by Aimée
“He has to cope with his grief right now. Give him time to come around.”
As they approached Rose’s room, Clifford gestured toward three women who were walking away. “Her fellow herbalists from the Plant Watchers have been visiting Mom today. Although that should have cheered her up, I don’t think it helped much.”
“Let me see what I can do.” The idea of being able to accomplish something Clifford hadn’t been able to do, appealed to her. All through her life, Clifford had been the one everyone looked to, not her, when something important needed to be done. She’d found it extremely annoying. Yet, without that unspoken competition between them, she may never have acquired such a strong drive to succeed—the one trait she possessed that was a match for his charisma and natural talents.
As Ella entered her mother’s room, her confidence vanished. Although Rose was sitting up, it was as if a light had gone out in her eyes. A chill enveloped Ella. “Hello, Mom. How are you feeling?”
“About the same.”
Her voice and tone were subdued, lacking the spark of emotion. Ella looked at the small green herbal plant left on the bed stand by her mother’s friends. “This is pretty.”
“It makes a pleasant-tasting drink, much like Mormon Tea,” Rose said absently. “How is Two? Are you taking care of him?”
Ella smiled. Finally her mother was showing some sign of interest. “Yes, but he misses you.”
“He has you and, if you allow it, you’ll find he can be a very loyal companion.”
This wasn’t going well. It was as if her mother was deeding her the dog she loved. As an idea formed in her mind, Ella realized that she still had an ace in the hole. “I may be able to find a way to sneak him into the hospital. Are you interested in trying to see him?”
Rose’s eyes suddenly sparkled with mischief. “They’d throw you both out, you know.”
“Undoubtedly—but only if they catch us.”
Rose smiled. “I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.…”
Ella glanced at the wheelchair that had been set near the foot of the bed. “The one problem is that you’d have to agree to meet me somewhere other than this room. You’re too close to the nurses’ station here. Do you think you can wheel yourself a short distance? This hall’s got too many witnesses.”
Rose’s expression became sad. “I can’t stand to even look at that thing. Even crutches are better than being wheeled around.”
Ella nodded. “I can understand that. Once you can get around without it, they’ll take it out of here. But, until then, think of it as something you’re using, a tool, like a car, nothing else.”
“But you only use a car when you need one. The doctors say that if I don’t heal right…”
“Don’t you worry about that. In these days of lawyers and malpractice suits, doctors wouldn’t guarantee that you’d find sand in the desert. Since when did you start putting so much faith in what the doctor’s say anyway? Don’t tell me you’re becoming a progressive!”
A shadow of a smile played on Rose’s mouth. “You drive a hard bargain, but seeing you get Two into this hospital is worth learning to use that contraption. You’ve got a deal.”
“Don’t tell anyone, though, okay?”
“Not even your brother?”
“Especially my brother,” Ella answered with a wink. “He can be very stuffy at times, you know.”
Before she could say more, a nurse came into the room. “I’m afraid that Mrs. Destea needs some rest now,” she said, carrying in a tray of medications. As the nurse’s gaze fell on Rose, she smiled. “My, you’re looking better! Your daughter must be good for you.”
“At times,” Rose answered.
Flashing her mother a quick smile, Ella stepped out of the room. The moment she was out in the hall, Ella’s expression changed instantly. What on earth had she done? In an effort to help her mother, she’d dug an even deeper hole for both of them. Two had no training except being housebroken. Even more important, he weighed at least fifty pounds. It wasn’t like sneaking in a toy poodle she could carry inside a tote bag. She’d need a body bag from Carolyn’s morgue and, even then, how on earth would she explain away a wriggling body to Navajos already afraid of the dead?
Ella went back out to her vehicle, glad that her mother’s condition was stable and it wasn’t necessary for her or Clifford to sleep in the room with her. As her thoughts shifted to her brother, she sighed loudly. She truly wished that, for once, she hadn’t allowed the rivalry between Clifford and her to affect her thinking. She’d wanted to accomplish what Clifford hadn’t been able to with their mom—to get her to start thinking about living instead of dying. Only, now she was stuck with the crazy plan she’d concocted.
* * *
Ella testified at the DWI task force in Santa Fe in the morning, but it was a waste of time. When she finally walked out through the massive bronze doors of the Capitol building, she wondered if she had gotten through to anyone there at all.
She’d hoped to sway them, to touch them with her own experiences growing up on the Rez. She’d told them about bars just off the Rez, where many adults spent their entire paychecks, and of parents inside drinking while their children were waiting for them outside in a cold pickup.
She conveyed the story of her father trying to console a man who’d struck and killed a drunk father of eight who had wandered onto the highway. Later, despite her father’s efforts, the driver had committed suicide, a rare thing indeed for a Navajo.
Ella showed them her high school yearbook, with each page containing at least one photo of a young man or woman who had lost a family member, or died themselves from an alcohol-related death. Then she described her own mother’s accident, and the possibility of her never being able to walk again without crutches. Rose was lucky, but would the next person the driver hit, when he was inevitably back on the road again, escape death? Ella was very tempted to say more, but kept her tongue out of respect for Big Ed.
