Two men jumped out of the ambulance and opened the back to retrieve a stretcher. They wheeled it in next to Liam and set a big box of medical supplies next to him. Lucy tried to wriggle out from under him, but the paramedics told her to stay put to keep him stable until they could check his vitals.
“Has he regained consciousness at all?” one of them asked Lucy.
“He hasn’t woken up, but he’s groaned a few times. He opened his eyes a few times, and I thought he looked right at me. He said my name, but he’s been out for the most part.”
“That’s a good sign that he recognized you. Do you know him?” the paramedic asked as he looked into Liam’s eyes with a small, pen-sized flashlight.
Lucy hesitated as she gazed upon Steve, but then she nodded. “Jah, we are old friends.”
“Will you be riding with him to the hospital, Miss?” the paramedic asked.
“Someone has to tell his familye what happened. They don’t have a phone.”
Steve stepped forward. “Write down the address and I’ll bring them to the hospital. You go with Liam. He needs you.”
Lucy could see the sincerity in Steve’s face, and it eased her worries just a little.
“I have to lock up the bakery next door. I’ll be right back.”
The paramedics nodded as they lifted Liam onto the stretcher. He groaned and coughed, curling and clutching at his right side. Lucy ran next door and closed the bakery and hurried out the back door into the alley, locking it behind her.
As she approached the ambulance, they were sliding the stretcher into the back. One paramedic slid into place beside the stretcher, while the other assisted Lucy into the back. He closed the doors behind her and went up front to drive to the hospital.
When they pulled into Elkhart General Hospital, Lucy realized she hadn’t asked Steve to let her own familye know she wouldn’t be home. She hoped that when her bruder came back to the bakery at the end of the day to pick her up that he would think she’d gotten a ride from Nellie and Lydia. She hadn’t thought to leave a note on the door for him, and hoped he wouldn’t worry until word could be sent home.
After the ambulance came to a stop at the emergency entrance, the driver opened the back door and assisted Lucy out first. The paramedics wheeled Liam inside where they listed off his condition to a waiting nurse who wheeled him out of Lucy’s sight.
Taking a seat in a nearby chair in the waiting room feeling unsure of what she should do, Lucy kept an eye on the set of double-doors behind which Liam disappeared. Within minutes a nurse approached her with a clipboard and asked if she could fill out the papers for Liam.
Grateful for something to do, she listed his name and birthdate along with other information she knew about him. She had thought she knew everything there was to know about him, but the fact remained that he’d been a stranger to her for the past seven years. She could easily list his history, but she had no idea what to say for anything current.
Frustrated, she put the unfinished papers in the chair next to her, staring once again at the double-doors hoping someone would invite her back to sit with Liam.
Nearly dozing off in the chair from boredom, Lucy was startled when a nurse approached her.
“Are you with the young man that was brought in by the ambulance?”
“Jah. Is he awake?”
“He’s been mumbling the name Lucy. Is that you?”
Lucy nodded with downcast eyes and then followed the nurse after she took the clipboard with Liam’s information on it.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t fill out everything. There are a few things I don’t know.”
The nursed waived her off. “Don’t worry about it. As long as we have his name, we can get the rest later when he wakes up.”
“Is he going to be alright?” Lucy was almost afraid of the answer.
“We’ll know more when we get the results of his x-rays. But for now, he’s stable.”
Lucy wasn’t sure if that was good news or not, but as long as he was still breathing, she would be thankful.
Chapter 16
Lucy stood in the doorway of the room where they had Liam. His chest was exposed and he had wires connected to little round discs. She had seen the same things on her mother when she’d been in the hospital having surgery on her gallbladder. She also knew that the tubing in Liam’s nose was feeding him oxygen.
“Don’t be afraid to talk to him,” the nurse urged her. “It might help to wake him up if he hears a familiar voice.
The nurse pulled a chair over to Liam’s bedside and invited her to sit. She wasn’t sure how much good her voice would do to help stir Liam from his slumber, but she was willing to give it a try. It seemed to keep him slightly alert while at the quilt shop just after the ceiling collapsed onto him.
Lucy sat down in the chair, unsure of what to do. She was grateful when the nurse excused herself after telling her that she would be right outside at the desk if Liam should need anything. She reassured Lucy that they were monitoring Liam from there, which made her feel a little more at ease.
Lucy stared at Liam; his torso exposed to the waist. His chest was
quite sculpted compared to the way he looked when she knew him as a teenager. His arms were taught with muscles and his skin was smooth except for the occasional scratch in his skin. Bruises had risen to the surface of his skin around his ribcage, and she suspected he’d suffered a few broken ribs. She recalled her brother having the same discoloration when he’d broken three ribs after a fall from the loft in the barn when they were kids.
Lucy slipped her hand into Liam’s warm hand. It still fit nicely, sending a spark of exhilaration down her spine. The cut in his hairline had strips of tape over it, but no one had cleaned the bloodstains from his cheek. She rose from the chair, reluctantly letting Liam’s hand drop, and went over to the sink and pulled paper towels from the dispenser. She wet them and stepped over to Liam, wiping his face clean.
