by Leslie Gould
“Wow. Is that why you don’t want to stay in Forest Falls? The small-town stuff?”
“No.” Elise didn’t want to offend Rebekah. “I like Seattle, that’s all.”
“How did your parents meet?” Rebekah asked.
“Dad worked in a mill outside of Seattle for a year, and my mom’s cousin worked at the same place.”
“What did your mom’s family think when she married and moved to Cascade Pass?”
“I’m not sure. She always made it sound like her family was rich; she would talk about the dances she went to, the dresses she wore, and all that. But I think they were just middle class. Her mother’s family had money before the stock market crashed—they owned a mill. They used to be part of the society scene, but that money was long gone before my mother was born.”
“But she missed the city life?”
Elise nodded.
“Kind of like you.”
“Kind of.”
The reflections of the horses shimmered in the shallow water. A purple and red kite soared overhead. “Look, a sand dollar.” Rebekah jumped off Sky. “It’s perfect.” She climbed back on.
“What about your parents?” Elise asked.
“They live in Arizona, thank goodness. Not that I don’t love them, but there’s always a lot of drama and hurt feelings when they’re around, and then they want to control everything—at least my mother does. I haven’t told them how serious things are with Pepper, because she would rush up here and try to take charge, I think.”
“Do they like to play the part of the hero?”
Rebekah laughed. “Of course. Don’t we all? But they’re not heroes.”
“More like comic relief?”
“You’ve got it. They’re forever trying to sneak things by each other. My mom and her purse collection. How many purses does one woman need? My dad and his golf clubs. He’s in search of the perfect putter.”
The horses continued at a fast walk.
“I think you’re a hero.” Elise loosened her grip on the reins. Her face reddened; she was definitely saying too much.
“What do you mean?” Rebekah led the way back to the water’s edge.
“You rescue everyone.”
“Please.” Rebekah shook her head.
“Look at your determination about Pepper. And don’t forget the cougar. You should have seen yourself rushing toward it, totally unafraid.”
“No. I was afraid.”
“It didn’t show.”
“Does my fear about Pepper show?” Rebekah turned her head toward Elise.
“Are you afraid?”
Rebekah slowed Sky to a walk. The tide was coming in and swirling around the horses’ ankles. “When she was sick before, I was never afraid. A while back Pepper asked me what I’m afraid of, because she’s afraid of raccoons. I told her nothing, but I lied. I’m afraid that she’ll die. I’m not always afraid of that, but at times I wake up in the middle of the night and feel like I’ve been punched in the heart.”
Sky stopped to sniff a pile of kelp.
“I have to be optimistic.” Rebekah sat tall. “I have to go to Nevada to find Pepper’s birth family.”
“Will you just show up?”
“I guess so. If they won’t answer the phone, I can’t very well tell them I’m coming.” Rebekah pulled on Sky’s reins.
A sea gull flew low in front of the Appaloosa. He spooked and jerked his head back. Surely someone in Pepper’s birth family would donate a kidney. Or would they? Talking about the past was better than talking about this. Thank goodness Rebekah hadn’t brought up blood types again.
Rebekah held up a piece of silklike Asian paper for her customer. “That’s perfect,” the woman said. She fanned out the stickers of paper lanterns in her hand. “I heard at a crop party the other night that you have a great travel section here.”
“Where are you from?” Rebekah asked.
“Portland.”
Rebekah clapped her hands together; she couldn’t wait to tell Patrick. A few minutes later Sandi and John hurried into the shop, rosy faced and bundled in their jackets. Sandi pulled her tie-dyed fleece cap from her head. “We were out walking. Isn’t it a gorgeous day?”
Rebekah smiled. It was actually overcast and threatening to rain.
Her cell phone rang. “Excuse me.” It was probably Pepper wanting to go to Ainsley’s after school.
It was the kidney transplant coordinator. “I have the paperwork for your insurance appeal. I just need you to sign the forms,” Jamie explained.
“I’ll come up tomorrow.” She walked toward the storeroom.
“I can fax it.”
