by Jane Josephs
“Hey, honey, what did you forget?” Ginny asked.
“Alison’s hurt, Ma, a riding accident. I’ve called an ambulance, so you’ll need to show them how to get up here to the field. And Mae’s loose, so you need to get to her before she gets out on the road.”
“Oh . . . Nick, no!” She cried out. “I’m sorry. How bad is it?”
“Broken collarbone, maybe her ankle. Definitely a concussion. She’ll be sore and bruised for weeks.”
“I’ll bring you a blanket and come get Sam after I get a hold of Mae. You can ride with Alison to the hospital, and I’ll come once I get the horses put away.”
“Okay. And Ma, bring Alison’s purse from the bedroom, if you can find it, okay? She’ll need her insurance information and her phone.” He pocketed his phone and turned back to Alison, unhooked the helmet strap and pulled the helmet off her head. Her cries had diminished to a whimper, but her eyes remained closed.
“I know you’re in a lot of pain and I’m sorry. You’re going to be okay though.” Nick pushed her hair away from her face, his anger and disappointment with her forgotten, as if they’d never had the abortion conversation about Emma. All he could see was that the woman he loved was in terrible pain. Because of him. “You had a nasty fall, but we’re going to get you fixed up.”
In minutes, Ginny galloped up on Mae, a blanket held in her arm. Dismounting, she handed the blanket to Nick and knelt beside Alison. “You’re going to be okay, honey. I know the pain’s bad. I broke my collarbone once, but the paramedics will be here soon, and we’ll get you to the hospital.”
As she spoke, Nick gently spread the blanket around Alison’s shoulders. He ached to hold her; to ease her pain. To tell her the reason he had been so vehemently opposed to her actions. Instead, he remained silent, staring at Alison’s white face.
“You better get back to the house, Ma. Take Sam with you, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
He heard a siren in the distance. His mother stood and crossed to Sam. Taking hold of his reins, she led him to Mae, mounted, and started for the house. “I’ll send the ambulance out to you. Let me know when you want me to come to the hospital.”
~ ~ ~
Nick paced in the hallway outside Alison’s room in the ER, anger at himself for walking away while Alison rode off on Mae by herself competing with feelings of helplessness. Alison had barely said two words to him since they had arrived, nearly thirty minutes ago. He hadn’t pressed her. After an initial assessment by a doctor, she’d been left waiting until finally, apologizing several times, a perky nurse had asked him to leave so she could help Alison into a hospital gown. Between dehydrated flu victims and a car accident with casualties, the ER had been busy, she had told him. “Not really all that unusual at this hospital.”
Phone in hand, Nick dialed his mom’s cell to give her an update.
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s pretty banged up, but nothing that won’t heal in time. Thank God.” Nick breathed a sigh of relief. “She’ll have a CT scan to see how bad the concussion is as soon as they get a machine available, and they still have to take X-rays of her shoulder and ankle. It’s just a guess, the doctor said, but he thinks her shoulder will probably need surgery. He thinks the ankle is what’s called a Lisfrank sprain, or maybe a fracture. His best guess is that she twisted her foot as it came out of the stirrup, the same kind of injury that used to happen when soldiers got thrown from their horses during war. But an orthopedic surgeon will need to evaluate it on Monday or Tuesday. Maybe put it in a cast.”
“What will they do about the concussion?”
“Nothing much to do except monitor her and see that she rests. They’re going to keep her tonight.”
“Oh, dear Lord! That poor girl. I can be there in about twenty minutes. I’ll be in as soon as I park. I found her purse in the bedroom like you wanted. You should call her parents, I think.”
“I will, as soon as you get here with her phone.”
Nick hung up, leaned against the wall, and texted Tony for some prayer support. Just as he finished, the nurse came out of Alison’s room.
“You can go back in now.”
“Thanks.” Nick stepped into the room, his gut clenching at seeing Alison propped up in bed wearing a loose hospital gown with a flannel blanket covering her, except for the boot on her right foot. Had she fallen asleep? Or was she intentionally shutting him out?
