“Maddy.” He patted the bed beside him with a big smile. “Have you met Dr. Lewis?” he asked, waving at the man sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I have.”
Hiram grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to him. “He just asked me if I really had my heart set on dying today,” he told her.
“And what did you tell him?” she asked softly.
“I told him I got to go soon, because everyone’s waiting for me.” Hiram slowly gazed around the dimly lit room, then back at her. “They started coming around midnight, and now the room’s so crowded I don’t think another one will fit in.”
“T-they?” Maddy whispered, also looking around.
He squeezed her hand. “My family, girl. And a good number of my old friends, including Rufus, my best buddy, who drowned when he was twelve.” He pulled her closer so he could whisper to her. “My papa said he’s mighty sorry for hollering and scaring me like that, but he explained he didn’t even know he was doing it.” He tugged on her hand when she tried to look around again. “You can’t see them because they’re dead.”
“But you can?”
He grinned. “That’s because I’ve already started in dying.” He pulled her closer again. “It’s just like William said; I ain’t got nothing to be afraid of, because everyone’s gonna take good care of me once I’m all the way dead.”
Maddy took a shuddering breath, and since she was already so close, she gave his weathered cheek a kiss. “I’m glad for you,” she whispered, just before she straightened and turned away so she could wipe her eyes.
“But I ain’t going until William gets here,” Hiram said. “He gave me a message to give to his sister, only I can’t remember all what I’m supposed to tell her. I think it was about a warhorse and a ribbon or something, but I got so excited about knowing I was going to meet his family, too, that I forgot to listen close. And I don’t want to mess it up, because I think William really misses them—especially his sister.”
“I don’t know when he’ll get here,” she said, glancing briefly at Dr. Lewis before looking back at Hiram. “It might not be for a day or two.”
“That’s okay; I can wait. And you know what?” he said. “I ain’t got even a wee bit of pain. In fact, I feel the best I have in years. Even my bunions don’t hurt.” He squeezed her hand. “But you’ll stay with me anyway, won’t you? I mean, just in case.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
He snuggled back into the pillow with a sigh. “I love you, Maddy girl,” he said, closing his eyes.
“I love you, too, Mr. Man,” she whispered, holding his frail hand as she unsuccessfully fought back her tears, watching him drift off to sleep.
Chapter Twenty-one
It was one of the longest nights of Maddy’s life, and by eight o’clock that morning, it still wasn’t ended. The storm continued to rage with hurricane-force winds and torrential rain, and even though it was well past sunrise, it could have been midnight for how dark it was outside. The nursing home still had power, but they couldn’t get any television or radio stations, and even their cell phones had stopped getting out. Maddy was beginning to agree with Maureen; it felt as though they were completely cut off from the rest of the world.
And there still wasn’t any sign of William.
Or the tiger.
Nobody had come into work at seven, and the residents weren’t waking up!
It was as if time had simply stopped.
Hiram continued drifting in and out of sleep; he’d wake up, discover he was still alive, and close his eyes and start softly snoring again. When he did stay awake for more than two minutes, he was quite lucid—considering he was telling Maddy stories about all the people in the room that only he could see. But then he asked if there was anything she wanted him to tell her daddy, just in case he happened to run into Charlie Lane in the hereafter.
Maddy had nearly lost it right then and there, but had somehow managed to give him a thankful smile, and told him to tell her daddy that she loved him and that everyone was doing okay. But then she’d remembered to have Hiram also tell him that Rick was following in his footsteps, and becoming a fisherman just like he’d hoped.
And then she’d said she needed to use the bathroom, and that was why she was standing out in the hall right now, bawling like a baby.
“D-did he pass?” Maureen whispered, rushing up to her.
Unable to speak, Maddy just shook her head.
A pair of large hands turned her into a broad chest, and two well-muscled arms wrapped around her. “Easy there, Miss Kimble,” Dr. Lewis said, patting her back. “I can see how difficult this is for you, but Mr. Fields seems to be waiting for that gentleman to show up, and I don’t think he’s going to let go until he does.”