As she’d studied the lawmaker’s expressions, she’d seen glimmers of understanding and other emotions mirrored there that had given her some hope. But she was also realistic. Before long, maybe even by lunchtime, they’d push her testimony out of their minds and go on to the next order of business.
They were politicians who had heard it all so often they’d become jaded. In a world that had seen too many horrors, people had a way of insulating themselves, of making sure nothing touched them too deeply. These men and women had perfected that response.
In the end, the bottom line would always be money, not the lives of victims. If the conclusions of the conference called for more enforcement officers, alcohol-treatment programs, or job training to break the cycle of poverty, it would have to be done within the existing budget. Promises were easy to make, as long as they didn’t require commitment, too. A lot of the politicians in power Ella knew had been elected because of their promises to spend less, not more. Getting re-elected was probably at the top of their list of priorities now.
As she walked out to the street, she hoped one or two of the lawmakers she’d spoken to would remember her words and be moved to take action. A poor constituency, and New Mexico was one of the poorest, didn’t have much leverage beyond the compassion of its representatives.
* * *
Ella’s trip back to the reservation was uneventful, but being stuck in an airplane for a short flight had its advantages. Here she could relax. Nobody expected anything from her. The flight ended much too quickly, however. Before long, she was back where she’d left her vehicle parked, a secure, fenced compound inside the Farmington airfield.
Ella picked up her cell phone and called the station in Shiprock the second she was inside her Jeep. No new leads had been found in Lisa Aspass’ murder, but Justine hadn’t finished working the evidence. Looking through school yearbooks, she’d managed to identify the two boys they’d seen the evening before.
Justine had already gone by the driver’s home and cited the youth for reckle
ss driving, littering, and a few other charges. The license number had been from a stolen tag, but had been ditched. Finding the vehicle was unregistered, Justine had written another ticket. The boy, Rudy Keeswood, was going to court for sure, if only to answer traffic offenses. Unfortunately, the boy claimed to know nothing about the burglaries, and stuck to his story.
“I’m ten-eight as of right now,” Ella said, signifying she was available and on duty. “I’ll make a quick stop by the hospital, then I’ll be back at the station in about forty-five minutes and we can talk about this some more.”
“Ten-four.”
Ella disconnected the call, then dialed the hospital and left a message for her mother’s doctor to call her back. Fifteen minutes later, the physician, a family friend, returned her call.
“She’s in slightly better spirits,” Dr. Natoni said. “The nurse reported that she has started using the wheelchair, though moving her legs is still uncomfortable for her. We’re trying to get her to start some physical therapy so she can progress to crutches right away, but she’s refused to cooperate.”
“Doc, since you work the ER, will you be passing on care of my mother to another physician soon?”
“If I went strictly by hospital protocol I would be, but I’d like to see this through to the finish and no one’s voiced any objections. We’ve known each other for quite a while, so trust me, she couldn’t be in better hands. I was an orthopedic surgeon before I decided to specialize in emergency medicine.”
“I do trust you, Doc. I know my mother has the best care on the Rez.”
Ella thought about her promise to bring Two to the hospital as she hung up. Her mother was meeting her end of the bargain, now she’d have to figure out a way to get the dog to her mom. Driving on, various scenarios played through her mind, all ending in disaster.
Five minutes away from the reservation line, Ella glanced down the highway, aware of the old building that had once been the infamous Turquoise Bar. Old time drivers in the county still slowed down instinctively as they approached the Hogback, though the once-crowded tavern had been closed for years. Public pressure had forced their doors to close. There had been just too many fights, too many accidents, and too many of The People dying of exposure after passing out drunk.
Now the booze was coming from other sources off the Rez just a little further away. The route of the drunken drivers had just lengthened a bit more, placing more motorists in jeopardy than before.
SIX
As Ella pulled into the hospital parking lot, serious concerns filled her mind once again. From the moment she entered the hospital, a sense of oppressiveness filled her. Some places seemed geared to crush the human spirit and, in her opinion, hospitals were a prime example. The strong disinfectant smells, the impersonal, institutional look of every hallway, and the sameness of the staff’s pastel uniforms, all seemed to conspire to dampen optimism. Knowing that her mother had to remain here for the time being just made everything seem worse.
When she entered her mother’s room, no one was there. An icy hand gripped her heart and her stomach sank. Did they have to take her back into surgery?
A nurse walked around her and into the room, giving Ella a distracted smile. “She’ll be back in a few minutes. She’s downstairs in therapy right now.
Ella drew in a long, ragged breath, suddenly aware that she’d stopped breathing. “How is my mother doing?” she managed, surprised at how calm her voice sounded when her heart had practically stopped beating.
“She’s trying, but therapy is painful for her at this point with all the bruises and strain she experienced. Movement is necessary to stretch the muscles and keep them strong, but it can cause a lot of discomfort.”
Ella nodded. The thought of her mother’s pain, and the pointless accident that had caused her suffering, made Ella ache as well. “And mentally, are her spirits up?”
The young Navajo woman hesitated for several long moments. “She seems better, but I suspect that’s because she’s set a goal for herself, getting out of that wheelchair and onto crutches. I’ve seen this with patients before. Becoming focused helps them, but it has a downside. Sometimes patients have unrealistic expectations, and when they fail to meet their goals right away, they become despondent.”
