Heart's Cry

by Rita Peterson

  Lily Ann shook Jared’s hand. “Thank you, I will not disappoint you.”

  Chapter 3

  Lily Ann slid open the closet door and tossed her two-tone lilac doctor’s uniform in the mesh laundry bag. She rifled through her clothes and chose a pair of chestnut cord pants with a knitted maroon turtleneck sweater. Her left hand slid off the specially-made glove covering the scars on her right hand. She rubbed her hand and dressed herself. Flinging off her socks, she slipped her bare feet into a pair of cozy charcoal moccasins. Lily Ann brushed out her knotted hair and reached for her laptop.

  Lily Ann shivered before snuggling into an exquisite handmade afghan on her queen-size bed. She tucked herself in tight with her laptop balancing on her lap as she brainstormed ideas for the new teen program. It was still chilly in her room though Lily Ann had asked Miss Patty the evening before if she could turn up the heat. The old woman had shuffled to the thermostat with a shake of her head, reminding Lily Ann that it wasn’t winter yet. Miss Patty told her to head upstairs and fetch some extra blankets for her room.

  Lily Ann paused for a moment from typing, noting the ache of her thumb and index finger. She made a mental note to purchase a microphone. How foolish of me not to have brought mine. Lily Ann shook her head and stared into space. Thoughts of Clyde caused her to lose focus. So many words floated through her mind clouding her ability to think. Handsome. Rustic. Patient. Thoughtful. Tender. Straightforward. Encouraging. She slouched back and pushed the laptop onto the bed.

  “Clyde,” she murmured while twisting her hair. Wrapping the afghan tighter around her petite body, she adjusted her pillow and stretched out her legs. “Clyde, I’ve spent two days with you, and you make me feel—” She stopped herself. Fear encroached her aching heart. A burst of possibilities danced around her mind, but it only reminded her of past rejections and the resulting depression. “Lily Ann MacBride, focus, focus, focus.”

  She grabbed her laptop and began proofing what she had written. There was so much to organize with such a tight deadline. But no one informed her about the state the hospital was in. She was working in a well-funded hospital in Seattle. In fact, she didn’t feel the cutbacks from the government at all. Sure, she heard about them, but since she hadn’t experienced them firsthand, the problems didn’t really resonate with her. Lily Ann shut her eyes and replayed the hospital tour. The labour and delivery ward was the worst of all the departments. Anger mounted within her and she had to give up thinking so much about the hospital. Time for sleep and a fresh mind in the morning to turn the place around.

  ~

  Clyde Nelson struck his chisel with a carver’s mallet to deepen the groove in the oak moulding. Blowing away the wood chips, he placed the chisel down in exchange for a bench knife. Humming, he carved the outline of an arctic tern into the blond oak wood.

  Four patiently rested his enormous head on his knee as he carved. Every time Clyde adjusted his leg, Four adjusted with him. They were an inseparable team. Patting Four on the head, Clyde stood tall and stretched while Four barked and circled around him. He paused for a moment and soaked in the beauty of the room. “Oh, my sweet Maria, this is the last room and then I’m finished.” Clyde examined a flock of snow geese in V-formation flying through the sunrise carved on the ceiling.

  “Come here, Four.” Clyde knelt down and embraced his pal. “You would have loved Maria. She was my soulmate, a gift from God. And our son would have loved you too.” Tears filled his eyes as flashbacks of happier days replayed in his mind. Four’s paw came up and rested on Clyde’s shoulder. A sudden wave of grief flooded his body. “Today’s a hard day for me, boy. Eleven years ago on this day, I lost everything.”

  “Clyde…where are you?”

  He quickly wiped his tears away and cracked open a window. “I’m right here, dad. What’s up?”

  “I figured you were here, since you weren’t at your cabin. The winding trail needs some maintenance, son. I almost got a branch in the teeth.” Henry shook the snow off his toque. “The team and I are out for a run. Do you want to join us for the last mile?”

