* * *
Hobbs was waiting for them in the lobby. Quickly, before anyone could recognize Laura, he took her down the hallway into the emergency room and a cubicle at the back. He opened the curtain and stepped back to let Laura go in.
Taylor was sitting up, his shoulder heavily bandaged. He was pale from loss of blood but he was alive!
“Annie? She’s safe?”
“At home being spoiled outrageously,” Laura said through her tears as she crossed the room to him. “And you, my love?”
He held his one good arm out to her and pulled her close, resting his chin on her head. “I’ll be fine. Just take me home, Laura. Take me home.”
Chapter 55
Taylor was welcomed home with as much fanfare and fuss as Annie had received. She’d been changed out of the horrible dress Elodie had forced her to wear and was comfortable in her purple butterfly sweats, Custard tucked tightly under her arm. When Laura brought Taylor in, she hung back, looking at the sling on his arm. Finally she’d crept over and whispered, “Did she hurt you, Daddy?”
“She did, little one. But it will mend.”
She thought for a minute then held out her beloved dragon. “Take Custard, Daddy, he’ll make you feel better.”
“Then what about you?”
She pondered the question and finally answered, “If I climbed into your lap, we could both hold him.”
“I think that’s the perfect idea. Ask Mommy to help you climb up here.”
Laura lifted her up so she settled in on the opposite side from where he was injured. Even then, she knew it must be painful but the look of peace that came over his face as he held his daughter made her realize that Annie was the only medicine he needed. The two of them settled in and whispered for a few minutes before they both dropped off to sleep.
Laura shooed everyone from the apartment, telling them to come back tomorrow, she would call if there was anything to report. Finally, it was quiet. She stood in the doorway watching her sleeping husband and child, watching them safe, watching them home.
* * *
When Annie woke hungry for supper, Laura warmed the chicken soup that Rosina had left and some of the tortillas her mother had made. Taylor insisted he was strong enough to move to the table so the three of them dined together. Even Custard was given a strawberry (his favorite) that he naturally shared with Annie.
After supper, Laura bathed Annie while Taylor watched. There were bruises on her little arm and Laura nearly cried when she saw them. Finally, with her own bubbles and her own pajamas, her hair dried, Annie smelled like herself again. The bruises would fade, so would the memories. Together they tucked her into bed where she quickly dropped off to sleep.
Taylor put his good arm around Laura and walked with her to their bedroom. The door safely closed behind them, he sat in the armchair near the bed. “Can you ever forgive me, Laura?”
She moved to sit at his feet. “Forgive you? For what?”
“Elodie. For all those years I never believed you.”
“She wasn’t the woman you knew, Taylor. Something went terribly wrong in her mind. But you weren’t responsible, my love. You and Annie were her victims.”
“You’re right. She wasn’t Elodie anymore. She was a lost soul with no place to be. I’m glad she’s gone but I’ll miss forever who she once was.”
“Oh, Taylor, I’ve never been as frightened as I was when Pierce came to tell me you’d been taken to the hospital. I didn’t know how badly you were hurt. I didn’t know if you were dead or alive.” Her eyes filled with tears and he gently brushed them from her cheek with his one good hand.
“I’m alive, Laura, and Annie is safe and I love you more than life itself.” He winced as he leaned forward to kiss her.
“What am I thinking, Taylor? You need to take a pill and go to bed.”
“Only if you come with me.”
“I think that could be arranged.”
* * *
Taylor woke suddenly in the middle of the night. He’d been dreaming that Annie was still missing and he knew where she was but couldn’t get to her. He stared into the darkness and not even Laura’s even breathing beside him could slow the pounding of his heart.
Quietly, he eased himself out of their bed and went down the hallway to Annie’s room. His princess was sleeping quietly, her beloved Custard tucked under her arm. They’d come so close to losing her!
“Taylor?”
He turned to find Laura standing the doorway.
“Are you alright? Do you need another pain pill?”
“I’m fine. Just a bad dream.”
She came to his side and he put his arm around her. As they stood quietly watching their daughter sleep, Taylor began to sing softly,
“Slumber my darling till morn’s blushing ray
Brings to the world the glad tidings of day.
Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight –
Slumber, thy mother will guard thee tonight.
Thy pillow shall sacred be
From all outward alarms,
Thou, thou art the world to me
In thine innocent charms.
Slumber my darling, the birds are at rest,
Wandering dews by the flowers are caressed,
Slumber my darling, I’ll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm.”
And in her sleep, Annie smiled.
Afterword
Allow me to give you a more complete introduction to the music and poetry used in The Fullness of Time:
If this is your first introduction to Taylor and Laura Morgan, be sure to go back and read Timing Is Everything then go on to the third book in the series, Time’s Secrets. There are a fourth and fifth book as well.
Llewellyn and Lorna are real. I “met” Llewellyn on the internet when I wrote him a fan letter for his Ghosts CD and ended up ordering Lorna. The music enchanted me instantly and I knew I wanted to introduce that music and its composer to my readers. Lorna’s by far not his only recording. The Pachelbel’s Canon that Laura uses to practice her T’ai Chi Chih can be found on his Pure Peace CD on the New World Music Label. Visit his website at:
http://www.moonlore.co.uk/ to meet this highly versatile and gifted artist.
Slumber My Darling, Taylor’s lullaby for Annie, is an old Stephen Foster song. I first heard it performed by Alison Krause on Sony’s Appalachian Journey CD that features the trio of Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O’Connor. While the album would be worth the cost alone just to hear her sing it, the music of these three musical geniuses is an added bonus.
The Tale of Custard the Dragon was written by Ogden Nash. I first met Custard when I was about five years old and learning to read. He’s been a good friend ever since. Recently, my own Custard was conjured up for me by my Aunt Marjorie and I’m now in the process of building, with the help of many friends, a “nice safe cage” for him.
Lastly, I want to recommend the practice of T’ai Chi Chih, the meditative form of this art. It’s remarkably calming, centering, and clarifying. Check with your local community college, gym, or maybe a T’ai Chi Chih center. Just make sure you’re asking for the Chih form developed by Justin Stone. The Chuan is the martial arts form.
I hope you’ll check these out and allow them to add to your pleasure in reading the book.
Sabra
About the Author
Sabra Brown Steinsiek is a native-born New Mexican who lives in Albuquerque with her husband, Will, and son, Jared, and their two cats, Elphaba Oz and Glinda the Good. You may contact her at [email protected]
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