Rocky Mountain Match

by Pamela Nissen

  He definitely couldn’t deny the feelings he had for Katie now. Especially since he’d run into Sam yesterday. He’d tossed and turned all night trying to reason it all out. Sam was his friend, a good friend. Joseph wouldn’t let anything come between their long-standing friendship. But when he thought about Katie, he didn’t know if he could just let her slip away.

  His prayers for restored sight took on a whole new focus. Being able to see again wasn’t just about having his life back—it was about being free to follow his heart to Katie. And if Sam was inclined to do the same, then at least the playing field would be fair.

  Katie. She was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, a gentle rain soaking the thirsty ground. Side by side, they’d enjoyed the eight-hour journey with Sven, sometimes in comfortable conversation and other times in amicable silence. But upon arriving less than twenty minutes ago, the ease of the trip was quickly swallowed by the hectic pace of the booming city.

  The tinny sound of the piano coming from the saloon just doors away, and the raucous laughter knifing through the warm evening air set the hair at the back of his neck on end. With the hour nearing dinner time, Denver’s night life was probably just beginning. Joseph would be a heck of a lot more at ease when he had Katie checked safely into the nice hotel he’d stayed at not far from here. The restlessness he felt waiting for her to return from the washroom made him wish that he’d taken Sven up on his offer to see them to the hotel. But Joseph knew that Sven had a hearty list of things he needed to do while they were here. Running a busy lumber mill back home, supply ordering trips like these were meant for business only.

  He pushed away from the building, tilting his head from side to side to remove the kinks in his neck from the long ride. As he slid his fingers over his buttons, he felt, more than heard, someone cross slowly in front of him, stopping as if to give him a thorough perusal.

  For a fleeting moment he wondered if Katie had returned, but he knew she wouldn’t sneak up on him unannounced. It could be that he was the object of rude scrutiny from some stranger, his bandage standing out like a white flag of surrender flying high in enemy territory.

  He loathed feeling as if he was on display like some sideshow and would be so glad to be rid of the ridiculous getup.

  Joseph drew himself to his full height, jamming his hands into his pockets. Catching the remnant of stale liquor hanging in front of him, he sniffed the air, scowling as he steadied himself against the prickly sensation working up his spine and neck, setting his hair on end.

  Then he heard Katie’s voice from around the corner. “Excuse me, sir. Please let me pass by.”

  He jerked his focus to the right, furrowing his brow and listening intently. The slight tremor he’d sensed in her voice set his pulse pounding.

  “Katie, I’m over here.” He turned to the right and stepped cautiously, trailing his hand along the building as he tried to gauge the length of the wooden platform.

  Fierce protectiveness rose within him like some dormant warrior—as did the reality that he couldn’t see a thing. That she might be in trouble made every nerve snap to attention.

  “Where you goin’ in such a hurry, sweetheart?” a man’s voice cut through the city noise, taunting flecked in careless chunks through the words. “I just wanna talk is all.”

  “Katie?” he called again, hearing a small scuffle.

  “Well, whata we have here?” the man tossed in Joseph’s direction, his sloppy drawl summoning an image in Joseph’s mind that had him moving faster. He heard the man spit, the juicy wad plinking against something metal. “With all them bandages he’s wearin’, I’d say you must be his nurse, lil’ lady. Ain’t that somethin’?”

  A throaty chuckle rumbled from the man. With a low whistle, he added, “Yep. Wouldn’t mind havin’ a perty nurse like you tend to my—”

  “That’ll be enough!” Joseph slapped the side of the building and stalked toward the direction of the man’s voice. “You can step away from her now,” he ground out, his jaw muscles tensing, a heated flush working up his neck and face. When his foot found the edge of the platform, he stopped.

  He stretched out his hand. “Katie, come on, darlin’,” he spoke, the endearment coming as easily as his next breath. “Let’s get to the hotel.”

  “Well, now…what’re ya gonna do iffin’ I don’ let ’er pass?” the man slurred on a contemptuous snicker. “Chase me?”