  Clyde could hear the excited dogs barking. He made his way to the top of the stairs. He had to make a fast decision—go out for a mile run with the musher dogs or carve and sulk with Four. “Oh, I don’t know, I—”

  His dad looked up. “Come on, son, it will only be for thirty minutes. You can ride in the sled and Four can run beside.” He shook his head and ran his hand up the carved stair rail as he made his way up the stone stairs to the front door. He paused and studied the enormous closed entry doors. “This is really something,” he said.

  Clyde’s eyes followed his. “Good to see you.” He gave him a pat on the back and then dusted his clothing off. The sweet smell of freshly cut wood engulfed the mansion. “What do you think of the hidden jaguar? Do you see him behind the palms hiding in the green grass?”

  “I don’t know where you inherited your talent for carving. Not from me. Look at those chattering songbirds perched in the trees. And that door. The Alaskan landscape is breathtaking—the snow-capped mountains, dense forests, and winding rivers. And then there’s that pack of wolves resting on their haunches howling under a full moon.” Henry’s voice crackled, “I’m sorry, maybe I should go and let you be alone today. I honestly didn’t realize till this moment. I’m sorry, son.” He placed his hand on Clyde’s shoulder.

  Clyde pivoted and made eye contact with his dad. “It’s been eleven lonely years and finally there’s only one more room left to carve. Maria would have been hustling about making sure all the drapery matched each room and, by now she would have had the doors open to the public.” He would do anything to turn the clock backwards.

  “Clyde, eleven years doesn’t make it any easier. But she would have been so proud of you. Look at this place: fourteen guest rooms, an octagonal glass roof, a huge dining hall, and all the carvings. You kept her dream alive. But what are you going to do when you’re finished?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “I’m not sure. She wanted this place to be a tourist attraction where guests could watch the Northern Lights dance in the night sky. She loved the striking bands of neon green and yellow mixed with brilliant pink.” Clyde lifted his head to peer out at the sky through the glass roof. “Do you remember the first time she came from Brazil?”

  Henry nodded.

  “She was completely in culture shock, but when she lay on the deck gazing at the dancing lights, she fell in love with Alaska. From that day on, her dream was to share the aurora borealis with the world.” He sighed. “Those were the days.”

  “I know.” Henry breathed in the fresh woodsy aroma. “God will show you where to go from here, all in due time.”

  “Dad, I’m a doctor, not a hotel manager.” Clyde knelt and ran his hand over the striking tile work in the centre of the foyer floor. “Maria, you inspired all of this. Now I need to know what I should do with it.” As soon as he said the words, a chickadee sang its heart out right outside the window. “Maria loved feeding the chickadees.” He lifted his gaze to the sky beyond the glass roof and said in his heart, I will always love you, Maria. Give our son a kiss for me. Daddy will always love him, too. Clyde roused himself. “Come, Four, let’s get some air.”

  ~

  Henry nodded and stroked Four’s back. He watched as Four and Clyde went ahead of him. “Rest in peace, Maria and my little grandson. Someday, I will meet you for the first time in heaven.”

  ~

  Lily Ann observed her first group of four trained teens enter the labor and delivery ward. She was eager to begin the transformation. Her eyes made contact with each individual teen. “Welcome, as you already know, we have a busy day planned for today. Before anything else, we need to get this ward cleaned and repainted.”

  “This will be fun, I help my mom with painting after school sometimes.”

  Lily Ann smiled at Hanna. “Then you’re the expert today?”

  Hanna swung her dirty blond hair back. “Yup, and by the w
ay, my mom sent me with this bag of paintbrushes. She owns a painting business and says she would like to donate any supplies you need.” Hanna grinned at Lily Ann and passed her the bag.

  “Please tell your mom I said thank you.” Lily Ann opened the large bag and found paintbrushes, washcloths, sandpaper, masks, gloves and a few paint rollers. Emotions stirred inside of her. Not now. I need to be an example, hold it together. Placing the bag on the floor, she motioned for her team to follow her to an empty patient room.

  “Hanna and Jane, I would like you to begin washing the walls. Jay and Nick, there’s a tube of plastic I’d like the two of you to roll out to protect the floor. Use painters tape to secure the edges and seams.”