As she finished speaking, a middle-aged Navajo nurse appeared at the door, helping to wheel Rose inside. Rose’s eyes lit up as she saw her daughter.
Ella gave her mother a hug. “How are you doing, Mom?”
Rose shrugged. “Your brother explained what you were doing in Santa Fe. How did it go?”
“I don’t know. It’s hard for me to read politicians,” she said, helping to lift her mother back into bed.
As Rose settled in, Ella saw the pain mirrored in her eyes. Her chest constricted. It was hard to see someone you loved suffering and not be able to help.
“Tell me about your work, Ella. What has been happening?”
Ella hesitated, knowing how her mother liked and respected Wilson Joe. He’d been a close friend of Clifford’s for years, and a frequent visitor at their home until he’d become engaged to Lisa Aspass.
“I need something to think about, Daughter, besides myself,” Rose encouraged, taking a tiny pill from the nurse’s hand along with a cup of water.
Ella considered it. Perhaps getting Rose involved in news outside the hospital would be a good thing. They spoke about some of her mother’s friends, the latest gossip, but then when her mother specifically asked about Wilson Joe, Ella felt a cold chill envelope her. Deciding she couldn’t keep the truth from her mother, Ella recounted what she could about the murder of Wilson’s fiancée.
Rose listened intently, shaking her head from time to time, but she didn’t seem especially surprised by the news. “You know, I don’t like to speak ill of people, but I always felt that young woman wouldn’t come to a good end. There was something odd about her.”
“Mom, you barely knew her,” Ella scoffed.
“True, but I did talk to the girl a few times when she was with your friend. There was something insincere about her, even when she was flattering Wilson. The expression on her face never seemed to match what she was saying. I think what she wanted most was to be the one to marry him, like it was a contest or something.”
Ella considered her mother’s words. Rose had an unerring instinct about people but, in this particular case, Ella had a feeling her mother’s assessment was colored by her perception of what Lisa had taken from Ella. Rose resented the young woman who, in her eyes, had stolen the man she’d wanted for her daughter.
Aware suddenly of the silence stretching out between them, Ella glanced back up at her mother. Rose had a faraway expression on her face. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes becoming focused once more. “But I have to warn you about something. My intuitions are rarely wrong, and I feel that Death follows us all now. I’m not afraid for myself, but for you and Clifford. You’ve got your whole lives ahead of you.”
“Mom, I’ve got news for you. So do you. We all need you to stop talking as if you’re ready to throw in the towel.”
Rose exhaled softly. “Don’t you remember the stories I used to tell you when you were a child? Death is not an enemy. The reason the Hero Twins spared him was because he was a friend. Without Death, the old people wouldn’t make room for the young, and without the freshness of new ideas, there would be no renewal, just an endless repeat of the old.”
“I won’t listen to you talk this way. Death has a purpose, but it’s not one you can fill yet. Your grandson looks to you to tell him the stories about our people. None of us can do it as well as you can.” Hearing footsteps behind her, Ella turned around and saw Carolyn Roanhorse come into the room holding a small paper bag.
She smiled broadly at Rose. “I’ve brought your favorite brand of chocolates. I saw them at the mall in Farmington, and thought of you,” Carolyn said, handing Rose the box from the sack.
Rose looked down at the box a
bit hesitantly, murmured a thank you, then opened the container. She offered a piece to Carolyn and Ella, took one for herself, then set the box on the table beside the bed.
Her mother’s lack of enthusiasm struck Ella hard. She knew that Rose had few weaknesses as potent as her love for these gourmet chocolates, and rarely closed the lid on a box with only three pieces gone. Was it because Dr. Roanhorse was the medical examiner and the candy might be contaminated with ghost sickness, or was it something else? She glanced at Carolyn, and knew that the worried look etched on the ME’s features matched her own.
“I’m really tired right now,” Rose said looking at the women. “Thank you for coming to see me, but would you mind if I tried to get some sleep now?”
Ella kissed her mother good-bye and then walked out into the hall with Carolyn. “I thought she might be a little anxious seeing you, having come so near death herself. But it’s that depression of hers, nothing else. She worries me,” Ella said.
Carolyn nodded in agreement. “I dropped in earlier, and she seemed almost cheerful for a while until we saw a patient wheeled by on a gurney. Then she got tired again. Rose desperately needs something to bring the spark back into her eyes. The chocolates didn’t help much. I would have suggested that you bring her grandson here, but children can find hospitals frightening, and it would only make things worse if he started crying.”
“Mom would never approve of bringing Julian here anyway, even if his parents did. But I’ve had another idea. The only problem I’ve got now is working out the logistics.” She told Carolyn about the promise she’d made her mother to bring Two for a visit.
“Are you crazy? What are you going to do, put a hat on his head, a coat on his back, and teach him to walk on his hind legs?”
Ella smiled. “Not quite. But you know what? If you and I work together, we’ll be able to pull it off. And we wouldn’t be bringing Two into her room, just someplace nearby where she could go in her wheelchair.”