“I think that sounds like a good plan.”
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw a text from Teri.
Chloe is asking for you.
“I need to go.” She tucked the phone back into her pocket.
“Is there a problem?”
“I don’t think so. Teri just said Chloe was asking for me.” On her way to the door, she started to shrug out of his jacket, but he stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.
“Keep it. I can get it tomorrow.”
“Thanks.”
She hurried back to the cabin to find Chloe in her bunk.
“What’s the matter?” Blythe sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed a hand along the girl’s sweet face.
“I don’t feel good.”
“Is it your tummy?” Maybe she’d had one too many treats after the scavenger hunt.
Chloe shook her head.
“What is it then?”
“I don’t know.” She tugged her mermaid sleeping bag around her chin.
Hmm... The lack of a specific issue had Blythe wondering if it was just a case of homesickness. After all, they were almost at the halfway point, which was when kids tended to start missing their parents.
“Well, how about I stay right here while you sleep, then?”
“Would you?” Chloe’s blue-green eyes implored her to say yes.
“I sure will, sweet girl.” Still wearing Daniel’s jacket, Blythe huddled beside Chloe’s bed, deciding she would go back to her own bunk once Chloe fell asleep.
With the comforting aroma of Daniel’s jacket swirling around her, Blythe felt her eyes grow heavy. And when she awakened at sunrise, she was still with Chloe.
Sitting up, she eyed the still-sleeping child she’d tried her best to comfort.
Chloe’s cheeks were flushed.
Gently placing the back of her hand against the girl’s face, a sense of dread wound through Blythe. Chloe was burning up.
Blythe gave her a gentle shake and whispered in her ear. “Chloe?” She had to find out what was going on. Was it her stomach, the flu or something else?
Yet despite her attempts to wake the girl, Chloe didn’t rouse.
Blythe shook her again. “Chloe?” Her voice came louder.
Still nothing.
Teri hurried into the room. “What’s going on?”
Blythe met her concerned gaze. “Get Dr. Joel. Something’s wrong with Chloe.”
Chapter Seven
Daniel had planned for just about any scenario at Camp Sneffels, including a sick child. But as was the case with most what-ifs, he prayed they’d never have to put a plan into action.
That wasn’t the case today.
When Teri rushed into his office, telling him Chloe was sick, the director in him had taken over—assess the situation, find out what was wrong and then go from there. But when he arrived at Chloe’s cabin and saw how lethargic she was, his take-charge attitude escaped him.
Dr. Joel immediately transferred her from her cabin to The Barn where he could evaluate her and run tests, while not having to worry about the other children being exposed to any potential illness.
Daniel had called Chloe’s parents to inform them of the situation and, after her fever spiked an hour later and there was still no indication as to what was causing it, the decision was made for them to come and pick her up.
Now he waited in a treatment room at The Barn with Blythe and the medical staff for the family to arrive. Fortunately, they lived near Grand Junction, which was only about ninety minutes away. Still, knowing that their child was sick would make the relatively short drive seem excruciatingly long.
He stood at the foot of Chloe’s hospital bed, the click and hum of her IV pump echoing around him. Because of her fever, the brightly colored blanket that normally adorned the bed had been cast aside, making Daniel glad he’d opted for the woodland-themed sheets instead of plain white.
He watched the girl drift in and out of sleep, knowing he should go check on the other campers, yet he couldn’t bring himself to break away. As though he needed to be assured Chloe was being properly cared for. Not that he had any doubt. Dr. Joel was one of the best cancer doctors in the nation. Still, Daniel felt so helpless. The same way he had when he’d watched his mother slip from this world.
The memory had him stiffening his spine. How could he think like that? Chloe was going to be fine. She probably just had a virus. She’d battle her way back. After all, it was just yesterday she was flying through the air on the zip line.
Blythe remained beside the girl, where she’d been since last night, according to Teri. She held Chloe’s hand, wiped her face with a cool cloth, anything to make Chloe more comfortable. Though he suspected the actions were just as much for Blythe, something to keep her busy.
He was glad he’d asked Teri to take Evie temporarily. Blythe wouldn’t have been able to focus on her, not when her heart was with Chloe.
When the doctor and nurses approached Chloe’s bed again, Blythe stepped back. But instead of merely moving out of the way as she’d done all morning, she retreated to the hall. And when several minutes passed and she hadn’t returned, Daniel went to check on her.
Sliding the wooden barn door aside, he moved into the hallway, closing it behind him. He looked left then right, before starting down the corridor. Swift steps propelled him across the stained-concrete floor. Where could she have gone?
He glanced into the small lounge area as he passed, coming to an abrupt halt. There, in an overstuffed chair, knees hugged to her chest, Blythe was staring out the window.
He moved to join her, then hesitated. What if she wanted to be alone? However, he knew from experience that, sometimes, being left with your own thoughts wasn’t always a good thing. Given the intensity of the morning and the fact that Blythe had developed a special bond with Chloe, he decided to move in.
