The Way of Women (24 page)

“Oh, ick.” Mellie shuddered along with her. “So you came here?”

“It was here or drive another forty miles or so to Vancouver.” She leaned forward and dropped her voice. “But if that man snores like that again—and that poor baby …”

“Lissa was up and down a couple of times, but she slept pretty well, considering.”

“Poor tyke is probably so worn out she’d sleep anywhere. Have you heard anything about Mr. Johnson?”

Mellie shook her head. “And they haven’t found any unidentified bodies that might be Harv. I keep hoping and praying he is still alive, but …” Her sigh carried all the lost hopes and dreams. “I’ve got to call the
doctor today and tell him about Lissa’s fever and fatigue. Guess we’ll have to take the bus home.” Home, how could that house ever be home again without Harv there?

“Well, let’s get breakfast and then figure some of this stuff out. You want me to bring you some?” Katheryn nodded to Lissa, who slept on.

“If you don’t mind. I don’t want her to wake up and be frightened.”

“No problem.”

Mellie watched Katheryn cross the room. Even her walk spoke self-confidence. She greeted other people around her and laughed at the antics of the two children who’d sat across the table from them at dinner. And yet, she hadn’t heard about her husband and son either.
How could she be so cool about it all? If it weren’t for Lissa, I’d … I’d …
Mellie swallowed her tears and wished away her fears. Neither worked very well.

“I hope you slept better than I did.” Mrs. Bellamy stopped beside Lissa’s cot.

Mellie wished she could think of something to say and could remember the woman’s name. Had she slept at all? She must have. The night passed and she didn’t recall all of it. Even the nightmare that wakened her was only a shadow rather than the specters that so often lurked at her shoulder unless Harv banished them for her.

“She doing any better today?”

“Not really. I’m letting her sleep as long as possible.” She’d almost shaken Lissa to make sure she was just sleeping and not unconscious. “Um, I forgot your name.”

“Donna Bellamy. Can I get you anything?”

Mellie masked her surprise. Why were people being so nice to her? “Uh, Katheryn is bringing me some breakfast. Thank you, though.”

“Maybe later Lissa will feel like playing with the kids or watching a video. There’s a box of books over there in the corner along with some toys someone donated. Sure wonder if we got anything to go home to.”

“Where did you—do you—live?”

“Up on the North Fork. It was hit the worst. What about you?”

“We came down from Tacoma to see if I could find my husband. He was driving truck for a logging company.”

“No word?”

“No.”

“I’m so sorry, honey. Leastwise we got all our family, even the cat—Andrew snatched her up as we run out the door.”

“You’re lucky.” As if luck had anything to do with it. Harv always said you make your own luck, but he also believed that almighty God was in control.

“I’ll be praying for you to find your husband. What’s his name?”

“Harv. Harvey Sedor.” Mellie choked on the words.

“M-mommy?” Weak as it was, at least Lissa was able to talk. “I’m wet.”

“Don’t you worry none, sweetheart. We’ll get you some clean sheets.” Mrs. Bellamy turned back to Mellie. “You got any extra clothes?”

“Just what’s in the bag.” Mellie cuddled Lissa. “We’ll go change you and wash in the bathroom, okay?”

“Sorry.”

“I know. Sometimes it can’t be helped.”

When they came back, Katheryn had set a tray on the cot and was folding up blankets and sheets. “You go ahead and see if you can get some food in her while I check to see if anyone has learned anything new.”

No matter how she coaxed, Lissa kept turning her face into her mother’s shoulder. Mellie ate some toast and scrambled eggs, wishing the
two charmers from the night before would come over and make Lissa laugh again—and eat. Feeling the heat in her daughter’s thin body, Mellie knew she’d better call the doctor. Last time Lissa had been like this, he’d ordered a transfusion. But he was in Tacoma, and they were here, and while the distance wasn’t hundreds of miles, anything over a couple blocks was too long if she had to walk it carrying Lissa. Her back ached already, a leftover pain from yesterday.

