Close to Home

by Raney, Deborah;

  “Both of them? Oh no!”

  “I know. And Dad said she’s pretty messed up with bruises and abrasions too.”

  “So you haven’t seen her yet? When did it happen?”

  “Well, like I said, they don’t know when she fell. But Dad found her around one-thirty.”

  Bree sucked in a breath. “We were at the hospital doing an event. An ambulance came in with sirens blaring around two o’clock. I wonder if that was her?”

  “I bet it was.”

  “You’re sure you don’t need me to come to the hospital? Or watch the girls so you can go?”

  “You’re sweet to offer, Bree, but you really don’t have to. I don’t think Dad wanted us there. You can imagine how crazy things would be if we all tried to squeeze into her room?”

  “Or even a waiting room.” Bree gave a little laugh. “Okay, but shall I come in the morning?”

  “Let’s wait and see what Mom and Dad think.”

  “You’re telling me everything, right?”

  “Of course. Why?”

  “It just sounds like it might be really serious.”

  “I don’t think it’s life-threatening or anything. Of course, at CeeCee’s age, a hangnail could probably be kind of serious.”

  That made them both giggle.

  “Okay.” Bree sighed. “I’ll let you go. Please text me the minute you know anything?”

  “I will. Oh, hey! How’s that guy of yours?”

  “Oh. Landyn . . . We broke up.”

  “What?” She practically shrieked into the phone. “What happened? Oh, Bree!”

  “It just . . . I don’t think it was meant to be. I feel like an idiot.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “I mean, who dates a guy for a month and then breaks up a week after she decides to tell everyone about him?”

  “I guess you do.”

  Bree couldn’t help laughing.

  “So, did you break up with him or”—Landyn gave a little gasp—“I’m sorry. That is none of my business! Just ignore—”

  “No. It’s okay. It was pretty mutual, I guess. I just don’t think I’m ready. To date.” She regretted the words the minute they were out. When would she learn to keep her mouth shut? It was bad enough she’d made the big Aaron announcement right before they broke up. But if she was going to tell people she “just wasn’t ready to date again” she’d better not show up anywhere soon with . . . another man.

  “Oh, Bree . . .” Landyn’s voice was thick with sympathy. “Maybe you can still work things out. It just takes time. Aaron will understand that.”

  “No. He really didn’t understand. That was a lot of the problem.” Now that the words were out, she examined them. Was she being honest with herself? The real problem looked a lot like Drew Brooks. That was the truth.

  “Well, I’m so sorry,” Landyn said. “Have you told anyone else?”

  “No. It actually just happened Saturday night. Well, and tonight. It’s sort of been a long, drawn-out thing.”

  “Oh no. I’m so sorry.”

  “You can tell everyone. In fact, I wish you would. I’ve been dreading that so much.”

  “I’ll tell them. And don’t worry, no one will think a thing of it. Just—” Landyn sighed into the phone. “Don’t give up, Bree, okay? There’s somebody out there for you. I just know there is.”

  “Thanks, sis. You call me as soon as you know anything about CeeCee, okay?”

  “I will.”

  She clicked off and slumped over the steering wheel. Poor CeeCee. How could she even come back home now and manage with two broken arms. But the cottage wouldn’t be ready for weeks yet.

  She tried to imagine CeeCee in a nursing home and it tore her heart out.

  She drove home, but she’d lost her appetite for supper and sat staring at some stupid sit-com until ten after ten, when she finally got Landyn’s text: Surgery was long, but all went well. Dad said we can visit tomorrow afternoon. But lots to discuss tomorrow night.

  * * *

  Grant stepped outside of his mother’s room and went down the hall to the waiting room, trying to finger comb his hair before he ran into anyone he knew. They’d been up all night, and the last time he’d glanced in a mirror, his face showed it.

  The clock over the nurses’ station said one-thirty. He’d been here almost twenty-four hours straight. It had already been a long day, and he feared they had many more like it ahead of them.

  He rounded the corner, searching the waiting room as he passed. He knew some of the kids had planned to come up this afternoon.