  When laughter, thick and dark, erupted from the rogue, anger shot through Joseph like a cannon blast, ripping through his calm reserve. He’d knock the scoundrel to kingdom come if only he could see him. But the lack of control he had over the situation and insufficiency he felt stared him in the face.

  His neck tensed as tight as a pulled cord. He sucked air through his teeth and kept a hand on the side of the building as he lowered his foot, hoping to locate a step.

  “Get away from her,” Joseph warned, a foot connecting with the second step and then another with the hard ground.

  He wanted to tear off the bandages, but what if he obliterated the wraps and found nothing had changed? No light to illumine his path, no clear image, no sight by which to make his way in life.

  “It’s all right, Joseph,” Katie urged, her words far from convincing. He could hear her struggling to free herself.

  When he pushed away from the building, aiming toward the sound of Katie’s voice with his hands outstretched, all he could think about was getting her out of harm’s way. And of how he could never watch over her if he couldn’t see.

  What kind of protector would he be? How could he ever ensure her safety?

  The questions ricocheted through his mind mercilessly, but he shoved them down. He couldn’t afford to think about those things now. Katie needed him.

  “What’s going on out here?” A man’s voice pierced his silent nightmare as he came to stand beside him. “Is there a problem?”

  “Nope. No problem as I can see,” the drunk who’d stood near Katie answered, the sound of his heavy, unsteady footsteps quickly carrying him away from the stagecoach house.

  “Everything is fine now, thank you,” Katie answered, her voice still trembling.

  “All righty, then,” the man responded as he trudged up the steps and walked back inside the building.

  Humiliation, cold and harsh, crumbled over Joseph like a wall of ice. He tried not to think about what would’ve happened had the man not appeared from inside the building.

  “Katie?” he breathed.

  When he felt her touch at his arm, relief nearly bowled him over. As did the sickening realization that without his sight, he was as useless as a bug on his back. She deserved more than having to look to others for her protection.

  When she drew in a shuddering breath, he turned and wrapped his arms possessively around her, pulling her close to his chest. The quaking he felt coming from her shook him. Shook him to the very core, stirring up the insecurities he’d faced these past five weeks.

  He just had to get his sight back.

  When Joseph’s appointment finally arrived, flagrant insecurities haunted him from the previous day. He was desperate to finally see again, and was beyond grateful that the day had finally arrived because he didn’t ever want Katie to have to go through that again.

  She’d tried dismissing the event as nothing, but Joseph knew it had affected her far more than she was letting on. He’d kept his arms around her for some time, and it was long moments before her shaking subsided and her breathing evened out.

  After they’d checked into the hotel and met up with Sven for supper, they’d all parted ways until morning. Sleep eluded him once again because he’d lain awake thinking of Katie. The horrible reality of his limitations if he didn’t regain his sight was at the forefront of his mind.

  In the early morning hours he’d finally pushed through the morbid thoughts and slept. He was going to see again. Surely God loved him enough to answer his desperate pleas. Surely the providence of Katie coming into his life wouldn’t
be dangled like some carrot just out of reach.

  With a gentle grasp on Katie’s arm, he steadied himself, anxious to finally get this day behind him and get on with his life. But as he crossed the threshold to the office he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that a thousand guns were aimed directly at him—their sights firmly set upon his vulnerability.

  Shortly after arriving, they were ushered into an exam room where a lingering scent of antiseptic pervaded. While they sat waiting for the doctor, his mind and body buzzed with anxious energy. He dragged his fingers through his hair and shifted uncomfortably, unable to recall a time when he’d been so nervous. The anticipation of seeing again had his stomach bound in a tight knot.

  Worse, the fear of not seeing again had his heart grinding to an agonizing halt.

  “It’ll work out, Joseph.” Katie touched his shoulder, her fingers lightly, briefly stroking his tense muscles.

  “Thanks.” He turned to her, knowing that his attempt at a smile fell painfully short. “I’m sure it will, too.”