“Now this is something I imagined doing as your fraa. Not that I’ve imagined having to mop up blood from your face. But I always thought I would take care of you when you were ill. It’s what I’d wanted to do since the first day I laid eyes on you.”
Liam didn’t stir, so she went on.
“I can’t believe I’ve loved you since I was fifteen years old. Ten years is a long time to love a mann when you’re not his fraa.”
That statement seemed to get a reaction out of him. He stirred but didn’t open his eyes.
“Lucy,” he managed with a weak voice.
She tossed the wet towels in the trash and stood at his bedside. “I’m here. Can you open your eyes?”
She lowered herself to the edge of the bed despite the inner voice telling her she shouldn’t be so brazen. But she just couldn’t help herself. She was so drawn to him and longed to be near him that she didn’t care what it looked like. She still loved him, and they had lost a lot of time. If something happened to him and he didn’t survive this accident, she’d never be able to live with herself if she didn’t at least try to win him back.
Lucy pulled his hand into hers. She admired the lines of his muscles that defined his chest as she watched him breathe. It was comforting to her that his hand was warm, because to her, that meant he was still with her. She couldn’t leave his side. She feared that if she blinked he would leave her.
Liam’s face seemed serene, as though he was deep in a good dream. She hoped it was so. She hated the thought of him being in pain.
Why hadn’t she gone after him all those years ago? He’d offered to marry her and take her with him, but she’d turned him down without a second thought. If she had it to do all over again, she surely would say yes if given another chance.
Gott, please give me another chance with Liam. I love him. I’ve never stopped loving him, but you already know that. Please don’t let me lose him all over again. Breathe life into his body.
Her prayer seemed selfish, she knew, but it was all she could think about. She needed him to
recover so she could tell him she still loved him. Now that she was faced with the possibility of losing him again, she couldn’t bear it.
Lucy felt Liam’s hand close gently over hers. Her heart quickened its pace at the thought of him reaching out to her and connecting with her.
“Liam, can you hear me? It’s me, Lucy. I’m here for you. Please wake up.”
“Lucy.” He coughed and then groaned from the pain. “I thought you were mad at me.”
Lucy stared at Liam, who hadn’t opened his eyes. Was he dreaming, or was he talking to her? Either way, talking had to be a gut sign—wasn’t it?
“I’m not mad at you anymore. I forgave you a long time ago.”
Liam tried to move, but winced from the pain, his eyelids fluttering. “But—our fight last night. You slapped me.”
Lucy was confused. Had the bump on his head caused him to be disoriented? They had just fought about two hours ago, and though she’d threatened to slap him, she hadn’t.
“Liam, I didn’t slap you. I’m sorry for yelling at you, though.”
Liam reached a hand to his eyes and rubbed them. “Jah, you slapped me when I told you I was leaving you to start a new life as an Englischer.”
Chapter 17
Lucy’s heart skipped a beat. Was he delirious from the accident, or did Liam really think that their argument they’d had seven years ago had happened just last night?
“Liam, please open your eyes,” Lucy said impatiently.
His eyelids fluttered. “Everything is blurry. Where am I?”
Liam squinted against the bright fluorescent lights of the emergency room.
“You’re at the hospital. Do you remember what happened?”
Lucy didn’t want to say too much before she gave him a chance to wrap his mind around being in the hospital. He had to know he was hurt, didn’t he?
Liam tried to sit up, but quickly laid back down, groaning and clutching his bruised ribs.
“Where’s mei mamm and daed?”
Lucy’s heart caught in her throat when she heard him ask for both his parents. Had he blocked out the last seven years? How could she break the news to him that his daed had died so long ago? Perhaps it was best to avoid the question for now and give Liam a chance to wake fully. Not only was he not making any sense, but he was talking the way he used to when they were young. He spoken like and Englischer when they’d argued earlier.
“Steve went to your haus to get your familye.”
Liam placed a hand over his eyes to shield the bright lighting in the room. “How do you know Steve?”
Lucy knew she needed to tread lightly on her answers until he remembered where he was in terms of time. She guessed he had a concussion, and his full memory would return as soon as he gained his bearings.
“Steve is your friend from school. He was there when the boards fell on you. Don’t you remember anything about your accident?”
“My head is pounding and it hurts to open my eyes. I’m surprised you’re still speaking to me after our fight.”
Lucy was confused. If he thought their fight was the previous night, why didn’t he remember his daed was gone? His daed had died a month before their big fight. Lucy decided to play along to see just how much he remembered—at least until the nurse returned.
“I changed my mind. I decided I would very much like to be a part of your life as an Englischer.”
Liam lifted her hand to his and kissed it. “I’m so happy to hear that. I want so much to have my own business one day and build houses. You’ll see; we will have a gut life together.”
Lucy knew she had to be careful or she would buy into the dream that Liam had so colorfully laid out for the two of them. In reality she felt it was too late for them. But she did still love him, and wondered if that would be enough. Would he be angry with her when he regained his bearings and remembered where they were in their lives, or would he be happy for another chance to start over with her?
“What about your familye?”