  And there they were. All four of them huddled in the corner. And Bree too. A lump came to his throat, and he quickened his steps. “Hey, you guys! You’re all here.”

  Link winked and came toward him. “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, Dad.” His smile softened, and his eyes held genuine sympathy. “How’s she doing?”

  “She’s her feisty self.” He blew out a sigh. “But we’ve got a long row to hoe. We spoke to the doctor about an hour ago. They want to do surgery on her right hand. But they can’t do it here, so we’ll have to move her to St. Louis as soon as she’s more stable.”

  “Wow. The fall must have done some serious damage.”

  “It messed her up pretty good. It would usually be outpatient surgery, but with her other injuries and her age, it’s going to be a much bigger deal.”

  Link studied him. “How are you doing, Dad?”

  “I’ll survive.” He gripped his son’s shoulder in a silent thank-you. When had Link turned into such a thoughtful young man? More like his older brother every day.

  He pushed down the lump in his throat and went to hug each of his girls. “You guys can go in and see her now, but maybe you should go two at a time. And don’t stay too long. She’s pretty fragile.”

  “Where’s Mom?” A frown wrinkled Corinne’s pretty brow.

  “She went home to shower and change clothes. She was beat. I told her we’d pick up some pizzas for tonight so she wouldn’t have to cook. You’re all planning on coming out still, aren’t you?”

  “If you want us to. But you look pretty beat yourself, Dad.” Corinne looked up into his eyes, and he tried to look perkier than he felt.

  Unsuccessfully, apparently, for Corinne shook her head. “We’ll come, but only so you can sleep.”

  Bree stepped into the group. “Do you want someone to stay here with CeeCee? I’d be glad to stay.”

  Grant pulled her into a one-armed hug. “Thanks, honey, but I think she’ll be fine. She probably needs the sleep. And I’d like you to be there when we talk about what’s next for CeeCee.”

  Corinne signaled Danae. “Shall we go in, sis? We both need to get home to kids,” she explained to Grant.

  “Of course. Thanks for coming, girls. And tell your guys thanks for watching the kiddos so you could be here.” He swallowed back a lump of emotion. It didn’t help that he hadn’t slept more than a few hours last night. “CeeCee’s in Room 248.” He pointed them down the right hallway.

  “At least you don’t have guests to worry about at the inn tonight,” Landyn said. “What’d you do about last night?”

  “Thankfully, we only had one room booked. Mom ran back home after your grandmother went into surgery. She checked them in and explained our situation. They were very understanding and checked themselves out this morning. Fortunately Mom had some breakfast stuff already made that worked fine.” He shrugged. “We gave them a little discount since things weren’t quite up to snuff, and I think they were okay with—”

  Movement in the doorway caught his eye and he looked past Landyn to see Drew Brooks coming toward them, a big bouquet in one hand. Grant cleared his throat. If he made it through this night without bawling like a little kid, it would be a miracle. He put a hand briefly on Landyn’s cheek. “I’ll be right back, honey.”

  He took long strides and met Drew halfway, his right hand outstretched. “Look who’s here. Hey, man, thanks for c
oming. You didn’t need to do that.”

  “I know, but I wanted to.” Drew looked past him and recognition sparked in his eyes. “Looks like a family reunion in here.”

  Grant chuckled. And it struck him that Drew had become almost a member of the family since he’d started helping with the cottage. He’d sure miss the guy if he got that job in St. Louis.

  “How’s she doing?” Concern etched Drew’s forehead.

  “As well as can be expected.” He’d sent Drew home early yesterday after everything hit the fan. Now he gave Drew an abbreviated account of the events since then, including his mother’s surgery. “She’s in casts up to her armpits—both arms—and judging by what the doctor said last night, we’re looking at a long stint in a rehab center. Oh, and we haven’t said anything to Mother yet, so mum is the word.”

  Drew nodded. “Of course.”

  “I don’t mind telling you I don’t really want to be there when she finds out she’s not going home in a few days.”

  Drew cringed. “That’ll be rough news to get, for sure. I’ll be praying for everybody.”

