Tumbleweed (12 page)

“Oh now this is just ridiculous.” This time I did stomp my foot.

“Harvey is parking the car. Maybe he'll have better luck.” She pulled me into a quick hug, then stepped back to survey me. “You're covered in blood.”

“I guess I am.” I stared down at my blood covered shirt and hands. “It all happened so quickly.”

“I'm looking for the family of Ethan Johnston.” A man in a white coat stepped out of the forbidding double doors.

“That's us.” I stepped towards him, the rest of our little group right behind me.

“He's got a pretty serious blow on the back of his head and he's lost a bit of blood. He has a few cracked ribs, but that's the extent of it. We've got him stitched up. We're cleaning him up and then we'll move him to a room for observation. You can see him then. If you'll take a seat in the waiting room, someone will be out to get you shortly.”

Like a bunch of sheep, we went into our pen. It didn't take long to figure out that “soon” in hospital speak is “way too damned long” in Hailey speak. I was vaguely aware of Jacob calling the house to let them know Ethan was going to be okay. I noticed that Jonathan and Ethan's father were making small talk about something, but I didn't bother to register what it was.

I slouched down in the seat and allowed my mind to wander. Was I wrong to have chased him out last night? No, no, definitely not.
There was too much Baptist in my upbringing to have a fling. The fact that I wasn't relationship material had been proven. I'd lose him if I tried to have him. Why couldn't I just be happy with the fact that I was actually accomplishing something here on this farm? The farm…. What were we going to do without Ethan there even one day?

Maybe David could tell me what to do. Yes, I'd call David in the morning. But I didn't want to leave Ethan alone. I didn't have a car. Maybe I could ride back, do the morning rounds, and then drive back to the hospital. Aaron could maybe stay with Sue at the main house…. On and on my mind raced. A million things at once flitted through my brain. But I deftly steered clear of the one thing I was afraid to think about – Ethan lying in a hospital bed with his head bashed in. Would there be brain damage? How long would he be down? He was going to recover, wasn't he? I had nearly driven myself completely mad when another white coat came and told us we could see him, but quietly.

Like a puppy with paws bigger than its brain, I tripped all over myself getting to the door to follow that white coat. I did have the good sense to hang back so his parents could stand at either side of him to get the first inspection. My eyes devoured him from the end of the bed, though, and I shoved my hands deep into my pockets to keep from latching on to his foot just to touch him. His mother was crooning and stroking his hair, his father patting his arm. Ethan acknowledged them both with reassurances that he was okay; then his eyes found mine. And held them. He seemed to be telling me something. I was afraid to know what, and I was terrified to think what secrets I couldn't keep from my own eyes.

“He didn't hurt anyone else, did he?” Ethan finally spoke to me.

“No.” I shook my head. “The dogs chased him off. I haven't heard anything since.”

“The sheriff is at your house. No one has seen or heard from Hobbes,” Jacob offered.

“I think he's long gone,” Jonathan interjected.

“Good riddance.” Harvey practically snorted.

“I think he needs his rest.” Jacob nodded towards Ethan, whose eyes already looked heavy.

“Would you like me to stay?” Evelyn leaned over her only son.

“Hailey.” Ethan reached a hand towards me. My heart leapt, but I shot an awkward glance towards his mother.

“We'll be back first thing in the morning, then,” she nodded. I couldn't quite read the look on her face. Resignation? Acceptance? Certainly not joy. I'd worry about that later. Right now, I got to stay, and that's all that mattered. I didn't want to let him out of my sight ever again. There would be moments when that might turn awkward, but that's how it was going to be.

With that insane mental declaration, I knew that I was nearing the end of a slippery rope. I stood like a statue as Jacob led us in prayer, as my brothers kissed my cheek, as his parents said their goodbyes to both of us. After the room was quiet, I asked without turning to look, “They gone?”

“They are gone, and boy would it be awkward if they weren't.” He grinned feebly at me. Completely unable to hold myself together for one more second, I rounded the bed and fell to his side, doing my best not to worsen any injury. I buried my face in his shoulder and clung to him, inhaling the scent that was distinctly his.

“Thank God you are okay.” The tears finally came. I was too overcome with a maelstrom of emotions to even begin to chide myself for all of the crying I'd been doing lately.

“I'm okay, darlin'.” He stroked my hair. “Come on now, it ain't as bad as all that.”

