Reunion

by Karen Kingsbury; Karen Kingsbury

  “Thanks.” Dayne was already dialing the charter jet service he used. If he caught a flight this evening, he could probably fly straight to Bloomington. That way he could get to the hospital before lunch tomorrow. “Me, too.”

  * * *

  Elizabeth had no idea where she was or how long she’d been there. She opened her eyes and after what felt like several minutes, the shapes around her began making sense. She was lying in a bed, but it wasn’t her own.

  Something was different about her body.

  She wasn’t in pain the way she’d been before the wedding, and she wasn’t pain-free the way she’d been during and afterwards. Her body felt like it was floating in some sort of half-asleep state, and she felt numb all over.

  Her vision cleared a little more and she saw the IV bag hanging by the bed. Suddenly alarm wrapped its arms around her. She was in the hospital! Something must’ve happened to her, but what? Her mind tried to drift back, tried to remember where she’d been last, but her memory wasn’t working right. Thinking back felt like trying to grope her way through a cloud of fog. Hard work and nothing visible to grasp hold of.

  She’d been at the wedding, right? memorizing every moment. And then she was at the reception, watching her children dance with their spouses, enjoying the babies in their car seats beside her, watching Cole and Maddie and Tommy and Jessie entertain everyone with their own version of the “Hokey Pokey.” Hayley had also been by her side, cooing occasionally and pointing at the others.

  And there were Ashley and Landon, young and in love, and Cole was dancing between them, running around the room shouting, “I have a daddy! Guess what? I have a daddy!”

  And John was helping her to her feet so they could sway right there next to their table in the sweetest slow dance she’d ever had. And Kari and Ryan and Brooke and Peter and Erin and Sam and Luke and Reagan were all in a circle, holding hands and dancing the “Twist and Shout” with Ashley and Landon in the middle.

  Wasn’t that just a few minutes ago?

  How had she gotten here? Elizabeth blinked and looked at her arms, her hands. The IV was in the crook of her right arm, so she slipped her left forearm under her head and glanced around the room.

  She was in the hospital, but where was everyone? Where was John?

  She scanned her bed and a small table beside her and found a call button. Maybe someone could help her find them.

  “Yes, Elizabeth?” The voice was tinny, not one she recognized. “Are you awake?”

  “I feel sort of funny.” She smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “I need water, I think.”

  “We’ll get some water for you right away. Would you like to see your husband?”

  “Is he here?”

  “Yes.” She paused. “You’ve been asleep for quite a while.”

  Asleep? “How long?”

  “You know, Elizabeth, I’m going to let your husband and the doctor explain things to you. They’ll do a better job than I could.”

  Elizabeth stared at the plastic control. “Okay . . . I guess.”

  She heard John in the hallway a few minutes later, his steps fast and anxious. She knew the sound of him, the way he sounded when he was in a hurry. He rushed inside, stopped, and met her eyes.

  “Elizabeth.” He was scared to death, his mouth open as if he wasn’t sure if she was really there looking at him. “You’ve been . . . you’ve been sleeping.”

  Her arms felt heavy and numb. “I think they’ve got me on drugs.”

  “Yes.” His expression told her that was an understatement. “A few drugs.”

  She held out her hand. “I woke up . . .” Her eyes made another pass around the room. “I didn’t know where I was or what had happened to me.”

  John came to her, cradling her arm against his waist, running his fingers over her palm, the back of her hand. “I’m sorry. I was visiting with the others. Everyone’s here; we’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”

  Her head hurt, and she couldn’t concentrate the way she’d like to. “How long have I been asleep?”

  “Since Tuesday morning.”

  “What time is it now?” Her words were slurred some. She hated the fact that she was on drugs without ever wanting them.

  “It’s Friday afternoon.”

  It took a minute to sink in. Elizabeth calculated the days in her head and stared at him. “I’ve been sleeping for three days? straight?”