  He caught her fingers, pulling them down to cradle her hand. He rubbed his thumbs the length of each soft, slender finger and up to her dainty wrist, where he felt the wisp of lace edging her sleeve.

  “Do you know what I want my first sight to be?” His voice grew tight with emotion as the door creaked open. “I want to see you,” he whispered, releasing her hand and standing from his chair.

  “Good afternoon. I’m Dr. Becker.” The man’s voice boomed confidence as his feet swept steadily across the wood floor like fine-grained sandpaper. “You must be Mr. Drake.”

  Joseph faced the doctor. “Good afternoon, Doctor.” When he returned the man’s handshake, he noticed how the doctor’s hand felt considerably smaller in his own.

  “And you must be Mrs. Drake?”

  Joseph sat down next to Katie again. “Miss Ellickson is a teacher who’s been working with me.”

  “Oh, I see. Well, it’s nice to meet the two of you,” the doctor said simply, exuding nothing but pure professionalism. “I hope we can help you today, Mr. Drake. Your doctor—and brother, I understand—informed me of your situation.”

  Joseph heard him shifting some papers and assumed he was probably skimming over Ben’s notes that they’d left with the nurse. The muscles in his jaws worked overtime, and his forearms ached from the tight fists his hands formed.

  “Uh-huh.” A long silence followed. “Now, let’s see. It’s been over five weeks since the accident?”

  After the doctor gathered firsthand details of the accident from Joseph, he gave a harsh cough. “I know you probably want to get this over with, so why don’t we do just that.”

  Joseph’s pulse picked up. His stomach churned.

  “Let me tell you that I’m hopeful. Knowing that you were able to see some dim shadows when the patches were originally removed is a very good sign. Very good, indeed. Hopefully we’ll see even more improvement today.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping for,” Joseph said with a nod.

  “Your brother did the right thing in ordering bed rest,” the doctor confirmed. “Now, I’m going to remove these wrappings around your head first.”

  His nerve endings thrummed. His ears rang and his pulse pounded heavily as a heated flush worked up his chest, neck, head. Every noise suddenly annoyed him, especially the short-winded whistling sound as Dr. Becker breathed.

  The doctor snipped at the bandage with cold metal scissors, then began unwinding. “I’ll have you open your eyes slowly, so it won’t be too bright. It can be overwhelming at first.”

  “I suppose,” he responded with a forced chuckle. His heart slammed against his chest wall. “I’ll take overwhelming.”

  A suspense-filled silence hung in the air, making it stifling. Joseph wanted to reach to Katie, but resisted the urge. The confidence he’d felt only a week ago, an hour ago, a moment ago, seemed like a mirage in a hot, dry desert.

  Once the bandages were finally off, he sighed with relief. The air was cool, liberating against his skin.

  “Now, I’m going to lift off these patches.” Dr. Becker’s voice was girded with caution. “Are you ready?”

  Nodding, he gripped the arms of the chair and steadied himself, as if waiting for a stunning fireworks demonstration, full of light, color and form.

  Or was he waiting for the knockout blow in a fight?

  “Now, Joseph, be patient and let your eyes adjust to the light. I want you to slowly open your eyes.”

  He tightened his grip on the arms of the chair, every muscle tensed with anticipation as he leaned forward. He felt confident again, and hopeful as he determined to look Katie’s way just as soon as the glorious light seeped into the offending darkness. Slowly easing his eyelids open, he blinked.

  Was there something in his eyes?

  He clutched the arms of the chair and blinked again. But he couldn’t seem to find anything more than the dim shadows he’d seen before.

  “I—I don’t know. I can’t tell,” he said hesitantly.

  Desperately wanting to believe that remnants of the bandages still remained on his eyes, he reached up, his hands trembling as he felt where the patches had been.

  Nothing.

  “It’s all right,” Dr. Becker offered. “We’ll go over here by the window. The sun is bright this afternoon. Let’s see if your eyes can register more light here.”

