Divining Elise

by Jody A. Kessler

  Other than when he slept, Elise made him wear the helmet at all times. When strangers asked what was wrong with her son, or when family members or friends made jokes or passed judgmental glances behind her back, she steeled herself and stuck to her guns. When Colton started preschool, she left the helmet in the car even though her intuition told her not to. At the time, it seemed like she was doing him a favor to not have to explain why he needed a helmet. Dealing with his handicap was challenging enough, or so she thought. On his first day, he walked into a doorframe, which resulted in a goose egg-sized knot on his forehead. Day two resulted in a fall off the slide on the playground. On day three, they made a trip to the emergency room for stitches. Only Colton could find the corner of a bookcase with his head. His teacher and the principal decided wearing the helmet at school was in Colton’s best interest.

  He turned five years old a few weeks earlier and “the stage” still had not passed. She didn’t always make him wear the helmet when inside the house anymore, but more often than not, he wore it anyway. Many times after playing outside with the helmet on, he’d come in and neglect to remove it. Every doorframe, square corner, and the tile floor could cause another trip to the E.R., so she let him wear his favorite motorcycle helmet whenever he wanted. And after the dream she had last night, Colton would wear the helmet today in the car, so help her God.

  She doubled checked his seat belt and made sure his toys and snacks were secure on the driver’s side floor. She set his cuddle blanket on his lap, closed the door, and climbed in behind the wheel. They had two hundred miles left before reaching their destination of Granite Lake, California.

  Everything they owned was inside the trunk. A furnished apartment waited for them as did her new job. There were always endings before new beginnings, and Elise reminded herself of the fact with every passing mile. The family she left behind in Arizona didn’t fall off the face of the planet. She could go back and visit when she felt safe again. That timeline was indeterminable, but she had to keep Colton safe at all costs. Severing ties from her ex was the most important step in keeping her son out of harm’s way. Leaving her family was an unfortunate side effect of moving thirteen hours away, but it didn’t have to be forever, she told herself again.

  The interstate climbed steadily from the Nevada desert to the tallest mountains she’d ever seen. The vastness of the Sierra Nevada Mountains was almost overwhelming. She wondered if her car could handle the change in altitude, but guessing solved nothing. She had to keep moving forward. And if she literally and figuratively had to climb mountains to get to her destination, she would.

  As Elise crested the summit of Donner Pass, granite outcrops of stone, stunted trees, and even some remaining patches of snow wowed and impressed her low-lander eyes. Flying by at sixty-five miles an hour, she determined she had found the top of the world. The afternoon was getting late and she didn’t stop the car to breathe the thin air or make summer snowballs. They’d already stopped in Reno. Elise didn’t want to delay their arrival any longer. Colton fell asleep in his seat and that was another reason to keep rolling.

  Maybe one day when they had spare time, she’d return and learn to ski or explore the alpine wilderness, but for now, she had to meet her destiny, whatever that may be. Her intuition might know what was coming, but she needed to meet her fate face to face and in real time.

  The interstate exit for Granite Lake came into view and she flipped the turn signal on. Her heart lurched with an erratic beat. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel as her palms began to sweat. The road tunneled between towering evergreens as it wound through the mountains. Colton stirred in his booster seat. In the rearview mirror, she watched his eyelids flicker open then shut again. Elise estimated they had a few more miles before entering Granite Lake. Colton shifted again and she saw him adjust his blanket so he could hold the satin trim. She concentrated on driving. Their journey from Arizona to California was almost complete.

  A sweeping turn in the road curved left. She wondered if they’d be able to see the lake soon. Instead of the lake, she saw a pickup truck driving in the center of the two lane road. This was it, her inner voice informed her. The moment she’d dreamt of had arrived.

