“It … it’s Ken—he was attacked by a shark. The ambulance came, and they’re taking him to the hospital. You and Mrs. Williams had better get there right away. I hate to say this, Mandy, but it doesn’t look good.”
CHAPTER 15
Lihue
Pacing the floor, Mandy shivered and rubbed her hands over her bare arms. I wish Ken hadn’t gone surfing with Taavi and his friend this morning. The waiting room offered no privacy. Several others crowded the room, waiting for news about their loved ones having surgery.
Mandy crumpled the tissue she held so tight that the veins on top of her hand stood out. If my husband dies, I’ll blame myself for encouraging him to go surfing.
Vickie sat stone faced, staring straight ahead. Since she urged Ken to join his friends, I wonder if she’s also blaming herself. Poor Vickie. She’s still trying to deal with her husband’s death, and now one of her sons has been critically injured. If Ken doesn’t make it, his mother will be devastated, and so will I.
Tension grew as time passed. It was hard to think clearly. Mandy wanted to be with her husband—see for herself if he was alive. But several doctors and nurses were working on him, so Mandy, Vickie, Taavi, and Rob had been ushered into this room to await the verdict.
Dear Lord, she prayed, please don’t let my husband die. She placed both hands on her stomach as a wave of nausea hit. What if I’m pregnant and never get the chance to tell Ken he’s going to be a father? One negative thought followed another.
As soon as they’d arrived at the hospital, Vickie had called Ken’s brother in California to let him know what happened, Mandy phoned Luana and Makaio. They assured her they’d be praying and would notify their pastor, who would put it on the church prayer chain. Luana said she and Makaio would come to the hospital soon.
Mandy called her folks to tell them what had happened to Ken and left a message. She wished they could be here right now, but with Mom’s foot surgery, travel was out of the question.
She’d also called Ellen and left a message, asking for prayer. The more people praying for Ken, the better.
She looked at Taavi, sitting with his head down and hands pressed against his forehead. “Taavi, would you please tell us with precise detail how the shark attack occurred?” When they’d first gotten to the hospital, Ken’s friend had been so shook up that his account of things had been sketchy.
Vickie leaned in to listen, her eyes glistening with tears. “Yes, please explain what happened to my son.”
Taavi lifted his head and looked at them with a grim twist to his mouth. He sat several seconds, before beginning to speak.
“I’d gone back to the beach after riding some waves with Ken. Rob sat on a towel by our cooler. While we enjoyed a breather, we took turns watching Ken through the binoculars. You could see it written all over his face—he was in his glory, having fun anticipating the bigger waves.” Taavi paused before continuing. “Then I saw it—a large fin, cutting through the water in Ken’s direction.”
Vickie’s tears spilled, and Mandy’s vision blurred as she reached for her mother-in-law’s hand. She almost felt faint visualizing the scene.
“Taavi and I were waving our arms, trying to get Ken’s attention,” Rob interjected. “I’m guessing he thought we were pointing at the big wave that started forming behind him.”
Taavi spoke again. “Then just as he lay down on his board and started paddling, I saw the fin once more, right next to Ken’s board. But before we could call out to him, the shark attacked. The water all around Ken turned red.” He paused and gulped in some air. “Rob and I grabbed our boards, while Ken fought hard. When we reached him, the shark was gone.”
Rob’s head moved slowly up and down. “I’ve never seen so much blood in all my life.”
Mandy felt bile rising in her throat, and she swallowed hard to push it down. She couldn’t imagine what Ken must have gone through.
“By the time we got him to shore, someone had called 911, and people swarmed around, offering assistance,” Rob interjected. “One man who applied a tourniquet to your husband’s arm said he had survived a shark attack once himself.”
“You risked your own lives to bring my husband to shore. I’m at a loss for words.” Mandy shuddered. The ocean wasn’t safe. Neither Ken nor his friends should have been out surfing today. What was supposed to be a fun day had turned into a tragedy.
