by Nan Rossiter
31
It was almost dark as Micah approached exit 9, but Tommy asked him to slow down. “This is where it happened,” he said, pointing to the fluid stains and debris on the side of the road, as well as the trenches in the grass. “Did you know the other driver failed a sobriety test?”
“No, I didn’t. In fact, I don’t think your mom knows that either.”
“That reminds me,” Tommy said, reaching into his pocket for his phone. “I’d better let her know we’re coming.”
Micah tried not to eavesdrop, but there wasn’t much he could do when the conversation was occurring right beside him. He took a sip of his coffee and tried to focus on the road, but it quickly became evident that he’d been right—Isak hadn’t heard the other driver was drunk—and she wasn’t happy.
“How’s dad?” Tommy asked, changing the subject while fiddling with a thread on his jeans. There was a long pause as he listened and Micah thought he saw him wipe his eyes. “When will they know?” He nodded. “Yeah, Meggie’s going to be okay. I told Aunt Ber she probably won’t be able to play any tennis this summer.” Another pause, then he laughed. “Oh, did her doctor get ahold of you?” Pause. “Good. Yeah, I think she needs permission to talk to Aunt Ber. I dunno … can you give it over the phone?” Pause. “She’s eighteen—it shouldn’t be a problem. Will they let her go home with Aunt Ber?” Pause. “Do you think we’re still going to have Grammie’s service on Saturday?” Pause. “Yeah, I know—it’s pretty impossible to postpone a funeral.” Pause. “Let’s see … uhm … we’re almost to Waterbury … so, you think a half hour?” Pause. “Okay. Love you, too—see you in a bit. Love you too.” He ended the call and gazed out into the darkness. “Thanks for the ride, Micah.”
“No problem, Tommy. I’m happy to do it.”
Tommy grew quiet and Micah glanced over to see if he’d fallen asleep. He clicked on the radio and the classic “Seven Bridges Road” drifted through the car.
“This is one of my dad’s favorite Eagles songs,” Tommy said wistfully. “My mom likes that really sad one …”
Micah frowned, trying to remember lyrics to Eagles songs. “ ‘Lying Eyes’?”
“No, it’s about letting someone love you …”
“ ‘Desperado’?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Tommy said, sitting up. “I always thought it was sort of fitting, you know, for their personalities. My dad is much more easygoing than my mom, and “Seven Bridges” is such a great song, but “Desperado”—holy cow! It’s so depressing. Sometimes I wonder how my parents ever got together—they’re so different from one another.”
Micah smiled. “Have you ever heard the old adage ‘opposites attract’?”
“Yeah,” Tommy said with a laugh. “My parents are definitely proof of that.”
The miles ticked by and the only sound was from the radio. Finally, Tommy said, “I haven’t been out here in such a long time. Meghan and I used to come every summer and stay with Grammie for a couple of weeks. We had the best times. She’d take us mini-golfing, out for ice cream, catch frogs with us in the pond or fireflies at night. And she made the most amazing cinnamon toast.
“Aunt Ber was always around, too—she loved to go hiking. We climbed Monadnock every summer. The last time, Meghan didn’t come, though. I think she must’ve had tennis camp or something, and Aunt Ber and I hiked Mount Washington instead. I’ll never forget it because there was still snow in Tuckerman Ravine—in July! When we got to the top, it was unbelievably windy and I thought we were going to blow right off the mountain. Then we went inside and had pizza—and it was the best pizza I’ve ever had.”
“Probably because you were so hungry,” Micah said.
“Probably,” Tommy said with a smile. “I always wanted to hike it again, but we never had the chance. Grammie developed Alzheimer’s and Aunt Ber had to take care of her. I think Aunt Ber ended up missing out on a lot because of it. All of Grammie’s care fell on her shoulders and she never got the chance to meet anyone or have kids of her own. She’s such a great person—and she would’ve been a great mom. My mom’s a great mom, but she’s not at all like Aunt Ber. It’s funny how sisters can be so different too.”
Micah listened quietly, taking in every word as Tommy voiced out loud the very thoughts he’d been thinking.