“No, I’ll be up in the morning. I don’t want any problems with lost faxes or any of that.” She told Jamie good-bye and hung up the phone. Sandi laughed at something John had said. Rebekah smiled. What was going on between those two?
“Last game of the season is tomorrow night. Is Reid ready?” John asked.
“I’m sure he is.” Rebekah ran her hand through her hair. “Speaking of tomorrow, Sandi, I hate to ask—”
“I can watch the shop in the morning, but I work in the afternoon.”
“Perfect.” Rebekah’s face showed her relief. What would she do without Sandi? “I should be back by noon. I just have to sign some insurance papers at the hospital.” Rebekah paused.
“What is it?”
“I may have to go to Nevada sometime and look up Pepper’s bio family. I haven’t told Patrick yet—”
“Rebekah, just let me know, and I’ll work my schedule around it.” Sandi put her hands on her hips. “I’ll watch the shop whenever I can. Just get the insurance stuff figured out, and then find our girl a kidney, okay?”
“Ready?” John buttoned his jacket.
Sandi waved to Rebekah. “I have my key. I’ll see you by noon.”
“Thanks,” Rebekah said. “Hey, one more thing.”
Sandi started to laugh.
Rebekah continued. “I was wondering. Would you two want to come to our house for Thanksgiving?”
“Sure.” Sandi smiled at John.
He hesitated. “It’s Elise and the boys. I’m not sure what their plans are.”
“I’ll ask them to come too.” Rebekah slipped her cell phone into her jean jacket.
“That’s not what I meant.” John put his hand on Sandi’s shoulder. “I feel like I should be with them, at their house or mine.”
Rebekah nodded. “Or mine. It’ll be fun.”
“Hey, Elise.” Rebekah jumped from her truck, carrying her stadium blanket, and hurried across the parking lot of North Fork Middle School. “Listen, I was talking to Sandi and John yesterday about Thanksgiving. I’d like to have all of you—Sandi and John and you and the boys—come to my house. Would it work for you?”
Elise swung her arm into her coat. “I hadn’t even thought about Thanksgiving.”
“It’s only a couple of weeks away.”
Elise pulled on her hat. “I think that would work. John will be there?”
Rebekah nodded.
“With Sandi?”
“Yep. Isn’t it wild? What’s going on with those two?”
Elise shook her head. “I have no idea.”
Rebekah and Elise stopped at the fence to watch their sons.
“Hey, Reid.” Mark drilled the ball across the field. Reid caught it and shouted, “Why can’t you pass like that in a game?”
“Those boys.” Rebekah pulled her gloves from her pockets. “Come on, let’s go warm up our seats.”
“I forgot my blanket. I’ll be right there.” Elise headed back to her car.
Patrick sat on the top row of the bleachers. “What are you doing way up here?” Rebekah asked.
“Taking in the view.” Patrick put one arm around Rebekah. “How was your trip to Portland?”
“Fine. I think I could drive it with my eyes closed.”
“Well, don’t.”
“Run another lap,” Coach Davis yelled. The
boys jogged around the track in slow motion as if they might fall forward and land on their face masks at any moment.
“Where’s Pepper?”
“With Ainsley.”
Elise started up the bleachers, followed by Sandi and John. Rebekah nudged Patrick. “Look at those two.”
He shaded his eyes. “It’s not our business.” He squeezed Rebekah’s gloved hand.
“They’re coming for Thanksgiving.”
“They are?” Patrick let go of her hand.
“So are Elise and the boys.”
John stepped forward to shake Patrick’s hand. The center snapped the ball; Mark caught it and ran.
Rebekah followed the boys to the bus after the game, a 14–0 victory for Forest Falls, and searched for Reid.
“Coach Davis let Mark back on the team only because he feels sorry for him. Because his dad is in Iraq,” one of the defenders said.
“Germany. His dad is in Germany.” Reid stood on the first step of the bus.
“I thought Mark said Iraq,” the other boy said.
Reid shook his head.