“Mandy and I are grateful to you.” Vickie dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
A doctor entered the room, bringing Mandy and Vickie to their feet. “Mrs. Williams?”
“I’m Ken’s mother.” Vickie motioned to Mandy. “And this is his wife.”
Mandy stepped forward. “How’s my husband? Is he going to be okay?”
His brows knit together. “Ken suffered severe lacerations and might lose his left arm. The shark bit his side and left leg too.”
“But my son will be okay, right?” Vickie’s voice sounded shaky.
“We’re doing all we can, but our biggest concern is infection. We’ll be taking him into surgery soon, but depending on the extent of his injuries, he may be faced with more surgeries in the days ahead.” The doctor hesitated a moment, as if weighing his words. “If you’re a believer, it wouldn’t hurt to send up some prayers.”
“We’re both Christians,” Vickie was quick to say. “And we believe in the power of prayer.”
He nodded.
Soon after the doctor left, Luana and Makaio arrived and hurried over to hug Vickie and Mandy. As Luana gently patted her back, Mandy began to sob. “What if Ken doesn’t make it? What if …”
“He’s on the prayer chain, Mandy.” Luana’s voice was soothing. “Many prayers will be said on Ken’s behalf. We must have faith and trust that God’s will is done.”
“Ken is young and strong,” Makaio put in. “I believe he will make it. And I don’t want you or Vickie to worry about anything. I’ll go over to the farm and take care of things this evening.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Taavi jumped up. “Rob and I will go. One or both of us will make sure the chickens are fed and watered for as long as you need our help.”
“That means a lot to me.” Vickie looked at Taavi and Rob. “Thank you for rescuing my son. Who knows what could have happened if you hadn’t gone out to him.”
Mandy dried her eyes on the tissue Luana gave her. She moved close to Vickie and gave her a hug. “God knows how much we both need Ken, so we have to believe He will answer our prayers.”
Vickie nodded. “ ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight,’ ” she quoted from 2 Corinthians 5:7.
“Yes,” Luana agreed, “And we must keep the faith.”
Middlebury
“Did you or Dad check for phone messages yet?” Ellen asked her mother as they finished doing the breakfast dishes Tuesday morning.
Mom shook her head. “I haven’t been out, and your daed was in a hurry when he and Lenore left for work this morning, so I doubt he took the time to check either.”
“That’s right. There’s a sale going on at the store right now. No wonder he wanted to leave early.” Ellen picked up another dish to dry. “Bet they’ll be busy from the minute the store opens till closing time.”
“Did you ask if your help was needed today?”
Ellen shook her head. “I didn’t think about the sale until now. Guess I could drop by and see if Dad would like my help.”
Mom smiled. “Good idea.”
Ellen finished drying the last of the dishes and put them away. “I’m going out to the phone shack to check for messages. When I come back inside I’ll get ready and head to the shoe store.”
“Danki, Ellen. I hope it doesn’t mess up any plans you’ve made for today.”
“Not really. The only thing I’d wanted to do was stop by the restaurant and say hi to Darla and Ruby. Since they’re both working the breakfast shift today I thought maybe I could visit with them during their break.”
“Are you hoping there might be an openi
ng at the restaurant?” Mom asked.
“No. I’m going to wait and see what happens with the hotel position that’s supposed to open soon.”
“You miss your job at the B&B, don’t you?”
“Jah, but I miss Mandy more. It’s not the same with her living so far away.” Ellen moved toward the back door. “I’m heading outside now, Mom. Be back soon.”
Ellen’s flip-flops snapped across the graveled driveway as she made her way to the phone shack. Her nose twitched at the charred scent left over from their barbecue pit, where they’d roasted marshmallows the previous night. It was fun to spend time with her family gathered around the fire, singing and enjoying their toasted marshmallows spread between graham crackers and pieces of chocolate. Someday when Ellen had a family of her own, she hoped there would be many evenings of fun, food, and fellowship. For her and many others in their Amish community God came first and family second. Ellen’s dad often said, “Put the two together and you have the key to satisfaction and happiness.”
