The Sunny Side of the Mountain

by Charliann Roberts

  “Hello,” she said, while she hurried into the kitchen and grabbed a spoon to test the stew.

  “This is Nick. I hate to tell you this, but I need to come over to pick you up. We have to take Kyle over to the emergency room in Huntington. He fell off of his horse, and I’m afraid he broke his right leg.”

  “Oh, my God, how is he doing?”

  “He’s acting tough, but I know he’s in excruciating pain.”

  “Just wait there. I’ll drive over to your place, and then we can leave in my SUV. There’ll be more room in my vehicle.”

  “That sounds like a good idea. See you shortly.”

  She moved quickly, and turned off the crock-pot. “You be a good girl, Mandy. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

  She arrived at Nick’s within ten minutes. Kyle looked as though he was in a lot of pain, but just sat gritting his teeth. He was hanging in there. Kayla was a different story. She sat next to him, tears running down her cheeks. She handed Kayla a tissue.

  Nick and one of the ranch hands carefully picked Kyle up and carried him to the backseat of the SUV. “Why don’t I drive, and you can sit in back with Kyle,” Nick suggested.

  She agreed, and climbed in. Kayla hopped into the front with Nick, and they took off.

  “How are you doing, sweetie?”

  “Not very well, Mom,” he said, his brows drawn together in misery. “It hurts like hell.”

  “Hold on, we’ll be there in about five more minutes,” Nick said over his shoulder.

  “Okay, thanks,” Kyle answered, and clenched his fingers tightly into the armrests.

  “I wish there was something I could do for you, honey.” Her voice was shakier than she would have liked. She hung her head down; her body slumped in despair, and bit her lip until it throbbed. It seemed that everything was going wrong, one thing after another. Then she realized that she wasn’t helping matters any for Kyle, if she didn’t lighten up on herself a bit. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze when she noticed the hospital up ahead.

  “Here we are,” Nick said, as he pulled into the emergency entrance. He jumped out and went in to get some help.

  When Cassandra had completed all the paperwork, she walked over and sat with Kayla and Nick. The nurse had taken Kyle down the hallway for x-rays. Nick reached over and softly caressed her hand. She hated the smell of the hospital corridors. Her stomach had become upset from the horrible stink of antiseptic. It reminded her of her own stay in the hospital, and it made the wait seem much longer.

  “I’m really sorry, Cassandra. This shouldn’t have happened. I should have been watching them more carefully.”

  “It’s not your fault at all. It was an unfortunate experience for him. I just thank God it’s only his leg that’s broken.”

  After two long hours, a nurse suddenly appeared from around the corner with Kyle in a wheelchair. He wore a cast that ran from his ankle up to his thigh. The three of them jumped up at once.

  “Hi, guys,” he murmured, offering a half-smile. “Sorry I caused so much trouble, Nick.”

  “No problem, we’re just glad to know you’ll be okay.”

  The nurse handed Cassandra a container filled with enough pain pills to keep him comfortable. “If he’s in pain you can give him one pill every four to six hours. It should let up in a day or two. He’s pretty doped up right now.” She gave a small smile and gently patted his shoulder. “Call the doctor’s office tomorrow and they’ll set up an appointment for him in two weeks.”

  Nick stepped ahead of them and held the door. With the nurse’s help, he carefully lifted Kyle into the backseat and placed his crutches in the cargo area. He made sure everyone was all set to go, and they were on their way.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Do Sherry and Adam have anything planned for next weekend?

  “Not that I know of, why?”

  “Saturday will be Kyle and Kayla’s birthday. They’ll be limited for activities. Kyle won’t be able to have his cast removed for a couple more weeks.”

  “Come to think of it, Sherry did mention something about it last week.”

  “I thought maybe a sleepover. There isn’t much else Kyle can do.”

  Cassandra and Shannon were having a quick lunch at Maria’s Café. They’d planned to have Thanksgiving dinner together this year and finally found a day to firm up the details.

