Читать книгу The Color Of Courage - Patricia Davids - Страница 9

“Easy, I’ve got you.” Brian held the slender form of the woman against his chest and struggled to keep upright for both their sakes.

Her hair did smell like peaches. Funny, he hadn’t pictured her as the type of woman to use a scented shampoo. She struck him as a soldier through and through. It was intriguing to know she had a feminine side. He steadied himself by leaning back against the wall.

“I’m fine. It’s just a dizzy spell,” she said quickly.

The tight grip of her hand on his lab coat lapel told him more than words how much distress she was in. If there was one thing he knew well, it was the signs of pain—in animals and in humans.

A second later her fellow soldiers reached them. Shane swept Lindsey up into his arms without a moment’s hesitation and Brian had no choice but to let him. Seeing how easily and gently the man lifted her made Brian acutely aware of his own physical shortcomings. Years ago he had carried Emily just as effortlessly. He thought he had come to terms with his disability a long time ago, but obviously he hadn’t.

His limp was only a small reminder of the tragedy his carelessness had brought about. In one night he had lost both his wife and their unborn child. His mistake had cost him everything he held dear and he had only himself to blame.

Lee quickly retrieved Brian’s cane and handed it to him. Taking the polished wooden staff, Brian nodded his thanks and ignored his feelings of inadequacy. He extended one hand indicating a door a few steps down the hall. “My office has a sofa in it. You can lay her down in there. Do you want me to call nine-one-one?”

“No.” The weak murmur came from Lindsey.

“Are you sure?” Shane asked, looking uncertain.

She nodded as if more words were beyond her.

“This way,” Brian said, and moved to open his door. Inside his office, he swept up a few papers and books from the brown leather sofa to make room for her.

Shane lowered her gingerly, then stood back. None of the men seemed to know what to do next. Brian cleared his throat. “Would you like a drink of water?”

“Yes, please,” she whispered. She still hadn’t opened her eyes.

Brian grabbed a paper cup from the dispenser on the wall and filled it from the bottled container beside it. Moving back to her side, he settled himself on the edge of the couch. He lifted her head and held the cup to her lips. She took a sip then sighed. He lowered her head back to the cushion.

She opened one eye. “I thought you didn’t do humans.”

“I make exceptions for women dressed in Civil War uniforms.”

For an instant a smile tugged at the edge of her lips before she winced in pain again. “How fortunate can a girl get?”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to call nine-one-one?”

“Two rides in an ambulance in one day would be more than my ego can take. I don’t suppose you have some really good pain medicine handy. The pills they gave me at the hospital don’t seem to be doing much.”

“I’ve got a ton of good stuff here.”

She opened both eyes. “Really?”

He nodded. “I’ve got drugs that will knock out a horse.”

“Ha-ha. What does a girl have to do to get some?”

He was pleased to see her smile return, along with a bit more color in her cheeks. “She would need to grow two more legs and a tail.”

“Are you telling me I don’t measure up as one of your patients?”

“I never said anything of the kind. It’s actually nice to be able to ask a patient where it hurts and get an answer.”

“It hurts exactly where my horse landed on me.”

“From my vantage point that looked like almost all of you.”

“You are so right. If you aren’t going to supply me with drugs, can you help me sit up?”

Brian didn’t have a chance to help her. Her comrades were more than happy to oblige. He moved out of their way. When she was sitting upright she waved them aside. “I’m okay now. Don’t hover.”

The men backed up, but they didn’t look ready to leave her to her own devices.

Brian filled the cup again with more water and handed it to her. To his relief, he saw that her color was almost back to normal. “If you won’t go to the hospital, at least go home and lie on your own sofa so I can have mine back.”

Taking the offered drink, she sipped it and nodded. “Once I see Dakota, I’ll do just that.”

All of the men began to protest together, but she ignored their scolding and stood. Cradling her arm, she winced but remained steady on her feet. “Show me the way, Dr. Cutter.”

“He’s down the hall, through the doors at the very end and in the first stall on the left.”

He felt slightly cheated as he watched her fellow unit members guide her out the door, one on each side with her captain close behind. It wasn’t that he wanted her to fall into his arms again. Of course not. He simply wanted to make sure she was all right. But that was what her friends wanted, too, he reminded himself. And they certainly had more of a right to care for her than he did. He was nothing but a stranger.