  “Yes.” John leaned over her and kissed her on the cheek, the lips. “Do you remember where you were when you collapsed?”

  She thought about that. “At the wedding?”

  “No.” He couldn’t hide the concern in his face. “At home. We were heading for the bathroom, but you never made it. You passed out and, well, here you are.”

  Suddenly, as if the fog might be starting to lift, her situation became more clear. She was at the end stages of cancer, and this—this hospital stay might very well be the end. Fear wanted to say something to her, but she refused it.

  Instead she looked out the window and whispered a quiet thanks to God. For letting her wake up, for letting her have this time with John and her family. She turned to him and smiled. “I have something to give you.”

  He looked concerned again, as if maybe she was delusional. She did a soft, sick-sounding giggle. “It’s in the nightstand beside my bed at home; it was a surprise.”

  “A surprise?” He was still leaning over her, bracing himself on his elbow. He searched her eyes. “What sort of surprise?”

  “A letter.” She tried to turn onto her side, but the effort was too much.

  John hurried to help. He grabbed two extra pillows from a cupboard near the door and used them to prop her up. “Better?”

  “Yes.” She exhaled, exhausted. “I wanted to write you each a letter, but instead I wrote three.”

  “Three?”

  “One for you, one for all the kids, and one for our firstborn. In case he ever finds you, John.” She paused. “After I’m gone, I mean. That way—”

  “Elizabeth . . .” He wanted to tell her not to talk like that; she could tell by the tight way his lips stayed frozen, partially open. But the fight left him almost as quickly. “Go ahead.” He pulled a nearby chair closer to the bed. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have interrupted you.”

  He took her hand again, and she ran her thumb over his fingers. “That’s okay. I’m sorry, John.” Her heart ached for what he was going through, what they were all going through. “I hate talking about being gone from you; I’m not afraid to die, but I can’t imagine a week without you, let alone years and decades. But still . . .”

  “You have to talk about it.” He dug his fingers into his hair and when he looked up, there was a weariness in his eyes. A weariness Elizabeth had never seen before.

  “You’re right; I have to talk about it.” She inched a bit closer to the rails at the side of the bed. “Anyway, have them play my favorite hymn at the service, please, John.”

  “ ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’?” He was trembling, but his eyes were dry.

  “Definitely.”

  “Okay. I’ll make sure.”

  “John.” She looked at him and felt her expression soften. “You know something?”

  “What?” His voice was tender, his eyes deep into hers.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more than I do right now.”

  His eyes grew damp and he blinked three times. “What else, honey? What about the letters?”

  “Right.” Elizabeth tried not to feel lost in his eyes so she could focus. It was harder with the medication. “After my service, have everyone come to the house. You can read their letter to them then. I say something for everyone, but a lot . . . a lot of what I wanted to say was meant for everyone to hear. That’s why I stuck to one bigger letter.”

  “And you want me to read it out loud?”

  “Yes. And make sure they each get a copy, please, John.”

  “I will.” He was on his feet
again. The bed rail was raised like a prison wall between them. He released a latch and it fell down below the bed. “There.” He brushed his nose against hers, and with careful hands he hugged her for a long time. “What else, Elizabeth? I’d do anything for you.”

  “Hold me, John. That’s all. Just hold me.” Her voice was a whisper, full of equal parts passion and pain. Not the sort of pain that had sent her to her bedroom before Ashley’s wedding. The kind that came from seeing the look in his eyes, from hearing his voice. A pain that knew the hour for good-byes was drawing near, pain that meant her heart was breaking in two.

  After ten or fifteen minutes, he stood and looked at her, his eyes full of questions. “Do you think . . . do you have a sense about when?”

  She kept her eyes locked on his and gave a slow, sad nod. “Soon.” A single tear slid from her left eye and down the bridge of her nose. “Could you do me one more favor?”

  “Anything.”

  “Get the kids for me. Every one of them. Please, John.”

  * * *

  It was a reunion, exactly the way she’d pictured it.

