Phyl heard her cell phone buzz. There was a text from Cal.
r u ok?
Lydia grabbed the phone and replied for her mum.
no. try apologizing tomorrow. bye, Lyd
Cal looked at the text and wondered what was wrong.
The following day was a repeat of day one. On his supper break he called again and Lydia intercepted it again, so he just sat at a table with some of his old buddies to swap stories.
Every day for the next three weeks it was the same thing. He'd try to call and Lydia would ask him if he was ready to apologize. He'd say the same thing and she'd hang up on him. He'd managed to speak to Phyl once while the kids were at school but she sounded hurt and sad and lonely, which convinced him that he'd gotten something terribly wrong. How could doing the right thing make him feel like such a loser?
Finally he did what he should have done from the start, he prayed seriously for guidance. He'd been so sure he was doing the right thing by Phyl but he wasn't so sure anymore. He just gotten to sleep when the phone on the side table rang.
"Mr. Richardson?" A very scared and tearful Lydia was on the other end of the phone. "Mum's in the hospital and ..." Cal could hear her struggle with sobbing. "She's in a coma and we need you here."
Cal felt his world implode. "Phyl's in a coma? How?"
"The doctors think it's an anaphylactic reaction to something we ate at the church pot luck last night. They've got her on life support." Lydia was struggling to keep it together.
"Who's looking after you guys?"
"Elaine came to the hospital to be with me. Brian's at the house now with Emily and Tim and Felicity. I tried to call your cell but it went right to the answering machine. Elaine finally remembered what hotel you were in."
Cal looked at the clock, 3:36. "Lydia, dear heart. I'm on my way. What hospital is she in?"
"She's in intensive care at the General. They might not let you see her."
"I'll worry about that when I get there. I'll call Brian at your house to let them know when I'm coming in. Oh, and please make sure Father Gary knows what's happening so we can get the prayers going for Phyl."
Cal began to shove everything into his suitcases as he looked up the number of a taxi to get him to the airport. After he called he checked out of the hotel, turned on his cell phone and texted his client to let them know that the number two man would have to handle the remaining on site work for the foreseeable future.
The airport was very sleepy at four thirty in the morning. A bored looking US Airways ticket agent was desperately trying not to nod off.
"Hi there, I have a serious problem and I need to get to Ottawa the fastest way possible."
"Is that Illinois or Canada?"
"Canada. My fiancee is in a coma in intensive care and I need to get back. I don't care about the cost." Cal put his credit card on the counter.
"Earliest I can get y'all there is 'round 5:35 tonight their time through Philadelphia. I can check to see if there's anything faster that won't need you to charter a plane."
Cal looked up at the board. The US Airways flight to Philadelphia left in ninety minutes. That might be cutting the Customs clearances close. The young man looked up. "Nossir. I don't think there's anything that'll get y'all there any quicker."
"One seat please, business class."
"That's normally $2,817 but if you'll sign this here declaration that y'all have a medical emergency at home, I can give it to you for the standby rate."
Cal waited impatiently as the form printed out. He filled it all in and paused at the box marked relationship. Swallowing he wrote 'fiancee' in the box and tears began to fill his eyes.
As the plane headed eastward to Philadelphia Cal ran through every recipe he had for crow because he was certainly going to be eating it for a while. He just made his connection for Ottawa, thankful that he was sitting in the pointy end so he could deplane faster.
For the last leg he rehearsed various apologies but they all came down to "I'm sorry I was such an idiot. Can you forgive me?" This alternated with a prayer that Phyl would pull through.
Fortunately he was the first off the plane in Ottawa and had already filled out his declaration card. Swallowing his impatience he said, as calmly as he could, "I know you have a job to do, but my fiancee may be dying in hospital as we speak so could you please focus?"
The startled Border Services agent ran through the questionnaire quickly and Cal answered honestly that he didn't have time to buy anything because of the amount of overtime he'd been working.