  Nick grabbed the tube of plastic from the corner of the room. “Dr. MacBride, this is a cool idea. If I wasn’t here today, I’d be hanging out snorting who knows what.” He knelt down on the floor and gave the plastic a good push. The tube rolled across the room towards Jay.

  Lily Ann nodded and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Glad you’re here.”

  Jay began cutting the plastic to length. “You know, doc, this could actually work. My mom gave birth to my sister about four weeks ago. She was worried she would contract some kind of illness due to the conditions here.” He stood up, towering over Lily Ann. “You’re different. Most people don’t give us the time a day.”

  Jane chimed in, “Yeah, agree. Seriously, you have many other things you could be doing right now, yet here you are. At the training session, you actually listened to us. It—”

  Dipping her cloth into the soapy water, Hanna interrupted. “Totally. Not many adults, including my parents, listen as well as you do.” She wrung out the cloth. “Told my friends and they all want to volunteer.” She began scrubbing the wall. “I want to be part of this movement.”

  Lily Ann choked up. “I’m speechless. Thank you. Nick, throw me a tape roll.” She caught the tape mid-air and ripped a piece off to secure a seam.

  Jane paused and threw her cloth into the bucket. “Hey, Dr. MacBride, can I ask you something personal?”

  Lily Ann stopped. “Go ahead.”

  “I noticed your scarred left hand and your other hand doesn’t seem to work. What happened?”

  The teens stopped their work and waited for her answer.

  Lily Ann didn’t mind questions from the teens. In some regard they were more respectful than adults. Instead of staring at her and talking behind her back, they asked. “There was an accident with a tanker truck when I was young. It flipped and caught on fire. I was trapped in the cab as the flames engulfed my body. As for the hand, it was pinned under some hot metal.”

  Jane stared at the floor. “That’s awful.” She picked up her washcloth. “Good on you for not giving up.”

  Lily Ann remained quiet. She closed her eyes for a split second.

  “Totally. You must be a strong person to have lived through that.” Hanna returned to washing the walls. “Hey, Nick, wanna pass me some paper towels?”

  Nick threw a roll across the room.

  The lead neonatal nurse entered. “Dr. MacBride, Jacob isn’t calming down. All he wants is to be in my arms.”

  Lily Ann peered around the room. “So who wants to hold a preemie first?”

  Jay glanced up. “Dude, girls first.”

  “Works for me.” Nick cut the last piece of plastic.

  “Come on, girls, it’s time for the real thing.” Lily Ann noticed their anxious expressions. “Remember the training. Only this time the baby is real.”

  Hanna clapped her hands. “This is so cool. Okay, we need to clean ourselves up first.”

  Jane nodded and held Hanna’s arm. “I can’t wait to tell my mom all about it.”

  Lily Ann was delighted the girls were so energized. “Follow me. After you’re cleaned up, I will go over Jacob’s condition and show you what is best for him.” She turned around to face the boys, “Nick and Jay, I’ll be ten minutes. Finish up with the plastic where the girls left off. When I return, we’ll begin to paint.”

  ~

  Twelve board members of the Alaskan Regional Hospital sat in over-sized black leather swivel chairs. They conversed with one another while they waited for Jared to enter. Clyde sat on the left side of the oval table next to Tina, a senior ER nurse.

  Jared entered, swinging the door closed behind him. “Sorry I’m late.” He placed several patient files on the table, pulled up a chair, and sat. “Now everyone, I’m sure you’re wondering why I called this meeting.” He adjusted in his chair. “I’m not going to waste any time. It’s critical I dive right into it, so this meeting can finish up fast. Clyde is on call.”

  All eyes were solely focused on Jared.

  “In one week, Dr. Lily Ann MacBride has done more for our hospital than anyone I’ve ever seen. When she brought her idea to me about involving teenagers to help out, I thought it was a crazy idea that wouldn’t work. Well, I was dead wrong.” Jared stood and paced around the table as he spoke. “Not only has she in one week organized The Kangaroo Babies-n-Teens program, but she also got influential companies involved in donating funds and critical resources. I mean, this lady is working night and day and on her days off. She comes into work fully energized, does her twelve-hour busy shift and then trains the teens, spends extra time with her patients, and—”

  Tina interrupted, “Not only that, I witnessed Lily Ann snuggling a preemie yesterday. Now that might not sound significant, but she was clocked out. She rocked the infant while eating her cold supper late in the evening.” Tina quickly dabbed a tear away before it dripped down her face. “She makes me feel ashamed of myself. She saw a desperate need, and instead of shrugging it off and letting someone else fix the mess, she jumped right in and changed it. Did you know our infant mortality has already decreased for this week? Think about it.”