“I wish I’d come out to see my grandmother one last time,” he said regretfully, “even if she didn’t remember me—I should’ve come anyway. Now she’s gone.”
Micah looked over. “You didn’t know what was going to happen. No one knew. But through the years, you got to spend a lot of time with her—and she definitely knew you loved her. You shouldn’t let all of your great memories be tarnished with regret.”
Tommy nodded and rested his knee on the dashboard. “This is a pretty old Honda, Micah. How many miles are on it?”
“Almost two hundred fifty thousand.”
“Wow! That’s pretty impressive. Would you ever trade it in?”
“Probably not—I wouldn’t get much for it—and I’ve begun to think it might run forever, which would make it worth keeping.”
“Have you owned it since it was new?”
“Yup, it was my wife’s car.”
Tommy hesitated. “Was?”
“She passed away about three years ago.”
“Oh … I’m sorry, man,” Tommy said quietly.
Micah nodded. “Thanks. She left me with a beautiful little girl, too, though. Her name is Charlotte.”
“How old is she?”
“Four.”
“I bet she’s a lot of fun.”
“Yeah, she’s great.”
“So this car has sentimental value too.”
Micah nodded. “It does—but I’ve begun to think it might be time to start letting go.”
32
As the minutes ticked slowly by, the Graham family did what every family does in the face of tragedy—they stood watch, held each other close, and prayed. When Tommy and Micah arrived, Tommy ruffled Rand’s new haircut, teased his Aunt Ru because her son was taller than she was, shook Uncle Will’s hand, hugged his mom for a long time, and wept at his father’s bedside. Isak had finally been able to reach Matt’s mother, who lived in Newport, and gently told her the news. She’d been very upset and called Isak back within minutes to tell her she’d arranged for a friend to bring her to Hartford the following day.
Rumer had taken a break earlier to get some sandwiches and coffee, knowing everyone would have been in such a hurry, they wouldn’t have stopped to eat.
Micah wasn’t hungry, but Isak handed him a cup of coffee as he stood by the door, ready to leave. “I can’t thank you enough, Micah,” she said, giving him a hug.
He nodded. “Let me know if you need anything.”
When Micah finally got back to Danbury, Beryl was dozing in a chair and Jay Leno’s tinny voice was barely audible coming from the tiny speakers on the remote control. Micah pulled a chair up next to her and she opened her eyes. “I think visiting hours are over, miss,” he whispered.
“I know,” she murmured. “What are we gonna do?”
“I don’t know, but if we don’t get some real sleep, we’re gonna be pretty useless tomorrow.”
“The nurse said Meghan will be fine if we want to find a place to stay tonight, but I feel bad knowing Isak and Ru will be keeping watch all night in uncomfortable chairs.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Micah said. “When I was leaving, Ru and Will were talking about taking Tommy and Rand to a hotel, and Isak was going to sleep on a cot in the room. So, if you want to get a room for the night, you shouldn’t feel bad; we can definitely do that so you can get some rest.”
Beryl glanced at Meghan, who seemed to be sleeping comfortably. She pushed the Power button on the remote and put it on the bedside table, gently kissed Meghan’s forehead, and whispered, “See you in the morning, hon.” Meghan didn’t stir and they slipped out of the room, stopped at the nurses’ station to let them know the
y were leaving, and asked if they could recommend an inexpensive hotel for the night. The nurse looked online and jotted down a couple of suggestions. They thanked her and walked down the quiet hall and out into the starry night. “I guess the storm’s over,” Beryl said. Micah nodded, putting his arm around her.
A half hour later, Beryl was brushing her teeth in the hotel bathroom, feeling awkward and nervous. She washed her face, looked at her reflection, and sighed. Then she opened the door and peered out. The room was dimly lit by a lamp near the TV, and Micah, who had laid back on one of the beds without pulling down the covers, was softly snoring. Beryl wondered if she should just leave him, but then decided she wouldn’t want to fall asleep like that, and gently shook him. “Gonna get washed up?” she asked.
He woke with a start. “Huh? Yup.” He got right up and shuffled to the bathroom.