“I wish they’d never moved to Forest Falls,” another boy said. “Oh, well. At least basketball will be better. Mark’s grades are too bad to go out.”
Were Mark and Michael in the group? Rebekah craned her neck. No, they stood with Elise by her Volvo.
“Reid,” Rebekah called out, “do you want to ride with me?”
He shook his head. “I’m taking the bus.”
“Dad’s picking Pepper up at Ainsley’s, but I’ll meet you at school.”
Rebekah stopped by Elise’s car. “Good game, you guys.”
“Thanks,” Michael said.
Mark nodded.
Rebekah headed to her truck. If Mark’s grades were too bad to go out for basketball, would Elise allow him to help more with the horses?
Rebekah slammed the oven door with a twist of her hip. She’d made bacon and eggs for breakfast.
“How many people did you invite for Thanksgiving?” Patrick tied his tie.
“Just Sandi and John and Elise and her boys.” She pulled the sash on her robe.
“Mark?”
“He’s been fine.”
“You’re going to pull off Thanksgiving, get the insurance figured out, and find a kidney? All in the next two weeks?”
“Patrick, I have a plan. I promise.”
“She needs a kidney soon. I called Dr. Thomas yesterday.”
“Why did you call the doctor?” Rebekah stirred the orange juice.
“Because you don’t give me straight answers.”
“I do give you straight answers.”
“No, you don’t. You keep telling me everything will work out.”
“It will. Patrick, I promise you. It will.” She pulled the clip out of her hair and let it fall around her shoulders. Patrick didn’t seem to notice.
“The doctor said her protein levels are high. That if she doesn’t have a kidney in the next few months, she may have to start dialysis. If she starts dialysis, chances are higher she’ll reject a donor kidney. Plus it could affect her brain development and everything else.”
“I told you that.” Rebekah twisted her hair and wound it back on her head.
“No, you didn’t.”
“I told someone that.” Who had she told? She specifically remembered telling someone. Had she told Elise and forgotten to tell Patrick?
“I think I should start going to the appointments with you.”
“And miss work? What good would that do?” Rebekah poured four glasses of juice.
“Mom!” Pepper slid into the kitchen, socks on her feet, blue boots in her hand. “Do you think these boots will look good with my outfit?” She wore a short, flouncy, brown skirt and a long-sleeved, blue T-shirt with a brown camisole underneath it that showed around the neckline.
“I don’t like that outfit,” Patrick said, crossing his arms.
“Why?”
“The boots will look great, sweet pea.” Rebekah turned off the burner.
“When did she get the boots? I thought you were going to stop spending money.” Patrick caught Rebekah’s eyes.
“I didn’t buy the boots.” Rebekah pulled the tray of bacon out from under the broiler. “Elise did.”
“You shouldn’t have let her.”
“She said that since she rides our horses, she wanted to get the boots for Pepper. She got a pair for herself too.” She wouldn’t mention the hats.
“Dad, why don’t you like my outfit?”
“You look too old.” Patrick grabbed a piece of bacon.
What was up with him? Rebekah shoved her hands into the pockets of her robe. “It’s a cute outfit. Tell Reid it’s time for breakfast.”
Pepper slid back through the dining room, swinging her boots back and forth.
“You’re too soft on her. You let her wear whatever she wants. She manages to get someone to buy whatever she wants.” Patrick tightened his tie.
“No, that’s not true. She wants an iPod.”
Patrick shook his head. “Rebekah, she needs a kidney, not trendy clothes and an iPod.”
“I’m not buying her an iPod. Believe me. And I’ll find her a kidney.” Rebekah headed to the kitchen door. “I’m going to get dressed.”
“How?” Patrick called after her. “How are you going to find a kidney?”
Elise walked around the school cafeteria tables, her boots clicking on the brown linoleum. Lunch duty was not her favorite volunteer position; she would rather be in the library. But she had told the secretary she would fill in wherever she was needed.
Michael and Reid waved, just a little. She smiled. The rain pelted the windows. Mark walked into the cafeteria alone without acknowledging her.
