Ryan's Crossing (4 page)

As he stood, he wrapped the bloody towels in the clean ones and turned to Chad. Speaking quietly, he said, “Why don’t we go wash our hands?”

Chad looked at him for a moment and then looked down at his own blood-covered hands. “Oh. Yeah. Good idea.”

As the women fussed over Josh, Chad and Ryan walked to the bathroom.

“Thank you,” said Chad.

“Any time,” said Ryan.

“You seem to know a lot about all that. You think it’s serious?”

Ryan looked back toward the little boy; Josh was swinging his legs, totally content with his treat. “You said he hasn’t been quite right since the flu a couple months ago. What else is different?”

“Well, he’s been quieter than normal. Don’t want to go out so much like he used to. Then there’s the nosebleeds. Like I said. He seems to get ‘em all the time.”

“How many?”

“To be honest, I lost count. Seems like they come about every other day or so.”

Ryan looked at Chad. “I’m no doctor, sir, just a paramedic. But I’d recommend a visit to his doctor. Just to be safe.”

Chapter 5

AS CHAD AND LITTLE JOSH
left the logging office, two flaxen-haired men dressed in blue jeans and winter coats watched from the edge of the woods.

“Things are coming together nicely,” said Matthew.

“So far,” said Michael as a ruby-crowned kinglet landed on his shoulder.

“You still have doubts?”

The bird flicked its wings, and Michael reached up to take the bird in his hands. “What’s the saying? Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched?”

“Yes, but this family has a strong influence.”

“True.”

A second kinglet lighted on the branch above Matthew, dropping bits of snow onto his curly head. He brushed it off absently with his bare hand. “But doubts remain?”

“Yes. Try not to underestimate the enemy,” said Michael. “He is very powerful. And motivated.”

“I still believe in this family.”

“Good. But don’t let your guard down.”

Chapter 6

RYAN WATCHED HIS SISTER PERIODICALLY
throughout the Sunday morning church service. Sitting next to Peter in her khaki pants and sweater, she held her own Bible and followed along with the pastor. She seems to be comfortable here, too.

Religion confused Ryan. He believed in both God and the Bible, but past that, it got complicated. Jesus rose from the dead. Why can’t church be that simple?

As the music ended and the family prepared to leave, several well-wishers crowded around to meet him and talk about the wedding happening in just six days. Yes, he was glad to have his sister back in his life. Yes, he was excited for her to be marrying Peter. Really, how else do these people expect me to answer these questions? Of course I’m happy for her, but I don’t really know Peter or his family.

Finally Peter politely excused them and led Amber and Ryan down the aisle and outside the church.

“Is the whole town invited to the wedding?” asked Ryan, slipping his arms into his coat.

Amber giggled. “Seems like it.”

“I believe Mom did invite everyone at church,” Peter said almost apologetically.

“And our mother has been inviting everyone who walks into the hardware store for the last three weeks.” Humor sparkled in Amber’s eyes.

“Awesome.” Ryan’s voice sounded strained. He tugged his tie loose before zipping up his coat.

“My thoughts exactly,” said Peter.

Amber looked from her future husband to her brother as she snuggled further into her coat. “You two.” She rolled her eyes. “At least you won’t be the one in a dress!”

“And that’s a good thing, my Ray,” said Peter.

“By the way, who is Mrs. Guire?” asked Ryan.

“Why?” said Amber. “Where’d you meet her?”

“Inside. She was asking me all about my car. Some of the questions I’m used to, like what year it is. But other questions were strange.”

“Like what?” Peter asked.

“She asked me if I’d upgraded the steering to rack and pinion! How many old ladies ask that question?”

Amber laughed. “That makes sense.”

“Yeah,” said Peter. “You have to know her. Some places have a town drunk or town black sheep. We have a town hot-rodder. And it’s not any of the teenage boys.”

“Her?” said Ryan. “You’ve got to be kidding me! She’s got to be sixty years old.”