“Here, at least drink some milk.” She held the cup for Lissa, who took a couple of swallows before turning away.

Katheryn sat down on the cot, facing Mellie. “I called the center up in Toledo, but the man who answered the phone said there wasn’t any news for either of us. I thought perhaps I could take you by to check on Mr. Johnson. I can stay with Lissa while you go up and see him.”

“I could call our doctor from there.”

“Easier than here. The line formed right after I called. Guess they all figured the offices were open finally.” Katheryn stroked Lissa’s leg. “You need some clothes for her? We could stop at Kmart or something.”

Why are you being so good to us?
Mellie wished she dare ask out loud, but just having someone talk to her like a friend helped keep the horror at bay. Were clothes for Lissa an emergency? Should she ask Mr. Johnson?

The door opened, and a tall woman with a camera around her neck and wearing a backpack stopped and glanced around the gym. She took a spiral notebook from the pocket of her vest, flipped it open, wrote a few notes, and closed it again. Once the notebook was back in her pocket, she removed the lens cap, which also went in a pocket before moving toward the three children playing with toys in the corner. Watching her walk, the sunbeam catching another in her hair, was like watching a river flowing easy, sparkling in the sun.

“Orange juice.”

Mellie leaped to fill her daughter’s request. Only a few sips, but Lissa held the plastic glass instead of giving it back—and drank some more.

“Mellie?”

She turned her attention back to Katheryn, who hadn’t seen the woman with the camera. The woman who walked like she was somebody. “Yes?”

Lissa pulled at her mother’s sleeve. “Mommy, who’s that lady?”

“I don’t know.”

Katheryn turned to look over her shoulder. “The one with the camera?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Probably works for a newspaper or something. Reporters keep looking for the stories. That’s their job.”

“She’s pretty.”

No, she’s grace in motion
. Mellie set Lissa back on the cot and packed their meager things back in the bag. “Get your coat on. We don’t want to keep Mrs. Sommers waiting.”

Katheryn held the jacket open for Lissa to stick her arms in.

“Are you a grandma?” Lissa asked.

“Nope, not yet. But my daughter is going to have a baby. Maybe I can practice being a grandma with you.”

“Okay. I don’t gots a grandma.”

Mellie stood and picked up her daughter to perch on her hip, then reached for the bag. Katheryn took it instead.

“My car is out in the parking lot. I’ll bet Mr. Johnson will be glad to see you this morning.”

“He’s probably been worrying about us all night.”

“I hope not. That would be bad for his heart.”

“I’ll wait out here with Lissa while you go in.” Katheryn reached for the little girl. “You can sit on my lap, can’t you? I need to learn how …”

“To be a grandma?” Lissa let herself be taken.

“Thank you, I won’t be long.” Mellie glanced over her shoulder to see Lissa and Katheryn sit down on the sofa.
Thank you, God, for this wonderful woman. Did you send us an angel or something?
She pushed the button for the CCU and waited.

“I’m Mellie Sedor to see Mr. Johnson.”

“One moment.”

Mellie studied the instruction paper taped to the wall above the Call button.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson is no longer here.”

Mellie’s heart stalled.

“He’s on the second floor, room 210. We transferred him this morning.”

Relief. She could breathe again. “Thank you.” Returning to the waiting room, she smiled at the two, who looked up from the pad of paper they were playing with.

“I’m showing Mrs. Sommers how to fold a butterfly.” Lissa smiled at her mother.

“She’s very good.”

“My daddy teached me.”

“Mr. Johnson is down in a regular room now. You can see him too.”

“We can show him the butterfly. Colored paper would be better.”

“Maybe we can find some crayons and you can color it.”

The women gathered their things, Mellie picked up her daughter, and they headed for the elevator.

When they found his room, Mr. Johnson was sitting up in bed and a young man was giving him a shave.

“Hi, Mr. J.” Lissa waved to him.

“We can come back later.”