“Hi, Elise.” Pepper pranced through the doorway in her boots. She held her right foot out. Elise held her foot up too.
“You have matching boots!” Ainsley squealed. “I want a pair.”
“We could each trade a boot and do that blue and brown look.” Pepper grinned at Elise.
Elise glanced down at her boots and then at the rose-colored sweater set Ted had given her for Christmas last year. Did they go with the boots? Not really, but at least Pepper approved.
“I have pictures from the last game and some more of my horse.” Ainsley dug in her backpack and handed Elise an envelope.
More photos of the horse, then pictures from the game. Mark throwing a pass. Reid on the sidelines. Elise’s hand froze around a photo of Mark’s fist smashed against Michael’s face on that awful, horrible night. Then a photo of Michael bleeding and one of Coach Davis bandaging Mark’s hand. “Look at these,” she finally said.
“Oh, those.” Ainsley’s expression grew sheepish. “Do you want the doubles?”
“No.” Elise started to hand them back, then hesitated. “Yes.” She took the three photos and headed over to the closet where her purse was stashed. She couldn’t criticize Sandi for revisionist scrapbooking and then turn down an offer for photos of one of the worst moments of her life.
Three boys in the back corner of the cafeteria raised their voices. Elise headed over. They quieted when she grew closer. Mark, Ainsley, and Pepper cut in front of Reid and Michael in the lunch line. The kids came through with trays of chicken strips and fries, and the boys had milk on their trays. Michael hadn’t wanted a sack lunch that morning. The smell of the fried food turned Elise’s stomach. She wiped down tables, interrupted the beginning of a food fight, and tried not to stare at Mark and Michael. Mark’s eyes darted around the cafeteria as he talked with Ainsley and Pepper, Michael tried too hard to be part of the conversation, and Reid migrated over to a group of basketball players. Michael followed after a few minutes.
“Mrs. Shelton.” The boys’ English teacher, Mr. Jenkins, came toward her with his tray. “I need to talk with you. Could you come by after school?”
“Can you tell me a little now?” Her anxiety rose. She didn’t want to wonder, to worry all d
ay.
“Michael is doing fine.” He clutched his tray. He was maybe twenty-five, and this was his first teaching job. “Mark hasn’t turned in an assignment in two weeks.”
“Really? He’s been doing his assignments. I sit with him every evening when he does his homework.” She thought Mark was pretending he didn’t care his grades were too low to play basketball. Maybe he really didn’t care.
“I haven’t seen a thing.”
Mark laughed at something Ainsley said, and Pepper looked embarrassed. Even when he laughed, Mark had a faraway look in his eyes.
“Is it too late for him to turn the assignments in?” Elise asked.
“I gave him until yesterday.”
“So it’s too late?”
“I’m afraid so.” Mr. Jenkins met her gaze.
“I wish you had told me—e-mailed me, given me a call.”
“Mark should have told you.”
Elise nodded. Yes, in an ideal world, Mark should have told her. “His father is in Germany with the army right now.” Mr. Jenkins shifted his feet. He probably thought she was making excuses for Mark; he was probably right. She sighed. “I’ll talk with him.”
“Hey, Pepper.” Michael headed back over to Mark’s table. “What’s your blood type?”
Elise wiped another table.
“Why?”
“Mark wants to give you a kidney.” Michael laughed.
“No, I don’t.” Mark stood on his chair.
“Sit down.” Elise called out.
Mark scowled.
“You have to be eighteen to donate a kidney,” Pepper said, pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands.
“Pepper doesn’t want Mark’s kidney anyway.” Ainsley stood. “Come on, Pepper.”
“What’s your blood type?” Michael sat down beside Pepper.
“Michael wants to give you his.” Mark stood. “Don’t you, Mikey?”
Pepper patted Michael’s back. “You’re sweet.”
“So, what is it?” Michael shot Mark a mean look.
“B something.”
Michael turned toward Elise. “Mom, what’s mine?”
“AB positive, I think.” Elise wandered over to where her purse was and checked her cell phone, hoping Michael wouldn’t ask about her blood type.