"Pick out her hoofs? What does that mean?"
"Zack says it's very important. If she has a little rock—or anything like that caught in her hoof—it might cause her to stumble after we hit the trail. And guess what, Sissie? Midnight's the coolest horse ever! I just love her."
"Well, isn't that nice?" In silence, Logan studied her little sister. She'd never told Kimberly about her horseback riding accident years ago. Should she now? Her better judgment won out. Zack wouldn't appreciate Logan filling his eager student with her own horror stories.
Kim grew unexpectedly quiet as she wound the strip of leather around her index finger. "Sissie. . ."
"Uh-huh?"
"I'm sorry." Her face crumpled. "I'm sorry. . .I yelled at you. And said what I did."
"Oh, pumpkin. . ." Logan pulled her sister gently to her and enveloped her in a hug. "It's okay, honey. I understand."
"You sure?"
"Yes." Logan smiled tentatively. "But I think we're due for a heart-to-heart talk. Next time you have something on your mind, don't go to Dr. Zack first. I love you, Kim. I love you very, very much. You and I don't need anyone else. We can work out our problems by ourselves. . ."
"But I like Dr. Zack. And I think you do too. What's wrong with me talking to him?"
"Oh, never mind," Logan said, giving up. She ruffled Kim's hair affectionately. "Just do me one favor, okay?"
"What?"
"If you hear any more of the kids talking. . .I mean, gossiping about Dr. Zack and me, tell them to stop it. Tell them that gossiping isn't nice."
"Sure," Kim answered distractedly, already busy again with her handiwork. She squinted back down at her oversized needle, jabbed it through a punched-out hole and pulled the leather cord through. "Do you think Mom would've liked my coin purse? I picked this piece of leather because it's shape like the head of a kitten and cats were always Mom's favorite."
Logan's eyes blurred with unshed tears. Oh, Mom, Logan thought as her grief threatened to overtake her. I'm trying. I'm trying hard to do my best for Kim.
"Yes, Kim," Logan managed at last, swallowing hard. "I know Mom would've liked your coin purse kitten. She would've liked it just fine."
* * *
Friday morning as Logan hurried back from Cabin 2-D where'd she'd checked on a boy who'd had a nosebleed and determined he was fine, she turned toward the stables. Zack and Kim would be getting started soon, she knew. Though she might regret it later, she simply had to catch a moment to watch.
She bit her lip, thinking. Thank goodness Zack had scheduled Kim's first lesson the same morning as the day hike. Hopefully that would help soften her disappointment about not participating.
From inside the stables, a horse nickered. Three were gathered at a water trough while two others munched hay. The air smelled sweet and cool from a brief shower earlier that morning—a shower that would also keep the dust in check for a while, Logan noted with satisfaction.
Drawing closer, she spied Zack standing with Kimberly on a ramp-like mounting platform while he assisted her from the wheelchair to Midnight's saddle. A recreational therapist by the name of Sean Jackson was holding the horse's head while Betty Jo stood off to the side to keep the animal from suddenly stepping away.
At last sitting tall in the saddle, Kim broke into a radiant smile. Zack was saying something to her—probably about how to hold the reins correctly—as he started leading the horse slowly about the corral with a lead rope. Logan looked on with silent trepidation, resting one hand on the weathered cedar fence. Then she caught Kim's eye.
"Hey, look!" Kim called. "Look at Dr. Zack and me."
"Way to go! You look great!" Logan replied, giving a quick wave. To her annoyance, Zachary never even glanced over at her. But then, she should be glad, shouldn't she? She wouldn't want him to let his concentration waver for even a moment.
She watched them begin their second time around. In some ways, Kim didn't look great at all, she told herself. She must've lost nearly ten pounds since the accident, a result of her grieving most likely. Truth was—despite the misleading glow of her suntanned face—Kim appeared frail and vulnerable, an assessment that would've never crossed Logan's mind back during the days of Kim's gymnastics competitions.