Clearing his throat as he entered the space, he kept his gaze riveted to Blythe. She was still wearing his jacket and, as he approached, he saw her swipe her face with its sleeves. Red-rimmed eyes confirmed his suspicions. She’d been crying.
He eased onto the arm of the chair. “You all right?”
“Yes.” She lowered her legs. “I, uh, just needed a little break.” Her brow was pinched with worry.
“I understand.” He glanced toward the window to see campers moving about. “If you’d like to step outside for a while—”
“No.” She promptly stood. “I need to get back to Chloe.”
“She’s in good hands.” Still assessing her, he offered a weak smile. “Dr. Joel is tops in his field.”
“I know. But Chloe is my responsibility.”
“She’s all of our responsibility. Each of these kids are.”
“Yes, but I’m her companion.” Blythe’s voice cracked. “Her parents entrusted her to my care. Now she’s sick.”
Standing, he eyed her curiously. “You’re not blaming yourself for that, are you?”
She lifted a shoulder. “If I had paid closer attention, been there for her instead of running off to ease my conscience....”
“Blythe, you weren’t gone that long. Chloe was asleep when you left. Even if you were there, you probably would have been asleep, too.”
“But why did it take me until this morning to realize how sick she was? She said last night that she didn’t feel well, and I chalked it up to homesickness.”
“Because she didn’t show any symptoms.” Fortunately, Teri had told him the whole story.
Refusing to meet his gaze, Blythe shook her head. “I need to get back to Chloe.”
He followed Blythe, pleased to see Chloe awake and sitting up when they reentered the treatment room. Her IV was gone.
“Look at you,” Blythe said as they approached the girl. “Did you have a nice nap?”
“Her fever has finally come down some.” The man with a shaved head and warm brown eyes looked at Daniel. “When do you expect her parents?”
Daniel checked his watch. “Anytime.”
“In that case—” the doctor turned his attention to Blythe “—if you’d like to help her get dressed.”
“Of course.” Blythe looked almost relieved to have something to do.
“What about her things?” One of the nurses pulled the privacy curtain around Chloe’s bed.
“Already out front.” Daniel poked a thumb over his shoulder. “Matter of fact, I think I’ll head on out there to watch for Chloe’s parents.”
He moved into the hall and toward the front doors, his heart wrenching. He hated to see Chloe go, especially under these circumstances. He prayed with his whole heart that it was nothing serious, but he knew that nothing was out of the realm of possibility with cancer patients.
A white SUV pulled up in front of The Barn as he reached the entrance. He continued outside to greet Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker. Concern etched the faces of the couple in their mid-thirties, and Daniel hated that he’d had to do this to them.
“Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker.” He extended his hand.
“John,” said Chloe’s father with a firm shake.
“Amanda.” The woman nodded. Her teary eyes tugged at Daniel’s heart.
The Barn’s door opened then, and Dr. Joel joined them. He introduced himself and said, “I’m sorry we had to bring you up here, but I’m afraid I haven’t been able to determine what’s causing Chloe’s fever. I would suggest that you contact her oncologist and try to get her in right away.” He held out a file folder. “Test results and my notes are in here, along with my cell number. If they have any questions, don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thank you.” Chloe’s father accepted the folder. “We appreciate all you’ve done.”
The door opened again, one of the nurses holding it while Blythe pushed Chloe out in a wheelchair. The girl’s coloring looked better in the natural light, though she was still pale.
“Hi, baby.” Amanda hurried toward her daughter and gave her a hug. Releasing her, she cupped the girl’s cheek. “How are you feeling?”
Chloe smiled and shrugged, reminding Daniel of when his mother had had to pick him up at school once when he was sick. In front of the nurse, he’d been brave, but as soon as he and his mom were in the car, he’d cried like a baby.
Amanda straightened. “You’re Blythe, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Chloe. Daniel told me you stayed with her all night. That you never left her side.”
Blythe smoothed a hand over Chloe’s spiky blond hair. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. You’ve got a very special daughter here.”
“I think so, too.” Amanda reached for Blythe then, wrapping her in a hug.
“I guess we’d better get back on the road.” Chloe’s father took her bags from the nurse and started toward the back of the vehicle.
As Chloe stood, she reached for Blythe’s hand. “I had the best companion ever.” She smiled up at Blythe, a spark returning to her blue-green eyes. “Tell Evie to do a zip line for me.”
Blythe puffed out a laugh as they inched toward the vehicle. “I will do that.”
The Whitakers pulled away as the medical staff retreated to The Barn, leaving Blythe and Daniel alone.
She drew in a deep breath as he checked his watch.
“Shall we go to the chow hall and grab some lunch?”
“You can, if you like,” she said. “I’ve got a date with Evie.”
“Don’t you think you should eat first? Take a little breather? You’ve had a rough morning.”
She looked at him then, her expression devoid of any emotion. Almost as though she’d willed herself not to feel. “Things like this happen. It’s just a part of life with cancer.” She shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to him. “Thank you for letting me borrow this. Now I need to go find Evie.”