Beryl turned the air conditioner down—it was plenty cool in the room—pulled down the comforter, slipped between the sheets, and laid her head back onto the plump hotel pillow. It felt good—What was it about hotel pillows that always made them feel so fluffy? A moment later, Micah reappeared and started to pull down the covers of the other bed.
“There’s no point in messing up two beds,” she said softly.
Micah looked over in surprise. “Is that an invitation?”
She smiled and he turned off the light and went around to the other side of her bed. She heard the clink of his belt as he pulled off his jeans and threw them over a chair, and then felt him slip between the sheets. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d kept on his boxers. She felt his hand close around hers, and she slid her fingers between his, locking them together. He moved closer and she felt the comforting warmth of his body through the soft cotton of his T-shirt … and boxers. It had been a long time since she’d felt a male body lying beside her—not since Ryan Lane, or as her sisters referred to him, the biggest loser on the planet.
Micah stared into the darkness. “It’s funny how things come full circle.”
“What do you mean?” Beryl asked.
“Well, way back when—a hundred years ago now—when I worked in your mom’s store, I had a big crush on you, but I don’t think you had any idea. And just when I was trying to work up the courage to ask you to the prom, I found out you were already going.” He looked over. “I was crushed!”
Beryl laughed. “I’m sure you weren’t crushed.”
“I was—absolutely crushed! And now, all these years later …”
“Yes, a hundred, according to you,” she teased.
“Yup, a hundred—probably to the day because proms are usually in May—here I am, lying beside you … in a bed of all places.”
“Well, I think you must’ve gotten over your crush somewhere in the middle of all those years.”
“You’re right—but I never forgot about you.”
Beryl laughed. “It is funny,” she agreed. “And I definitely didn’t know you had a crush. It just shows how clueless I was—and still am!”
“You’re not clueless,” he said softly.
“Oh, I’m not so sure about that.”
He turned to face her, lightly kissed her forehead and her cheek, and slowly made his way to her lips. Her heart was pounding; there was no doubt she was falling in love, but at the same time, she had so many other things weighing on her heart.
Micah pulled back and leaned against his pillow. “Ber, I want this to happen—you have no idea how much—but I think we should take it slow. You have a lot going on right now, and I … well, I just hope you can be patient with me.” He touched her cheek and she could see the tears glistening in his eyes. “I never dreamed I’d fall in love again …” he whispered with a smile. “And, now, I just need some time to figure out how to let go of the past.”
“Micah,” she said softly, “you can take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere. And please don’t think you have to push your memories of Beth from your mind. I know she’s a part of you, and I would never expect you to forget her.”
Micah swallowed and pulled her close; as they lay side by side, they were both overwhelmed by the wonderful possibility of actually having someone to hold and trust … and love.
33
At around midnight, Isak reassured Rumer—again—that she’d be fine, but after Rumer and Will reluctantly left with the boys, she’d slumped into the chair next to Matt’s bed, buried her face in her hands, and cried. She still couldn’t believe all that had happened; it seemed like a dream—a dream from which she couldn’t wake up. She looked at Matt’s face, though, and knew it wasn’t a dream. His cheekbones were bruised and his face was bandaged, his left leg was in a cast, he had an intravenous drip in his arm, an oxygen tube in his nose, and his heart rate and blood pressure were checked every few minutes—an event that startled her every time the machine started up.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, holding his hand. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” She looked at Matt’s hands and thought of all the shoelaces they’d tied and all the Band-Aids they’d gently applied; she thought of all the blueberry pancakes they’d made on Sunday mornings and all the miracles they’d performed in the operating room; and she remembered, too, the pleasure they’d given her. “Please don’t take him from me,” she whispered. “He has so much more to do down here—he has two wonderful kids who need him, and he’ll have grandchildren who will run into his arms someday, and he has me—and I desperately need a second chance on getting this right.”
The nurses came in several times to check on Matt and encouraged Isak to lie down and try to rest. “No … no, thanks,” she answered, determined to stay by his side; but finally, she drifted off with her head on his blankets.