Midnight responded to Kim's every command with only a slight tug on the reins and a few spoken words, just as Zack had shown her. He appeared so gentle, so patient, so reassuring with Kimberly. No wonder his young patients took to him. Yes, she admitted to herself—though the truth came painfully—if anyone here at camp were to serve as Kim's riding mentor, she was relieved it was Zack.
Back at the infirmary, Logan nearly bumped head-on into Maggie as the other nurse was dashing out the door. "What's up?" Logan asked.
Maggie paused to smooth the wrinkles in her fuchsia colored tee-shirt and answered, "I promised Linda, one of the counselors going on the day hike, I'd take her some supplies. Besides the usual band-aids and antibiotic ointment, I thought she'd better pack a couple vials of Glucagon. Three of the kids in the group are diabetics."
"Does Linda know how to give shots?"
"Uh-huh. I showed her yesterday."
"Good." Logan picked up a pen from the desk near the door and stuck it in her pocket. "Oh, by the way, how's Richard doing? Is he one of the kids going with Linda?"
"Yes—and he's plenty excited. When I checked his blood sugar this morning before breakfast and made sure he gave himself his insulin, the hike was all he could talk about."
Logan smiled. Richard's diabetes finally appeared under control. Too bad it couldn't have happened earlier in the session. She peered through the half-opened door at the gray blanket of clouds hovering over the west horizon and added, "I hope the weather doesn't take a turn for the worse. We've already had one shower this morning."
"Aw, what's a little rain?" Maggie said with a grin. "You Californians need to grow web feet like the rest of us."
Logan propped her hands against her hips and chuckled. "I'm not a native Californian, mind you. I was only a transplant during my marriage to Matthew." Matthew, she thought her smile suddenly fading. How she wished she could forget she'd ever married him.
"After I get back from seeing Linda," Maggie went on, "I'm driving into Mapleton to pick up more supplies. The cooks are almost out of pancake mix and milk and I might as well get whatever we need from the pharmacy also. Will you take another quick inventory before I go?"
"Sure. No problem." A half an hour later, Logan was busy checking cupboards, drawers, and the refrigerator where certain medicines were stored. They were running a little low on 4 x 4 dressings, first aid ointment, and plastic tubing for the nebulizer treatments, she determined. They'd also need more Tetanus Toxoid and few more bottles of lice-killing shampoo.
As she worked, it struck her how surprisingly fast the time at camp had passed. Part of her responded with relief—in a little more than a week, she would return to her former civilized, well-ordered life. And perhaps Kimberly would be well enough by then to participate in the therapeutic horseback riding program Zack had talked about. There were occasional moments when even she herself wanted that for her sister.
But the other part of her longed to stay here forever. Would she ever have another opportunity to wake up each day to the sweet woodsy smells and the energizing sounds of the creek rushing by? And the nights—oh, those balmy summer nights, away from the noise and pollution of the city. Maybe in a few small ways, Zack had been right. Maybe she had missed out on some of the best things in life. What's more, once she was back on the wards at Children’s again, she might never have another opportunity to work with him this closely.
That realization jolted her with disturbing clarity.
At ten, the day-hikers left in a commotion of happy chatter. Meanwhile, the other campers busied themselves in the crafts cabin, the therapy rooms, and indoor gymnasium. Away from the main complex, two of the recreational therapists were preparing to take a group of children on a horseback ride while Dan Garre
tt lead several eager boys down a fenced ramp way to the fishing hole.
Meanwhile, Kim seemed content to keep working on her handicrafts. Now that she'd finished her leather coin purse, she had embarked on another project—long, dangling earrings made with multi-colored beads. Perhaps her own horseback riding session earlier that morning with Zachary had mollified her, Logan decided hopefully. What with all Kim's strenuous daily activities, she certainly needed these more sedentary interludes.
The day ticked by in a blur of bumps and scratches, bandaged knees, insect bites, runny noses, ear aches, and an occasional sore throat—not to mention the more challenging problems that arose from working with children who were physically challenged.