Daniel watched her as she walked away. Something had changed since they talked in the lounge. It was like she’d flipped a switch, turning off her emotions. That was never a good thing because some way, somehow, those feelings eventually came out, sneaking up on you when you least expected it.
And he found himself longing to be there for her when those feelings decided to resurface.
* * *
She could do this. Just two more days before this round of camp was over.
By the time Blythe caught up with Evie at their cabin shortly after lunch, she was in control of her emotions. She hadn’t even shed a tear when Chloe said goodbye. Now all she had to do was finish out this week, move back to her private cabin and focus on her role as overseer for the remaining week. No fuss, no muss, no emotional attachments.
Hands on her hips, Blythe smiled at the young girl sporting tortoiseshell glasses and a bright pink headband. “Looks like it’s just you and me now, Evie.”
The child’s denim-covered legs dangled from the top bunk while her brow puckered. “Where’s Chloe?”
“Her parents picked her up a little while ago.”
Evie’s countenance fell. “But... I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
The words had Blythe cringing and feeling like the worst person in the world. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Chloe and Evie had grown close in their few days together. They’d supported each other. Of course Evie would want to tell her friend goodbye.
“I’m sorry, sweetie.” She laid what she hoped was a comforting hand atop the girl’s knee. “We couldn’t risk you getting sick, though.”
Concern filled Evie’s light brown eyes. “Is Chloe going to be okay?”
Blythe knew better than to make promises she couldn’t keep. Still, she was going to remain confident it was nothing more than a virus. “Eventually. She just needs to be where her parents can take care of her.”
Evie was quiet for a moment, then said, “My mom always sits with me when I’m sick.”
“And does that make you feel better?”
Her smile returned. “Yes.”
Blythe helped her down from her bunk. “So, what shall we do first?”
“We could go horseback riding.”
Suddenly, Blythe found herself hesitating. All morning, as she watched Chloe, she’d been replaying the week in her mind. All of their activities. And she couldn’t help wondering if, perhaps, the horses had something to do with Chloe’s sudden illness. Animals sometimes carried diseases, after all. “Didn’t Teri take you riding this morning?”
“Yes, but I love it so much.” A grinning Evie clasped her hands under her chin.
“I know you do, but we should probably give some of the other kids a chance to ride. Maybe another day.”
“Okay.”
Blythe couldn’t miss the reluctance in Evie’s tone. “Tell you what, why don’t we take a walk over to Adventure Haven, and we can decide there?”
Evie’s little frown flipped upside down. “Okay!”
In no time, they were chatting up a storm as they skipped along the path to Adventure Haven under a cloudless blue sky. Evie seemed to be a lot more talkative. Then again, maybe it was just that she’d been doing all her talking with Chloe before.
They’d almost reached the end of the path when Daniel came jogging up behind them.
“Hello, ladies.” He was barely even winded.
“Hi.” Evie waved.
“You doing all right?” He looked from Evie to Blythe.
“Yes, we’re just trying to decide what Evie might like to do next.”
He looked to the girl. “Hard to decide, isn
’t it?”
“I wanted to go horseback riding, but Blythe said I should let someone else have a turn since I went this morning.”
His gaze moved from Blythe to Evie. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. But you could go fishing.”
Thoughts of sharp fishing hooks and spiny fish popped into Blythe’s head. “I...don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not?” Daniel glared at her.
“Well, it’s... Evie probably wants to do something more exciting than that.” She shifted her focus to the girl. “Don’t you?”
“We could do the challenge course.” The child bobbed up and down with excitement.
Blythe peered across the way. “There’s an awful long line.”
“What about the zip line?” Daniel pointed. “There’s no line there, and Chloe even said—”
“I think Evie and I can figure this out.” Blythe knew it was rude to cut Daniel off like that, but she had to think of Evie. She had to make sure she made it through the rest of the week healthy.
“What’s going on?”
They all looked up as Teri approached with her two companions.
“I’m trying to decide what I want to do next,” said Evie.
“We’re going to the challenge course,” said Whitney, a bubbly ten-year-old. “Want to come with us, Evie?
Squinting against the sun, Evie met Blythe’s gaze. “Can I?”
“Oh, I—”
“Sure you can,” said Daniel.
Blythe whipped her head toward him as the girls and Teri walked away. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Funny.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression intense. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“Evie is my companion. It’s up to me to decide what she can and cannot do.”
“True, but when you seem to focus on the cannots more than the cans, it’s time for me to intervene.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Did you even check to see if she could ride horses a second time? And just because fishing may not be your cup of tea doesn’t mean Evie wouldn’t enjoy it. After all, the point of camp is for the kids to have fun and do what they want to do. Oh, and what about Chloe? She specifically said she wanted Evie to do a zip line for her. So, what gives? Why aren’t you allowing Evie to do what she wants to do?”
Her Rocky Mountain Hope Page 7
