Angels In Red (22 page)

Angel mistook her reaction as one of fear and rubbed Jenna’s back. “Don’t be scared.”

Daniel sauntered into the stables. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

The man always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. His timely entrance stole her sister’s attention long enough for her to gather her composure.

Angel spent the next twenty minutes going over everything one needed to know about horses and riding them. It was a well-rehearsed lesson she appeared to take great pleasure in reciting.

She instructed Jenna where to put her foot to climb on Midnight. Once up in the saddle, it didn’t seem as terrifying as she’d imagined. “You’re a great teacher, Angelina.”

Her cheeks stained pink. “Thank you. You can call me Angel. Now you can both follow me to the trail, please.”

The path was littered with signs of nature awakening in all its bounteous glory. Spring buds blossomed, bathing the countryside in a kaleidoscope of color. Once barren tree branches now sprouted new leaves.

The air filled with a sudden scream unlike anything she’d ever heard. She frantically looked around just as Angel’s horse reared up on his hind legs in slow motion. All she could do was watch in horror as her sister flew back and crashed to the ground. The larger than life animal hovered over her, clawing at the air before coming down with incredible force on Angel’s arm.

“Angel!”

Jenna’s stomach heaved at the sickening crunch that sliced the eerie quiet. She twisted in her saddle to find Daniel already had a hold of the horse’s reins, leading the spooked horse off to stand with his at the side of the trail.

“How do I get off this thing?” she shrieked before swinging her leg over and sliding down the mare’s side, not caring when the horse then cantered off to stand with the others. She fell to her knees beside her unconscious sister. “Oh, my God.” Angel’s right arm lay at an unnatural angle, and blood gushed from the back of her head.

“Daniel? We have to get her some help.” Fear paralyzed her. She’d never felt more helpless.

He already had his cell phone out. “Try and stop the bleeding.” He covered one ear and tried to explain where they were.

Jenna ripped off her over-shirt and folded it into a pillow, gently lifting Angel’s head enough to slip it under her skull. She used the sleeves to tie it tight in hopes of stopping the flow. Her heart sank. In the few seconds it took to tie a knot, her white shirt stained red.

She cupped the sides of her sister’s face with trembling hands. “Angel? Can you hear me? Please blink if you can hear me.”

Her gaunt face remained motionless, eyes closed.

I’m begging you, God, let her wake up!

“Please, you have to be okay. I just found you...I can’t lose you now,” she cried out.

Daniel crouched to check Angel’s pulse. “Hang in there. Help is on the way.”

The caller display flashed the hospital’s name, and Charles gripped the side of the table. Visions of Jenna in his Mustang wrapped around a pole left a sour taste in his mouth. Hesitantly, he answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Charles? Angel…the horse…and then her arm. There was so much blood.”

“Jenna?”
Thank God it’s you.
“You need to calm down. I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Did you say Angel is hurt?”

“She’s unconscious. Oh my God... I can’t lose her.”

“I’ll be there as fast as I can. Is there someone there with you?”

“Daniel is here.”

He sensed her anguish through the phone line, and he prayed Angel would be okay as John drove him to the hospital.

Half an hour later, he rushed into the emergency entrance and made his way to intensive care. He’d barely made it through the doors when Jenna ran from a white-haired man’s embrace and flung herself into his arms, trembling uncontrollably as she cried against his chest.

The man stood behind her, looking a little lost. He ushered them over to a waiting area.

Jenna clung to Charles, her tears dampening his shirt. He remained silent, giving her the time needed to get it all out. Once she’d regained her composure, he held her at arm’s length. “Can you tell me what happened now?”

She hiccupped and dabbed at her eyes with a crumpled wad of tissues. “One minute we were riding down a beautiful trail, and the next, her horse reared up and threw her. She hit her head on a rock and...” She swallowed hard. “There was so much blood, and the horse’s hoof crushed her arm.”

Charles pulled her back into his arms and smoothed a hand down her hair. “The doctors are going to take good care of her. Have faith she’ll pull through.”

The man smiled and mouthed the words,
thank you
. Then aloud he said, “I don’t think we’ve been introduced, I’m Daniel Meed, curator of the ranch.”

Daniel
Meed…of course.
He should’ve known it was him consoling Jenna.

Charles made a concerted effort to hide the suspicious nature in which he regarded him. “Charles Wylder. It’s too bad we have to meet under these circumstances.” He shook his hand. “What does her doctor say?”

“They want to operate on her arm, but they can’t put her under until they know what’s going on in her head.”

“Has she regained consciousness?”

Jenna pulled away, sniffing into her tissues. “No, but hopefully the CAT scan will give us some answers.”

As if on cue, the doctor approached and offered a tired smile as he sat down. “We ran a series of tests, including a CAT scan, and there doesn’t appear to be any serious damage to Angel’s skull or brain.”

“Thank God,” Jenna said hoarsely. “So, will you be operating on her arm?”

He sighed. “Well, yes she needs surgery. The horse broke several of her bones. Unfortunately, until she regains consciousness, putting her under is just too risky. We’ve immobilized the arm in case she wakes up agitated and causes further damage.”