“Mei dead already knows I’m going to school. He promised he would be at my graduation next month. Mei mamm will come around to the idea. He told me he was going to talk to her about coming with him.”
Why didn’t he remember about his daed’s accident? It seemed odd that he should remember their argument, but thought that it had taken place a month earlier than it had. Lucy guessed that explained why he still thought his daed was still alive. She decided she should test him.
“Liam do you know what month it is?”
He tried to open his eyes again, but winced with pain. “I know I hit my head; I can feel it. But I know it’s May because I’m graduating next month. I’ll be eighteen the day after I graduate and we can be married then.”
He thinks he’s still seventeen years old! What is he going to think if he sees me? I’ve aged in the last seven years! What if he doesn’t like what he sees? What if he thinks I’m too old? Gott, I know this isn’t kind, but please keep Liam’s vision blurry until his memory is intact.
Lucy knew it wasn’t right to pray for such a selfish thing, but she feared losing him again. But when his memory came back, would he remember that he no longer loved her? The situation seemed almost hopeless, but Lucy was determined to hold onto whatever tiny shred of hope she could cling to.
Liam squeezed her hand. “You’re being very quiet. Am I worse off than you’re telling me?”
Lucy giggled nervously. “Everything is going to be fine, Liam. You just need some rest.”
“I hope you’re right because I can’t miss the last few weeks of school or I won’t graduate. Daed is so proud of me. I don’t want to let him down.”
Lucy never realized just how supportive Liam’s daed had been as a willing party to his attendance at the public school. She’d assumed all these years that Liam had been rebellious, and that was why he’d left the community. Was it possible that he’d had his father’s blessing in all of it? Why then, did he seem so rebellious after his daed died? Why had he left so late at night after leaving his mamm a note? Perhaps he was hurting more than Lucy had given him credit for at the time. Was it possible that was the reason he was now blocking out the accident that took his father’s life?
Liam tried to shift on the narrow emergency room bed. He groaned from the pain. “You’re being quiet again. You haven’t changed your mind about marrying me have you?”
Lucy cupped his cheek lovingly. “Of course not. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
It wasn’t a lie even though it felt like one. She hadn’t stopped loving him, but she feared he’d stopped loving her a long time ago.
Chapter 18
Lucy sat in the waiting room while more tests were being run on Liam. She was also waiting for Nellie and Lydia so she could fill them in on what was happening with Liam. The nurse had advised her that the loss of memory and blurry vision was usually temporary, but she feared she would have to continue the charade indefinitely if he didn’t heal. But would that really be so bad? It might seem a little like taking advantage of a sick mann, but it might also be a way to get back together with Liam, and Lucy was pretty sure that was what she wanted. After all, it was what she’d been dreaming of for the past seven years. So why was she suddenly apprehensive?
If only there was a way to know if his sudden declaration of love for me was coming from his heart now, or only from his memories of the past.
Gott, please heal Liam’s body and mind. Help him to remember me and his familye. Spare him the pain of learning all over again that his daed is no longer with us. Give his mamm and Lydia the strength to forgive him for the past and help him put his life back together now. I need strength too, so that I am able to let go of the past. If it is your will, please reconcile Liam with his familye—and with me.
Lucy looked at the clock on the wall of the waiting room. She was certain that her familye would be getting ready for the evening meal. Within an hour, she would be expected at home. She wanted to stay at the hospital, but wasn�
��t sure if her daed would still be in the barn to hear the phone if she called to let him know where she was. Deciding it was worth a try, Lucy went to the nurse’s desk to ask if she would allow her to make a call.
Luckily, her daed answered on the third ring. His stern voice practically insisted she come home, but when Lucy firmly refused his offer to send her bruder to pick her up, understanding changed his tone. Lucy was a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions, but she knew her daed still wanted to hold onto his dochder a little longer.
Lucy returned to her seat in the waiting room feeling discouragement settle in her heart. Her thoughts were muddled with conflicting thoughts, and none of it made any sense to her. A few hours ago she had told Liam she never wanted to see him again, but just minutes ago she was declaring her love for him all over again. Was Liam the only one that was confused? The difference was that she hadn’t hit her head. She had no excuse for her behavior. It was all a lie—or was it?
The truth was a scary thing for her to admit, but she knew in her heart she could never love another mann as long as she drew breath into her lungs. Liam was the one her very soul yearned for. If she was capable of loving another, she’d have her own familye by now, but she could never bring herself to accepting the affections of any other suitor—and there had been plenty who’d called on her after Liam left. She had never been able to look beyond the love she held so dear in her heart for the one mann who’d betrayed her. She suddenly wondered if he’d remained as faithful to her all these years as she had been to him. Was it possible that Liam had experienced the love of another woman while living as an Englischer?
The very thought of it boiled her blood. It roiled in her stomach like fire. She’d made a fool of herself declaring love for a mann she hadn’t seen for seven long years. He was as Englischer, capable of betraying her in the worst way. Sudden panic seized her thoughts, sending her fleeing to the restroom.
The Quilter's Son: Book One: Liam's Choice Page 5