“I was so afraid he'd killed you,” I sniffled, trying to pull myself together. I was not the damsel in distress type, and this little display was not helping my self-image at all.

“I'm sure Ruth could have found you another ‘boy toy’ somewhere, darlin'.” There was a bit of wicked in his voice.

“I can't believe you heard that,” I chuckled and burrowed closer to him. “Tell me if I'm hurting you. I just don't want to let you go yet.”

“I don't feel too inclined to let go of you right now, either. Thank God I was the one that went back to that cabin. I don't want to know what he would have done if it had been you.”

“Don't go there.” I shuddered before scooting off the bed. I could hear a nurse at the door and didn't want to get yelled at. Ethan chuckled, knowing exactly why I was now sitting angelically in the chair beside his bed. Still, he didn't let go of my hand. I didn't particularly want to let go of his, either.

The nurse checked his vital signs, his IV bag, and some machines that meant nothing to me then asked me if I was staying all night. When I said yes, she offered to bring me a pillow and blanket, which I gratefully accepted. She explained that she would come in to wake Ethan periodically and to check his vitals then dematerialized.

The night passed in a hospital haze. You doze, you wake; you lose all sense of time. I didn't let go of Ethan's hand once until Jacob forcibly pulled me away the next morning. Evelyn was there. I needed a shower. And coffee. I got as far as the hall before I turned and darted back to his room.

“Don't you ever scare me like that again, Ethan Josiah Johnston,” I took his face in my hands and leaned over to whisper at his lips before giving him a quick kiss. His mother stared at me, a little wide-eyed and startled.

“No ma'am. Wouldn't dream of it.” Ethan beamed stupidly at me.

“Not a word,” I sternly informed a furiously blushing Jacob. We rode most of the way home in silence, with either of us occasionally commenting that we felt sorry for the Amish people in their open buggies on this gray and drizzly day. It always made me feel guilty, feeling toasty warm in my heated car while they looked so miserable.

Jacob pulled off at the McDonald's that sat right off Highway 60 at Seymour, insisting that I needed to eat. The allure of a good, hot cup of coffee won me over.

“I'm glad he's going to be okay,” Jacob finally said. I nodded, my gaze darting about the room. I was not ready to talk about Ethan with Jacob of all people. Not getting much response, he tried again to start a conversation. “I miss you guys. It was nice seeing you, even if it was only once a week.”

“Aaron and I didn't have the same kind of life you had in St. Louis,” I finally looked him in the eye. “Monday through Saturday got awful long and lonely for us.”

“You're happy now, aren't you?”

“We are. We really are.”

Chapter Nine

What had been intended
as an overnight stay turned into a weekend-long event as my family refused to leave while Ethan was in the hospital. I had planned to have a farm to run on top of everything else, but by the time Jacob and I got home, Daddy had already seen to all of the horses. Rebecca had a full-scale house cleaning party going. I was pretty sure Ethan's normally tidy house had never sparkled quite like it did now.

I took a shower and dressed in comfortable layers because you never know what temperature you'll get at the hospital; then I went to find Aaron. Jonathan told me he was in the stables showing off his horse. I wondered briefly at that, until I found him leading Tumbleweed around the arena. I paused for a moment to watch.

I never had taken the time to stick my head out of the office to see the progress they'd made. I was duly impressed – the colt responded perfectly to every cue from Aaron, who was confident beyond his years. I could tell that beyond the “cool, a horse” reaction, his cousins were less than impressed.

I knew how most colts that age behaved, though, and I knew how many hours had gone into this little horse already. In that moment, I was certain that Aaron would one day make himself a good life deeply immersed in the equine world. I had Ethan to thank for that if nothing else.

“Hey, there you are.” Jonathan's wife, Corrine, noticed me standing there.

“Yeah, thank you for helping out around here.” I returned her welcome hug.

“Not a problem. This place is amazing, and that kid of yours can come work for us when he grows up.”

“Don't say that too loud, he just might take you up on it. Well, if he can get over his prejudice against any horse that isn't a Mustang.”

“Mom!” Aaron saw me and trotted over with Tumbleweed in tow. “How's Ethan?”

“Doing okay, kiddo.” I hugged Aaron and blinked away the tears that came to my eyes.

“He's not; you're lying to me,” Aaron pulled away accusingly.