“How long do you think it will be before she comes to?” Daniel leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

“I wish I could answer that. Her vitals are strong, and there really isn’t any reason why she shouldn’t wake up soon.”

“Can we see her?” asked Jenna.

Jenna splashed cold water on her face and held the sides of the basin. She closed her eyes and took several measured breaths before looking in the mirror. “Oh my.” Thank goodness Charles insisted she take a minute to herself before going in. If her sister came to and saw her puffy, blood-shot eyes, she might scream with fright.

The only time she’d ever been this scared was when her mother died...and after Jack dropped her at the post office so many months ago. Before the night she ran out of her father’s birthday party, she prided herself on being in complete control of her emotions. It seemed ever since then, she cried at the drop of a hat, and she hated being this way.

Jenna soaked a paper towel with cold water and pressed it to her swollen lids. What a cruel twist of fate it would be to lose her sister after spending most of her life in the dark of her existence.

“No.” She straightened her stance and sifted through her purse for her facial powder. “You will be strong for your sister,” she told her reflection. Quickly, she touched up her face before hurrying to Charles, who waited in the hallway.

“Much better.” He smiled warmly and took her hand in his. “Angel’s room is just up here. Daniel is in there with her now.”

Jenna heaved a sigh. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Sometimes life just isn’t fair, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Let’s hope once she hears familiar voices, she’ll wake up.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

Jenna braced herself before entering the room. Daniel sat holding her sister’s hand. The pain etched in his expression was almost her undoing. With a nod, he took his leave so she could be at Angel’s bedside.

Angelina’s arm was strapped in a sling of sorts, her head bandaged. Despite the obvious, her face showed no sign of trauma. It was as if she slept peacefully without the influence of intravenous drugs pumping into her.

Her sister’s hand was cool in hers. “Angelina, can you open your eyes for us, honey? It’s Jenna.” She cupped the side of her face. “Please wake up.” Angel’s eyelashes fluttered, and she struggled remain calm. “That’s it. Keep trying.”

The room grew silent as Angel blinked a few more times before her eyes slowly opened and she looked up at her.

“Mother?”

Jenna’s grip on the bedrail tightened, suddenly faint at being mistaken for their mother, and overwhelmed with relief to see her eyes open. “It’s Jenna. You’re in the hospital.”

Confusion clouded her eyes.

Daniel quickly moved in next to Jenna. “Angel, it’s me, Daniel.”

She shifted her gaze to him and visibly relaxed. “Daniel?”

“Yes, honey, it’s going to be okay. You’re in the hospital. The doctors are taking good care of you.”

Tears spilled down her flushed face. “My arm hurts.”

Jenna reluctantly stepped back as Angel reached for Daniel.

“I know it does, honey. The doctors were just waiting for you to wake up before they fixed it.” He brushed the tears from her reddened face.

“I’ll go find somebody.” Charles, who until then had stayed in the background, left the room.

She fought the overwhelming need to have a good cry, feeling very much the third wheel in the room.

I’m glad Daniel is here for her, but God, how I wish Angel reached out to me for comfort
. 
Stop it! Be positive
.
I will share a connection with my sister on an even deeper level one day.

“Can I get you anything, Angel?” asked Jenna

“Are the horses okay?”

She suppressed a chuckle. “The horses are just fine. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

Angel’s eyelids started to droop. “I guess I still owe you a lesson.” Her voice trailed off as she fell back to sleep.

Jenna stretched out on her bed, answering the phone on the first ring. “Jack?”

He laughed. “Did it even ring?”

“Oh my God, Jack, it’s almost noon.” She pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. “Is everything okay? You had me worried.”

“Aw, babe. I’m sorry for worrying you. I would’ve called a couple of hours ago, but before I left home, I did a head count and came up one pup short.”

“Oh no, did you find it?” Jenna pushed the tears from the corners of her eyes with the pad of her thumb. The initial shock gave way to pure joy at hearing his voice.

“Little bugger had me searching for over an hour. I still can’t figure out how he escaped.

Jenna held her stomach, his laughter made her so homesick. “Where was he?”  She pushed her hair off her face and blinked away another threat of tears.

Whatever you do, don’t give him cause to worry.

“You know the meadow behind the barn? Well, it seems he’s taken a liking to wildflowers.”

She laughed until tears came to her eyes. “I miss you so much, Jack.”

“Not half as much as I miss you.”

A knock came to the door, followed by Edna peeping in. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Ms. Jenna. John is ready to take you to the hospital.”

“Hospital? What hospital? Are...”

Jenna put the phone to her chest. “Can you tell John I’ll be there soon?” She waited for the door to close behind her before putting the phone back to her ear. “Jack?”

“I heard. Why do you have to go to the hospital? You’re okay, aren’t you?” His sincere concern had her swallowing a big lump in her throat.

“Yes. My sister took us horseback riding, and her horse threw her.” Jenna shuddered; a flash of the horse standing over Angel filled her vision.

“Was she hurt badly?”

“The horse busted up her arm pretty good, and she was unconscious for a while from a nasty gash to the back of her head.”

“I’m sorry, Jenna. You must have been out of your mind with worry.”