He walked to the chair across from her bed and sat down, silently praying while he waited.
A moment later, Alison turned to look at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I want you to leave, Nick. Now. I can take care of myself.”
He bolted out of the chair and strode to her bed. “Alison, please. Let me...”
“No! I don’t want you here. I don’t want to see you ever again.” She turned away. “Isn’t that what you said to me? Go. Don’t come back.”
“I was angry . . . I didn’t . . .”
“Go! Get out!” she choked out.
An attendant walking by the room stopped and leaned in. “Everything okay in here?”
Nick turned halfway, his hands raised as if to surrender. “It’s okay.” He turned back to Alison, his heart in his throat. He wanted to fight her, to make her see how much he cared about her, how sorry he was. More than anything he wanted to hold her, to beg her forgiveness for what he’d said to her and the resulting accident. Instead, he bowed his head and stepped back. “It’s okay. I was just leaving.”
~ ~ ~
Alison held it in as long as she could, counting the seconds until she was sure Nick was gone. At last the sob burst out of her, a cry of anguish she couldn’t hold back. Sorrow poured over her in waves. The pain pounding in her head couldn’t compare to the pain ripping apart her heart. “Why, God? Why?”
~ ~ ~
The sliding glass doors opened automatically. Nick strode out into the afternoon heat, cursing under his breath. He couldn’t leave and yet he couldn’t stay inside any longer. Alison had turned the tables on him, giving him a taste of what he’d done to her. A knot gathered in his throat and he forced it back down. Where was Ma? He strode to the wall outside the emergency room doors and slid down it to sit with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, battling against tears. He hated drama. Hated even more the feeling that he was a first-class jerk for telling her she wasn’t welcome at the ranch any more. Alison hated him. He could see it in her eyes. How could he make things right? Did he even want to?
“Nick! What are you doing out here? Why aren’t you with Alison?”
He looked up at his mother, the afternoon sun catching him in the eye. He swallowed hard and ran his hand over his hair. “It’s a long story.”
“Try me.” Her tone of voice left him no choice. She sat down beside him.
Nick sucked in a deep breath. “It’s my fault Alison got hurt. We had a fight. I told her to leave. And she did. Next thing I knew she was laying on the ground. Maybe a jack rabbit spooked Mae. I don’t know.”
“Oh that poor girl. So, you weren’t with her?”
“No.”
“Oh, Nick. How could you? That’s so not like you.” Her disappointment with him hung in the air, stinging his conscience. She pulled Alison’s purse onto her lap. “I brought her purse like you wanted. I should get it to her, and see for myself how she’s . . .” Just then, a phone inside the purse rang.
“That’s Alison’s phone.” Nick reached for the bag.
“I don’t feel right going through her purse, Nick.”
“I have my reasons.” He snagged the purse, opened it and pulled out the still ringing phone. Under his breath he cursed when he saw the name displayed on the screen. “It’s Alison’s mom.” He punched the ‘accept’ button. “Mrs. Dockerty,” he said as if he hadn’t
just been cursing. “My name’s Nick Reid. I’m a friend of Alison’s.”
The voice on the other end of the line was cordial, laughing softly as she asked Nick to put Alison on the phone. He took a deep breath. “Actually, I’m not with her at the moment. She’s been in an accident, but she’s okay.” He shut his eyes against the panic in Mrs. Dockerty’s voice. “She was riding.” Nick nodded as if the woman on the other end of the line could see him. “Yes, a horse. She’s been taking lessons.” The voice became a little more agitated. “No, I don’t know exactly what happened. I didn’t see. I just wanted you to know she’s going to be okay.” No need to worry Alison’s mother until he knew more about her injuries. “She’ll be in the hospital overnight.” Nick listened a moment to the woman calling on the name of Jesus. Was Alison’s mother a Christian? Finally calming down, she asked for Alison again. “Yes, of course, my mother’s here. I can have her take the phone to Alison.” After a few more moments, Nick hung up the phone, perspiration beading on his forehead. “She’s going to come down from L.A. but she wants to talk to Alison first.” He held out the phone.
