A Time for Peace

by Barbara Cameron

  "Can we go with?" Mary asked.

  Jenny looked at her, then Annie, and saw the tears drying on their cheeks and the worry in their eyes but shook her head. "It's best if I go there first and find out what's going on."

  "I'll come right back for you and Phoebe if he can have visitors," David promised.

  Mary wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him and then took Annie's hand. "Kumm, let's make a card for Joshua."

  "With glitter?"

  "Of course. Lots of glitter."

  "I'll make you that hot chocolate," Phoebe said. She turned."Sam? Are you ready for some?"

  He looked at his mother and she nodded.

  "Joy? Some kaffe or tea?"

  "Sounds wonderful." She got to her feet, carrying baby Emily in the crook of her arm. "I think it's time for another bottle for the kidlet here, too." She hugged Jenny. "Let me know about Joshua the minute you find out. I'll be praying for him. For all of you."

  David drove them to the hospital, one hand on the steering wheel, one hand clasping Jenny's. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. The warmth of his hand, the reassuring look he sent her occasionally meant more than words.

  The hospital was a place she'd been to several times since she'd returned here from overseas. She'd been a patient in the ER after she'd been hurt in Phoebe's buggy by a driver going too fast. The children had been in for the usual minor accidents.

  But Matthew had been forced to confront bad memories of the place where he'd had to say goodbye to his first wife when he visited Jenny here. She knew it was going to be hard on Matthew if the news wasn't good when he talked to the doctors about Joshua.

  David let her out at the ER entrance. "Do you have a cell? I didn't think to ask."

  "I think Matthew has the one he uses for business with him. Everything happened so fast, I don't know."

  "If he doesn't, call me on the hospital phone and I'll bring you one of ours. But either way, call us the minute you know something. If you want Joy to come sit with you, let me know.I'll bring her."

  She reached for the door handle and then leaned her forehead on the window.

  "Jenny?"

  "I'm so scared, David," she whispered. "You remember what a head injury did to me."

  He pulled over to a visitor parking place, turned off the car, and hugged her. "Come on, you can't think like that." He set her from him. "Do you want us to pray before you go in?

  Her eyes widened. They'd prayed earlier as a group with Joy and Phoebe and their children. But he'd never offered to pray with her one-on-one even though he and Joy were her deepest and best friends.

  He shrugged. "I don't make a big deal of it but I prayed a lot for you since you were hurt overseas."

  "I—never knew."

  He shrugged. "Maybe a person never knows everyone who's praying for them."

  She was afraid she was going to cry. Instead, she took a deep breath. "Thank you. I think I can go in now."

  Turning, she started to open the door. Then she looked back."If you could pray some more for Joshua, I'd appreciate it."

  "Without ceasing and never ending."

  Surprised at David quoting Scripture, Jenny kissed his cheek, got out, and went to find Matthew.

  Waiting in a room at the hospital made Matthew feel even more helpless than sitting in the ambulance had—while it was upsetting to see Joshua lying motionless after the seizure, at least he'd had him in view and watched the medical professionals working on him.

  Here, he was politely told that the doctors and nurses needed him to sit in the waiting room while they examined his son. There were tests to perform, people to consult. They promised gently but firmly that they'd come out and talk to him as soon as they knew something.

  He trusted them. It was a good hospital and the staff had treated his family well in the past. After all, it hadn't been their fault he'd lost Amelia. The cancer, His will, had been stronger, her time to meet with God at hand.

  And all the other times he'd come here, to see Jenny after the buggy accident and the various minor accidents kinner got involved in—everything had turned out allrecht.

  But his heart was still beating fast and his hands shook.

  "Matthew?"

  He looked up as Jenny came rushing toward him. He stood and was relieved when she embraced him and didn't let go.Something lifted and settled inside him as she pressed her cheek against his and held on. He absorbed her love and support.Whatever their problems, he needed this now.

  Everything else—the hurt, the hard words, the distance— fell away with the human contact.

  Finally, Jenny stood back. "What have they said about Joshua?"

