Words Get In the Way

by Nan Rossiter

  “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

  Linden 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

  The 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 trie
d 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.”

  An officer walked briskly toward them. “The news is here. Would either of you be able to make a statement?” Linden nodded gravely, but Callie just covered her face and turned away.

  42

  Ben looked at the clock and decided it was time for bed. He needed to use the john one last time though. He pushed the call button but the nurse didn’t come, so he decided he’d try to make it on his own. He sat up, slowly swung his legs over the side, reached for his walker, and stood up gingerly. Not bad! He glanced at his neighbor, Hal, who appeared to be dozing, but then Hal opened one eye and peered at him. “Ben, you’re such a rebel,” he teased.

  “Well, the nurses don’t come and a fella can’t wait forever.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  Ben made his way slowly across the room and disappeared into the bathroom.

  Hal chuckled and raised his bed up a bit. “Mind if I turn on the news?” he called.

  “No, go ahead,” Ben said, closing the door. Hal clicked on the TV and watched as Breaking News scrolled across the bottom of the screen. A field reporter, standing in front of the New Hampshire State Police emergency dive trailer, spoke to the camera. “Three-year-old Henry Wyeth was last seen this afternoon during the storm. He has blond hair and blue eyes, and he was wearing a John Deere T-shirt, green shorts, and blue sneakers. He is said to have autism and he doesn’t speak. The dive team is here as a precaution because the Contoocook River runs through the property, and although there are still people out looking with flashlights tonight, a full-scale search will be launched early tomorrow morning. Volunteers are asked to arrive by seven o’clock, but if anyone has any information about the boy or thinks they’ve seen him, please call the Jaffrey Police.”

  Hal heard the toilet flush and the water running, and then Ben reemerged with a smile. “See, even an old coot can still take care of himself!”

  Hal laughed. “You mean a stubborn old coot.”

  Just then the nurse came in and, when she saw him out of bed, hurried over to help him. “Mr. Wyeth, you shouldn’t be out of bed without assistance,” she scolded him. Ben just nodded obediently and winked at Hal.

  43

  It was well after dark when the search was finally called off. Linden helped Callie into the house, and she collapsed on the couch across from Cindy. Linden covered them both with blankets and then sat on the couch too. He raked his hands through his hair, feeling helpless. A moment later, Kat pulled herself up and walked over to sit between them. She rested her head on Callie’s lap as fresh tears rolled down Callie’s cheeks. Callie reached out to stroke the noble head in her lap, and Kat stayed there all night.

  It was dark under the trees, but out in the clearing the sky was filled with stars and the moon shone brightly. Henry couldn’t hear the voices anymore, and he couldn’t hear the owls either. The only sound he heard was the wind in the trees. He pointed to the moon and whispered, “Good night, moon.” He lay down on the grass and looked at the patterns the stars made. His eyes moved from one to another, his mind following the invisible angles until his eyelids grew heavy and fluttered closed. Springer rested his chin on Henry’s chest and never moved.

  44

  The telephone rang before dawn, startling Linden into consciousness. He sat up, looked around, and felt his stomach twist into knots as the events of the day before hit him. The phone rang impatiently, and he got up to answer it before it woke Callie. The early-morning light illuminated the kitchen as he listened to an officer on the other end of the line say they would be out within the hour to resume the search. Linden nodded and hung up. Then he gazed through the window at the sunrise reflecting on the misty river and whispered, “Oh, Henry, where are you?”

  Finally, he turned determinedly from the window and pulled down the attic stairs, hoping they wouldn’t squeak. He’d seen a party-size perk pot when he dug out the child carrier, and he knew that coffee would be welcomed by the early volunteers. He carried the cumbersome pot down the stairs, rinsed off the cobwebs and dust, filled it with cold water, opened a new bag of coffee, guessed at the measurement, and plugged the pot in on the porch. While it sputtered to life, he carried out sugar, milk, spoons, cups, and napkins.