The thought brought back his frown. He was more than that. He was the man who might have to put her beloved horse to sleep.

Early Monday morning, Lindsey begged a ride to the Large Animal Clinic with Shane. When they arrived, they saw Lee and Avery just going in. It seemed that all of them wanted to check on Dakota before they started their duties for the day.

As she approached Dakota’s stall, Lindsey was surprised to see Captain Watson had arrived before them. He was deep in conversation with Dr. Cutter.

When her captain caught sight of them, he smiled. “I’ve been talking to the doctor and he has a way to do surgery on Dakota at a reduced cost to our unit.”

Lindsey’s heart jumped as happiness surged through her. “How is that possible?”

Dr. Cutter cleared his throat. “Using a new surgical procedure that I’ve developed—I told you about it the other day. Dakota’s break is exactly the sort I’m hoping to trial this repair on.”

“But you said it wasn’t an option.” Shane frowned at the doctor.

“I received notice of my grant acceptance this morning. It is an experimental procedure. If Dakota is entered in the study, it will mean I will have total control of his care. My fees and much of his care will be covered, but that will still leave the bill for his boarding and supplies that the army will have to pay. Unfortunately, the grant isn’t a large one.”

“We can raise the money if we have to,” Captain Watson said.

“Absolutely,” Avery chimed in. “He’s one of our own. We won’t let him down.”

“Of course not,” Lindsey added. She had a little in savings. She would gladly give the money to help pay for Dakota’s care. “When you say experimental, Dr. Cutter, do you mean there is a chance that this won’t help him?”

“There is that chance, but I have every confidence that he will do well. If my procedure works, he could be out of his cast in as little as six weeks.”

Six weeks. That meant Dakota would be able to travel to Washington, D.C., in time for the Inaugural parade. Lindsey’s joy danced like a soap bubble in the wind.

Thank you, God, for giving Dakota into the care of this man.

Captain Watson turned to Brian. “You have my permission to enroll Dakota in your study.”

“Excellent. There are some forms you’ll need to sign. If you’ll follow me to my office, we can take care of that now.”

When the two men walked away, Lindsey opened the gate and stepped into the stall where Dakota stood quietly. He rested with his head lowered and his eyes half-closed. His dazed look worried her until she realized that they would be giving him pain medication and sedation to keep him quiet.

“Hey, Dakota. How’s it going, fella?”

His head came up at the sound of her voice and he whinnied softly. Delighted at his responsiveness, she stepped closer and began to rub the side of his face. “Don’t worry about a thing. Dr. Cutter is going to fix you up in no time.”

Behind her, Avery said, “Do you think an experimental surgery using gene therapy is the best way to go?”

Shane moved up to stand beside Lindsey. Reaching out, he patted Dakota’s neck. “It sounds a bit like science fiction to me.”

“I have faith that it will work. I think the Lord brought us here at exactly the right time for Dakota to get this care.”

Lee shoved his hands into his front pockets. “It would have been better if He had kept Dakota from breaking a leg in the first place.”

Lindsey didn’t answer. This, too, had to be part of God’s plan, but like Danny’s injury, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

She ran her hand over Dakota’s soft nose. Her faith was being tested. The words of Psalm 9:9 echoed in her mind.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

In her time of trouble, had she turned to the Lord as she should have? Perhaps that was what she was being shown. Little by little, she let go of the anger she had been holding on to.

I will try to listen with my heart for Your wisdom, Lord. Show me the path and I will do my best to travel it.

Three days later, Lindsey was struggling to use the can opener with her left hand when the doorbell rang. She stared at the container of corn that refused to fit in the opener. “We’re not done. I won’t be defeated by an inanimate object.”

She noticed the faint smell of burning mozzarella, but the oven timer said her frozen pizza still had five minutes to go. The doorbell chimed again. Leaving the tiny kitchenette of her apartment, she crossed the living room to the front door. She opened it and stared in stunned silence.

“Surprise!” Her sister stood on the stoop with a suitcase resting beside her. Speechless, Lindsey could only stare.

Looking uncertain, Karen said, “Say something.”

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Lindsey enfolded Karen in a one-armed hug. “Hello. This certainly is a surprise. What are you doing here?”