The taxi got him to the General just after six. Elaine, Lydia, Felicity and Tim were all in the family waiting room. Cal held up a hand before anyone could hug him and said, "I'm sorry I was such a colossal idiot. I hope you'll be able to forgive me."
Felicity ran for the first hug followed by Lydia. Tim hung back but when the girls let him go he walked over to give Tim a hug. He turned to Lydia. "How's Phyl doing, really?"
"She's still in danger, but she hasn't gotten worse since we called you. The doctor says that every hour she hangs on her chances improve."
He looked at Lydia. "Can I see her?"
"I'll ask." Lydia led him to the nursing station and introduced him as her mother's fiancee. Cal raised an eyebrow but said quietly "You could have said I was her father."
Lydia looked up in shock but recognized that Cal was trying to make another apology.
She breathed a sigh of relief and said "But then I'd owe Mum two bucks for lying."
"But I'm not really her fiancee."
"Close enough that it's not really a lie." Lydia said, "I need another hug."
Cal obliged but Lydia could feel his impatience. The nurse showed Cal where the masks, gowns and gloves were then led him into the room. Lydia stayed behind with the rest.
Cal approached the bed and stared in shock at his lovely Phyllida. Her skin had gone an awful purplish red colour and there were intravenous tubes and oxygen feeds and catheters and other indignities attached to her body helping to keep her alive.
He asked the attending nurse if it would be okay to hold her hand. The nurse smiled and said that it would probably help.
He took one hand in his and with his other he gently moved some sweat damp hair off her forehead.
"Phyl, I was so stupid to run away from us. I hope you'll forgive me eventually. Seeing you here like this...Well, you were absolutely right. I shouldn't care what other people think of us and from now on I won't. I was so miserable in San Diego because you weren't there and Lydia wouldn't let me speak to you...I'll have to thank her for that because she was right. I guess I did do a lot of thinking about it in my very small amount of spare time...I don't know if you can hear me dearest Phyllida, but I love you madly and I don't want to spend any more time apart." On impulse he took a coffee receipt and a pen out of his pocket and measured her ring finger. Then he sat back and began to talk about what life together would be like for them.
After the allowed hour, he was shooed out by the nurse. The doctor came out shortly after that and briefed the family on Phyl's condition which was now upgraded to serious but stable. The prognosis was that she had a better than ninety percent chance of a full recovery and every hour that she didn't worsen increased those odds. The coma was unusual but not unheard of. He couldn't say for certain when she would wake up but for now she was holding on.
Everyone gave a sigh of relief. Elaine cornered her father as they were leaving to go home to shower and change. "Dad, I didn't realize how much she means to you. I mean I suspected, but I didn't know."
"If it's any consolation, I didn't really admit it to myself until a few hours ago. Elaine, I'm going to ask her to marry me."
"You have my blessing, Dad. She's a terrific woman. I'm praying that she pulls through."
Cal looked through the wall to where he thought Phyl's room was. "Me, too, Elli, me too."
Chapter Eighteen - October
Phyl opened her eyes to see a sight she didn't expect
- Cal's face full of concern for her.
"What happened?" She looked at the IV tubes and heard the beeping noises. "I sort of remember the church pot luck..."
"Lydia can tell you more, but the Cole's Notes version is that you ate something you're terribly allergic to and went into a coma from anaphylactic shock. They got you here just in time. It was a good thing Dr. Norris was at the pot luck and there were several people trained in CPR."
Phyl slumped into her pillow. "But you..."
"I was a colossal idiot, my love. I hope you'll forgive me but when Lydia called to let me know you were in the hospital I thought my world was ending. That's when I realized that I loved you too much to ever let you go again or to worry what people were going to say about us." He gave her a tentative smile. "I hope you can forgive me someday."
Phyl's face showed her astonishment. "Of course I forgive you, silly old man, I love you, too. I'll even try not to bring it up when we have our next big argument." Then she tried an impish smile, "But no guarantees for the one after that."