  The truck continued to miss the turn and headed straight for her. She braked and swerved for the edge of the pavement. At the last second, the driver of the pickup noticed her car and jerked out of the way, but it was too late for Elise. The rim of the asphalt grabbed her tire and pulled her car onto the soft shoulder. There was a slight downhill grade toward the forest. Her brakes locked. The car skidded down the short slope and came to a full stop when her bumper met a tree trunk.

  The airbag deployed in her face. The seatbelt kept Elise in her seat, but the jarring shock of the impact was terrifying. Every brain cell and nerve in her body screamed to check on Colton. Elise turned in her seat. His eyes were wide, his mouth open in surprise. She knew to stay calm. If he saw her upset, he’d get upset, too.

  “You okay, mijo?” she asked and signed.

  This part of her dream had been perfectly clear. Deep in her soul, she knew Colton would be fine from the minor accident.

  Her door opened with a creak, then a loud pop as the crumpled steel was forced open.

  “Are you injured, miss?” a male voice asked. “I’m so sorry. Christ, please be all right.”

  Elise spun back around to see who had come. Golden-green eyes framed with long honey brown lashes stared into her own. The distress and panic she saw in his imploring gaze tugged at her heart. She wanted to soothe him the way she would Colton.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked again.

  “I’m not sure. I don’t think so,” she said.

  “Don’t move. I called nine-one-one. Stay still until help arrives. Is that your son?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  “Oh, damn.” He ran a hand over his head. “I could have killed you both. I’ll check on him. He shouldn’t move, either.”

  Colton started crying.

  “Mijo, it’s okay,” she said and made the signs for him to see.

  The man hurried to Colton’s side of the car.

  “He’s not hurt, just scared,” Elise said.

  “Hey, buddy. Sorry about the abrupt stop. It’s my fault. Does it hurt anywhere?” the tall man asked.

  “He can’t hear you,” Elise said.

  “What?”

  “He doesn’t hear,” she reiterated.

  “Oh. Is there anything I can do until the paramedics arrive?” he asked.

  “Try giving him the bag of cars and motorcycles. It’s in the backpack on the floor behind me.” Elise unbuckled and started to step out of the car to help Colton settle down. She didn’t think she was injured, but when she moved her right leg, pain shot through her knee. “Ow,” she whimpered. Elise sat back against the seat, suddenly lightheaded.

  “Try not to move. I know you want to help your son, but please wait until the medics get here. We’re close to town. They should be here soon.”

  He unzipped the backpack full of toys for Colton and was next to her side seconds later.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said again. He placed gentle fingertips on her leg. “It’s been an unbelievable past forty-eight hours. I’m not even sure what happened. Your car was in front of mine, and I was on the wrong side of the road. Shit, I messed up... I royally screwed up.” He was staring into her again and she was falling hard into some kind of fathomless chasm of sparkling gem colored eyes.

  “I’m okay. I think you better sit down. You’re more shaken up than I am.” As soon as the words left her lips, she felt a rush, like all the blood in her body pooled in the soles of her feet.

  “You could be right,” he said. “You look familiar. What’s your name?”

  “Elise Martinez.”

  “I might have fallen asleep, Elise. There’s no excuse, but I can’t think of any other reason for swerving. I’m Rob Everett. You should know my name so you can sue me for damages.” One side of hi
s mouth lifted in a pained and crooked smile. “Have we met? I swear I’ve seen you somewhere.”

  “No. We’ve never met,” she said and swallowed, her mouth suddenly going dry and her vision becoming blurry around the edges. “But I know you.”

  “How?” he asked.

  Elise didn’t get to answer because her head dropped forward and daylight faded to black.

  Three

  Two Days Earlier

  ROB’S PHONE RANG. The ringtone told him it was an unknown number. Burying his head beneath the pillow was the most viable solution for ignoring the call.