“No, really, he's going to be fine. I'm just so tired; it's now hitting me how close we came to losing him,” I admitted.

“That guy wanted to hurt us, didn't he? Over that horse?”

“He wanted to hurt someone because it's easier for him to hate than to take responsibility for his own life or actions. That and he's crazy as a loon. It wasn't our fault what happened. Ethan certainly doesn't think so.”

“Can I come with you to see him?” He looked at me hopefully.

“I'll see if I can get someone to bring you by later today,” I agreed. “But right now I need to get back to the hospital.”

“Okay, Mom. I know Ethan's routine around here. I'll keep things running for him,” he nodded solemnly.

“You're good people, Aaron Brandt. Ethan will rest easy knowing you're in charge. Just be sure to let Grandpa help you; he doesn't get to do this kind of stuff very often.”

“Okay, Mom. Oh, and Mom, you might want to stop by to see Mac on your way out. He's acting funny. I think he misses Ethan.”

“I'll do that. Thanks.” Outwardly I was calm, but inside I was panicked. What if Mac was sick or hurt? There was a real shortage of horse vets in these parts, let alone traveling ones. Most people took care of their own livestock out here.

I suddenly felt very inept. As soon as I saw Mac, my fears were relieved. Aaron had been right. The horse missed his master. This was probably the first morning in his life he had not seen Ethan by the time
the first rays of sunlight streaked the sky. The usually solid and steady dark brown gelding was unusually high strung, practically pacing in his stall. I stopped to pet him, and he calmed a little at the sound of my voice. I knew that I'd have to take the time to ride him that evening, or he'd be completely insane by the next morning.

“I know boy; it isn't the same around here without him.” I hugged Mac's fuzzy neck. “He'll be back soon.” I wasn't sure if I was reassuring the horse or myself. Both, I guess.

With one last goodbye pat, I pulled myself away from the stables and headed back to the house. I made the round of hugs and eventually made it to my car. I sang my heart out the whole way back to the hospital, mostly to pass the time, but partially because it made me feel better. All in all, I was feeling pretty good by the time I got back to the hospital. One look at Evelyn's face brought me crashing back to earth.

“Hello,” I ventured cautiously. “How's it going?”

“My brain is swelling,” Ethan informed me in an odd voice.

“Great, like your head wasn't big enough to begin with.” I swallowed my panic and smiled at him. I was rewarded with that easy grin I'd come to love.

“Don't let the nurses hear you talking like that or they'll boot you right on out of here. They like me.”

“So you have them fooled, eh?” I winked at him and turned to his mother. “Have you had anything to eat today?”

“I'm okay, really.” She waved me away.

“Ma'am, I think you're going to need to keep your strength up. I promise I'll get you if anything changes at all.”

“Okay,” she begrudgingly nodded. “Be sure you don't give him any fluids and don't move him at all, not even his bed, and let the nurse know if he has any kind of seizures or twitching. And don't call me ma'am.”

“Yes sir,” I replied without thinking and then paused, mortified. “Sorry, habit. I'm so used to teasing Ethan. I forget to turn it off…”

She just shook her head, wrapped her sweater tight around herself, and turned to go.

“Wow. I think you made a pretty good impression there, babe.” Ethan's chuckle rumbled low in the room.

“It's good to hear you laugh, sir.” A young nurse poked her head in the room and beamed at Ethan. I did my best not to glower at her.

“See, she can call me sir because I'm a guy. If she were to call you sir, well it would be awkward because you're not a guy. You're a girl.” Ethan greatly amused himself as he rambled on.

“What do you have him on?” I asked the nurse, only half-joking.

“Head injury patients tend to get a little confused. You might also notice mood swings, an inability to concentrate, frustration, things like that for a while,” she cheerfully informed me. Great – Ethan had PMS.

After the perky girl finished checking the machines and bags all over the room, she wrote her name on the board for me and left with a wave. Only then was I able to sink into the chair beside the bed and take his hand in mine. Sometimes we talked and I filled him in on things at the ranch. Sometimes we sat in silence. He dozed in and out. His mother came back and assumed the seat on the other side of the bed. Ethan's pastor came by for a visit. His real one, not Jacob. His mother's pastor came by for a visit. Nurses came and went. I had dozed off in the chair when a familiar voice tentatively broke through my fog.