Utterly mortified to be crying all over a doctor—not to mention a complete stranger—Maddy forced her emotions under control and tried to step away.
Only his arms tightened and his patting turned to gentle rubbing. “If it’s any consolation, I believe Hiram is actually enjoying himself,” he said, his warm breath fanning over her hair.
Maddy stiffened, suddenly uncomfortable. It might be unprofessional to cry on a doctor, but it was really inappropriate for him to be soothing her like . . . like . . .
“Maddy, I think we should start waking up the residents,” Maureen said. “I’m starting to really worry about them.”
God bless the perceptive woman! Forcibly pushing on the hand holding her head down, and with Maureen actually helping by pulling at her, Maddy finally managed to step free. “Excuse me, Doctor,” she said, smiling apologetically, “but we really need to see to the others. I’m sorry; that was very unprofessional of me.”
He smiled, his green eyes glinting in the dim hall lights. “Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on sometimes, Miss Kimble, so please don’t apologize. As for the residents, why not let them sleep in this morning? It will be a lot less stressful for them than waking up to this terrible storm and then learning that Mr. Fields is dying.”
“But it’s unnatural,” Maddy said tightly, restraining herself from visibly shuddering because she could still feel his arms around her—probably because he was still embracing her with his eyes. “Especially that they’re all asleep at eight in the morning. If you will excuse us, Dr. Lewis, we have work to do,” she said, pivoting on her heel and heading toward the nurses’ station.
“Madeline,” he said ever so softly as she walked away, making her stop to look at him. “I believe we can drop the formalities now. Please, call me Aslan.”
Maddy went perfectly still, not even daring to breathe.
Aslan.
The Chronicles of Narnia.
C. S. Lewis.
One missing green-eyed, face-licking tiger.
And a way-too-forward stranger claiming to be a doctor, who very conveniently showed up when they needed one, with not a drop of rain on him.
“Aslan is a very uncommon name,” she said, staring down the hall directly into his bright green eyes.
“It’s from C. S. Lewis’s book The Chronicles of Narnia,” he said. “Maybe you’re familiar with it? My mother was fascinated by all the talking creatures and named me Aslan after the lion. When I was . . . oh, almost ten, I think, she and I read it together.”
Maddy’s heart started pounding.
“Hey, isn’t that the book you and Sarah are reading together?” Maureen asked.
“No, we read it when she was eight,” she blatantly lied.
Aslan Lewis nodded, the glint in his eyes intensifying. “I believe I’ll sit with Hiram while you tend to your other residents, then,” he said, shooting her a wink and then walking into Hiram’s room.
“He’s the one acting unprofessional,” Maureen said, looping her arm through Maddy’s and leading her toward the nurses’ station. “Doctors do not hug nurses, and they sure as hell don’t wink at them,” she added, stopping to face her. “What in hell is going
on here, Maddy? I feel like we’re standing in the middle of the Twilight Zone!”
“I honest to God don’t know, Maureen.”
Maureen glanced down the hall and visibly shivered. “Yeah, well, that guy gives me the creeps. Do you think it’s okay to leave him alone with Hiram?”
Maddy shrugged. “He’s been alone with him several times this morning while we were checking on everyone. And Hiram seems comfortable enough with him.” She straightened her shoulders on a deep breath. “Come on, let’s get everyone up, and maybe this place will start feeling normal again. We can let Charlotte and Lois and Elvira loose in the kitchen, and they can conjure up some scrambled eggs and toast for everyone,” she said, inwardly wincing at even uttering the word conjure.
“Okay,” Maureen said, also stiffening her spine. “You get Charlotte and Lois, and I’ll head in the other direction and wake up Elbridge.” She smiled. “He might be eighty, but it’ll feel good to have another man around.” But then she frowned. “I just wish I could get through to my husband on his cell phone. I can’t believe he hasn’t shown up here looking for me by now.”
“But you told me Doris said all the roads are blocked by trees and downed wires.”