All the while thoughts of Zackary Dellinger lurked on the edges of Logan's mind. Why had she allowed herself to tell him about Matthew? Ever since the divorce, she'd buried that part of her life safely away, sharing her deepest feelings with no one but her best friend, Dorothy.
Zack had listened to her story intently, his eyes fastened on hers the entire time. And his embrace that'd followed—the memory lingered like the last traces of a purple twilight on a long summer's evening. She'd been foolish to allow him to hold her close, to kiss her in that wonderful, indescribable, bittersweet way.
But foolish or not, it had happened, and the reason was becoming increasingly clear. She was dangerously close to falling in love with him. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, that reality loomed before her. If she were to slip over that precarious edge completely and admit her love to Zack, she'd complicate her life even further—and goodness only knew, her life was filled with enough problems already. Everyone knew he took great pains to keep his romantic relationships casual and plural.
It wasn't till mid-afternoon that Logan had occasion to summon Zack for his assistance. Minnie Davis, an eight-year-old with leg braces, needed to have a cinder removed from her eye. Later after they had finished and sent the child on her way, they sat at the rectangular table near the medicine cupboard, taking a coffee-break.
Outside, more rain fell. The gray clouds hovering over Camp Rippling Waters had darkened, giving way to intermittent showers for the past few hours.
Logan couldn't control her trembling hands, not the jumpy feeling inside her stomach. Did Zack have any inkling how he was affecting her? The sparkle of triumph she'd thought she detected in his eyes a few minutes earlier after she'd almost dropped the bottle of irrigating solution told her the answer was yes.
"Your sister's something else," he said. His smile reached his eyes, as if remembering one of Kim's endearing qualities.
"So I take her horseback riding lesson went well this morning?"
"Yes, exceptionally well. Because Kim's only partially paralyzed and can support herself sitting up, she doesn't even require the special riding equipment many others do."
"Not even a modified saddle?"
"No. The Australian stock saddle I used today should give her more than enough support."
Logan hesitated. "But what about her physical assessment, Zack? Do you see much improvement?"
"Yes, a considerable amount. It's looking as if the paralysis we first observed in Kim was due to the initial trauma and inflammation near her spinal cord. But now that we're past that stage, Kim's prognosis is even more favorable."
"And you still think the horseback riding will help increase her strength and muscle coordination?"
"Absolutely."
She eyed him cautiously, biting her lip to keep from again pointing out the potential dangers for Kim. She was glad when he changed the subject.
"Tomorrow night in place of evening campfire, we're going to have a star party," he said.
"A star party?"
"Yep! Dan talked me into it. He insisted that since I knew more about astronomy than any of the other staffers, I might as well share my know-how with the kids."
Logan nodded. "What a clever way to disguise another nature lesson. Put like that, the campers are sure to go for it—that is, if this rain lets up by then."
"That's exactly what Dan said," he answered. "About the nature lessons—not the rain," he added with a wink.
Logan allowed her gaze to linger a little too long on his handsome profile. Wearing a white polo shirt and matching walking shorts that contrasted his deepening bronze tan, he looked athletic and strong. Try as she did, she couldn't stop the ripples of pleasure that coursed through her.
"Perhaps at campfire after the star party, you can tell a few of the stories about the constellations," she suggested.
"Hey! Terrific idea." He flashed her a grin, never once mentioning their own night of stargazing—nor that he planned to take her again. Had he forgotten? Maybe she should take a lesson from him and forget about it too, she reprimanded herself.
"But before I do any such story-telling, I need to brush up a little," Zack said. "Know where I can find any books that might help?"
"There's one in the nature corner at the main lodge. Stories of the Stars, it's titled. I've already skimmed part of it."
"Good. I always did have a hard time keeping straight which hero was slaying which dragon and what god had fallen madly in love with what goddess. . ." His eyes sparkled mischievously, holding hers. "Since you say you've already read the book, maybe you and I can get our heads together so you can give me a lesson or two."
She sprang to her feet, jerking her gaze from his as she crossed the room. There was that come-hither look again. But what was it that really frightened her? Was it Zack himself or her reactions to him?