“Don’t you think you should be the one to take it to her?”
“Yeah, Ma, I do.” His temper snapped, and he stood up, still clutching Alison’s purse. “But it’s not going to happen.” He shoved Alison’s phone in a pocket on the front of the purse. “If you won’t take it, I’ll give it to the nurse to give to her.” Color flooded his cheeks at his mother’s disapproving stare. Sooner or later, he would have to tell her the whole story. But not now. He ran his hand around the back of his neck. “And I think she should stay with us while she recovers.”
“Well, I certainly agree with that, at least!”
He thrust the bag at his mother, then just as quickly pulled it back and opened it. Alison had told him she took Emma’s phone away. If it was in the bag, he had the perfect excuse to pay Emma a visit. He rummaged through the purse, found it, and held it out. “This is Emma’s, Ma. Soon as Mrs. Dockerty gets here, and we know what’s happening with Alison, I’m going to take it to her.” He shoved the bag at his mother. She shook her head, her mouth tight, but she took it and led the way back into the hospital.
~ ~ ~
“Ginny!” Alison’s chin came up as Nick’s mother came into the room. “I-I . . . Nick . . .” She turned away, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Ginny set Alison’s purse on a nearby chair, crossed to the bed and stroked Alison’s hair. “Nick told me you had a fight.” She perched one hip on Alison’s bed, leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m so sorry.” She sat back and took Alison’s hand. “I know he blames himself for you getting hurt.” Ginny winced and shook her head. “He called your mother.” At Alison’s gasp, she amended, “Rather, he answered your phone when she called you. We were outside. He explained about your accident, but she still wants you to call. I don’t blame her. You’ve had a nasty time of it, and she needs to hear your voice. She’s on her way to see you.”
“Oh!”
Ginny studied the girl who had come to mean so much to her son, and to her, too, seeing the uncertainty and uneasiness in her tear-stained face. Whatever the reason for the fight, Alison had been shattered by it. As had Nick, judging by the effort he had made to hide his tears. “Listen, honey, I know it’s not easy to think about it right now, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to need to be off your foot for a while. And your shoulder’s going to take some time to heal, too.” She leaned in. “We want you to stay with us while you’re recuperating.”
Alison gasped. “But . . . Nick and . . .”
Just then an attendant breezed into the room. “Time for your CT scan. Then X-rays.”
Ginny patted Alison’s arm, stood up and moved out of the way. “Just think about it, okay? I’ll wait here, honey, until you get back. And stay with you until your mom comes.”
The attendant moved to the head of Alison’s bed. “She won’t be long,” He smiled at Ginny but spoke to Alison. “Ready, young lady?” Alison closed her eyes as he pushed the bed out the door and down the hall.
Chapter 22
In the waiting room of the ER, Nick settled into a chair facing the door and stared at his phone, trying to distract himself from the hopelessness of his situation. Ma was still with Alison. They were waiting on the doctor, she said; the CT scan and X-rays had been done. Nick glanced at his watch. Two o’clock. It had been over an hour and a half since he’d talked to Alison’s mother, and the waiting was making him antsy. Had Alison been admitted yet? Should he try again to see her? Talk to her? What could he say that would put things right between them?
Nick stretched out one leg and leaned back in his seat, trying to get comfortable; trying to get his rioting emotions under control. A hundred different scenarios played through his mind. Ways he could have handled things better with Alison at the campfire. Arguments that would have helped her see reason. He rubbed his hand behind his neck, catching movement nearby in his peripheral vision. A second later, he shot out of his seat. “Tony! What are you . . . Joe! What are you guys doing here?” He had barely blurted out the question when Dustin and CJ walked up behind Tony and Joe.
“How are you holding up?” CJ asked, slapping Nick on the shoulder and bump hugging with him. “How’s Alison?”
Nick shook his head, surprise at seeing his SWCC buddies catching him off guard.
