River's End (9781426761140) (24 page)

Clark and Anna walked tentatively up to the large door of the big building. “Do we knock or just go in?” Anna asked quietly.

But before they could decide, the door opened. “Hello?” A tall bald man with a red beard peered curiously at them. “Something I can help you with?”

“We're here to pick up our granddaughter,” Clark said in a firm but friendly voice.

“Yes,” Anna said eagerly. “Our daughter called and told us that she's here. And, oh yes, her name is Sarah—”

“Oh, yes. Sarah.” He nodded, letting them inside a large windowless meeting room with metal folding chairs arranged in rows. “Let me find someone to help you. Please, have a seat.” He headed toward the back of the room, going out a side door.

Anna and Clark glanced at the metal folding chairs, but neither of them sat. “He seemed fairly normal,” Anna whispered.

“We don't appear to be in any imminent danger.” Clark gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

She made a nervous laugh then glanced around to see if anyone was lurking in any of the dark corners of the large room.

“Hello there.” A young woman with curly blond hair emerged from the same side door. “Thomas said you're Sarah's grandparents?”

“That's right.” Anna explained.

“I'm Danielle, and I'm in charge of the women. I'll take you to see Sarah now. I'll ask you not to speak while we're outside. This is a quiet hour.”

Anna felt a surge of fresh hope as they followed Danielle out of the large building. Was it possible they were really going to see Sarah, that they would be able to bring her home? They walked in silence down a neatly groomed trail and past several other cabinlike structures. It was uncanny how much this place reminded Anna of Shining Waters. Well, except as Clark had pointed out, there was no river. And something else felt different, too. Perhaps it was simply the spirit of the place, or Anna's imagination, but she got the feeling that there was some kind of suppression here.

Finally, they were taken into a narrow dormitory building, where talking seemed to be allowed.

“She's down there.” Danielle pointed to the end of the room where there did appear to be someone in bed.

Anna hurried down the aisle. But she gasped to see Sarah. Lying on a narrow bunk, her face looked pinched and thin and her skin sallow. The worst part was the sad and vacant look in her dark eyes. Almost as if she didn't recognize Anna or Clark.

“Sarah,” Anna said gently as she reached for her hand. “It's Grandma.”

Sarah barely registered acknowledgment, and Anna glanced at Clark with a frightened expression.

“Hello, sweet girl,” Clark said in an easy tone. “Want to go home with your grandma and me?”

Sarah's eyes flickered with recognition. “Grandpa?” she said in a hoarse voice.

“We've got the car,” Anna told her. “The old station wagon. Do you feel like you're able to travel?”

Sarah let out a shallow sigh then closed her eyes as if in pain. Her thick black lashes fluttered over the dark shadows beneath her eyes, and her breaths seemed shallow and labored. Anna touched her forehead to find that it was a bit too warm.

“Clark,” Anna whispered. “Do you think she needs to see a doctor first?”

“No.” Sarah started to sit up.

“You've been very sick,” Anna said sadly. “We want to help you. Your friends think you should go home with us, but you seem so weak.”

“Home.” Sarah's weak grip tightened slightly on Anna's hand. “I want to go home.”

Anna and Clark exchanged glances.

“Yes,” Anna told Sarah. “We want you to come home, too.”

Without Sarah seeing him, Clark mouthed the word “Lauren” to Anna then held his hand up like a phone receiver. Anna nodded, and with that, Clark leaned down to tell Sarah he was going for the car and would be back shortly.

While he was gone, Anna helped Sarah slip a raggedy-looking green and orange hand-knit sweater over her thin cotton dress, slowly buttoning it up to her chin. Then, just as she was helping her into some thick socks and a worn pair of brown clogs, Clark returned. “I pulled the car up to the back of the building,” he said. “I left it running.”

“We have blankets and things in the car,” Anna said as she helped Sarah stand, with Clark on the other side so they could both support her. “And I brought some food and drinks.”

“I packed Sarah's things for her.” A girl carrying a limp brown paper bag joined them. “I hope she gets better.”

Anna smiled at the girl as they slowly walked Sarah toward the door. “Don't worry. We
will
get her well again,” she declared.

It tool all three of them to get Sarah out to the car and into the backseat where Anna sat with her. With the blankets and quilts tucked snugly around Sarah, Anna tried to make her as comfortable as possible. But as soon as the car started to move, Sarah was clearly in pain. She seemed to feel every bump and rut in the rough gravel road and at each lurch or turn would let out a little groan.

Anna had placed a down pillow in her lap to cushion Sarah's head. And knowing lavender was a natural soothing herb, she'd even tucked a sachet inside the smooth linen pillowcase early this morning. As she cradled Sarah's head with the fragrant pillow, Anna wished for a stronger way to buffer this ride for her.

Sarah's features twisted as they hit another lumpy part of the road.

“Maybe we should take her to the hospital,” Anna said quietly to Clark.

“No,” Sarah said in a weak but firm voice. “
Home
.”

As encouraged as Anna was to hear how badly Sarah wanted to go home, she wondered if the sick girl could possibly make the almost eight-hour trip. This wasn't just a bad case of the flu. Sarah was seriously ill. Not only that, but also it would be the middle of the night by the time they reached town and the river, and they'd still have the boat ride back to the inn. And once at the inn, the doctor and the hospital would be nearly an hour away if they needed medical assistance.