“Yep,” said Amber, nodding. “Sixty-three and a constant blip on Sheriff Daniel’s radar. Plus she owns the small garage in town. Worked around cars all her life from what I can tell.”

Ryan shook his head. Sixty-three. Probably not five feet tall stretched out or one hundred pounds fully dressed. That woman must have a great story. What old woman asks about a gearbox?

“Wasn’t that a nice service?” said Thomas, walking up behind his daughter and putting an arm around her shoulders.

“Do you have plans for lunch?” Victoria had arrived behind Thomas and was now looking at Ryan.

“I’m open to whatever,” said Ryan.

Amber reached out to touch her mother’s arm. “Logan and Heather will be coming down later today, Mom. Want to come over?”

“Logan and Heather?” said Ryan.

“Peter’s older brother and his wife,” Amber explained.

“Oh good, Amber dear,” said Faye, joining the small group. “I’m glad you invited everyone. I would have called you, Victoria, but Logan didn’t let us know until this morning. He said they would be here around 3:00 and will spend the night with Peter. You are welcome to come over whenever you’d like. Tomorrow too. We’ll be going over all the lists to make sure everything is planned for.”

“Dinner sounds wonderful,” said Thomas. “But I think I’ll skip the lists.”

“Can we bring anything?” said Victoria.

“I think I’ll skip the lists with you,” said Peter with a wink at his soon-to-be father-in-law.

“To keep things simple,” said Faye, “I think I’ll just make some ham and potato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches.”

“Can I skip the lists?” said Amber with a mischievous grin.

“How about I bring some brownies?” said Victoria, ignoring the silliness around her.

“I know I’m skipping the lists,” said Ryan.

“Perfect!” said Faye. “The girls will love that!”

“Girls?” said Ryan.

“My brother has three girls,” Peter explained. “A four-year old, two-year old, and an infant.”

Ryan nodded his head. It doesn’t sound like the afternoon will be peaceful. Maybe it would be a good afternoon to head to Portland.

“And by the way, Peter dear,” said Faye with a look.

“Yes, Mom?”

“Amber will need you by her side as we go over the lists,” said Faye.

Ryan chuckled as Peter groaned.

“Yes,” said Victoria, “and I think we should assign a few things to Ryan, as well.”

“Me?” Ryan putted his hands up to his chest looking from his mom to Faye. Both women’s eyes were sparkling. I’m not getting out of this one easily.

“Misery does love company, son,” said Thomas.

“Yes, it does,” said Victoria. “And if you want any potato soup, my dear husband, I suggest you look over the lists and find a job or two for which you are willing to be responsible.”

“Me?” said Thomas. He looked at his wife then sighed deeply.

Ryan smirked at his dad and then shrugged. “Looks like we’ve been busted.”

“Well,” said Peter, “let’s get some lunch so we have strength to face the inevitable.”

Ryan found his sister five hours later on the back deck of the Yager home. “Escaping lists?”

She turned to look at him, smiling. “Yeah.”

“I’m with you! Where do we abandon ship?”

She laughed. “Did you get your assignments?”

“Unfortunately. I thought I was just attending this shindig. Somehow my plan went terribly wrong!”

She laughed again. “Just wait until Brittney gets here.”

“Who is Brittney again?”

“She’s Peter’s sister, and she’s a ball of energy. She’ll have us all completing our lists in record time.”

“Maybe we could trade assignments. Who has the easy job?”

“Baby Megan!”

“Think she’ll trade me?”

She laughed. “Thanks. I needed to refocus, and you helped.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Oh, just too many details to think about. I don’t really care where people sit or how much food we buy, whether everyone throws rice or blows bubbles. I just want to be Peter’s wife.”

“Why does he call you Ray when everyone else calls you Amber? Is it short for Rachel?”

She turned to look at him. “I suppose it could be, but that’s not where he got it. It’s what my initials will be after we’re married: R-A-Y.”

“That’s kinda corny.”

