by Morgan Henry
Karen wasn’t surprised that her sister wasn’t visiting. She had expected to be blown off.
She hadn’t expected Mary to call the family asses.
There was obviously something going on with Mary, but unless Karen was prepared to spend hours on the phone digging for it, she doubted anyone would tell her the truth, even Mary. She’d have to think about whether it was worth the time and agony.
Zander and Allan had called to cancel their softball practice, too. A thunderstorm had whipped up overnight with lots of wind and lightning. They had been called out to take care of some trees that fell on hydro lines.
No practice?
Karen had to admit that she was enjoying her Sunday softball practices with either the two men, or the rest of their group of friends. She was also enjoying the actual games, which shocked the hell out of her. It was a team sport after all.
The high level of her disappointment was what really got her. There was a wrench in her chest, as if her heart was pulled out of position and was having trouble coping with its new location.
She also had to admit that she was becoming fonder of Allan and Zander than she was comfortable with. Taking a bit of time to enjoy softball with friends was one thing, but developing a relationship with two men was another. She still needed to focus on her business. Her family already thought she was a failure. If her store went under, there was no way she could take her family’s censure.
Chapter 6
Thursday’s softball game rolled around finally. She hadn’t seen much of Allan and Zander all week. And Karen noticed herself noticing they weren’t around. They had been exceptionally busy clearing up the damage from the storm in addition to their normal trimming duties.
She wondered if they might be busy over the weekend, too. The weather was hot and humid. The air felt like she had to carry it around with her. Nights like this they all often went for a dip in the bay after the game, but it was looking more and more like there might be a storm. They hadn’t had a game cancelled by lightning yet, but there was always a first time.
As they played, the sky continued to darken. No lightning, though, so they continued. After the sixth, they were actually winning for the first time! They just had to hold on for one more inning. Karen was actually excited. Her heart was doing a happy dance. She had never thought she would be so invested in a ball game.
She went to her position in the outfield, the grass crackly underfoot. It was the bottom of the seventh, and she was determined not to make any mistakes that would cost them the game. Three outs and they won. They could do it.
Kent struck the first batter out. The second batter hit a pop fly in Karen’s direction. She knew she could do it—she ran over and positioned herself under the ball like Allan and Zander had taught her. Her eyes flicked toward the batter racing for first, just for a second.
A hundred stabbing knives suddenly entered her right hand. She heard a crazy awful scream and realized it had come out of her. She fell on her knees, her brain unable to focus on anything other than her hand. The pain was like nothing she had felt before. She had no words for it, just pain, pain, pain.
She dropped the glove in her left hand and looked at her right.
No, that was not her right hand.
That was not her finger sticking out backward from her hand.
She grabbed her own wrist, not able to consider touching that finger. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she looked at the finger that was not hers.
Allan and Zander suddenly appeared by her side. They both knelt down with her, Zander putting an arm around her waist and supporting her against his body. Allan carefully held her elbow and looked closely at her finger without touching it.
“Oh, Karen, I’m so sorry,” he said. “We’ll take care of you, I promise.”
Karen couldn’t speak. She knew if she opened her mouth she would start to bawl and this was humiliating enough without adding crybaby to her shame. Why did these stupid things have to happen to her?
Strangely, though the night was hot and humid, she felt cold. Zander’s arms were warm and comforting but they couldn’t seem to penetrate to the ice block surrounding her insides.
“Don’t you worry. We’re going to get you to the hospital and get you something for the pain. You’re so brave. Allan’s going to get the truck and we’ll look after you.” He continued to reassure her with his soft voice and gentle strokes of his hand on her back.
Karen was suddenly aware of Hanna on one knee in front of her. “Do you want me to come, too, Karen?” she asked.
Karen managed to nod, and Hanna stepped away.
Karen saw her speak to Kent and Carter. It was easier to watch Hanna than look at her hand.
Allan arrived with the truck. The smell of dust mingled with the scent of Zander and Allan’s musky sweat. The two men supported her and helped keep her hand still as they eased her into the big vehicle. Mercifully the small hospital that served Hardwick Bay was mere blocks away. They were there in minutes, even with Allan driving slowly to avoid jarring her.
The ER wasn’t busy. Zander was giving a history on what happened to the charge nurse at the admission desk while Karen was whisked to a bed. All this was done even before Allan returned from parking the truck.
In the treatment area another nurse started an IV, hooked her up to a monitor and, on the attending doctor’s orders, gave her some Demerol within minutes.
God, the Demerol felt good. Floaty good.
The ice inside turned to mist and drifted away. Not that Karen cared right now.
“Miss Winsor?”
The nice doctor that had given her the pain meds was by Karen’s side. Her nametag said Dr. Geer. There was a big machine and a little crew of people with it behind the doctor.
“We need to take some X-rays of your finger before we decide how to fix it,” Dr. Geer said.
“’Kay,” Karen said. At least that’s what she thought she said. She wasn’t sure it came out right.
The tech with the big machine, er, portable X-ray unit, was very gentle as she positioned Karen’s hand for the pictures. It still hurt a bit when anyone touched the bent finger, but she could handle it from her floaty place.