  “We appreciate that more than you can know.” He glanced back to the corner of the waiting room where his kids were clustered. “Come on over and sit with us. We’re going in to visit her in shifts. I think it might be a little overwhelming if we all went at once.”

  “Hey, I don’t need to go in.” He held up the vase of flowers. “I just wanted to drop these off.”

  “Well, come on over and say hi. The gang’s all here.” Grant led the way over to the corner, and his kids all jumped up and called out greetings when they saw Drew.

  It did Grant’s heart good to see so many young people together. Good, solid kids who were there to support him and Audrey—and each other. Sometimes it took something like this for him to remember just how blessed they all were.

  Corinne and Danae came back, and Landyn and Link paired up for a shift.

  “How was she?” Landyn asked her sisters. Grant could almost see her guard go up, anticipating the worst.

  “She looks pretty rough,” Danae said, “But she seems in good spirits.”

  Grant shook his head. “That’s because she doesn’t know about the surgery yet. Or the rehab.” He was going to have to find some courage somewhere before he informed his mother of those two things.

  Drew held his bouquet out tentatively to Landyn and Link. “Do you guys want to take these in to her when you go?”

  “No,” Danae said quickly. “You take it in to her, Drew. She’ll get a kick out of seeing you. If you have time, that is.”

  “Oh, sure. Not a problem.”

  “It was really sweet of you to come.” Danae gave him a sis-terly hug.

  Grant smiled, watching. Those Brooks brothers were cut from the same sturdy cloth.

  Grant looked past Drew to his daughter-in-law. “Bree, have you been in to see her yet?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “Hey, Bree.” Drew waved at her over Grant’s shoulder.

  Grant had noticed that Bree was sort of hanging back. He hated how often she seemed to be the “odd man out.”

  “Are you going in?” Drew asked Grant, looking nervous.

  “I probably won’t go again tonight.”

  “Oh. Okay. I just wasn’t sure she’d even remember me.”

  “Nonsense.” He clapped Drew on the back. “You’re building her house. She’ll remember you. But Bree hasn’t been to see her yet. Why don’t you two go when the others get back. Bree can reintroduce you if she needs to.”

  Something in Drew’s expression made Grant take notice and turn to look at Bree. If he didn’t know that Bree had just started dating someone, he’d think those two had a thing for each other.

  Uh-oh. Maybe Drew didn’t know she had a boyfriend. The man’s expression just now reminded Grant of a lovesick puppy.

  Somebody had better let Drew know the bad news before he made a fool of himself.

  26

  Drew looked up to see Link and Landyn, the youngest Whitman sister, appear in the waiting room. He held his breath. It looked like Landyn had been crying.

  What had he gotten himself into? He really hadn’t wanted to actually go in to visit Grant’s mother. He’d only wanted to drop the flowers off at the nurse’s station and maybe say hello to Grant and Audrey if they were here. He hadn’t expected the whole family to be having a reunion in the waiting room.

  And he sure hadn’t expected to get roped into going in with Bree. Landyn’s tears didn’t offer any comfort. He knew Bree was especially close to the grandmother. If Mrs. Whitman was that bad, it might be really hard for Bree, seeing her.

  She’d been especially quiet tonight. Probably worried sick about the grandmother.

  Grant nodded to him that he could go in. Drew went over to where Bree was sitting. “Do you want to go in now? Grant said we should.”

  “Sure.” She rose and straightened her clothes. “The flowers are beautiful. That was so nice of you.”

  He shrugged. “No biggie.”

  “I bet CeeCee will think otherwise.”

  “Room 248,” Grant called after them. “Take a left when you get to the end of the hall.”

  Drew gave him a little salute in thanks before turning to Bree. “I’m having a hard time imagining that lady in a hospital bed.”

  “Me too. I still don’t see how she could have broken both arms, just falling off the porch.”

  “They say older people’s bones are more brittle.” He shrugged. “But what do I know?”

  That got a smile out of her. He wished he could do that more often. She had the best smile.

  They turned left and Bree slowed, watching the room numbers. “Here it is.”