Karen returned the embrace. “I’m just visiting.”

Taking a step back, Lindsey studied Karen’s face. Her sister had always been the rebel in the family. Her shaggy, cropped blond hair haloed a heart-shaped face. Danny often said Karen’s big brown eyes and ready smile could make men weak in the knees, but her quirky wit was her greatest gift. Karen had a smile on her face now, but it didn’t erase the sadness that lurked in the depths of her gaze.

“From the look on your face I’d say this is more than just visiting. What brings you all the way from Washington, D.C. to Kansas?”

“Invite me in and I’ll tell you about it. Oh, you poor woman, look at you. You’re covered in bruises.”

“Having a horse roll over you will do that. Honestly, Karen, why are you here? Did Dad send you to take care of me?”

“No, although I’m sure he would have thought of it in a day or two,” Karen added quickly.

“You should be helping Abigail and Danny. I can take care of myself.”

Karen cleared her throat. “I just needed to get away for a while. I’m sorry I didn’t call. Showing up and surprising you seemed like a good idea at the time, but it wasn’t, was it?”

Lindsey reached out and took her hand. “It’s a wonderful idea. You know I’m always happy to see you. Come in and tell me why you’re here.”

Karen’s face brightened. “Later. You don’t happen to have some tea, do you?”

“I’ll tell you what. If you can wrestle open a can of corn for me, I’ll make you a whole pot.”

Inside the apartment, Karen followed Lindsey into the kitchen. At the entrance to the small room decorated with rooster wallpaper and rooster border above the few white cabinets, Karen paused and stared up at the large rooster-shaped clock on the wall. The avocado-green refrigerator began its noisy rumbling and Lindsey gave it a sharp shove to silence the sound. After a moment, Karen said in a tentative murmur, “You have a…nice place.”

“Don’t even try to be kind. It’s a rental and it’s cheap. I don’t care what the wallpaper looks like as long as the roosters don’t crow.”

“What a marvelous attitude.”

“I’m easy, what can I say?”

Karen wrinkled her nose. “I think something’s burning.”

“Oh, that’s just my lunch. Can you help me with this? I damaged a nerve when I broke my arm and my hand is completely useless. I can’t feel a thing.” Handing her sister the offending can, Lindsey indicated the opener with a tilt of her head.

Karen’s eyes widened in alarm. “Dad never mentioned that you had no feeling in your arm. Is it permanent?”

Lindsey rushed to reassure her, knowing she was thinking about Danny’s condition. “No, the specialist said in two or three months I’ll be as good as new. Dad didn’t say anything because I haven’t told him.”

“Does this mean you won’t be riding in the Inaugural parade?”

“I haven’t given up hope. I’ve got two months and then some to recover.”

“Lindsey, you should let the family know you might not be there. Everyone is making plans to attend.”

“By everyone, I assume you mean Danny, too?”

“It’s all he talks about to the nurses and therapists who come to the house. He is so proud of you. He insists he’ll be there to watch you and Dakota in person.”

“Now you know why I don’t have the heart to say anything yet.”

“Yes, I guess I do,” Karen said softly.

Lindsey hesitated. “There’s more.”

“What?”

“Dakota broke a bone in his front leg when we fell.”

“Oh, no!”

“He’s had surgery and we think he is going to be fine.”

Karen pressed a hand to her forehead. “No wonder Abigail thought there was something you weren’t telling us the last time you called.”

“I didn’t want to keep secrets, but I wanted to be sure of things one way or the other before I gave Danny that news.”

“Are you sure of things now?”

“Not really.”

“Lindsey, you have to tell him. Danny is stronger than you think. If you could only see the way he tackles his therapy sessions. He’s able to raise his right shoulder now and he’s up to almost two hours off his ventilator each day.”

“He’s working hard because he has a goal to reach. That is exactly why I’m not going to tell him yet. I can’t risk taking away his motivation. I have faith that Dakota and I will both be in Washington, D.C., and Danny will be strong enough to be there to see it.”

“I don’t agree with you, but I won’t say anything for now.”

“That’s all I’m asking. Thank you. So, are you going to open that can for me or not?”

Smiling, her sister tossed the can in the air and caught it again. “I’ll give it my best shot.”