As the early-morning sky turned from azure blue to rosy peach, Isak stirred, feeling a gentle touch on her arm. She looked up and saw Matt smile weakly. Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, my goodness—you’re going to be okay,” she whispered in disbelief, squeezing his hand. His nod was almost imperceptible. “Oh, thank God,” she murmured, happy tears spilling down her cheeks.
The nurse came in, saw that he was awake, and hurried out. “I’ll be right back,” she called over her shoulder. “I’m just going to get the doctor.”
Isak turned back to him. His face was shadowed with anguish as he struggled to speak. “The … kids?” he whispered hoarsely.
Isak nodded. “They’re fine, baby—don’t you worry. Tommy was here last night; he’s sore but okay. And Meghan will be okay, too; she’s in Danbury with a broken wrist and Beryl is with her.”
Matt blinked, trying to understand. “You’re in Hartford,” she explained. “They airlifted you right from the accident, but they took the kids to Danbury by ambulance.” He nodded and closed his eyes. Isak brushed back her tears and reached into her pocket for her phone.
Beryl woke up to the sound of soft breathing and looked over at Micah, sleeping peacefully next to her. She smiled, and for the briefest of moments, luxuriated in the lovely, comforting feeling of waking up next to the body of someone she loved. Then she remembered how they’d come to be in the same bed—and the feeling was swept away by reality. Her phone beeped and she reached onto the nightstand to retrieve it. Flipping it open, she saw there was a message from Isak. She clicked on it and read: matt’s awake! She smiled and wrote right back: that’s such great news!
At the very same moment, Rumer and Tommy saw the same message—and a collective shout of joy and relief spread from Danbury to Hartford. Beryl slipped out of bed, pulled a clean blouse from her overnight bag, found her jeans, and shuffled quietly to the bathroom.
When she came out, Micah was sitting on the end of the bed in his boxers, watching a rerun of The Rifleman. “Hey!” she said happily, telling him the good news. Then, in an afterthought, added, “Do you want to take a quick shower? Because it’s just hitting me how much we—I have to do. In all the commotion, I’ve put Mum’s service on the back burner—but I just realized, it’s tomorrow!”
“I know,” he said, reaching for his jeans. On his way to the bathroom, he stopped and gave her a hug. “Last night was really nice,” he said.
“It was,” she said, gently touching his cheek.
“I’ll be quick,” he said, kissing her forehead and heading for the shower.
After grabbing a few muffins from the hotel’s continental breakfast bar, they headed over to the hospital and found Meghan sitting up, having breakfast too. Her cheeks were pink and she looked much better. “Hi, Aunt Ber—I was beginning to wonder where everyone was. Is my dad okay?”
Beryl told her the latest news and she nodded, looking relieved. Then she introduced Micah and asked, “How’re you feeling?”
Meghan shook her head. “Like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck!” she said. “The medicine wore off, so I ache everywhere.”
Just then, the nurse came in. “How’re you doing with your breakfast, hon?” she asked, eyeing the untouched food. “You have to eat something, or they’re not going to let you out of here.”
Meghan groaned. “Do you have anything besides cold oatmeal?”
The nurse had her stethoscope in her ears, but when she finished taking her vitals, she said, “I’ll see what I can find.”
Four hours later, after Meghan had eaten half a ham sandwich and a couple of stale potato chips and Isak had been called twice to give permission for her daughter to be released into her sister’s care, they wheeled Meghan down to Micah’s waiting car, and Beryl helped her into the backseat, where Micah had moved some things to make room.
“Are you okay?” she asked, and Meghan nodded, leaning back on a pillow from her dorm room.
“Did you get ahold of your mom?” Beryl asked Micah as he pulled away.
“Yup, Flan and Thoreau are fine, although …”
He paused and Beryl looked up. “What?! What happened?”
“Well, my mom brought Charlotte and Harper over and I guess the two dogs really hit it off. They were running around together,” he explained, “and then Harper saw the pond … and, of course, Flan followed her.” He glanced over and saw Beryl’s raised eyebrows. “I guess things got a little messy.”