"Forget it, Zack. I'm a nurse, not a school teacher." She rinsed her coffee cup at the utility sink with more gusto than necessary, splashing water onto the counter.
"Aw, come on, Logan."
She turned slowly to face him.
Zack held out opened arms. "Come on back here and lighten up, will you? I was only teasing."
Feet planted firmly, she crossed her hands over her chest. "You already told me to lighten up practically the first minute I set foot in camp—that is, after you had the audacity to say it to Kimberly first. I'm not here to play games with you, Zack. You know that."
"Look." A shadow crossed his face. "Before you bite off my head completely, there's one more thing I need to repeat. I may be a doctor, but I'm not Matthew." His voice softened. "Give me the chance to prove I don't want to hurt you."
"Things change. People change. You may mean that now, but there's no guarantees you'll mean it later."
The disappointment in his dark eyes was unmistakable. "All right, I'll lay off," he said huskily. "For now at least." He paused as if groping for a safer topic. "Have you heard how the day hike went?"
"Betty Jo said the kids who went to the waterfall had a wonderful time. They've been back about an hour or so, slightly rained on, but none the worse for wear." She felt her tension draining away.
"And the second group? The ambulatory kids?"
"They should be back any time now." She wandered back to the table and sat down, but this time a little farther away from him.
"Perhaps next summer we can add some more wooden ramps in the woods so the kids in wheelchairs can go farther. We? Next summer? What had come over her? Why was she talking this way?
"That's in the works," he said with a nod. "Donated lumber's usually no problem in a logging community such as this—I've already put in the word at the mill." He leaned back in his chair and stretched slowly. His well-formed muscles strained beneath his polo shirt. Clearly he was in no hurry to leave.
Without warning, a roll of thunder crashed from somewhere beyond. The pattering on the metal roof above them grew louder. He stood up and wandered over to the window, opening the mini-blinds. "Hail," he announced. "Holy hotcakes, they're almost as big as popcorn. And here come the kids from the fishing hole. Looks like Dan's herding them all into the crafts cabin."
"So much for tonight's campfire," Logan said.
"There's always the big stone fireplace in the main lodge. W
eather's been so terrific up till now, we haven't had any need to use it."
The hail turned to more rain. A flash of lightening zigzagged in the sky. The rain continued to drum against the roof with alarming force, working into a rising crescendo.
Thankfulness washed over Logan knowing Kimberly was safe and snug inside the crafts cabin. And for those campers who may be still on the trail, hopefully they'd taken shelter safely away from any tall trees.
Though she and Zack passed the next hour or so in quiet conversation, Logan was all too aware of another kind of electricity—that ever present undercurrent running between them. The subtle looks. A quirk of the brow. The way Zack inclined his head just a little too closely, invading her carefully guarded comfort zone—though he never as much as touched her.
"I wonder what's taking Maggie so long," Logan commented.
"Beats me." He got to his feet. "But if these squalls don't let up, I'm afraid we might have to start building an ark." The troubled look shadowing his face belied the nonchalance in his voice. "When did you say that second group's due back?"
"Hopefully they're already checked in."
He moved swiftly towards the door. "I'd better find Dan to make sure."
No sooner had he spoken, they heard footsteps on the porch. Maggie burst inside with Dan close on her heels.
"What took you so long?" Logan asked the other nurse.
"I had to take the long way back to camp. The river's rising on the south end of town," she answered in a rush. "Already the bridge's washed out down on Mountain Ridge Road." She plunked down a box of supplies from the pharmacy with a thud and added, "I've already delivered the groceries. That's when I ran into Dan." A gust of air swooped about them as the director slammed the door shut.
"Has the second group of hikers come back?" Zack's gaze darted from Maggie to Dan. "Is everyone accounted for?"
"I'm afraid not," Dan replied. Rivulets of water trickled down his face. "That's why I came. To get your help." A muscle in his jaw tensed. "We'd better head out immediately."
Chapter Six
Sydell Voeller Special Edition Page 7