  "They haven't told me anything yet, just that he's stable and he's having tests and a CAT scan."

  Without speaking they clasped hands, bent their heads, and prayed for their son. And then they sat and kept holding hands and tried not to watch the clock.

  Finally, Jenny could bear it no longer.

  "Five minutes," she said. "If they don't come out in five minutes and tell us something, I'm going in."

  He smiled as he touched her cheek. "The doors are locked."

  "How do you know?"

  "I watched another parent try them when anxiety got to her."

  Jenny lifted her chin. "Well, they can't keep me away from my son. I need to see my son."

  Matthew knew his wife. He figured she'd beat the door down if necessary.

  Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about that. A nurse came out and called to them a few minutes later.

  "They heard me," Jenny muttered beneath her breath.

  Knowing was best, Matthew told himself. Whatever the news, it was better than waiting outside, feeling helpless.

  The walk down the hallway, then past the cubicles, felt endless. Cries of pain, murmurs of comfort came from behind some of the curtains. There was a flurry of movement as nurses rushed past them to a cubicle where Matthew feared something really serious was happening.

  A nurse stood beside Joshua's gurney. She smiled when they walked in. "The doctor stepped out for a minute but he'll be right back."

  Joshua lay with his eyes closed, his face pale against the paper pillow. A bandage wound around his head. An IV was hooked up and fluids were being pumped into him. Machines blinked and beeped at his side.

  Matthew and Jenny moved to each side of his bed. She carefully stroked Joshua's hair. He could see that part of his son's head had been shaved and several black stitches had been sewn on his scalp. A small cast covered one even smaller wrist.

  "Has he woken up yet?" Matthew barely recognized his voice. It sounded old and rusty as if he hadn't used it much.

  "Not yet," the nurse told him gently. She looked tired but she had kind eyes and from her age, Matthew guessed she had years of experience with frantic parents.

  The doctor stepped inside. He shook their hands and then slapped the X-rays up on a lighted box.

  "He took quite a blow to his head," the man said without preamble. "Looks like a bit of concussion but I think he'll be fine. He's also got a simple fracture of the wrist."

  Matthew felt Jenny slump with relief at the news. "What about the seizure?" Jenny asked before Matthew could.

  "It's fairly common after a head injury."

  The police officer had said that. Matthew had wanted to believe him.

  "We have some blood tests being analyzed to see how bad the seizure was. It dumps a chemical into the bloodstream.Sometimes a head injury will cause epilepsy but if he has no more seizures there'll be no need for meds."

  "When will he wake up?"

  The doctor smiled. "Soon. Try to relax."

  He left and they stood there with the nurse, watching for a sign of awakening from Joshua, listening to the beep of the machines.

  "We had to cut off his clothes to make it easier to examine him," said the nurse whose nameplate announced her as Susan. "I thought you might want this." She handed Jenny a folded up piece of paper.

&nb
sp; Curious, Jenny opened it and then she burst into tears. "It's a note I wrote him," she told Matthew. "I put one in his lunchbox every morning. He kept the one from today. Why would he do that?"

  Feeling the sting of tears in his own eyes, Matthew tried to smile at her. "He loves his mamm."

  An hour passed, then another. The nurse brought chairs for them to sit beside Joshua's bed.

  "Talk to him," the nurse invited.

  Matthew stared at her. "He can hear us even when he looks like he's sleeping?"

  "I've found it to be true," she said, nodding. "I know it was scary to watch him having a seizure, but some children never have another after a head injury."

  "I just want him to wake up," Matthew said.

  She patted his arm. "He will." She straightened the sheets on the bed. "What were you doing before the accident? Had you had supper?"

  Matthew nodded. "We were visiting with friends who came from New York to see us," he said, struggling to remember what had happened before the accident. "Joshua ran into the road to catch a kitten that got out of the barn. He did it so his younger sister wouldn't. He fell and hit his head."

  "Ah, a good big brother, huh?"

  Matthew nodded. "Ya."

  "So he's not going to get into trouble?"

  The nurse was staring hard at him, looking like she was trying to send a message.