“No, no, we’re nearly done here. Don’t go.”

When the young man left with a smile, they entered the room.

“We brung you a butterfly, see.”

“How are you feeling?” Mellie stopped at the side of the bed, holding Lissa as she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“Much better. They even had me walk down the hall a door or two. You were at a shelter?”

Mellie nodded. “Oh, I’m sorry, this is Katheryn Sommers, our angel in disguise.”

“No angel, but delighted to meet you.”

They visited a few minutes before Lissa announced, “We’re going shopping, and I get a new pink shirt. And pants.”

He looked to Mellie. “You use some of that money for whatever you need.”

“But—”

“No buts. What did the doctor say?”

“I’m going to call him now. We’ll be back later, after our shopping trip.”

“You heard me, right?”

“Right.” Relief felt light, like the paper butterfly that he held in his
gentle hands. Only relief also wore pink and purple and blue with even a touch of yellow.

“Bye, Mr. J.” Lissa laid her head on her mother’s shoulder and waved a blue veined hand.

Down in the main waiting room Katheryn sat down with Lissa while Mellie went to find a public phone.

Mellie dialed the sequence she had learned the day before. “Sorry, Dr. Thomas is not available now. I will give him a message and we will call you back.”

Mellie groaned inwardly. “Please tell him that Lissa is much weaker, and in the past they have given her a transfusion to help her along. Can we do that now?”

“I see. I’ll ask the doctor and call you back. What is your number there?”

Mellie searched the face of the public phone. “There is none. I’ll have to call you again.”

“I see. Give me at least half an hour.”

Mellie agreed and hung up the phone. Why did everything have to be so difficult?

She passed on the news and picked up Lissa. How easy it was to tell her brief spurt of energy had already been used up. Her eyelids drooped, and she let her head fall on her mother’s shoulder.

They drove to the Kmart, and Katheryn parked the car as near to the front door as possible. “If you want, Lissa and I can wait in the car.”

“I want to go.”

“All right, let’s do this quickly.”

In the store Lissa pointed to the things she liked, and with two new outfits, undies, toothpaste and other sundries, and a package of panties for
Mellie, they left the store. Stopping by the shelter gave them no news, so they returned to the hospital.

Mr. Johnson was sleeping, so the threesome returned to the waiting room, and Mellie placed the phone call to the doctor.

Her hands shook as she listened to the nurse pass on the doctor’s orders. “I’m in a hospital right now. Can’t it be done here?” Her head dropped forward and she closed her eyes. “I’ll have to get back to you. Can I call you?”

Would pounding the wall help?
“There’s no number on this phone. I’ll have to call you back again.” Despair not only smelled bad but tasted terrible.

“But I can’t come up there. I have no transportation. I don’t drive.”
God, why didn’t I learn to drive?
She felt like wailing instead of just crying.
And why can’t I at least talk to the same nurse?

M
ommy, she’s here.”

“Who?” Mellie looked to where Lissa was pointing. The photographer they’d seen at the shelter now stood just inside the hospital door, where they had come to find word about Mr. Johnson. The tall, elegant woman glanced around the room as she had before, smiling when she noticed the three who’d taken chairs together, and came toward them.

“Hi. I saw you at the shelter. My name is Jenn Stockton.”

The others introduced themselves, with Lissa peeking out from her mother’s shoulder.

“Are you working for one of the local papers?” Katheryn asked.

“No, freelancing. I’ve not done photojournalism before.” Jenn smiled at Lissa. “I love photographing the mountain. I came back to do that, and all this happened. There are a lot of stories here.”

“Came back?”

“From New York.” She squatted down to Lissa’s level. “Hi, sweetie. Do you like your picture taken?”

Lissa glanced up at her mother, then back to Jenn. “Sometimes Mommy takes my picture—with my daddy.”

“Ah, I see.” Her slate blue eyes darkened with compassion as she laid a hand on Mellie’s knee. “I hope you hear good news soon.”