  The room was silent.

  “I agree,” Clyde said. “I have never seen such devotion. Every ounce of her is given to change how the labour and delivery ward is run. I saw her painting the walls with two teen boys two days ago. She was laughing with the boys while they painted cheerful colors and unique patterns in the rooms we had to close. She is reopening them, not to the wealthy but to everyone.”

  Jared listened to everyone’s positive stories about Lily Ann. “Listen everyone, she is working her butt off and she deserves some extra support.”

  The board members nodded.

  “Let’s spread the word to all departments that everyone should volunteer their time for a couple hours every month to Lily Ann’s program or whatever she needs help with. If everyone would do this, she would have over two-hundred able bodies helping her per month.” Jared sat back down. “A couple hours every month—that is all.” He paused for a few minutes and then continued. “Furthermore, I’ve had some interesting questions from various personnel about Lily Ann’s deformed hand and her competence as a surgeon.” Jared scratched his head. “Her records states clearly she is the best of the best. Why should we question her abilities? We all know amazing stories about people overcoming disabilities. She has probably had a hard time with this in the past, so let’s forget it exists. Greet and treat her as an equal. She deserves every bit of your respect.”

  All twelve board members clapped.

  Tina spoke up, “This is a lovely idea. I can’t wait to be a part of this.”

  “Yes,” Jared continued. “Let’s make history right here, right now. We will be the first hospital that involves our teenagers. As a team, we are saving lives, one cuddle at a time.”

  Clyde rose and shook Jared’s hand. “Well said.”

  Others stood up and followed Clyde’s lead. The volume of voices increased as everyone chatted.

  Jared raised his voice over the crowd. “Come, everyone, spread the word and let’s make a difference.”

  Chapter 4

  Lily Ann knocked on Miss Patty’s bedroom door. She drew her ear close, listening for Miss Patty’s soft voice.

  “Come in,
love.”

  Miss Patty was resting on her beige recliner, knitting. Lily Ann nodded and smiled at the elderly lady as she reached for a chair near her makeup desk. Her eyes studied the elegant carvings on the back of the chair complemented by a rich, shimmery blue-and-gold-fabric seat. Lily Ann pulled the chair next to Miss Patty. “How is your blood-sugar level today?”

  “Love, how about greeting me with, ‘How’s your day?’ or ‘Good afternoon,’? You need not be so serious.” Miss Patty chuckled and reached for a thick silver yarn ball.

  “I’m sorry, you’re right. Where are my manners?” Lily Ann sat down and pushed her hair behind her ears. She sighed and sunk into the chair. It was more comfortable then she’d expected.

  Reaching for a larger knitting needle, Miss Patty squinted her eyes. “You’re unusually quiet today. Is there something on your mind?” She cut the silver yarn and reached for another yarn ball.

  “I’m—” she hesitated. Lily Ann crossed her arms and breathed in deeply the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla potpourri.

  “Something tells me you’re not much of a chatter bug, are you?” Miss Patty didn’t wait for a response. “When I was much younger, I was a family psychiatrist. So I know how to read people, listen, and keep secrets. And you have something on your mind that is eating you up inside.” She placed her knitting needles on her lap.

  “Well…yes I do.” Lily Ann adjusted in her chair and crossed her legs.

  “Maybe I can help, and even if I can’t, I can at least listen. Saying it out loud helps to get whatever is bothering you off your chest.”

  She twiddled her thumbs. “I’m sure you’re right. I’m not much of a social person. I keep it all bottled up inside. That way it’s safe and doesn’t bother anyone.”

  “Love, I’m an old woman and have nothing better to do than to watch my blood-sugar level and knit blankets for the homeless. Try me.” She leaned over and placed her hand on Lily Ann’s knee.