  "Nee," Matthew told him. "It was a mistake he'll not likely make again."

  "So what's Joshua's favorite dinner?"

  "Pizza," Jenny told her. "He loves pizza."

  "Maybe that's where you'll go as soon as you get out of here," the nurse said and she winked at Matthew and jerked her head at Joshua. "I bet that'd perk him right up. What's he like on his pizza?"

  "Lots of pepperoni."

  "I just took my kids to this place where they have games the children can play. You know, like Whack-a-Mole and old fashioned tabletop games. I'll tell you where it is if you like."

  Then she frowned. "I'm sorry, I think the games are nothing your faith would object to but—"

  Matthew held up a hand. Had he seen Joshua's lashes flutter? He gestured to Jenny to join him at his side and held her close.

  "No, I'm sure they're allrecht," he said, not sure of that at all. But at the very least, they were going there as soon as they could for pizza.

  "The pizza sounds like a very good idea," he said. "Don't you think, Jenny?"

  She looked at him, confused, and then when he gestured at Joshua, her face brightened. "And root beer. Joshua and the other children really love root beer."

  Joshua stirred and he slowly opened his eyes. "Games? Pizza?"

  Matthew felt his heart rise in his throat. He cleared it."Games. And lots of pepperoni."

  Thank you, God, he said silently and he looked at Jenny who was crying.

  "That sound good, sohn?"

  "Yeah." He turned his head slightly and winced. "Hi, Mamm."

  "Hi."

  "You're crying." He turned back to his daed. "You, too."

  "Your mamm calls them happy tears. We were worried about you."

  "Head hurts," he complained. "And I'm sleepy. I want to—" he stopped and closed his eyes, then blinked and opened them again. "I want to sleep a little while. Is that okay?"

  "We'll be right here when you wake up," Jenny promised him.

  "Pizza. We're going for pizza, right?"

  Matthew met the nurse's eyes. "Schur."

  The nurse glanced at Joshua and then she smiled at them. "I should buy stock in that place. Every time I mention it to one of my pediatric patients, they perk right up."

  Jenny tucked Joshua's blanket around him and wished she had his quilt to put around him instead. She sighed. Maybe tomorrow he'd be home and she could do it then.

  There was a noise at the door and she looked up to see Hannah and Chris.

  "How is he?" Hannah whispered as she hurried forward to hug Jenny.

  Something pushed at Jenny and, startled, she stepped back.

  "Sorry, the baby's been kicking a lot today."

  "Can I touch?"

  Hannah took her hand and placed it on her abdomen. The kick was instantaneous, as if the baby were trying to connect to her. "Wow."

  "I think maybe he's more active because of me rushing."

  "He?" She smiled at Chris and accepted his hearty hug.

  "Just a term. We still don't know if it's a he or she."

  "Not fair—Phoebe knows."

  "Tough," Hannah said without rancor and sank into the chair Chris pushed closer to Joshua's bed for her. "How's he doing?"

  "He's been sleeping a little while but he's doing fine. No more seizures. And his speech—" she broke off as it all just became too much. "His speech seems fine. We got lucky."

  Hannah tried to lever herself out of the chair but Jenny waved her back and dug in her pocket for a handkerchief. "No, stay there. I'm sorry, it's just—it's just—"

  "Been really stressful," Chris said and he gave her a big hug again. He patted her back. "I know it must have brought up bad memories of what happened to you."

  He glanced around. "Where's Matthew? I thought he was here with you."

  Jenny stifled a yawn with her hand. "He went for coffee and some sandwiches. But he's been gone a long time."

  "I'll go find him." He turned to Hannah. "Want anything?"

  "Coffee," she said, pouting. "But I can't have it."

  "Maybe some chocolate milk?"

  She grinned. "It sounds babyish but yes." After he left, she looked at Jenny. "He knows me so well."

  Joshua stirred and opened his eyes. He focused for a moment and then grinned. "Aenti Hannah."

  "Hi, Joshua. How are you feeling?"

  "Okay," he said.

  But both of them saw him wince at even the slightest movement of his head on the pillow.

