Fading Thunder Read online

  There was silence on the other end of the line.

  I cleared my throat. “Is J.C. doing okay?”

  “He’s having a great time with Joe Joe. They’re both getting a little fussy. It’s past their bedtime.”

  “I’m sorry for calling so late. We’ve been at the hospital all day, just waiting.”

  “You must be worn out!”

  “Hurry up and wait is the army’s motto.” I sighed heavily. “I shouldn’t be complaining after all the army has done for our country.”

  “You’re tired and getting as fussy as these boys.”

  I laughed, and she laughed with me.

  “Momma wasn’t at the house when I left. Is she okay?”

  “Yes. I tried to get her to come stay with us, but she refused. I’m going to get Colt over there tomorrow to persuade her. She can have Laurie’s room, and we’ll move Joe Joe’s crib in with us.”

  “That’s too much trouble —”

  “Nonsense. Won’t take but a few minutes to move the crib.”

  “If you’re sure ... By the way, Dr. Burch wanted me to let him know —”

  “I’ll give him a quick call and tell him how things are going.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Jenny.”

  We said our goodbyes, and I hung up, feeling better and ready for supper and a nice, comfortable bed.

  Chapter 4—Marla

  The next day, thankfully, we received a call a little before ten o’clock. We were told to be at the hospital by twelve. Zeke was admitted within a couple of hours of our arrival and scheduled for surgery.

  Since Uncle Howard was not feeling well, Aunt Liza stayed home with him, apologizing, but I told her we’d be fine. However, when they wheeled Zeke away for surgery, I felt my loneliness acutely. After only a few minutes in the waiting room, my worry got the best of me, and I decided a walk might help. When I stepped into the crowded hallway, someone grasped my elbow. I gasped when I turned to find Marla. She embraced me and stepped back.

  “Marla! What are you doing here?” I was glad to see my best friend and gave her another quick hug.

  She tilted her head, speaking softly. “Laurie called and told me what was going on. I’ve been staying at Uncle Matthew’s house.”

  Matthew Drake was Dan’s uncle. When Marla had turned in her notice a few weeks ago, I thought it was because she wanted to be at the farm more, with Dan. I had been so busy, I hadn’t been in touch with her since she had quit work. We were still looking for a receptionist to replace her — and she’d be hard to replace.

  “Is Grace with you?”

  “She’s at Uncle Matthew’s house.”

  “So, she’s still living with you? She didn’t want to go back home?”

  Marla shook her head. “Daddy’s working on a big case, and Grace wants to stay out of his way as much as possible.”

  Marla and Grace’s father was the district attorney, and he often was irritable when working a stressful case.

  Marla surveyed me. “You look exhausted.”

  “I’m okay — only a little worried.” The green tiled floor, the green walls, the smell of the antiseptic made me very aware I was in a hospital. Not the hospital where Poppa had died, but still where lives ended daily.

  “Who wouldn’t be worried when your father ...”

  She didn’t say the words, and I appreciated her restraint. I nodded. “Why don’t we go find a chair?”

  She followed me into the waiting room, and after asking a man if he minded moving over, we were able to sit side by side.

  “So, Dan didn’t come with you?” I asked.

  Her eyes avoided mine for a moment before she spoke. “No ... the truth is that I didn’t come only to see about you and Zeke. I’ve left Dan.”

  “Oh, Marla! What happened?” Dan had stayed at Fort Benning the entire war, except for temporary duty two or three times. A couple of months ago, he had surprised Marla by not reenlisting. I had hoped they would work out their problems, but the distance between them was obvious. I reached to cover her hand with mine. “You don’t have to talk about it, if you don’t want to.”

  “I don’t want to burden you ...”

  “Friends share their problems. You’ve helped me through a lot. Let me return the favor, if it’s something you can talk about.”

  “I’d feel better to get it off my chest.” She folded her hands in her lap and sighed. “It’s that we’ve grown too far apart.”

  “I’m sorry. You don’t think you can patch things up?”

  “No.” She looked beyond me, staring over my shoulder, not meeting my eyes.