A doctor's face peered around the curtain. "Mrs. Schuyler? The nurse told me you'd woken."
He came in and examined Phyl's much improved skin colour and eyes then took a look at the blood oxygen history and a couple of other readings from the medical devices. "I'm afraid that we'll have to keep you in here for another three days at least. I'm not happy about some of the latest blood work. We want to make sure your liver is working properly before you go home."
"If you don't mind me asking, what day is it?"
Cal smiled. "It's Tim's birthday. October third."
Phyl did a quick calculation. "I've been in a coma for five days?"
The doctor gave a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid so."
Cal asked, "Will we have to hold off on the birthday cake?"
The doctor gave a warm smile. "No parties for a while, but if Tim was to bring in a small piece, and I do mean small," he indicated about an inch square with his fingers, "then it would be okay. You haven't had any solid food for almost a week, so it might not be comfortable even having that."
The doctor went off to discuss Phyl's care with the nursing station and in a matter of minutes Cal was shooed out the door so that various tubes could be removed and Phyl could get something resembling a proper bath.
The kids were models of restraint when Cal brought them to the hospital after school. The nurse had cranked the bed into a half-sitting posture so they were able to give and get some gentle hugs. Tim wasn't about to give his mum a hug with so many witnesses, but he did let it slip that having her awake was a pretty good twelfth birthday present.
They had cake and a decently long visit, then Cal sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "Is there anything I can get for you?"
Phyl looked her man in the eye and said, "Yes." Then she grabbed his ears and dragged his head forward. She whispered so the kids couldn't hear. "You are going to kiss me like you mean it. In front of everyone."
Cal leaned forward and their lips met. Cal tried to put all of his apologies and all of his hopes into the very gentle possessive kiss. The girls started to giggle as the heart rate monitor began to climb. Cal and Phyl joined the giggle. Phyl said, "See? There's the proof of what you do to me. In case you had any doubts."
Looking at her intently, he correctly interpreted that she needed another kiss. "I have to get everyone home. They have homework and I'm behind on the housework."
Phyl smirked and said, "What else is new?"
Squeezing her good hand he stood up. "Call if you need something."
"I will."
Felicity and Lydia were talking excitedly on Lydia's bed that evening. "I guess you're feeling a lot better, Lydia."
Lydia flopped onto her back. "I am so relieved. Mum's going to be okay. How about you?"
"Well, Dad's gone from being a complete jerk to Mister Wonderful. So I guess I'm fine now, too."
"Do you think they're going to get married?"
Felicity bounced happily. "Dad doesn't know I saw it, so don't say anything. He was in a hurry to get going this morning but like usual he forgot his wallet and keys in his bedroom and asked me to fetch them." Felicity leaned forward and dropped her voice. "There was a little Birks bag on the corner of the dresser and I was curious..."
Lydia sat up so she could hear better. "And..."
"Oh, it's really gorgeous, Lydia. I can't believe he finally did it."
"What?"
"An engagement ring. Dad bought Mum a ring. It's got a big sapphire and a bunch of smaller diamonds, kind of like Duchess Kate's ring but smaller. I think it's set in platinum 'cause it's not gold or silver, I know what those look like."
Lydia was bouncing, too. "Oh my God. He's going to really do it this time."
The girls hugged each other and turned their attention to school gossip.
"I don't believe it, Elaine. He finally came to his senses and now he's what?"
"He's going to ask Phyl to marry him. And I don't want you to get all pissy about it, not after he bailed you out over Erica. Much as I hate to admit it, David, I think he's happier with Phyl than he was with Mom." Before David could rant some more, she continued, "Don't get me wrong, David. Dad was really content with Mom and they were really good together, but he seems happier when he's with Phyl. Give it a chance, David."
"I still don't approve. He looks like a fool chasing after someone that young."