Maureen went back to smiling. “Sean would walk the whole six miles if he had to, figuring I was stuck someplace between here and home. I swear, if I’m so much as ten minutes overdue, he’s in the truck coming after me.” She laughed. “That’s what forty years of marriage does to a couple; if he doesn’t call from the woods every three hours, I usually go looking for him,” she finished, heading toward Elbridge’s room.
“Maybe someday I’ll be lucky enough to have that problem,” Maddy said with a chuckle, heading in the opposite direction toward the room Charlotte and Lois shared.
It took more effort than usual to get everyone up and dressed and ready to face the day, and their one bed-ridden resident, Mem, was quite put out that she couldn’t watch the morning news to get the latest on the storm. Charlotte and Lois and Elvira, acting as though she’d just given them the keys to the kingdom, had practically run to the kitchen to cook breakfast for everyone.
Charlotte had been wearing enough flour to make a loaf of bread when the women had rolled out a cart almost an hour later, loaded with enough divine-smelling food to feed a small nation, and Maddy figured it was going to take the kitchen crew a week to clean up the mess the women had made. Janice and Samuel and Elbridge had immediately gone to Hiram’s room, and Hiram was sitting up in bed, holding court, telling them about his ethereal visitors. Feeling bummed at not being part of the party, Mem talked Maddy and Maureen into putting her in a wheeled recliner, and they’d pushed the frail woman into Hiram’s room with everyone else.
Now they were all sitting around in wheelchairs or on the spare bed, eating perfectly cooked eggs and homemade biscuits, a small island of people weathering both the storm outside and the one in their hearts as they all tried to comfort a dying friend.
Only Hiram seemed oblivious to both storms. “Maddy girl,” he said, scowling at her as he set his fork on his empty plate. “This is a right nice get-together, but it ain’t exactly the party you promised me.” He waved at the room. “You didn’t put up any of them streamers, and you forgot the balloons.” But then he smiled at her. “I’ll let it go, though, if’n I can have a piece of my apple spice cake. You got candles for it, I hope.”
Maddy didn’t know what to say; forget the candles, she didn’t have a cake!
“It’s not your birthday, Hiram,” Mem scoffed before Maddy could say anything. “You only put candles on birthday cakes.”
Hiram went back to scowling, only at Mem instead of at Maddy. “I’ve had ninety-one birthdays, woman, but I only intend to have one dying day. And I think I should get to blow out some candles.” He looked at Maddy and smiled again. “Only I just need one, okay? I don’t think I got enough wind in me to blow out any more than that.” He rubbed his belly. “But I got plenty of room for lots of cream cheese icing.”
Silence descended, and it was all Maddy could do not to burst into tears. She didn’t have an apple spice cake with cream cheese frosting, because this party wasn’t supposed to happen until Monday afternoon.
“Would you like me to help you carry Hiram’s cake from the kitchen, Madeline?” Dr. Lewis asked, standing up. He smiled at Hiram. “Because if your cake is the one I saw in the cooler, Mr. Fields, it’s going to take two people to carry it.”
Hiram’s face lit up. “Is the icing thick, and it’s all decorated up fancy?” He suddenly scowled. “Not with flowers, I hope. I don’t want one of them girly cakes.”
“The icing was at least an inch thick,” their mysterious guest said. “And the cake I saw was decorated with a forest of trees. I do believe there was even an axe and crosscut saw on it. Is that appropriate for a man who spent sixty years in the woods?”
Honest to God, she was going to kill him. They didn’t have a cake, and this . . . this bastard was building Hiram up for a huge disappointment.
Maddy stood up. “Yes, Dr. Lewis, I believe I would like your help,” she said tightly, spinning around and heading for the door.
“There’s some streamers left over from the Fourth of July,” Lois said, following.
“And there’s still helium in the tank,” Charlotte added, also following.
Maddy smiled at the two women as they rushed toward the sitting room.
But then Lois suddenly stopped and turned to her. “I never saw a cake when we were cooking breakfast, and I must have been in that cooler twenty times this morning.”