  Sylvia had to be at the root of the problem. When she had married William, already expecting, we had speculated who the father could be. First she had claimed Michael was and then all but said it was Dan. Dan himself had admitted to Michael that he was the father. I asked the next question gently. “Did Dan finally admit to being Joe Joe’s father?” When I had watched the little boy, sometimes a resemblance, a remembrance of someone’s mannerisms had caught my attention. Perhaps I was trying too hard to make them Dan’s expressions, Dan’s mannerisms. To tell the truth, he did not look like Dan, at least not that I could tell. Yet, Sylvia had been so convincing that day at my house. At first I’d been sure she had meant Michael. She had spoken with such certainty that she’d convinced me the wife of the father of her child was seated at my kitchen table. And then Michael put my doubts to rest, assuring me that he was not. That meant it had to be Dan. Plus, Dan had told Michael he was the father.

  Marla’s cheeks reddened. She sighed heavily. “No. He hasn’t admitted it.”

  Michael had told me Dan was going to tell Marla he was the father, as soon as he could. If he admitted it, I was sure Marla would forgive him. It was the keeping of secrets that destroyed marriages. But maybe their problems went deeper than his infidelity. That was bad enough, but perhaps they were not as perfect for each other as they’d seemed. My heart broke for her. “What do you plan to do? Move back with your parents?”

  She shook her head. “Actually, I’ve had a job offer. Dan’s uncle, Matthew Drake. His health is failing, and he’s asked me if I would be willing to help out.”

  “And you accepted?”

  She nodded her head. “That’s why I dropped Grace off. She’s going to continue living with me.”

  Why would Marla take a job with a Drake? Dan’s uncle was rich enough to hire a dozen nursemaids. Why would she want to stay immersed in that family when she planned to get a divorce? But it was none of my business — I had pried enough into her life.

  Since Dan was no longer in the army, it should have been a perfect time for them. Perhaps they could have started a family and instead they were divorcing. My heart broke at the thought of not seeing her on a daily basis. I cleared my throat. “We’ll miss you in Opp. You’ve been a great receptionist for Wilbur and me.”

  Marla’s eyes crinkled at the edges, and a smile played on her lips. “Maybe you two can get Velma back.”

  “Bite your tongue!” Poor Wilbur. He’d be knee-deep in paperwork by the time I returned — unless Richard helped out with the paperwork, too. Maybe he would get Velma back and maybe she’d have a better work ethic. But horses rarely changed their spots. “Do you think Richard Short will help with the accounting?”

  “They’ll manage fine. You have enough on you without worrying about work.” She looked down at her hands, still folded demurely in her lap. “I’m sorry I left so abruptly, especially since this has happened.”

  “Wilbur got along without us before; I’m sure he can now.” But that was before he’d developed his breathing problems, and his practice had been in a mess before I had gone to work for him. Oh well, I had straightened it out then, and I could do it again. Hopefully I’d be able to find a new receptionist half as good as Marla.

  Marla lifted her face to mine. “Oh, and while you’re here, why don’t you come over to see Matthew’s house? It’s a beautiful home.”

  I didn’t tel
l her I’d seen the house before. Of course, all I had seen was the outside, the foyer, and the music room. I simply nodded my head. “Sure. I’d like to see it. Your work for him won’t be too hard, will it?”

  She laughed. “No. Dan’s uncle is not very feeble at all. As a matter of fact, I think he’s putting on a lot of his aches and pains. He likes the attention.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “What’s wrong with him?”

  “A little arthritis. Sometimes he needs help with everyday things. I’ll be more of an assistant than a nursemaid. I’ll take care of a few errands, and he’ll dictate letters to me.”

  “He doesn’t have a secretary?”

  “Yes ... for his business. I’ll write his personal letters.”

  “Oh.” I hadn’t seen her since she had quit. She must have been making trips to see Mr. Drake, since she seemed to know quite a bit about him. It sounded as if she’d been planning this. For a moment, my feelings were hurt that she had not confided in me. We had been best friends since high school, almost inseparable. But I had been so busy; perhaps it was more my fault. I tried to put enthusiasm into my voice. “It sounds like a dream job.”

