehend their meaning: EMERGENCY RESCUE DIVE TEAM. Oh, no! The river! This cannot be happening. . . it’s just a bad dream ... please let me wake up and find out it’s not true. She felt her knees give way, and then she felt strong arms circling around her and holding her up. Linden and one of the officers guided her to the back of the ambulance. “Miss, are you the boy’s mother?” a familiar voice asked. She looked up at the officer and tried to place his face. It was drawn and weary, and he was older.
Where do I know him from?
She nodded, and he took a notebook and pen from his pocket. “I’m very sorry, but I need to ask you some questions.”

Callie started to shake uncontrollably, and someone wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. Then the officer began to ask her the same questions he had just asked Linden:
What is the boy’s name and age? What was he wearing? Did he take any medications? Please explain the condition he has. Can he hear? Has he ever run away before?
Callie hugged her chest and numbly answered, and then she looked around and cried out, “Why aren’t you looking for him?” She threw the blanket off and stumbled toward the river, but Linden reached out and pulled her into his arms. “They
are
looking for him, Callie. There are lots of people scouring the woods, and there are search dogs too. We’re going to find him, Callie. I don’t know if this is any consolation, but he’s not alone. Springer is missing too.”