  Jenny checked the clock on the wall. "Let me go ask the nurse if you can have something for the pain."

  "Nee, it's okay."

  "But you're hurting." Jenny frowned as she stroked his hair visible above the bandage around his head.

  He avoided her eyes. "I made enough trouble." His mouth trembled when he looked up.

  "Ssh," Jenny said, her heart breaking. "Oh, son, you didn't cause us any trouble. It was an accident!"

  "I shouldn't have been out in the street running after the kitten," he said staunchly, looking older than his years. "I'll pay you back for the hospital. I'll work this summer—"

  "Work? What's this about work?" Matthew asked as he walked into the room with their coffee.

  "He thinks he caused us trouble and he should pay for the hospital," Jenny said. "I was trying to tell him he didn't."

  "I disobeyed the rules," Joshua insisted and he began crying."Forgive me, Daed, Mamm?"

  Matthew set the cardboard carrier with the coffee down on the bedside table. "Everyone makes mistakes, sohn. And you kept your sisters out of the road."

  He bent down to hug Joshua. "I know you won't do something like that again. Mary told me Annie wanted to run after the kitten but you wouldn't let her." He patted his son's shoulder."I ran into the doctor on the way back and he said he thinks you can go home tomorrow."

  "And have pizza on the way home at that place the nurse said?" Joshua looked hopeful as he shifted to get more comfortable in the bed.

  "Pizza on the way home. We'll bring your sisters tomorrow when we come get you."

  He looked at Jenny and she nodded. "We'll bring plenty of quarters for the games," she told him. "You can Whack-a-Mole as much as you want. Although Annie may not approve of a game where you're hitting an animal, even a fake one."

  Suddenly her stomach roiled and she pushed the cup of coffee in Matthew's hand and bolted for the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her and barely made it to the toilet to throw up.

  15

  Mamm! Mamm!"

  Jenny flew down the stairs when she heard Annie calling for her.

  "What is it?" Breathless, panting at the exer
tion, she halted in front of Annie. "What's wrong?"

  "Josiah just brought this box!"

  Annie set it carefully on the kitchen table.

  Frowning, Jenny approached it and then jumped back when the box moved.

  "What's in it?"

  "I don't know. Can we open it?"

  There was a muffled noise and the box moved several inches on the table.

  "No! Leave it alone! Let me think." Jenny searched her memory for what Chris had done in the military. Had he been in the bomb squad? Maybe they should go get him . . .

  A bit unnerved, she pushed Annie behind her and tried to think what to do. Surely Josiah wouldn't bring them something bad, would he? He'd gotten over his attitude about her, seemed brusque sometimes but wasn't actively unfriendly as he'd been when she first came here and he thought she should go back to New York City. As a matter of fact, he'd almost cracked a smile at her at worship services last month.

  Phoebe walked into the room. Seeing them standing there looking at the box, she moved closer. "What's up?"

  "Josiah gave this box to Annie."

  "What's in it?"

  Jenny exchanged a look with Annie who was peeking from behind her. "We don't know. We're afraid to look."

  "I'm not afraid to look!" Annie piped up.

  Annie started to move around from behind her but Jenny held her back. "Well, I am. So stay where you are."

  "This is just silly!" Phoebe put her hands on her hips and stared at them. "Why would you be afraid of anything Josiah brought?"

  The box jumped.

  Muttering under her breath about people with active imaginations, Phoebe quickly folded back the flaps and out popped an orange-colored kitten.

  "Pumpkin!" Annie cried, rushing forward.

  The cat hissed and jumped off the table, racing into the other room where it scaled the living room curtains.

  Annie ran after it but she couldn't reach it. Jenny hurried over and almost had the kitten in her grasp when Pumpkin decided to jump down.

  Onto Jenny's back.

  "Ow!" she screeched, dancing and batting her hands at the kitten as its claws sank into her shoulders despite her clothing.

  "Get it off! Get it off!"

  "What's going on?" Mary asked as she entered the living room. "I could hear you yelling all the way upstairs. "Oh! Pumpkin!"