It seemed like Dr. Geer was back immediately. “Well Miss Winsor, your finger is obviously dislocated and has a tiny fracture, but we don’t think it will need surgery. I have an anesthetist coming to give you something to knock you out for a few minutes to reduce the finger and put it in a splint. The splint will have to stay on for about six weeks or so.”
“’Kay.” Was that the only thing she could say? Did she care?
After the doctor disappeared, Karen realized she didn’t give a crap about her finger anymore. She studied it and giggled a little. It looked bizarre, but didn’t really feel bad anymore. Actually, it looked more than bizarre. Looking at it for too long made her a little queasy. She decided to close her eyes and not look.
* * * *
Zander came around the corner to the bed where the nurse had said Karen was. Allan and Hanna were right behind him. Karen was lying in the bed, her hand supported by pillows and her eyes were closed. She was still too pale, but her shoulders were a bit less tense, so he thought she might be less painful.
She opened her eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed. Allan gave Hanna the chair that was in the small area and retrieved one from beside the empty bed next to her.
“Hi.” Zander gave her a smile he hoped was reassuring. Looking at her finger didn’t particularly reassure him, but he didn’t want her to know that. “Pain meds good?”
“Yah, good,” she replied with a slight slur to her words. “But how am I going to run the store with my hand in a splint?”
“It will be fine, Karen,” Hanna soothed. “You know your high school students would like more hours, and Marg will be happy to work extra, too.”
“But what about making the chocolate and other candies? I do that myself.” Karen’s voice cracked a little and Zander’s heart crac
ked a little, too. It hurt him so much that he couldn’t make this all better. He and Allan knew how important her business was to her and they needed to find a way to make sure she got the help she needed.
“I can come over after work and help you. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make your peanut butter truffles anyway.” Hanna smiled at her friend. “It will be okay.”
“We’ll help, too,” Zander added. “You can teach us all about your sweets.”
“No,” slurred Karen as the pain meds took hold a little more. “You can’t. You’re too tall.”
Allan, Zander, and Hanna laughed.
“I don’t think there’s a height limit on making chocolate, sweetness,” Allan said as he stroked her hair.
The anesthesiologist arrived just then. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to leave. I’m going to sedate Miss Winsor and then she’s going to have her finger looked after.”
The trio went to the waiting room where they had to pretend to be patient. Hanna perched in on the universal plastic waiting room chairs. Allan leaned against the wall. Zander paced.
Zander knew that Karen hadn’t officially agreed to be theirs, but right now that didn’t matter so much. He and Allan had fallen hard for their colorful, feisty woman and would take care of her.
“We’ll take her home with us,” Allan informed Hanna, obviously on the same page as Zander.
Hanna had a serious look on her face as she spoke. “Look, I know you care for her, but if she wakes up tomorrow in your house and knows that you two put her to bed, she’ll be really upset. And likely kick you to the curb permanently.”
Zander sighed and looked at Allan. “She’s right you know.”
“But”—Hanna held up a finger—“if she knew I put her to bed, in her own apartment, and you were there to help her out in the morning, she might not be so pissed off. Do you two have to work tomorrow?”
“Actually, we’re off for the weekend, and we have a lot of unused holiday time. What do you say we clear our schedule, buddy?” Allan asked Zander.
“Love it,” replied Zander. “We’ll help you get her to the apartment, though.”
“Okay,” Hanna replied with a relieved smile.
Karen was delivered to the waiting room in a wheelchair sporting a large splint on her hand.
“Look,” she said with her eyes still glassy, “I have a very large finger.”
She waved her hand around and then frowned. “It’s not very pretty, though.” A beatific smile appeared on her face. “We should get sparkles!” she exclaimed, as if that was the most brilliant idea in the world.
Allan, Zander, and Hanna all burst out laughing.
They managed to get a very silly and sloppy Karen to her apartment and Hanna helped her change into a sleep T-shirt and shorts. They banked her hand up with pillows so she couldn’t bang it in the night and left the door to her bedroom open.
Zander looked around her colorful living room. It completely reflected her real personality—fun, cheerful, and colorful. Allan joined him after letting Hanna out.
“Why don’t I go to our place and get some stuff together? You know, clothes and stuff.” He gave the couch a look that said he knew there would be no rest on its rather small length. “And a couple of air mattresses. Does she need any groceries?”
Zander had to grin at Allan in full planning mode. He knew it made his friend feel secure when he could make a plan and executed it, especially if there was anything financial involved. Buying groceries for Karen would make him feel extra capable of caring for her. “I don’t know. Let’s check out the fridge and make a list.”
After checking out Karen’s fridge and cupboards, Allan set off to grab what they needed.
Zander stayed. He made a quick call to their supervisor at work, arranging for them to take holidays on short notice. They had a good relationship with their boss, so it wasn’t too big a deal.
He stretched out on the couch, or at least stretched out as much as he could. It was a small piece of furniture. He had a drink from the fridge and one of Karen’s sci-fi novels off her shelf and started to read with one ear out for any noise from the bedroom.