  Joseph struggled to his feet when he felt the doctor’s hand beneath his arm. Once standing, his knees threatened to buckle. He closed his eyes as he was led across the room. When they stopped, the doctor placed Joseph’s hand upon a wide wooden sill, smooth and polished under his fingertips.

  “Do you see anything now?” The measure of hope in the doctor’s voice gave encouragement.

  Opening his eyes wide, he again searched for light-bathed images. He opened and shut his eyes several times. Sweat beaded his brow. His breath came in short pants. Desperate, he searched wildly.

  Nothing.

  Dr. Becker stood directly in front of him, appearing like a vague, undefined image in a thick, unrelenting fog. Try as he might, Joseph couldn’t make out color or even the most obvious detail.

  He turned his head toward where Katie was sitting, straining to see her through the dense gray filling his vision. He saw nothing, but heard her whisper, “Joseph?”

  The weight of the doctor’s hand upon his shoulder was a faint contact point as he felt himself drifting farther away. The stark reality of his fate threatened to drive him to the darkest depths.

  Turning back to the window, the warm, inviting sun bore down upon his face as if mocking him, but again he couldn’t make out anything more than a murky shadow of light.

  How could this be?

  Slamming his eyes shut, he opened them with the fading hope of finding something more than formless shadows. Trembling, he plowed his fingers through his hair, then pulled a hand down over his face, his fingertips briefly resting upon eyes that couldn’t see. Slowly he raised his chin, fighting not to fall prey to complete and total despair.

  I’m blind. Oh, God, I’m blind.

  The realization hit like a sudden blast, annihilating hope.

  Never had he felt more alone or forsaken.

  Where are You, God? Don’t You know I need my sight?

  His silent plea, one he’d prayed hundreds of times, seemed to hang suspended in the dark unknown.

  “There’s no change,” he finally admitted, his jaw tense, his stomach churning. “It’s no better than before.”

  “I’m sorry, son. This must come as a surprise.” Dr. Becker’s tone was tight, forced. “Let’s go back over here and sit down.”

  Every single step felt short and clumsy once again, as if all the progress he’d made with Katie had been a figment of his imagination.

  After the doctor performed a couple of tests, he rested his hands upon Joseph’s shoulders. “I’d hoped to have more encouraging news for you. I know this must be difficult.”

  H
e wanted to run far away. But he probably couldn’t make it out of the room without attendance, let alone the building.

  “You’ll get through this, Joseph. I know you will.” An undercurrent of shared discouragement and sadness was evident in Katie’s voice as he felt her familiar, comforting touch upon his arm. “Give yourself time.”

  “This isn’t an easy lot in life,” the doctor added. “But in time you will grow accustomed to life without sight and your other senses will compensate for the lack in vision. There have been some significant advances made for the blind.” The words were meant to lend hope, but nothing could mask the pity in the doctor’s voice. “And it sounds like, with Miss Ellickson here, you’re already on the right road.”

  Although he was thankful for what Katie had taught him over the last two weeks, he realized now that he’d been going through the motions, counting on things taking a favorable turn for him.

  “Is there any chance that restoration could still take place?” He forced the tremble from his voice as he mined for some vein of hope. “I mean, could it be that maybe my eyes just need more time? Maybe you should wrap them again.”

  The doctor gave a measured sigh. “I don’t make a habit of leaving my patients with false hope. I find that that can be counterproductive, so I’ll be very honest with you.”

  The nervous cough coming from Dr. Becker had Joseph bracing himself for words he somehow knew would set his fate in stone. He wanted to cover his ears. Storm out of the room.

  He’d never run from a challenge, though. Could he find it within himself to face this one head-on? The way he saw it, he didn’t have much of a choice. God had ignored his pleas and left him high and dry.

  “With this kind of head trauma and the amount of time that has gone by since the injury, I regret to say that we’ve likely seen as much restoration as we’re going to get.”

  Joseph stared into the darkness while listening to the bleak prognosis. He set his face like the calm of a glassy sea. Inside, however, huge waves battered his soul.