  “Do you think the twins will miss Jeff on their birthday and during the holidays?” Shannon asked.

  “I doubt it. I know I won’t. Every time there was a birthday or a holiday, Jeff had an excuse to get not just drunk, but extremely intoxicated. He’d always end up ruining the holidays; in fact, he’d be too drunk to realize which holiday we were celebrating. For me, holidays will now be relaxing and enjoyable.”

  “I really don’t understand why you put up with him for so long.”

  “I was hoping he’d change, Shannon. That he’d see what he was doing to himself and his family. Now that it’s come to an end, I feel relieved. That may sound cruel. After all, I was married to him, and he was Kyle and Kayla’s father. However, after the accident, he just turned completely insane. It was as though he’d had a split personality I never knew about.”

  Their waitress was a cute little elderly woman named Alice McKinley. She had platinum blonde hair, wrapped up in a bun with a little server cap on top to match her yellow pinafore. She stopped by their table to collect their plates and asked if they’d like dessert.

  “I don’t think so, Alice. I’d better save the calories for the approaching holidays,” Shannon said. “We eat turkey for Thanksgiving and end up looking like pigs,” she grumbled with a frown.

  “Speak for yourself!" Cassandra laughed. “That’s the exact reason I cook turkey for Thanksgiving. I really don’t care for it, so I don’t eat much.”

  She looked up at Alice, then leaned back, released a sigh and said, “I’d better pass on the dessert too, Alice. I just ate enough to hold me over until the end of next week.”

  Alice smiled and placed the bill on a small tray.

  “We’d better get going, Shannon. I have to think of some suggestions to give the kids on what they can do for their birthday, with a broken leg to deal with.” She stood and walked over to the cashier, and paid for their lunches, while Shannon left Alice a generous tip.

  At half past two, Cassandra pulled up to the side entrance of the school. Kayla attempted to reach for the door for Kyle, even though her arms were full with both of their backpacks. Cassandra hopped out and opened the car door for them.

  “What would you like for supper? It’s Friday, so it’s your choice.”

  “Pizza,” they both answered.

  “I don’t know why I even bother to ask,” she muttered to herself.

  Once they were home, Cassandra helped Kyle out of the car while Kayla carried their backpacks up the porch steps, and unlocked the door.

  That darn dog even knows the word “pizza”. Cassandra watched Mandy run in circles while she called in the order. Then she filled Mandy’s bowl with dog food before the pizza arrived, so she wouldn’t beg quite so badly for the crust.

  The pizza appeared at the door right on time. The dog sulked while the kids dug in. “Hey, I’ve got an idea for our birthday,” Kyle mumbled, his mouth full. “Let’s go up to the cabin. We could bring Adam and Sherry with us. Could we, Mom? That would be fun, like a sleepover in front of the fireplace.”

  He looked happy for a change, so she hated to refuse. “You can call and ask them – after you’ve finished eating.”

  “Do you want help with the dishes, Mom?” Kayla asked.

  “No, honey, I can do them. There aren’t many here. Go ahead and call Sherry.”

  She decided she just might enjoy the weekend up there, herself. She needed time to be away from her work and that sounded refreshing. Maybe even Nick sounded refreshing. She smiled at that thought, gathered the dirty dishes, and carried them to the sink.

  *

  Tomorrow was th
e first day of November, Kyle and Kayla’s birthday. Winter was just around the corner. The temperature gauge had definitely proven that factor; outside it had been in the low thirties in the early evening. Inside the cabin, it was a warm and comfortable seventy-two, nice and toasty with the fire crackling. The kids were on the floor in front of the fireplace, enjoying a game of Monopoly, while she stretched out on the couch. Relaxed, she sunk deep into the cushions with her favorite book, Auntie Em’s first romantic suspense, The Ice Storm. Mandy slept soundly on her blanket near the fire, and all four legs twitched, as if she longed to catch up with the rabbit she spotted in the meadow upon their arrival.

  A moment later, she heard her phone ring, and jumped up to take the call in her bedroom; she assumed it was Nick.