  The door was partially closed. She looked back at him briefly before knocking on the doorjamb and poking her head around the corner. “CeeCee?”

  The smile she wore when she turned back to motion him in was an encouraging sign.

  “CeeCee” wore a smile too, if you could find it beneath the black eye and bandaged cheek. She looked like she’d gone ten rounds in a boxing match—and lost.

  “Hello, Mrs. Whitman. I brought these.” He put the vase on the nightstand beside the bed.

  “Very nice of you. Thank you.” She tried to sit up in the bed—no small feat given the casts she wore on both arms. She winced at the effort.

  Bree rushed in to help her, rolling the head of the bed up a bit, and placing a pillow behind her back, plumping it just so.

  The old woman eyed them suspiciously. “I must be near death judging by the rate visitors are traipsing through here.”

  Drew wanted to laugh, but waited to take his cue from Bree. He could tell she was struggling not to react to how bad the old woman looked.

  Her smile finally came. “You’re not dying. But you don’t look so hot either.”

  “I haven’t had the nerve to look in the mirror yet.”

  “Um, yeah,” Bree said. “You might want to wait a while for that.”

  “Link indicated that it might get my heart rate going.”

  Drew didn’t wait to see if Bree would laugh at that. He couldn’t help himself.

  Mrs. Whitman—he was starting to think of her as “CeeCee” himself—lifted her casts and looked at them. “I’d like to know how I’m supposed to play bridge with these paws.”

  “We’ll figure something out,” Bree said. “Don’t you worry.”

  CeeCee turned her gaze on him. “Well, I guess . . .” Her voice wavered more than usual. “I guess you don’t have to be in such a hurry to get that cottage done now. Do you, young man?”

  “Oh, we’re still going to get it built. I imagine you’ll be healed up and ready to go just about the time your house is ready to move into.” He winked at Bree.

  CeeCee sighed, looking out the window to the dusky sky beyond. “I suppose time will tell.”

  He didn’t like the sound of defeat in CeeCee’s voice. It wasn’t like her.

 
“I wish you could see it, CeeCee.” Bree sounded genuinely enthused. “It’s really starting to look like a house.”

  “Well, I would hope so. What else would it look like?”

  That was more like it.

  Bree laughed. “What I mean is, you can really tell what it’s going to look like—even inside. I’ll have to take some pictures for you next time I’m down there. Drew here took me on a tour last Tuesday. You should have come.”

  CeeCee waved her off. “There’ll be plenty of time for that. Now you two run along and have some fun. You don’t need to spend your Friday night visiting an old woman in the hospital.”

  “Don’t worry, Mrs. Whitman, we’re not, since it’s only Tuesday.”

  Bree laughed. “You weren’t unconscious quite as long as you think.”

  “Well, long enough, I daresay. You say it’s Tuesday?” Her forehead furrowed. “Oh dear. I haven’t made my dessert yet.”

  “Oh for heaven’s sake, CeeCee!” Bree patted her shoulder. “Don’t think another thing about it. You just get well.”

  “We’ll get ice cream or something.” Drew reached to touch the tips of her fingers—the only part not covered by a cast. “You get well now. And we’ll get you some pictures so you can keep up on the progress.”

  “Progress?”

  He exchanged a questioning look with Bree. “Of the house,” he said.

  “Your cottage, CeeCee.” Bree bent to give her a hug.

  “Oh . . . that.” But the faraway look in her rheumy eyes said she was fading.

  “You look exhausted,” Bree said. “We’ll let you sleep. But I’ll be back to see you tomorrow after work.”

  CeeCee lifted her right hand, but could only get it up far enough to touch the top rail of her hospital bed.

  He waved and turned to go, but not sensing Bree behind him, he turned to see her backing from the room, blowing kisses at CeeCee.

  * * *

  Audrey cleared the empty pizza boxes from the counter and nudged Grant. “I can finish in here. Why don’t you gather the kids up and let’s get this show on the road.”

  “Don’t worry, babe. The guys are already rounding up the little ones to take them outside while we talk. Everything will be fine.” He patted her arm in a way that made her want to smack him.