  After his absurd encounter with the man in front of his building, he hadn’t been able to sleep. He’d been hungry, but there was no food in his condo, having cleaned out the refrigerator in preparation for the move. Walking back to the taco stand could have quieted the churning in his beer-filled belly, but he didn’t want to go out again. The thought of running into the fortune telling mystic once more kept him indoors. He was too tired anyway. Rob had hit the shower, slipped on a pair of lounge pants, and stretched out on the mattress. He pulled the single blanket, which hadn’t been packed, over him and lay awake. The crazy man’s words replayed in his mind, but he didn’t remember everything with as much clarity as he wanted. Something about a beautiful girl with challenges needed him. He said, there were a lot of changes coming and don’t be a fool. Well, that’s super intuitive, Rob thought. What a nutjob. Anyone in the world could tell him don’t act foolishly. He sees the future, my ass. Rob’s skepticism was as plain as black and white. There was no reason to believe the man.

  Yet every time he closed his eyes, the voice in his head told him a beautiful girl was coming. That made him think of Delaney. Delaney was gorgeous. He’d been attracted to her from the first time he’d seen her. But that wasn’t saying much. Every straight man with eyes in his head took a second look at Delaney Allison. Her curves and those killer legs, not to mention her angelic face with deep blue eyes, turned heads everywhere she went. She should have been a professional model, not an office manager, but none of that mattered now.

  After countless hours, he fell asleep, perplexed about why his ex-girlfriend wouldn’t leave his thoughts. Now the phone rang, rudely interrupting his strange state of half-sleep. Rob grabbed the pillow to smash it over his head and accidentally saw the lit phone screen.

  St. Mary’s Hospit... The rest of the caller I.D. was cut off. Rob snatched up the phone.

  “Hello?” His mind reeled with scenarios of who and why the hospital would be calling at this hour. He immediately thought of his brothers, Bodie and Shane, or his parents, but as far as he knew, they weren’t in the city.

  “Hello? Is this Rob Everett?”

  “Yes.” His heart thudded against his ribcage. He held his breath and waited for an explanation.

  “My name is Martha Whitfield. I’m an obstetrics nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital. I’m calling about a friend of yours. Do you know Delaney Allison?”

  Rob’s mental processes hiccoughed. Delaney. There she was again. “Yes. I know her.”

  “Can you please come to the hospital immediately?”

  “What is this about? I think you’re mistaken in calling this number,” Rob said.

  “Are you Rob Everett?” she asked again.

  “Yes. I already said that.”

  “Ms. Allison listed you as the emergency contact on her paperwork. Are you available to come to the hospital? If not, do you have the phone number of any of Ms. Allison’s family members or close friends?”

  “What happened?” he asked again, more confused now than ever.

  “I prefer to explain the situation concerning Delaney in person. If you’re unable to travel safely to the hospital, I recommend having a friend bring you or take a taxi.”

  “I’m fine. Tell me what’s going on. Delaney is my ex-girlfriend. Why would she list me as her emergency contact?”

  “I don’t have all the details at this time, sir. It would be very helpful for you to come to the hospital as quickly as possible. I will tell you everything when you arrive. Otherwise, I need to find an alternative emergency contact. Are you able to make it in this morning?”

  “I can.”

  “Come to Labor and Delivery on the seventh floor and ask for me, Nurse Whitfield.”

  Rob glanced around his empty, dark bedroom. He was supposed to be moving to Granite Lake in a few hours, not taking a trip to the hospital. What was going on? “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

  * * *

  Nurse Whitfield wouldn’t say much to Rob until a Dr. Holms joined them. Fortunately, the doctor appeared within minutes of Rob’s arrival to the Labor and Delivery ward. The nerve pathways inside his body felt hollow. Nothing about visiting Delaney at four in the morning in the Labor and Delivery ward sat right with him. Although he didn’t believe in psychics, mysticism, or fortune telling, he couldn’t ignore his gut instinct that something was terribly wrong. Yet, he kept mentally insisting that a simple mistake had been made.

  “Thank you for coming.” Dr. Holms shook Rob’s hand. “Would you like to have a seat?”