  “Hi Cassandra, I noticed when you arrived this afternoon. Are you here for the weekend?”

  “Yes, we’ll have to head back around noon on Sunday.”

  “Does Kyle still have the cast on his leg?”

  “Yes, and unfortunately we haven’t come up with anything he’d be able to do for their birthday tomorrow, so we brought Adam and Sherry with us for a weekend sleepover.”

  “How’s he been feeling?”

  “Better than expected, but anxious to have the cast removed. Although he does enjoy Kayla waiting on him left and right and it doesn’t bother her in the least. Those two are so close. He acts as though she’s his extra pair of arms and legs and she doesn’t seem to mind one bit.”

  “I might be able to come up with something they’d all enjoy,” he said. “I have an idea, but I’ll have to check into it first. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

  “Okay, thank you. I won’t mention anything to them. I’ll just wait to hear from you. Good night, Nick.” She smiled in contentment and hung up the phone.

  *

  It was one o’clock in the afternoon and the kids were bored. Cassandra was trying to come up with something for them to do when she looked out her bedroom window in complete surprise.

  “Hey kids, come here, hurry! Look what’s coming up the drive.”

  The four of them entered, Kayla helping Kyle hop over to the window.

  “Oh wow!” Kayla said. She grinned and looked over at Kyle.

  “Cool,” he said.

  “That’s awesome,” Sherry said.

  Nick approached the cabin in an elegant horse-drawn carriage.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  “We had a good time, Nick. I’m glad you were able to come up with something that Kyle could enjoy along with the others. Everyone had fun.”

  The kids were in the living room. Kyle and Adam were watching a movie; Kayla and Sherry were in the middle of a game of Backgammon. Nick and Cassandra sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea.

  “Well, I figured he was getting awfully bored by now. I checked around and found someone with a six-passenger carriage. It worked out quite well, didn’t it?” He leaned back in his chair.

  “Another week and he’ll be able to have the cast removed. He’s getting very anxious.”

  “If you’re heading home in the morning, when do you think you’ll be back?”

  “Not for a while; Thanksgiving is only a week away, and I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping yet. I do want to try to make this a special Christmas for Auntie Em. She hasn’t been feeling well lately. We don’t know how many more Christmases she’ll have left with us. I want to make them very memorable. Perhaps you could come down to Woodland to celebrate Christmas with us? Auntie Em would really enjoy that.”

  “Thanks, that sounds like fun, but I’ll have to let you know. It would depend on how many of my ranch hands will be here. A lot of them like to be with their families for Christmas. We’ll see.”

  “Just give me a call.”

  “I’ll try to make it. It’ll be very boring around here until you get back. I’ve really gotten used to Kyle and Kayla at my ranch.” He placed his hands on hers. “I guess I’d better get back to my place. I need to check on the horses for the night. Tomorrow’s just another day on the ranch.” He smiled and rose from his chair.

  “We’ve all missed you too, Nick. The kids have told me they wouldn’t mind living here, but they also want to be able to graduate with their friends.”

  Nick said goodbye to the kids and wished Kyle good luck when he’d finally be able to have his cast removed. Cassandra grabbed her jacket and walked out to the porch with him. The temperature had dropped quite a bit since their ride in the carriage this afternoon.

  She began to shiver, and he wrapped his arms around her while they stood and stared up at the stars. His arms felt warm and protective. She looked up to see their huge puffs of breath in the cold night air then turned her face toward his. That was when he placed a warm and tender kiss on her lips, then stepped down from the porch.

  She held her breath, and her fingers lightly touched her lips as she watched him drive away. With a smile on her face, she went back in, then closed and locked the door.

  *

  Shannon had also invited Auntie Em for Thanksgiving, and Cassandra drove out to get her the night before. Everyone had a wonderful time. Auntie Em was looking forward to spending the night, and Cassandra planned to drive her home in the morning. The twins stayed overnight with Adam and Sherry. Kyle had his cast removed three days ago and he said it was quite a relief to be free and able to move around, doing whatever he pleased.