  Only instead of lying on the beach or even picnicking on their front yard back at home, they were here, in the hospital. All Friday evening and again now that it was Saturday, the hospital staff had allowed them to pack out the entire room. Elizabeth didn’t have a roommate, so the conditions were crowded but manageable.

  She’d already asked to go home, and they were saying maybe Sunday afternoon. The bottom line was exactly what Dr. Steinman had told her from the beginning. They could do nothing for her, nothing but keep her hydrated and on constant pain meds. Since she’d agreed to take special protein drinks and take the pain pills at home, Dr. Steinman was more than willing to let her go home.

  “If I had a family like yours, I wouldn’t want to be any other place.”

  He was right, especially now, with her family still here. But until she could go home the hospital room would do. Even now, propped up on half a dozen pillows, with John sitting by her side holding her hand, Elizabeth was taking in every moment of her time with them. Kari and Ryan and Brooke and Peter were talking about the fact that Jessie’s adoption had gone through. After Kari’s first husband was murdered, Ryan had married her and promised he’d adopt Jessie. The process had taken longer than he’d expected, but she was legally his now.

  “And we have this little one.” Kari patted her rounded tummy.

  Ryan gave her a light tap and put his face near her midsection. “Hello, in there. You’re my little linebacker, right, baby? Enough pretty girls running the place, right?”

  They all laughed and Elizabeth shifted her attention to Erin and Sam and Reagan, sitting together with the babies. Tommy was toddling about Reagan’s knees, and Erin was saying, “. . . so then the pastor at our church tells us there’s a woman in the congregation whose daughter is pregnant with a baby she doesn’t want, and . . .”

  Elizabeth looked to the other side of the room where Luke and Ashley and Landon sat near Hayley in her wheelchair. Cole and Maddie were on the floor coloring with Clarisse and Chloe. Every now and then Cole would lift the coloring book up so Hayley could see. “Like it, Hayley? I’m coloring it for you.”

  And she would coo a little louder, happier than before.

  Landon was saying, “She was crazy, remember? Thinking somehow Reagan’s baby was mine? A little wacko if you ask me.”

  “Stop!” Ashley giggled. She had a new glow since she’d married Landon, a peace and serenity that hadn’t been there before, but a deep sense of happiness that only true love could bring. She gave Landon a mock punch in the arm. “I only thought it for a minute or two.”

  Landon raised his eyebrows at her.

  “Okay.” She gave Luke the punch this time. “Maybe an hour at the most. It was jet lag, I tell you. Or maybe too many paint fumes.”

  “You were painting a lot back then.” Luke tilted his head. “You have to keep painting, Ash. You’re too good.”

  “What’s this? This coming from my doubting little brother, the one who once watched me sketch a tree and thought it was a Russian building?”

  Luke held his hands up, bringing them together in a strange shape. He cocked his head one way and then the other, as if he were trying to figure out what it was. He looked at Landon and shrugged. “I’m still not sure; it had the exact look of one of those government buildings you see in those Russian photographs.”

  “It was a tree!” Ashley nudged him and they both laughed.

  Elizabeth felt the corners of her mouth lift. All her life she’d loved music: classical, country, slow songs, and movie sound tracks. But here, under the fluorescent lights of a hospital room, the blended sounds of their voices was the most beautiful song she’d ever heard.

  John leaned sideways so she could hear him. “You’re liking this, aren’t you?”

  “I am.” She yawned. “I could listen to them all day.”

  He ran his fingers through her short hair. She no longer wore the beret. They’d all seen her patchy hair, anyway. “Maybe it’s time you get a little rest. You’ll need your energy if you’re going to come home tomorrow.”

  “Not yet.” She drew in a breath. The rattle in her chest had gotten so loud it stopped the conversations near her.

  “How are you feeling, Mom?” Kari stood and stretched. “I saw you smiling.”