Ellen tipped her head back and looked up when a beautiful cardinal swooped past, landing in a nearby tree. It reminded her of the red-crested cardinals she’d seen in Hawaii, but only their heads were red.
Ellen’s thoughts went to Mandy. She hadn’t heard from her in a few days. No doubt, she and Ken were keeping busy.
Ellen reached the phone shack and stepped inside. The light on the answering machine blinked, so she pushed PLAY to hear their messages.
“Ellen, it … it’s Mandy. Something horrible has happened.” Ellen heard sniffling. “Ken was attacked by a shark while surfing.” Another few seconds of silence. “Oh, Ellen, he lost so much blood. I don’t know anything definite yet, but it’s bad, and I’m worried that Ken may lose his arm. He could even die if—” Mandy’s voice broke on a sob. “Please pray, Ellen. I’ve left a message with my folks, and could you ask others to pray too? I’ll call again, when I know more.”
Ellen sat in stunned silence, barely able to take it all in. Her fingers touched her parted lips as tears pricked the back of her eyes. Poor Mandy. I wish I could be with her to offer support. And Ken—what he went through must have been terrible. Ellen couldn’t fathom the terror he must have felt. Just the idea of being on the ocean’s surface, not knowing what creature might lurk beneath, sent a tremor of fear through her body.
Why can’t I be with her? I’ll ask the church leaders if they will give permission for me to fly to Kauai so I can go right away.
CHAPTER 16
Lihue
Mandy yawned and stretched her arms out to the sides. Her body ached from sleeping in a half-sitting position all night. She glanced over at Vickie. The poor woman hadn’t slept much either. How could they get any restful sleep slouched in hospital chairs next to Ken’s bed?
The doctor had said the surgery went well, but due to extensive wounds, it was too soon to predict if Ken was out of the woods. Their first goal had been to stop the bleeding and stitch and reattach what they could with Ken’s arm and leg wounds. The physician added that Ken needed to rest and stay immobile to let the stitches and staples heal the torn tissue. Another surgery would happen soon.
A lump formed in Mandy’s throat as she stared at her husband’s motionless form. He’d drifted in and out a few times, but hadn’t fully regained consciousness. She longed to speak to Ken—tell him she was here and that everything would be all right. She’d never felt as helpless as she did now.
Ken’s mother needed support as much as Mandy. Losing her husband was reason enough for her not being able to cope, but now she was confronted with this situation. Mandy hoped she and her mother-in-law would get enough rest to keep up the ongoing vigil.
In addition to worrying about possible infection setting in, Mandy was concerned that Ken might not be able to use his arm as he once had.
Mandy closed her eyes. Dear God, please bring us through this uncertain time in our life.
Mandy’s cell phone vibrated, and she pulled it out of her skirt pocket. Realizing it was from Ellen, she rose from her chair and tiptoed out of the room to answer the call.
Middlebury
“How is Ken doing, Mandy?” Ellen twisted her head covering ties around her fingers. She’d been praying and hoping Ken would get the best care available.
“He’s out of surgery and in his room, but it’s too soon to tell if his arm or leg will fully heal.” Mandy’s voice sounded far away—as though she were talking in a box. “Oh, Ellen, I’m so scared. I wish we hadn’t come back to Hawaii. If we’d stayed in Middlebury, the shark attack wouldn’t have happened.”
Ellen could almost feel her friend’s pain. She wished she could reach through the phone and hug Mandy.
“I’m going to see our ministers today and ask for permission to fly so I can come to Kauai and be with you.”
“You’d really come all that way?”
“Of course. You’re my best friend, Mandy. Since your mother can’t make the trip, I want to be there to offer the support you need.”
“It would mean so much to me if you were here.”
Ellen shifted on her chair inside the phone shack. “I talked to my folks about this, and they’re okay with me going. Dad said in some cases our ministers have allowed a person to fly when a friend or relative is faced with a crisis.”
“Can you afford a plane ticket? I’m sure it won’t be cheap—especially if you’re planning to leave soon.”