  She nodded, and a bit of red crept in her cheeks. We both fell silent, as if by mutual agreement.

  And time passed with infinite slowness as we waited.

  Chapter 5—Complications

  An orderly, dressed in white scrubs, came through the swinging doors. “Hunter family?”

  I jumped to my feet and hurried to him.

  “Are you Zeke Hunter’s legal guardian?” he asked, looking up from the clipboard in his hands.

  “Yes, I’m Jay ... Sarah Jane Hutchinson.”

  He checked the clipboard again. “He came through surgery without serious complications. He’s in recovery now.”

  “Was it appendicitis?”

  “The doctor will talk to you in a few minutes.”

  The orderly turned his back on me and walked back through the swinging door. I remained where I was, and Marla came up behind me.

  “He made it through the surgery fine,” I said.

  “Thank God for that,” she murmured.

  The doctor came out immediately, his rugged face somber. “Mrs. Hutchinson?”

  “Yes, sir?” My heart thumped harder. Something in the doctor’s face frightened me.

  “The appendix was inflamed enough that we were able to determine that it was indeed appendicitis, but it had not ruptured. You brought him in at just the right time.”

  I let out the breath I had been holding. “Thank God! When can I see him?”

  “As soon as he’s fully awake, he’ll be taken to a room. Probably about thirty more minutes. An orderly will take you. Your brother’s a trooper. He’ll be up and about in no time.”

  “Thank you,” I said, smiling my relief.

  “However ...” He ran a hand over his thinning hair.

  My throat muscles clenched, and I was barely able to squeak out one word. “Yes?”

  “He had some problems with the anesthetic, perhaps an allergic reaction. Anyway, he needs to return for a full physical after the stitches are removed.”

  I frowned at him. “What kind of allergic reaction? What happened?”

  “His heart stopped —”

  At my gasp, he touched my arm. “It was only for a moment. He appears fine. To be on the safe side, I’m going to put in an order for a full battery of tests.”

  “Here? At this hospital?”

  “Yes. Is there a problem with that?” He frowned.

  His look intimidated me, and I shook my head. “No, sir.”

  “Let me get the orders drawn up. He’ll be in the hospital for at least a week to recover from the appendectomy.”

  The doctor turned on his heel and walked away without another word.

  I had known Zeke would have to stay at least that long; he had undergone major surgery. But to undergo tests ... that might take several more weeks. I had planned to take him home as soon as he was released and let Dr. Burch remove the stitches. Now I would have to stay away from J.C. longer than I’d planned. And from work, too.

  To stay away from my son for so long ... I bit my lip. At least he had Laurie, Aunt Jenny, and Uncle Colt.

  Marla tugged on my sleeve. “Do we need to sit down and wait?”

  “I guess. No one said. I suppose we’ll wait here until they bring him out of recovery.”

  Marla led the way. The room had fewer people and we had no problems finding seats. I took a deep breath, and the hospital smells of antiseptics and cleaning supplies assailed me. There were faint underlying scents of body sweat, urine, and vomit, too.

  “Thank the Lord,” Marla said.

  I nodded. Even if Zeke’s heart had stopped, it had started again, and his appendix had not burst. It was enough to be thankful for.

  We had barely settled into our seats when my name was called. Surely he wasn’t out of recovery that quickly. I hurried over.

  “Are you Mrs. Hutchinson?”

  He knew that. He was the same orderly who had spoken to me a few minutes ago. Probably people began to blur together after a while, or maybe he simply no longer saw the people in the waiting room as individuals.

  I nodded. “Yes, I am.”

  “You have a phone call.”

  My heart beat faster. “A call? For me?” It was probably only one of my aunts calling to check on Zeke. Surely that was it. The orderly pointed me to the phone, and I picked it up, speaking a little breathlessly. “Hello?”

  “Jay?”