Despite Karen’s injury, Zander was feeling pretty good. They knew Karen would be fine, her hand would heal, and she would be able to use the finger again. She was doped out of her gourd right now and there was a filled prescription for Tylenol three’s on the table. The accident had given him and Allan the opportunity to show Karen how good they would be as a family.
When he was twelve he had been staying with Uncle Bill and Aunt Linda for just over a year. They were childless at the time and as long as he wasn’t getting into trouble, they left him alone. They provided for him pretty well, too. He had clothes, school necessities, and was allowed to use their computer and game system.
One afternoon in the summertime, Bill had sat down with him on the small patio in the backyard. It was a hot, dusty day and the patio stones were warm as they sat on the edge of the raised area.
“Your Uncle Rich is coming over soon,” he said in a voice as flat as the stones they were sitting on. “You’re going to stay with him and Aunt Rose. Linda’s pregnant and we don’t have the room for two kids. I’m sorry, Zander.”
So Zander went to live with Rich, Rose, and their daughter, Alice. It took all of an hour to pack up his clothes and few possessions, and he was on his way to his new home.
This was typical of his childhood.
His mom had left his dad when he was small. No one seemed to have any idea where she was. Dad had not been the most reliable of men and worked various oil jobs out in Alberta, spending a lot of time drinking when not at the job sites. Zander had been shipped out to one or another of his dad’s six brothers and sisters. They weren’t awful people but none of them had been overjoyed to be saddled with him.
Maybe other kids would have turned wild and angry, but not Zander. He learned how to get along and not make waves. He also learned everything could be gone in a second. Over time, that turned into longing for the stability of a family of his own.
Zander met Allan during their apprenticeship. They became friends immediately, finding a house to share for their schooling. They worked together during their placements, generally on the same team. They were both hitting on a woman in a bar one night, enjoying some good-natured competition, when she suggested a threesome.
After a night of amazing passion, it dawned on the two of them that this was something they could see as permanent. Not with that woman, of course. She was merely interested in a threesome for a one-night thrill. Zander and Allan realized it could be more than a fun night, but a solid relationship where there was not one person backing the other up, but two.
Now he longed for a family with Karen.
Zander heard Allan at the base of the stairs, interrupting his reflecting. He jumped up and gave his friend a hand bringing up the supplies. After filling the air mattresses and unpacking the few items Karen had needed, they each grabbed a beer.
“So now what, great planner?” Zander took a long swallow.
“We look after her. She’s going to need help with all the basics—dressing, cooking, and eating. That will show her she can depend on us. She’s also going to need some extra help at the store. We can help out with whatever she needs there as well. Hopefully, she’ll see that we want her business to succeed as much as she does.”
“Sounds great to me, but you know she’ll fuss and protest.”
“Oh, I know.” Allan was sitting with his elbows on his knees, a sober expression on his face. “But she’ll just have to learn we have her best interests at heart.”
Zander cocked his head and gave Allan a smile of wicked intent. “We should check and see what she has in her store for wrapping and decorating. I’d love to have sparkles on her splint when she woke up.”
Allan almost snorted his beer. “Yeah, you explain that to her.”
Chapter 7
The first thing Karen was aware of was a thro
bbing in her right hand. It reminded her of those cartoons where a hand had blown up to five times its size, was brick red, and throbbing steadily. The sensation was making her slightly nauseous.
She cautiously opened her eyes to find herself in her own bedroom.
Interesting.
She searched her memory and had some hazy images of Zander, Allan, and Hanna helping her home. She was wearing sleep shorts and a T-shirt. That was good.
Did Allan and Zander dress her? No, she was pretty sure it was Hanna. She distinctly remembered insisting on the pink shorts and orange T-shirt.
The cartoonlike throbbing was definitely not enjoyable. She had a vague memory of a prescription and wondered where it might be. Throwing off the light cover, Karen started to struggle up from the mountain of pillows that surrounded her.
“Hey, hey, stay there.” Allan’s head poked in the doorway to her room, hair mussed from sleep, followed shortly by the rest of his gorgeous body.
Karen froze, somewhat stunned to see the object of her fantasies in her bedroom in the flesh. Or was it a dream?
Hmm, no, her hand would not hurt this much in a dream.
Allan sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the cover back over her. “What do you need?” he asked as he rested a large hand on her calf.
“Um, do I have a prescription around here somewhere?”
Allan reached over her to the nightstand and picked up a bottle. Beside it was a glass of water. “Right here. Is your hand hurting?”
“Yeah,”
He opened the child-proof cap on the bottle and shook out a couple of tablets. Well that would be hard to do with my hand in this stupid splint. She swallowed the tablets and chased them with the water.
“It will be a bit before those start to work. Do you need anything else?” Allan’s hand still rested on her calf and he drew lazy circles with his thumb. When Karen looked into his eyes she was a little surprised to see the depth of caring that was present.
“I think I might use the bathroom.” Karen knew her cheeks flushed a little. Damn it, they shouldn’t. This was reality. At some point, everybody, and especially Sammy the cat, peed.