  The volunteers began arriving well before seven, and they were immediately given bright orange vests and instructions on staying safe. They were also told that there was a good chance Henry was with a big yellow Labrador retriever named Springer and they should try calling the dog’s name because he could very well lead them to Henry. Linden stood by, listening and desperately wanting to join the search, but not wanting to leave Callie alone. Cindy came up beside him, wearing a vest. “I’m going to look,” she said. Linden nodded. “Thanks, Cindy.”

  Callie stood near the ambulance, holding a cup of the hot coffee and answering the same questions all over again. Finally, the officer left her alone and she sat down on the bumper. With trembling hands she sipped her coffee and watched Reba nursing her new calf in the early morning sun.

  45

  Henry opened his eyes and looked up at the azure-blue sky. The rain was gone and the darkness was gone but he was not gone and Springer was not gone. He sat up and noticed the bag of cookies on the ground. He pulled the bag open and Springer perked up, his tail slowly thumping. Henry reached into the bag with his small hand and took out several broken pieces and gave them to Springer, and then he ate one and gave Springer the rest. He looked around and saw several smooth stones lying near his feet and reached down to touch one. He picked it up and held it right in front of his eyes. Then he put it down again. He picked up another one, studied it, and placed it on top of the first one. He continued to reach for stones until all the stones within reach were in a small pile. He got up then and walked around, gathering more stones and making the pile bigger. Springer lay with his big head on his paws and followed Henry’s every move with his eyes. Finally, Henry added one last stone to the top of the pile and wandered off to start a new pile. The big yellow Lab pulled himself up and followed.

  46

  “Callie?” a voice called from the driveway.

  Callie looked up from the cup in her hands and saw Dr. Franklin, wearing jeans and a pressed oxford shirt, walking toward her. She stood up quickly, spilling the cold coffee on her sneakers. She looked down but seemed too lost to care. Out of habit, she reached up to smooth her hair and then tried to muster a weak smile. “Dr. Franklin,” she said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came as soon as I could,” he said, giving Callie a hug.

  “You didn’t have to,” she said.

  “I heard about Henry on the news and I called the hospital right away to check on your dad. The nurses said he wasn’t aware, and I hope you don’t mind, but I asked them to try to keep it that way. Such news can be devas ...”

  Just then, two boys came running out of the woods, racing each other through the meadow. “They found him!” they shouted. “They found Henry!”

  Callie heard their shouts and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She ran toward the boys with tears spilling
down her cheeks. Voices began to echo in all directions as the news spread. “They found him! They found Henry!” Callie’s heart leapt at the music of the sound. Moments later, the search and rescue dogs bounded playfully out of the woods with Springer in the mix, and a crowd gathered around Callie, everyone wanting to witness the happy reunion. Finally, a group of smiling, orange-vested volunteers came out of the woods, and an older gentleman wearing a dark blue Jaffrey Volunteer Fire Department T-shirt and red suspenders emerged carrying Henry. Callie brushed away her tears and walked toward them with her heart bursting. The fireman lifted Henry into her arms and she held him close, breathing in his wonderful, warm little boy scent. She opened her eyes and looked at his sweet face, and hugged him tightly. “Oh, Henry, I love you so much,” she whispered.

  She looked around at all of the volunteers, and then with Henry hitched up on her hip—because she wasn’t letting go of him anytime soon—she went around and hugged every single one. At last, she came to Linden, who had been standing apart from the others, and she hugged him the longest. Then she knelt down in front of Springer, looked in his deep brown eyes, and whispered, “Springer, you are a hero!”

  Henry laid his hand on Springer’s head and whispered, “Springer, Hero.” Callie could hardly believe her ears, and when she looked up at Linden, he just smiled.

  An EMT gently touched Callie’s shoulder, and Callie turned to look at her. “Henry looks fine, Miss Wyeth, but we need to take him to the hospital to be checked out. It’s procedure.”

  Callie nodded, and Dr. Franklin came up beside her. “I’ll follow you, and then you can take Henry to see your dad.” Callie agreed and climbed into the back of the ambulance with Henry.

  47

  “Well, look who finally came to see his papa,” Ben said when Henry appeared shyly in his doorway. “I heard you’ve been causing some excitement.”