“Clark?” Anna put a hand on his shoulder. “What do you think?”

He didn't respond as he continued driving down the graveled road as carefully as possible. The main road was in sight
now, but Anna could tell by the angle of Clark's head and the way he was rubbing his chin that he was probably trying to decide what was best.

“
Home
,” Sarah said again.

“It's a long trip,” Anna told her. “You're very weak.”

“I think Sarah's right,” Clark finally said, “we'll keep heading for home. I'm not the least bit tired of driving, and if we need to stop somewhere between here and there for help, we will, but the sooner we get her home, the sooner you can make her well again. If anyone can make her well, Anna, I believe you can.”

Anna wasn't so sure about this, but it did remind her of the basket she'd packed with this in mind, and once Clark was on the smoother highway, she began trying to coax Sarah to drink some of the cool tea she'd poured into canning jars last night. Infused with chamomile, lavender, and catnip herbs, it was sweetened with clover honey. She even packed some straws. Sarah could only manage a few sips at a time, but after about an hour on the road, she seemed to be resting better. Or else she was going into a coma.

Stroking Sarah's hair, Anna prayed silently for her granddaughter . . . prayed for them to make the journey safely and quickly . . . and prayed that whatever was ailing Sarah would be treatable without hospitalization. Anna felt relatively sure that Sarah wasn't with child. This had been her concern earlier when Lauren had called with the news that she was sick. Anna had instantly flashed back to the time when Lauren had seemed so sick . . . but had simply turned out to be pregnant . . . with Sarah.

Anna studied Sarah's profile in the dusky light. The sallow tone to her skin suggested vital organ trouble—perhaps liver or kidneys—and Anna knew that was serious. Very serious.
Sarah was even thinner than the last time Anna had seen her. Her fragile wrists looked like that of a young child. But the length of Sarah's dirty fingernails gave Anna a smidgeon of hope . . . perhaps it hadn't been that long since Sarah had been working, which would suggest she'd only gotten sick recently. So perhaps her malady, whatever it was, wasn't too far along.

No one at the commune had seemed to know exactly when Sarah had become ill or what was actually wrong with her. Danielle had claimed that Sarah had been sickly from the start and that they were concerned that she might be contagious. Not that any of this mattered so much to Anna. Mostly she'd just wanted to get Sarah away from there. And now she only wanted to get her home. And get her well. Hopefully they would make it there in one trip.

Anna knew that it was only God's grace and the soothing help of the herbal concoctions that got Sarah safely home to the river in the wee hours of the morning. But as the sun was coming up, Sarah was finally resting relatively peacefully in her old bedroom in the main house. Anna had coaxed Sarah to sip some chicken broth and apple cider and now felt like she could finally relax some herself. Clark had long since tumbled into bed and was fast asleep.

Thankful that no guests were with them, Anna explained the situation to Jewel, who had waited up for them. “Would you mind handling the cooking for tomorrow,” Anna asked as she put some things away in the kitchen.

“No problem. And I can use the kitchen downstairs,” Jewel assured her. “So it will be nice and quiet up here.”

“Good. Did you hear anything from Lauren?” Anna wasn't sure if she was still in California or at Babette's house.

“She called earlier this evening. She plans to get here tomorrow.”

“Well, you better get some rest.” Anna let out a tired yawn.

“Is Sarah going to be okay?” Jewel asked with concerned eyes.

Anna sighed. “I think so, but I'm afraid it might be serious, Jewel. I can tell she's very sick.”

“Oh, no.” Her hand covered her mouth.

“Pray for her,” Anna said. “And we'll do the best we can for now. But I plan to call the doctor tomorrow.” She shook her head. “I mean today.”

“You should go get some rest,” Jewel told her. “If you like I can sit with Sarah while you sleep.”

Anna considered this. She really hadn't wanted to leave Sarah alone. “You don't mind?”

“Not at all. I fell asleep on the couch for several hours while I was waiting for you guys to get home.”

Anna thanked her, gave her some instructions about keeping the fluids going, and then went off to bed.

The next morning, Sarah seemed about the same, and Anna knew that she needed to get some professional medical attention for her. But the idea of loading the poor girl back onto the boat and then the car again seemed like cruelty. Anna remembered the days when Dr. Robertson used to make house calls. Unfortunately, he had long since retired. Since then, Anna and Clark had relied on Dr. Albers for their medical care. And he was a nice fellow and even enjoyed fishing with Clark occasionally, but Anna doubted that he or anyone else made house calls anymore.

Even so she called his office then waited on hold to talk to him personally. After initial greetings, she began to explain the situation, going into detail over Sarah's symptoms and yesterday's difficult journey.

“I'm so glad to hear you found her,” he said. “I'd heard you folks were looking for her again. How fortunate to have her home in time for the holidays.”

“Yes, we're relieved to have her back with us, but I'm terribly worried about her, doctor. You know I believe in herbal remedies, but this seems very serious.”

“Yes, it does sound like liver or kidneys. She needs to be seen, Anna.”

“I know. But the trip will be hard on her. And she is so adamant about not getting medical attention.” Now Anna explained some of Sarah's strange beliefs. “I suspect they're things she picked up at the communes.”