  The kids played off to the side, but everyone else was quiet, listening for her answer. “I was smiling at all of you.” She let her eyes meet each of those in the room. “Listening to you talk about the past, laughing together. This was why I wanted a reunion in the first place. I could sit here all night watching you visit, hearing your stories.”

  Luke seemed to catch a signal from John. It was five o’clock and none of them had eaten yet. “You know, I was thinking we ought to head out for something to eat, maybe let the kids run around the park across the street for a little while and get them situated with the sitters before we come back.”

  Pastor Mark had arranged for three young women from church to be at the Baxter house by seven o’clock so the children could get to bed. There were nine in all, and with Hayley’s special needs, Elizabeth figured it would take at least that many sitters.

  She looked at John. He was serious about her getting some rest, and if it was just for a few hours, she could manage the separation. “I guess I could take a nap. But you’ll all come back?”

  “Of course, Mom.” Erin sauntered over and took hold of her foot sticking up under the hospital blankets. “It’s a good time to take a break.”

  The kids each came by, Cole and Maddie taking turns scrambling onto the bed and snuggling with her for a minute or two. Kari helped Jessie, who was not quite big enough to climb up, and next Luke held Tommy up so she could kiss his cheek. The babies were being rocked by Sam and Erin, and Clarisse and Chloe were still fairly shy. They wriggled their fingers at her and gave her timid smiles.

  Elizabeth watched them go and looked at John. She could only imagine the lives those girls had led before coming to live with Erin and Sam. How blessed that they might get four daughters in as many weeks. How sad that the girls would never know her well enough to jump up next to her like the other kids.

  When everyone else was gone, John bent low and touched his lips against hers. “Have them call me if you need anything.”

  “I will.” She understood what he meant; if something went wrong, if she took a turn for the worse, he wanted to be there. It was all he could do to leave even for a few minutes. Two or three hours? He never would’ve gone if it weren’t for the kids. “John, do you see it?”

  “See what?” Another bit of worry splashed across his expression.

  “How special this reunion is. None of them will ever forget it.”

  He straightened, but his shoulders stayed slumped. “You’re right; it’s very special.”

  After he was gone, she closed her eyes. John was right. She was exhausted; a nap would do her good. Bef
ore she fell asleep, she thanked God for every good thing he’d done for them that past week.

  There’s just one more thing, Lord. I’ve asked before, but you and I both know my time is running out. Right now, right this minute you know where he is, the boy I gave up. If he’s close by or far away, you see him. God, how much I’d love to talk to him just once before I die, to tell him we never forgot about him.

  She blinked and looked out the window. A robin lighted on the windowsill, cocked its head, and peered into the room. Then it hopped twice and flew away. Elizabeth closed her eyes again. That’s all I want, Lord. A quick visit like that robin just now. I know it looks crazy and impossible, but you’re the God of impossibilities. That’s how come Ashley has a wedding ring on her finger. So please, God, if it be your will, lead him here. And if not, let him find the others after I’m gone.

  Sleep took her then, deep and restful, and she dreamed about the reunion, about all of her family—every single one—together in one place. Together, the way she liked them best.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Air travel had never been slower.

  Dayne was used to placing a call with the charter jet company and having a Gulfstream meet him within a few hours. He had a standing contract with them, and always they’d been reliable—whether his assistant gave them two days or two hours to line up a plane. But this weekend the entire fleet was booked so Dayne had to resort to a public airline.

  Now that he knew the information, that his birth mother was Elizabeth Baxter and that she was dying of cancer in a Bloomington, Indiana, hospital, Dayne couldn’t wait to get there. But his six o’clock flight out of British Columbia had been delayed because of a thunderstorm, causing him to miss his connection in Los Angeles.

  His only option was to spend the night in L.A. and take a flight to Indianapolis the next morning. He walked to a hotel across the street, registered under a false name, and was back at the airport at five Saturday morning for the six-thirty flight. The whole time he wore his baseball cap and sunglasses to avoid being recognized.