Karen successfully extracted the yellow kernels from their stubborn metal prison while Lindsey put the kettle on to boil. A minute later the oven timer rang. Karen snatched up the pot holder before Lindsey could reach it and opened the oven. She pulled out a cookie sheet with a small pizza on it.

“This is your lunch?”

“That and the corn.”

“Pizza and corn?”

“It’s not as weird as it sounds.”

“Yes, it is. You need something healthy.” Karen set the cookie sheet on top of the stove.

“This is healthy.”

“At least drink some milk with it.” Karen pulled open the refrigerator door.

Lindsey winced. She knew there wasn’t any milk. In fact, there wasn’t much of anything in her fridge except a half-empty bottle of ketchup and one lonely dill pickle in a jar. “I haven’t had a chance to get to the commissary.”

Karen shut the door and frowned at Lindsey. “Since when?”

“Since before the accident.”

“Obviously, it’s a good thing I stopped by. Eat while I have a cup of tea and then I’ll drive you to wherever you need to go.”

Lindsey used a spatula to transfer her overly crisp pizza to a plate and then set the plate on the table. “You don’t have to run errands for me.”

“I can see that no one else is. Where are the tea bags?”

The kettle began to whistle. After finding a cup and filling it with hot water, Karen joined Lindsey at the table. Waiting until after her sister had fixed the tea, Lindsey asked, “Are you going to tell me why you’re here?”

Karen raised her cup to her lips and blew on the steaming brew. She took a sip and set the cup down. “This is very good tea. What kind did you say it was?”

“Earl Grey, and don’t change the subject.”

Taking a deep breath, Karen closed her eyes and said, “It’s Dad.”

“I don’t understand.”

Karen leaned her elbows on the table. “He won’t stop fixing me up. I’m only twenty-one but all of the sudden he acts like I’m the only chance he’ll ever have for grandchildren. There has been a steady parade of guys who just happen to stop by our apartment. He’s driving me crazy.”

“I’m sure Dad—like the rest of us—is having a hard time adjusting to Danny’s condition. Do you want me to talk to him?” Lindsey took one bite of her pizza, then pushed the unappetizing concoction to the side.

“Thanks for the offer,” Karen said gently. “But I’m hoping a little separation will be good for both of us. That’s why I’m at your door begging to stay and nurse you through this injury. And before you say no, I did discuss this with Abigail. She can do without me for a few weeks. Please, can I stay?”

Lindsey patted the orthopedic brace and sling the specialist had fitted her with. “I don’t need a nurse, but a roommate who can grocery shop and run the can opener will be a welcome addition until I’m out of this contraption.”

“Honey, that sounds great.” Karen’s relief was evident.

“Don’t be too sure. This is a one-bedroom apartment and that means you get the sofa.”

Karen’s tinkling laughter was music to Lindsey’s ears. During their frequent and lengthy phone conversations, the sound of happiness had been sadly lacking in her sister’s voice. Danny’s injury had affected everyone. They were all trying to find a new “normal” for the family.

Picking up her teacup, Karen said, “Roommates pay rent. What’s space on a lumpy couch going to cost me?”

“The use of two good arms and your skill as a chauffeur. If you really don’t mind driving me, I’m dying to get over to the university to see how Dakota is doing. But what about school? Can you afford to take the time off?”

Setting the white cup down, Karen picked up her spoon and began to stir. “I had already decided to take a semester off. I couldn’t concentrate in class. There was no use flunking out on top of everything else.”

Seeing Karen’s grief made Lindsey acutely aware that her baby sister was dealing with a lot more than their father’s matchmaking. “I wish I was closer so that I could help, too.”

Rising, she carried her plate to the counter. After dumping the remains of her uneaten lunch in the trash, she laid the dish in the sink and turned on the water. It was then that she felt Karen’s hands on her shoulders turning her around.

Tears blurred Lindsey’s vision and she loathed the fact. She had tried so hard not to cry. “I hate that this has happened to him.”

“I know.” Karen’s voice was low and brimming with emotion. “But Danny believed that protecting his country was more than a job. It was something that he knew in his heart he had to do.”

Lindsey squeezed her eyes shut against the pain that swallowed her heart and made it hard to breathe. “But the price…was too high. He is the best…and the brightest…and this seems so cruel.” The words, when she finally managed them, were ragged and broken between her sobs.