  Rob glanced at the chairs then back at the doctor and nurse. They sat down, so he followed suit.

  “Can you please tell me what is going on? I’m not sure you have the right person. I haven’t seen Delaney in almost a year.”

  The doctor’s rigid spine and grave expression didn’t ease his uncertainties. Martha appeared as if someone had run over her cat. Rob wanted this over with.

  “I was Delaney’s obstetrician and surgeon. At eleven-ten last night she had a complication during delivery. I made the call for an emergency C-section. During the operation, Delaney’s blood pressure dropped to a life-threatening level. We did everything we could, but she passed away a few minutes after one a.m. this morning. A thorough investigation is being conducted. We will have a full report as soon as possible. Fortunately, I have good news. The baby is healthy and well. She is in the nursery and being cared for by our staff. You can see her as soon as you like.”

  Rob’s gaze dropped to the floor before speaking again. “I still don’t understand why you called me.”

  Nurse Whitfield answered. “Delaney listed you as the father on her paperwork and she put your name as the emergency contact.”

  “That can’t be right,” Rob said.

  “It is. I can show you the forms. I know this is difficult, but would you like to see Delaney before I take you to meet your daughter?”

  “Didn’t Delaney come here with someone? A relative or a friend? A boyfriend?” Rob couldn’t believe what was happening. “I don’t have a daughter,” he said, realizing there were more parts to the puzzle than just Delaney’s death.

  Death. It didn’t seem real. There’s no way this could be happening. Delaney was a healthy woman in the prime of her life. She couldn’t be dead. His subconscious informed him that his reaction was the exact reason the nurse asked if he wanted to see her for himself. “Yes. I need to see Delaney. Right now.”

  He left the waiting room cold and numb.

  The numbness began to settle in his bones before he actually saw Delaney’s lifeless body, but after confirming it was her, the lack of feeling penetrated to the marrow of his soul.

  Nurse Whitfield guided him to a chair in yet another waiting area and made him sit down. She disappeared, giving him a moment alone, and then returned with a cup of coffee. When half the cup was empty, she produced copies of Delaney’s intake forms. He saw his ex-girlfriend’s neat handwriting and his name listed under father.

  “She checked into the emergency room last night. Delaney said she wasn’t supposed to have the baby for two more weeks. She was at thirty-seven and a half weeks. This isn’t too early, and your daughter is doing perfectly fine.”

  Rob listened with as much attention as he could muster, but the nurse sounded as if she were on the far end of a tunnel.

  Nurse Whitfield informed him that when he was ready, there was more paperwork
to fill out. The baby was now a patient of the hospital and needed a guardian to sign the appropriate documents. Rob wasn’t convinced he was the correct person, but until he could get in touch with Delaney’s father, her only living parent, what was he supposed to do? He could try to contact Delaney’s cousin and her friends. He hoped Michaela could enlighten him on this whole pregnancy issue. Maybe she could even clue him in on who the real father was. The math calculations he did in his head—a hundred times since the doctor told him he was the father—put them together almost exactly nine months earlier, but holy crap, if he was the father, why hadn’t Delaney told him?

  When the nurse escorted Rob to the nursery, blood began filtering back into his brain and he felt relatively returned to life. He found it interesting that being close to death made him disassociate from the land of the living, even if temporarily. Nurse Whitfield guided him to a bassinet.

  “This is her. I’m afraid Delaney didn’t share her name with us. We’ve been calling her Ms. Allison. I think you get the privilege of choosing her name.”

  Rob’s pupils dilated. He stared at the nurse, a tallish woman in her late fifties with graying hair, and felt exactly like a deer in the headlights of a semi-truck whose driver didn’t have time or inclination to hit the brakes.

  When he didn’t speak, Martha laid a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. Many newborns don’t have a name right away. A lot of new parents like to get to know their little one before picking the name. It’ll come to you.” She patted his arm then picked up the chart hanging from the rolling bassinet.