  “Hi, Aunt Liza.” Relief washed over me. “Zeke came out of surgery and is fine.” I decided not to tell her about his heart. I didn’t want her to worry over nothing.

  “That’s great, sweetheart. Jay ...” Her voice broke.

  “Is there anything wrong?”

  For a second, I only heard her ragged breathing, and then she continued. “Yes. That’s why I’m calling. Howard has had a heart attack. He’s in the hospital here in Plainsville.”

  “Oh no! Is he okay?”

  “He’s okay right now but very weak. The doctor said his heart was damaged.”

  I heard her sniffles through the line. “Oh, Aunt Liza! As soon as I see Zeke, I’ll be there.”

  “No, your brother needs you. I’ll be all right.”

  A nurse walked up to the desk and gave me a haughty look. I turned away, my fingers tightening around the receiver. “Aunt Liza, I’ve got to hang up now. We’ll pray for Uncle Howard.”

  “We?”

  “Marla’s here with me.”

  “I’m so glad. You don’t need to be alone.”

  “You don’t either.” The nurse moved into my field of vision. “Bye, Aunt Liza.”

  “Bye, sweetie. Give Zeke my love.”

  I gently lowered the receiver back into the cradle under the nurse’s watchful eye and went back to my seat.

  “Anything wrong?” Marla asked.

  “Uncle Howard had a heart attack.”

  “Oh dear! How serious?”

  “Aunt Liza said his heart has been damaged. As soon as I see Zeke, I have to go.”

  “Do you want me to go now? Is he in Plainsville?” She had scooted to the edge of her seat, as if ready to spring into action.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “You stay with Zeke and don’t worry.”

  “Zeke will be groggy for a while,” I said. “I’m not sure he’ll even notice when I go.”

  She shrugged. “Zeke needs you. I’ll call and let you know how your uncle is. You stay with your brother.”

  She gave me a quick hug and was gone. I closed my eyes and prayed for Uncle Howard and Aunt Liza. And then I waited until I was finally taken to Zeke. I braced myself, afraid he would be pale and weak.

  When I entered the long room filled with several other young patients, most hidden by curtains, I found him sitting up in bed, his cheeks rosy instead of pallid as I had feared. He gave me a lopside
d smile and motioned his head to the bed next to his. The patient, a boy younger than Zeke, was gyrating, would have been dancing if it had not been for the cast on his leg. How would Zeke get any sleep with that young boy’s antics?

  I pulled the curtain closed between his bed and Zeke’s. Maybe he’d settle down without us as an audience.

  I gave Zeke a gentle hug and pulled a chair up to his bed. “You look good. How do you feel?”

  “Not bad ... a little sleepy.”

  I remembered the burning pain I’d had after my Caesarean. Zeke’s face was smooth as if he suffered not even a twinge. He was a trooper, as the doctor had said. Had the doctor told him about his heart stopping? I debated a second. He’d know soon since he had to have tests, so I might as well tell him. I took a deep breath. “Zeke, your heart stopped during surgery. Did the doctor tell you?”

  His eyes widened a bit. “No, he didn’t.”

  “He wants you to have tests, to be sure nothing is wrong. He said it was probably an allergic reaction.”

  “But doesn’t anaphylactic shock usually include hives and breathing difficulties?”

  I was taken aback. “You know what that is?”

  “Yes. I read a lot.”

  “Oh, you do, do you?” I grinned at him.

  “You’re so busy, and we live out in the boonies. I have to have something to do.”

  His words pricked me. The way he spoke made me realize his dissatisfaction. I thought he enjoyed living on the farm, but how much did I really know about my brother? With the baby, Momma, and my job, I hadn’t really given him the attention he needed. I would have to remedy that when we got home.

  I cleared my throat. “There’s something else. Uncle Howard has had a heart attack. I’m going to check on him and be with Aunt Liza.” I glanced around at all the beds. “They won’t let me spend the night here, as much as I want to.”

  “I figured something was wrong with Uncle Howard.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes. From the way he looked last night, I was afraid something like this was likely.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “No one listens to a kid.”