Tony pounded him on the shoulder. “Spitz said to tell you he’s praying for you, too, but Lauren’s out with her mom, and he’s got baby duty.”
“I can’t believe you guys came all the way out here. But thanks. This means a lot.”
The guys settled into chairs and squatted on the floor as Nick filled them in about Alison’s accident, leaving out most of the details about their fight to focus on her injuries.
“That must have been some fight,” Tony said, piercing Nick with a knowing stare. “I thought you told me you love her.”
Nick squirmed and looked away. Of all the guys, Tony knew him best since they worked together every day with the SWCC students. Knew his strengths and weaknesses; his tendency to keep his thoughts to himself instead of sharing them. Especially when it came to his love life. But he had cornered Nick not too long ago and wrung the truth out of him.
“Yeah.” Nick couldn’t say more without breaking down, something he didn’t want to do in front of his friends. Especially Tony. His exercise buddy was the kind of guy who played fair but tough with the SWCC students. With his friends, he didn’t play, he spoke the truth in love, as he liked to remind Nick.
“Listen, man,” CJ said, piercing Nick with compassionate eyes, “if you love her, what are you doing out here with us? You know I almost lost Katie—and Timmy, too—because I was too proud to man up and tell Katie I loved her. God’s got your back. And we’ve got you covered in prayer. I don’t care how bad this fight was, you’ve got to at least ask for a chance to make it right.”
“After that, it’s in God’s hands,” Dustin added.
Nick nodded, amazed and in awe that God had granted him such great friends. Men who made mistakes but owned up to them; who ran the race with integrity and grit; who fought the good fight and went after the prize, no holds barred.
“You’re right. I know that.” He stuffed his phone back in his pocket. “As soon as Alison’s mom gets here, I’m going to try to make things right.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I just hope I can figure out who her mom is. I don’t have a clue what she looks like.”
“Hey, man.” Joe spoke up, his head swiveling back and forth as he pointed to a man and women. “That lady who just walked in the door looks a lot like Alison, don’t you think?”
Nick followed Joe’s gaze. “Yeah, you’re right. Okay, you guys, thanks again. Keep praying. Please. I’ll text you later.” He pushed past his friends and intercepted the woman.
“
Excuse me. Are you Mrs. Dockerty?” The resemblance to Alison wasn’t nearly as pronounced when he got closer, but still there. Dressed in a light blue sheath dress that showed off her shapely figure, she barely looked old enough to be Alison’s mom. Nick sucked in his breath and offered his hand.
She smiled. “Yes, yes I am. Are you the young man who I talked with? Nick, is it?” She turned to the man with her. “This is Alison’s father, Alan.”
The two men shook hands. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. I’m sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances.” In a glance, he sized up the man: easily six feet, two inches tall, same dark hair and eyes as Alison, same air of confidence.
“Can we see our daughter now?” Alan Dockerty asked, motioning to the reception desk.
“Of course. I’ll walk back with you.” After getting clearance from the security personnel, Nick led the way to Alison’s room and stepped back to let Mr. and Mrs. Dockerty enter.
~ ~ ~
Ginny stood up quickly and nodded hello, relieved to see Alison’s parents had finally arrived. She glanced at Nick, hanging outside the door, his eyes glued on Alison. Her heart ached for him. And Alison. Based on the little information Alison had been willing to share with her, the two of them had a long way to go to be reconciled. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away, Ginny prayed scripture verses silently while she waited for Alison to talk with her parents.
In minutes, Mrs. Dockerty turned and extended her hand to Ginny. “You must be Nick’s mother. He told us you were staying with Alison until we got here. Call me Susan, please. Your son has done a good job of filling us in on what happened. Do you know, have they said how soon Alison is going to get a room?”
Just then, an orderly came into the room. “Hello, folks.” He stepped to the head of the bed and nodded to Alison. “Your room’s finally ready.” He scanned the group. “If you all would just follow me, please, I’ll take you up.” He pushed the bed out into the hallway.