“That’s because there is no cake,” Maddy said.
“Then why did Dr. Lewis say there was?”
“That’s what I intend to find out.” Maddy forced herself to take a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping to calm some of her anger. “Maybe I can whip up some frosting and spread it over bread or something. Meanwhile, we can at least put up streamers and balloons,” she finished, gesturing for Lois to continue her mission. “That will ease some of his disappointment.”
Lois gave her a concerned look and then headed after Charlotte, disappearing into the sitting room. Maddy stood with her arms crossed and waited for Dr. Lewis.
“What in hell do you think you’re doing?” she hissed the moment he stepped into the hallway. She grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him away from the door. “Why did you tell Hiram you saw a cake in the cooler? Now he’s going to be heartbroken when I have to tell him there isn’t one.”
“Is that cake for someone else, then?” he asked. He suddenly reached up and touched one of her curls. “You have got the sexiest eyes I’ve ever seen on a woman, Madeline, and when you’re angry they positively snap with fire.”
She jerked away so quickly that she bumped up against the hall railing. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but you are out of here,” she growled, pointing toward the entrance. “Now!”
He arched a brow. “And just what are you going to do if I don’t leave? Shoot me?” He shook his head, and his eyes crinkled with laughter. “Apparently you’re no more afraid of me than you are of your boyfriend.”
“What in hell are you talking about?”
He crowded her back against the handrail, the heat of his body sending shivers down her spine. “Isn’t Killkenny expecting you to be waiting in his truck for him when he gets back?” He rubbed her curls between his fingers. “Where I come from, women do as they’re told or suffer the consequences.”
“W-where exactly are you from?”
“Not Narnia, that’s for hell sure.” He leaned closer, bringing his mouth within inches of hers. “You’re not really all that enamored with Killkenny, are you?” he asked softly. “Because I happen to know he’ll never be able to give you what you need. Come with me, Madeline. Walk away with me right now, and I will give you the world.”
Maddy wasn’t sure where she got the nerve, but she smiled ever so sweetly. “Thank you, but I believe I’ll stick with a man who ha
s the balls to go fight a pack of demon wolves instead of hide in a nursing home with a bunch of old people.”
He straightened away, his scowl fierce enough to turn her to toast.
Maddy kicked her smile up another notch. “William Killkenny has already given me more than I even realized I wanted. And I’d run off with . . . oh, let’s say a dragon before I would with someone lower than pond scum who tries to poach another man’s girlfriend the moment his back is turned.” She stepped out from between him and the wall in the direction of the kitchen, but turned back. “I’m going to put a candle in a loaf of bread, and if you’re still here when I get back, I do believe I will shoot you.”
Apparently Maddy had been standing in front of the open cooler so long that Maureen had decided she’d better come save her from Dr. Lewis again. But as soon as the woman turned to look in the cooler herself, she gasped.
“Where did that come from?” she whispered, reaching out and touching the cake. She blinked at Maddy. “I . . . it . . . I swear that wasn’t there two hours ago,” she said, waving at the cooler. “It’s so big it takes up an entire shelf!”
There was even one big fat candle shaped like a pine tree sitting smack in the middle of the damn thing. Maddy decided she really was going to have to write all this down the moment she woke up, because it was simply fantastical. Only she probably wouldn’t include Pond Scum’s lecherous proposition, since this was going to be a children’s book.
Maureen plopped down on the stool beside the center island and dropped her head in her hands with a tired sigh. “I’m getting too old to be working the night shift,” she muttered. “I swear I’m losing my mind.”
Maddy wrapped her arm around her, also giving a deep sigh, only hers was more resigned than tired. “One of Hiram’s invisible visitors must have put it in the cooler.”
Maureen looked up between her fingers. “That is not funny.” She suddenly dropped her hands and grinned drunkenly. “Because it’s probably true.”
“Maddy! Maureen! Come quick!” Elvira shouted, running into the kitchen. “William’s here, and he’s hurt.”
Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay) Page 24