The Second Half (25 page)

“Oh, Grammy! Please!”

“I don't wanna ride.” Jakey hung back, his lip out and his arms crossed.

Miss Dixie smiled. “We don't make anyone ride. Just if they want to. Let me introduce you to your new friend, Starbright.” She gave instructions on how to approach a horse, enter the stall, and buckle on the halter and a lead rope.

By the time they had brushed the deep bay coat to a gleam, picked hoofs, and finally tacked up, Mellie was beaming like she was having the time of her life. “Oh, Grammy, isn't she beautiful?”

“She sure is.”

“You've done a good job, both of you.” After making sure the helmet fit, Miss Dixie had Mellie lead Starbright out to the round pen, showing her the best way to hold the lead rope, hovering close but not too close. Mellie led her beautiful Starbright around, stopping, starting, turning around, and going back. Finally they stopped at a mounting block with Miss Dixie giving instructions that helped Mellie crawl up into the Western saddle.

Mona leaned on the metal fence and watched her granddaughter concentrate. The three—Miss Dixie, Starbright, and a happy little girl—moved out into the arena. Mellie rode and reined as instructed, but Miss Dixie kept a close hold on the lax lead rope.

Watching her ecstatic little granddaughter helped lift her own spirits. Well, a little. She looked toward Ken and Jake. Ken was watching from the fence, but Jake was sitting with his back against a fence post, still pouting. He had been pouting all day, Marit said.

She heard Mellie ask, “Can we go faster? Please?”

“No. When you can keep complete control at a walk and maintain a safe, steady seat, we'll advance. You're doing very well, Mellie. See how you are starting to move with the horse? You're not just sitting there anymore. That's excellent.”

Mona and Ken had talked about this horsemanship course being more than just teaching a little girl how to ride. She glanced over at Ken, and he was looking at her, smiling, nodding. Mellie was being provided a distraction, a thing at which she was excelling, something to occupy her mind and heart.

Now to find something for Jake.

I
think they are getting tired of me asking for information about Steig.” Sitting around the kitchen table, Mona looked from her husband to her daughter and back. “Or rather all of us.” She knew Ken had called and written, and Marit said she had, too. They all got the same answer.
We will inform you as soon as we hear anything. You will be the first to know.

“I asked the chaplain if there is anyone else we can contact.” Ken half shrugged. “He said he would give anything to be able to give us some kind of news, but there is a huge silence out there. He said this is not unusual with MIAs, especially those in the elite corps like Steig.”

“What did he mean by that?” Marit asked. “Is there more to this that we don't know? This isn't making sense.”

Marit looked at her father.

Ken grimaced. “I'm sure there's much more to it that we don't know, but that's just it; we don't know.”

“Unless they really aren't searching for them.” Mona voiced a thought that had visited her more than once. “You know, out of sight, out of mind.”

“He's a valuable investment, too much money pumped into his training. They'll search for him.” Mona glanced at Ken, always thinking of the investment angle. He had done that with his students, too.

Marit sighed. “Or he was killed during some covert operation, and they can't tell us because it would blow the cover. We have to trust that God is hearing our prayers and keeping Steig safe from harm. I know that if I don't keep trusting Him, I will go—well, I don't know what would happen, but I'm not about to try to find out.”

“One day at a time, actually hours and minutes. We are choosing to live in the moment, not looking ahead to what might happen. Like Pastor Oliver said more than one time, we are living in the here and now because that is where God meets us and leads us. Not tomorrow or the next week.”

“Easy to say, Mom. Not easy to do.” She pushed her chair back. “I better get home before Magnus and the kids do. Begging out of the movie didn't mean I'd be gone when they got back.”

“He said he'd drop our two off here first; he knew you were coming over here?”

“He did, they didn't.”

“I wish we could have gotten something accomplished.”

“Well, we got the next packet of letters ready to mail to Steig. He's going to find a whole duffel full when he gets back.”

Mona refused to think,
If he gets back.

Marit paused at the door. “Mom, you heard anything on that preschool campaign?”

“No, I've been meaning to call them but…”
But it took more energy than I have lately.
While the depression appeared to have somewhat let up on her mind, she still constantly felt far more tired than she should. That, too, was a symptom of depression.

“Well, I'm sure grateful that mammo turned out to be false.” She left with a wave.

“Since she brought it up, what about your preschool project?” Ken drained his teacup.

“It's their call now, but they haven't made contact yet. They'd better hurry; we have to get it going if it will meet their time frame.” She hated this wait-till-the-last-minute-and-then-make-demands pattern, and so many clients did it.

“We leave for Chicago in three days.”