“I know you love him. He knows it, too.”

“I haven’t told him that often enough.”

“You don’t have to. He sees it. I wish I could hug you, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”

“My left side is fine,” she hiccupped. To prove it, she embraced Karen with one arm and the two of them clung together as they wept.

From the corner of his eye, Brian caught the fugitive movement. Without looking up from the grant application on his desk, he said, “Isabella, don’t chew on that pencil.”

The culprit ignored him.

He tried injecting more menace into his tone. “Isabella, I said, no!”

The oversize brown lop-eared rabbit perched on the corner of his large desk chose to disregard his warning. She pulled her prize from the purple Wildcat mug he used to hold his writing utensils. Settling the yellow number two under one paw, she began to nibble it to bits.

“You little minx.” He rose from his chair and scooped her up, tucking her firmly under one arm. He stuck the pencil back in the mug with numerous other scarred victims.

He drew a hand down her soft, furry body, then scratched her favorite spot behind her left ear. “Why do you always zero in on the new ones?”

Lifting his cane from the back of his chair, he crossed the office and pulled open the door. Seated at the reception desk was one of the young students who doubled as a part-time secretary for him.

“Jennifer, will you put Isabella in her outside cage, please?”

“Of course. What did you do to get banished from Dr. Cutter’s desk this time?” she asked the rabbit as she took her from Brian.

“The usual,” he answered.

“Ah, pencil nibbling, were we?” She, too, scratched the bunny behind the ears.

“I can’t break her of the habit.”

“You could try switching to pens.”

“I like pencils. They let me change my mind as often as I need to.”

“So does the delete key on your computer.”

“It isn’t the same.”

Rolling her eyes, Jennifer headed for the outside door and said, “Therein lies your problem, Doctor. You have to learn to say what you mean the first time.”

Brian turned back to his office. He knew how to say what he meant, but he was often accused of being too gruff. Whenever he needed to draft a letter or a grant application, he worked and reworked the words until they seemed soft and polite enough. Pencils worked best for the task. After he had the tone he wanted, he typed his work into his computer. Some might say he was making twice the work for himself, but he still preferred his tried-and-true method.

Certainly, his upcoming lecture on pastern arthrodesis for the Equine Surgical Conference in January was no exception. It was an honor to be asked to speak and he wanted his address to be perfect. He intended to rework it until he was completely satisfied. Fortunately, the college bookstore had an excellent supply of the large yellow legal pads he liked best.

Back at his desk, he put aside his work on his presentation for the moment and opened the file on Dakota. The gelding wasn’t doing as well as he had hoped. The surgery itself had gone well, but the big horse seemed to be having more pain instead of less. That wasn’t encouraging. A knock at his door caused him to look up. Jennifer stood in the doorway minus the rabbit.

She motioned toward the folder he held. “Is that the file on the army horse? I was wondering how he was getting along.”

“I’m not happy with his progress. Even with the medication he’s getting, his respiratory rate and pulse rate are higher than they should be. The staff has been reporting that he’s restless and he isn’t eating well.”

“None of those are good signs.”

A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth, but he held it back. “So you have been paying attention in class. Will wonders never cease?”

She blushed and looked chagrined. “Is there anything else you need, Doctor? If not, I’m going to take off.”

He hadn’t meant to offend her, but before he could form the right words to apologize, she was out the door.

Of all the females he had known in his life, only Isabella never seemed to care what tone he chose or how gruff his words sounded. If only more women had her tolerance, his life would be a lot easier.

Before he had a chance to dwell on the current poor state of his interpersonal skills, Jennifer opened the door again. “Doctor, Sergeant Mandel is here to see you.”

The sudden rush of pleasure he felt at hearing her name unnerved him. He tried unsuccessfully to stifle his excitement.

“Show her in.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

She nodded but before she could close the door, he said, “Jennifer, I was teasing earlier when I made that remark about you paying attention in class.”

“You were?”

“Of course. I think you have an excellent future in the surgical field.”

She looked doubtful. “You do?”

“I do.”

She flipped her long blond hair back over one shoulder. “Wow! Okay, but next time you’re kidding someone, Doc, you should smile.”

“I’ll certainly try to do so.”