"Well, I approve. You should have seen his face when he walked into the hospital. It was like his world was about to end."
"Well he should find someone his own age. It's not right. What if they have kids?"
Elaine's voice hardened. "So that's really what this is about, then. You just want Mom's money. Well, I hope he cuts you off. It would serve you right after all the loans you've gotten over the years."
"It's not about the money. He's just being an idiot. And Phyl's nowhere close to being good enough for him."
"Well, David. I hope you grow up soon. And I hope you realize how lucky you are that Judy forgave you. Bye." Elaine hung up.
"So Cal's finally going to propose to Phyl and the only person left to complain to is Elaine, right?" Judy smirked. "Well get used to it. I think he only left her bedside for a couple of hours a day the whole time she was in the coma. Maybe the best wedding gift you can give them is to forgive Phyl for whatever she did or didn't do that made you so angry."
David drew Judy into a gentle hug. "I'm still working on it with the counsellor, honey. I guess it's the humiliating way she said no to me every time I asked her out in front of her friends. I got teased for years about it even after university. I mean, she went out with almost every other guy in the school."
Judy gave David a gentle kiss. "Let it go. We all get embarrassed from time to time."
David sighed. "I guess." He returned his wife's kiss. "It might take a while."
"That's fine, as long as you're actually working on it. You know I always admired your persistence, but you have to pick the right things to be persistent about. Like us."
David squeezed his wife tighter, "Yes, like us."
Cal dropped the girls off at the high school and continued to the Christian elementary school to drop Tim off. "Tim, I was thinking about asking your mother to marry me. What do you think about that?"
"It would be okay, I suppose."
"Just okay?"
"Yeah, just okay." But there was a real smile on Tim's face as he said it. They continued in silence for a while.
"Mr. Richardson, what would I call you?" Tim asked.
"I don't know, Tim. I'll have to ask your sister and your mum." Cal sounded like he hadn't considered the question. "Felicity's been calling your mother 'Mum' for years. Her mother was 'Mom'." Cal pronounced them to rhyme with hum and Tom, respectively. "But Harry and I were both Dad. I'll have to think about it. But I don't want 'Pops', I'm not your grandfather."
Tim said, sagely, "Actually he was Papa most of the time when we were at home. He was teachi
ng me Dutch. So Dad might work. And I know you're old. Mum said you were touchy about that."
Cal looked over at Tim's serious face and started to laugh. "I sure was. I think I already said I was an idiot." Cal pulled into the drop off area.
Tim grinned. "Yeah, well, but we all knew that already. Hey, have a good day."
Phyl's face lit up as Cal came in with a small overnight bag. "Hair brush, some lip gloss, fresh underwear, flannel nightgowns and a decent robe as requested." He fished into the bag. "And a few hair elastics and deodorant that Lydia insisted I bring. And one of your shirtwaist dresses with a belt to go home in because you've lost some weight and we didn't know what would fit. And this." He produced a small handful of Lindt chocolates.
"I'll have clear that with the nurse, but it's a sweet thought."
Cal gently pried the hairbrush from Phyl's hand. "Let me."
Phyl twisted around to put her back to him and sighed as she felt the gentle strokes of the brush. "Oh, Cal, that feels so good. My mum used to do that for me. I hinted a lot at Harry that he could brush my hair any time, but he was pretty clueless about it."
Cal smiled to himself as he continued with gentle strokes to untangle Phyl's long ash blonde tresses. "I use to do this for Elaine and Felicity when they were little and for Brenda when she had a bad day with the kids. It relaxed both of us."
"And I'll bet she showed her appreciation after the lights were out." Phyl teased.
"I did make that connection pretty quickly," Cal admitted as he gently worked out another tangle. "But then I'd have to brush it out again in the morning." Phyl made appreciative purring noises as he continued brushing with long even strokes. "Do you trust me to put it into a ponytail or a braid, or would you like to do that yourself?"
A May-September Wedding Page 17