“I know, I just feel so torn.” She would not say she would rather wait for Carole Bergstrund's call, but she dreaded it, too. Look how simple their life was and how simple it could have been now had Steig not called that day.

Ambrose barked his welcome and ran to the door.

“I know, boy, the kids are home.”

The dog watched eagerly while the kids waved good-bye and ran to the house.

“Hi, Grampy; hi, Grammy; hi, Ambrose. We had popcorn, a big box.” Jake used his hands to show a monster box of popcorn.

“Each of you?” Ken asked.

“No, we shared. Uncle Magnus bought two boxes and extra cartons so we wouldn't spill passing the boxes back and forth.” Mellie retrieved a glass and poured herself a drink of water. “Torin spilled most of his, so I shared mine.”

Jake wrapped his arms around Ambrose's neck. “We didn't bring you any, sorry. Grampy says you don't like it.”

“So, how was the movie?” Mona asked.

“The best. So funny.” Jake launched into telling the story in fits and starts, with Mellie correcting him.

“It was a funny movie,” Mellie finished. “But I still like
Monsters, Inc.
the best. We could watch that one again; we brought it from home.” She stopped. “Texas, I mean.” Mellie headed for the stairs and the haven of her bed.

Mona considered. She coveted that spare room that was her office. Yes,
coveted
was the word. Everything in one place, her records and files at hand; she could not picture how she would manage her fledgling business without a proper office.
But.
Always there was that but. Mellie was ten now. She needed her privacy, and you do not get privacy with your little brother in the room.

Lord, give me strength to do this and appear happy while I'm doing it.

She trudged upstairs to the children's room. “Mellie?”

Mona found her, with a tear-wet face, propped against her pillows, writing on a pad of paper. “What are you writing?”

“A letter to Daddy.” She scrubbed her fingers under her nose and sniffed again.

“I figured as much. Are you telling him about your riding lesson?”

“I already wrote about that.” She motioned to her paper. “About the movie. And asking him to please write to us or, best, come home.”

“I hope you told him we all want that. Right now, I have an idea, but you have to help me. Would you like your own room?”

Her eyes got wide. “You mean without Jakey in it?”

“Without Jakey. We can put my office downstairs and move you into that room.”

She bounded off her bed. “Oh yes! Then Jakey can't keep me awake talking and crying because he can't go to sleep!” She stopped. “But my bed's in here.”

“The top bunk lifts off to make twin beds. Your bed will go with you.”

“Perfect!”

Mona called Ken, and together they moved her office furniture out into the hallway; Mona could deal with it tomorrow. “Let's strip your bed since we have to take it apart anyway. Will you get new bed linen from the hall closet, please?”

Mellie ran out.

Ken paused from lifting off the mattress. “Are you sure this is best? All they really have is each other, and now we're separating them.”

“I don't know if it's best. Ken, I don't know anything anymore.”

“You and me both.”

They pulled the set pins and lifted down the bunk bed, toting the bed and dresser into Mellie's new room. Mellie carried one of the drawers with her underwear still in it; she was getting stronger, it seemed. Ken set the nightstand up beside her bed as Mona brought the clothes over from the closet. She still had office supplies in the closet; she could take them downstairs tomorrow.

Jake was just as delighted as his sister. “Now Mellie can't boss me around and tell me to shut up all the time.”

Mellie flopped on her bed. “Look! I don't have to climb!” She carefully stacked her books on her nightstand. “I finished these books. Can we go to the library tomorrow? I want some books to read on the trip. I told Daddy we are going to Chicago.”

“You'll miss your riding lesson next week, you know.”

“Maybe I can have two lessons the next week.” Her eyes pleaded for a yes.

“We'll ask Miss Dixie if they have an extra space.”

“I wish you would ride, too, Grammy. Just think if we could ride out in that big pasture. And they have riding trails all around. When Daddy comes home, I'm going to ask him for a horse. Maybe we can buy Starbright. She's a rescue horse. Miss Dixie told me all about her. She was really skinny when they got her, but she's all fleshed out now.”

Mona nodded and smiled and listened to Mellie dream. Best of all, she was back to saying “when Daddy comes home,” not “Daddy's never coming home.”
Oh, my darling granddaughter, you are far braver than I was at your age.

“How about coming down for dessert, unless you are hungry for real food, too?”

“Can we have peanut butter and jam?”

“Crackers or bread?” She smiled and held out her hand. “I saw an app on the Internet that I want to show you.”

Mellie bailed off the bed, tucking her paper and pen into the drawer of the nightstand. “What's for dessert and what app?”

“Surprises both.”