She smiled back at his grin. “Yeah, it is. But I love it.”

He shook his head. “Women.”

“What?!”

“You get all mushy at some of the silliest things.”

“True. Have you never had anyone special, Ryan?”

Ryan shrugged. “Nah.”

“Why not?”

He turned to look towards the woods behind the house, the snow glistening on the trees. “Truth be told, I move around a lot.”

“What do you mean?”

“I stay at a job for six or eight months, get restless, and move on.”

“Move on to another department, or another town?”

“Town, mostly.”

“What about friends?”

Ryan shrugged as he gazed at the woods without seeing them. “I hang out with some of the guys I work with, but I’ve really only had one good friend in the last several years. We went to high school together.”

“Where’s he now?”

“He joined the Army shortly after we graduated. Got assigned to Ft. Lewis near Tacoma. We used to see each other two or three times a year, but his deployments make it hard. Life moves on and all that.”

“Oh, Ryan.”

He turned to look at her, seeing concern in her eyes. “It’s not a big deal.”

“You’re running, Ryan.”

“You’re crazy. What would I be running from?”

“Life.”

Such a little word. Ryan clenched his jaw and turned back to the trees. He wanted to laugh at her, tell her she was wrong, but something held him back.

You are a great warrior.

Ryan almost laughed at the ridiculous words. Where’d that come from? Maybe this fresh mountain air was getting to him.

“Aunt Am-er!” Two-year old Taylor came running onto the deck.

Ryan watched his sister scoop the blonde cutie into her arms.

“Taylor, what are you doing out here without shoes on?”

“You play Candyland wit’ me?”

“Are your sister and Uncle Peter done with their game?”

“Uncle Pe-er says it your turn now.”

“Okay, sweetie.” Amber looked at Ryan.

“If nothing’s going on the next couple of days,” said Ryan, “I think I’ll head into Portland and look around.”

Amber looked at him steadily then nodded her head. He felt like she was seeing through him. Maybe we’re more alike than I’m ready to admit.

“You play Candyland?” said Taylor, looking at Ryan.

He looked into her big blue eyes. “Only if I can be the green man.”

She smiled back at him. “Am-er like the boo man. I be lell-lo, okay?”

Chapter 7

“ALL RIGHT,” SAID NICOLE. “I’LL
take it from here.”

Brittney looked at the nurse who was taking over the night shift in the oncology unit at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “It seems like I’m forgetting something.”

“We’ve got it, Britt. Go enjoy your family. We’ll see you next week.”

“Okay. I’m going to say bye to Grace first.”

Brittney looked in the window before tying the fibrous isolation gown around her slim waist and putting on the gloves. The gentle five-year-old lay quietly in bed, cartoons flickering across her television screen. It didn’t seem like that long ago when a vibrant girl with long blonde curls had come bouncing onto the ward.

After tying the mask strings around her long, dark hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, Brittney opened the door and stepped inside. “Hey, Gracie.”

A smile appeared on the little girl’s face. “Hi, B. Is it time for you to leave?”

Brittney walked over to the bed. “Yes. Nicole is here and will be in to see you in a little bit.” She watched the child breathe.

“Will you bring me a picture of you all dressed up for the wedding?”

“If you want.” Brittney straightened out a couple lines running from the fragile child to the machines keeping tabs on her vitals. “But you have to promise me you’ll be really good while I’m gone and do everything Nicole asks you to do.”

“Okay.”

Brittney glanced up at the monitor. Her O2 sats are lower than they were this morning. Brittney’s training reminded her that low oxygen saturation or O2 sats, as it was commonly called, affected the ability of the oxygen to get into the red blood cells. Over time, Grace’s heart and other organs would be weakened.

“I’ll be back to work next Tuesday.”

“I’ll miss you, B.”

Brittney tried to swallow the lump in her throat, gently touching the child’s shoulder. “I’ll miss you, too, Gracie.”

She walked out, cast off her isolation gear and went back to the nurse’s station. “Nicole.”