“Please let me worry about everything. You have enough to be concerned with right now. I’ll call you back once I know for sure that I’m coming.” Ellen struggled not to cry. “We’re all praying here, Mandy. And if everything goes well, I’ll see you soon.”
“Thank you, Ellen. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“I’m certain if I were faced with a similar situation, you’d be there for me.”
“Yes, I would.”
“All right then. Talk to you soon.”
When Ellen hung up, she remained in the phone shack. Heavenly Father, please be with Mandy, Ken, and his mother. Give Mandy and Vickie patience and courage to deal with everything they must face. And when I approach the ministers in our church district, I ask that they would be in one accord and grant me permission to fly.
Ellen drew a quick breath. If the ministers give their consent, please give me the courage to get on the plane that will take me to Kauai.
Lihue
Ken groaned, and Vickie woke up with a start. Her heart pounded as she watched her son’s head thrash about. “Shark! Shark!” It was unbearable for Vickie to hear Ken’s panicked words.
She jumped up and stood by his bed, speaking in a soft tone and offering reassurance that he was safe. But Ken continued to moan, and then he cried, “Help! Somebody, help me, please!”
Although he was heavily sedated, Ken seemed to be reliving the attack. Vickie picked up his hand and caressed it gently, hoping it would bring her son comfort in his restless state. The attack must have been a horrible experience, and now Ken was living through the emotional anguish of the event all over again.
With a sense of urgency, she released his hand and pushed the CALL button. A few minutes later, a middle-age nurse entered the room. Before she could say a word, Vickie stood up. “My son is in pain. Will you please give him something?”
The nurse shook her head. “It’s not time yet. We don’t want to overmedicate.”
Vickie’s nails pushed into the palms of her hands. It was all she could do to keep from screaming. “Didn’t you hear what I said? Ken is in pain. He’s been groaning and thrashing about.”
The nurse checked Ken’s vitals. For the moment, at least, he’d stopped groaning. “According to the doctor’s orders, the patient will receive more pain medicine through his IV in thirty minutes.” She looked at Vickie and offered a sympathetic smile. “Is there anything I can bring you—a cup of coffee or some tea?”
“No thanks.” Vickie returned to her chair. The only thing she wanted was the as
surance that her son would be okay. Ken loved to surf. Would he ever go in the water again?
She waited until the nurse left, then took her cell phone from her purse. Despite having told her eldest son about Ken’s situation, Vickie hadn’t heard whether Dan would be coming or not. Surely he must realize how much I need him right now. If he were as concerned about his brother as he said when I told him what happened, he would have booked the first flight to Kauai.
Although Dan didn’t like hospitals, surely he’d want to be here when his brother was in need—not to mention offer his mother support. The boys were not close growing up, but Vickie had hoped they’d find some common ground as they matured. One son wanted to be inside most of the time, reading or on the computer. The other boy could have lived on the beach.
Vickie’s fingers clenched around the phone. It’s too bad Ken isn’t more like Dan—then he wouldn’t have gone surfing.
Vickie leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. Poor Mandy. Except for me, she has no one to be with her during this time. I should be more reassuring, but right now I can barely hold my head above water.
She dialed Dan’s number. He answered on the second ring. “Hi, Mom, I’m glad you called. I was about to phone you.”
“Oh?” Vickie felt a ray of hope. Maybe Dan would be coming after all.
“I’d planned to catch a flight out this morning, but my wife got sick. Don’t know if it’s the flu or what, I wouldn’t feel right about leaving her.”
“What about her folks? Can’t one of them stay with Rita?”
“No, it should be me.”
Vickie rubbed her forehead. “Maybe once she feels better, you can come.”
“We’ll see.” Dan paused. “How’s Ken? Is he gonna be okay?”
“I hope so, but it’s too soon to tell.”
“Well, please keep me informed.”
“Yes, of course.” Vickie wondered if her son heard the regret in her tone. She understood Dan’s need to be with his wife, but she needed his support right now.
The Hawaiian Discovery Page 10