“Brit and I played
Minecraft
on their computer. I didn't do so good 'cause that was my first time playing.” She looked up at Mona. “I don't like computer games so much.”

“Good. I'd rather play board games with people at a table, not on the computer.”

“Me, too.”

After they were all served, Mellie and Mona took their plates into the family room to the computer. “I found a program on drawing horses. I used to draw horses all the time, and I thought you might enjoy it, too.”

“Oh, good. Can we do it together?”

“I don't see why not. I think we have some pencils and drawing paper in my craft supplies.” Mona brought up the app, and together they watched the first five minutes.

Mellie was beaming again. “Yes, let's do this.” She paused and glanced at Mona hopefully. “We could put it on your iPad and take it along in the car.” There it was again, that innate skill for electronics that children possess.

“We can and we will.”

Sometime in the wee hours, Ambrose barked Ken and Mona awake so they heard Jake crying. Rushing into his room, they found him covered in vomit, as were the sheets on the bed. While Ken went for cleanup supplies, Mona felt his forehead. “Bring the thermometer, too, please.”

“I—I'm sorry,” Jake moaned as she removed his jammy top.

“Honey, you can't help being sick. Here, let's get you into the bathtub to cool you down.” She carried him into the bathroom, set him on the toilet, and started tepid water, then finished undressing him.

Ken appeared at the door. “I stripped the bed.”

“You stay here, and I'll get out clean sheets.”

“Grampy…” Jake started heaving again. “My head hurts.”

“Tummy, too?”

“So hot.”

When he stopped barfing, Ken set him in the bathtub. “Let's wash you and maybe you'll feel better.”

Back in his bed, with a bath towel protecting the sheet, Jake flopped against the pillow. He sipped water and promptly threw up again, but this time Ken had a bowl at the ready.

“I'll stay here with him, and you go back to bed,” Ken said softly.

“We'll call the base clinic first thing in the morning.” Mona checked the clock. “Not that morning is so far away.” She stroked Jake's hair back. While the water had cooled him somewhat, she knew he was still far hotter than he should be. Taking his temp again, she was right: 102 degrees, far too close to the danger zone.

“I'll get some ice chips; perhaps he can keep that down.” Returning with a glass of chips and a spoon, she found Jake sound asleep and Ken lying beside the ill child. Perhaps the worst was over.

Mellie rubbed her eyes as she met Mona in the hallway. “Grammy, what's happening?”

“Jake woke up vomiting, but he's asleep now. You go on back to bed. If you feel sick at all, you let me know right away.”

“'Kay.” She wrapped her arms around her grandma, who hugged her back. “Will Jake be all right tomorrow?”

“I hope so.” Mona led her back to her bed and tucked her in. “You go back to sleep.”

By morning, Jake had not kept anything down, but no one else had any symptoms. Mona called the doctor's office, scolding herself that they'd not made appointments with the base doctors as the chaplain advised, new patients and all that rigmarole. She'd planned to but somehow kept putting it off. She explained the situation to a nurse who took the call and answered her questions, including length of time since the onset.

“And his temp has not abated?”

“Not even with cold cloths.”

“Does he complain of pain anywhere?”

“Head and tummy.”

“You know, I think you better bring him in immediately, be on the safe side. As soon as you can. I'll call the gate and tell them to expect you. Give me your names again. And bring your papers, please.”

Mona did and agreed to bring the medical records. Next, she called Marit and asked her to come get Mellie.

“I'll be right there. Good thing you called before Magnus left.”

Mona headed upstairs to get dressed and met Ken in the hall.

“He has diarrhea now, too. And he's too weak to sit up.”

“Let's clean him up and put a diaper on him for the trip; we still have some of his overnight diapers. We'll wrap him in a sheet and take a blanket and bowl with us.” What in the world was going on with him?

They took turns staying with him and dressing, then, as soon as Marit came for Mellie, bundled Jake and Mona in the backseat with all the supplies, and Ken drove the interminably long road to the base. Mona held Jake in her arms, prayers bombarding heaven as she fought the fear that threatened to drown her.

“How is your grandson, sir?” The young soldier at the gate asked.

“Getting worse.”

“I'm so sorry. Follow that jeep over there. He'll get you the shortest cut to the hospital. The nurse said to send you there.”

“Thank you.” Ken gunned the SUV as the jeep threw gravel moving out. When they reached the emergency entrance, two young men met them with a gurney. One reached in the backseat to take Jake.

“We'll take him now, ma'am. We're all prepared.” With Jake belted on the rolling bed, they headed for the door, Mona right on their heels, while Ken went to park their car.