  When Cassandra turned off the lights in the living room, Mandy came up to her and barked frantically. She didn’t know what to think, until Mandy ran back and forth to the guest room where Auntie Em slept. She entered the bedroom and could see that Auntie Em was having difficulty breathing. Her head rested on the pillows, her eyes closed and her hands grasped her chest; her face drained with shock.

  “Auntie Em!” Cassandra cried. She felt her pulse. It was very weak. “Oh no, Auntie Em, no! Please wake up, please!” Her hands shook and she fumbled with the telephone receiver as she quickly dialed nine-one-one. After that, she called Dan.

  While she waited, she sat on the edge of the bed and held Auntie Em in her arms. Tears streamed down her face. She began to shake in fear as Dan came in and gently moved her off to the side. He immediately performed CPR.

  The ambulance arrived soon after. They carried her out on a stretcher. Cassandra wanted to ride along, but there wasn’t enough room. Since Dan was a doctor, he wanted to be in the ambulance to assist them. She stood back and wrapped her arms around herself. Her body shook and her heart filled with fear.

  “Shannon will be right over, honey,” Dan told her, and he hopped into the emergency vehicle.

  Shannon drove her and the children to the hospital. Cassandra sat quietly, tears running down her cheeks. She prayed that Auntie Em would be okay.

  Keeping one hand on the wheel, Shannon reached over and held her hand. “She’ll be okay. She’s a very strong woman. She seemed just fine when the two of you left our house.”

  “For the past few weeks she’d been awfully tired. She told me just last week that she hadn’t been feeling well. When I told her to make an appointment for a check-up, she never got around to it. She kept telling me she was fine, that she had a deadline to meet, for her book.”

  “Mom, do you think she’ll be okay?” Kayla asked. “She has to be, Mom. She just has to be.” She whimpered softly, while she sat in the backseat with Kyle; he placed his arm around her shoulders.

  “She’ll be okay, just pray for her.”Adam and Sherry both held hands with them while they said a prayer.

  Shannon pulled into the emergency entrance. Cassandra and the twins hopped out, and Shannon drove off to park the car.

  They hurried into the hospital and Cassandra went directly to the admissions desk. She let the nurse know that Emma Fischer had come in ambulance a short time ago. The nurse told them to have a seat. The doctor would come to speak to them, as soon as he was able.

  She hugged the twins, and they went to sit down. Shannon walked in with some
coffee for her; Adam and Sherry handed a can of pop to each of the twins.

  “Have you heard anything yet?”

  She slowly shook her head and took a sip of coffee.

  “Thank you, Shannon. I couldn’t have driven over here,” she whispered weakly, and her voice broke. She swallowed hard and squared her shoulders, then stood up to stretch her legs. She paced the length of the hallway. The twins sat together, watching her, wishing they could be of some help. She stood motionless at the end of the corridor, thinking deeply of the wonderful person Auntie Em had always been. No one could ask for a better mother, she thought as she paced in front of the window.

  Staring out at the dark and gloomy night, her stomach churned with anxiety and frustration. Her eyes downcast, she slowly turned and walked back to the twins, lowering herself into the chair between them.

  She looked up and suddenly stood when she saw Dan slowly coming toward them. There were two other doctors, one on each side of him. When she looked into Dan’s eyes, she knew what he was about to say. Her stomach sank as she let out a deep sob. Dan helped her back to her chair.

  The Millers moved closer to Cassandra and the twins, then knelt and wrapped their arms around her as they wept. “We’re sorry, Cassandra,” Dan said. “We did all we could. She’d regained her pulse for a short time in the ambulance, but her heart just stopped, it gave up before we arrived at the hospital. We couldn’t bring her back, honey. We’re so sorry.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  It had been three weeks since the funeral, when Cassandra invited Shannon over for breakfast. They’d just finished their scrambled eggs and sausage, toast and homemade jam. Feeling relaxed, they sat back and gazed out the kitchen window while they sipped their coffee.