by Barb Shuler
“He’s been cut- What the hell?” Abe said as growling came from the other side of the barn.
“Shit. There's two more of them,” a deputy said, pulling his gun. Tango snarled. Abe moved to gather up the other dogs. He at least seemed to know them. I rubbed my face and turned back to the deputy.
“I’d not do that if I were you,” I said, my head tilting to the side where Tango was. I wasn't sure I could actually handle him. Georgie was his commander. I was just the man in her life.
“Lawrence, put that damn gun away,” the Sheriff snapped as he came closer.
“Enough of this shit. What in the hell happened here, Scott?” My father said as the Sheriff stopped before us.
“Where is Abbie? Is she okay?” I asked, panic setting in.
“Yes, she's fine. One of my deputies took her inside.
“Sheriff, we gotta move her now. She's lost a lot of blood. The bullet seems to have gone straight through. They've radioed the hospital.”
“Then roll out. We’ll be right behind you.”
“Abbie, I need to get her.” I went to move towards the house but Pops stopped me.
“Go with Georgie, I'll get Abbie and we’ll meet you there.”
I ran to the ambulance and climbed in. I took Georgie’s hand in mine. My forehead rested on her soft skin.
“Please don't leave me, baby. Please, I need you.”
23
Life Changes
Tate
Pacing seemed to be all I had done since we arrived at the hospital. I glanced up at the clock on the wall and grumbled. We’d been here for a couple of hours now and still nothing. I was gonna go absolutely crazy. I was beyond exhausted, we all were. The family was all here. We’d taken over the waiting room. No one wanted to miss anything.
When Georgie was taken back to surgery, Scott - Sheriff Brody - had come in to give us an account of what had happened. The moment he mentioned Tabitha’s name, rage flooded me. I'd thrown a chair against the wall, cursed and yelled at him for not protecting my girl. Thank God Rooster had been there, though he was badly hurt. He’d been able to tell us a little more of what happened when he was placed in a room.
* * *
“Rooster, tell us what happened,” the Sheriff had asked as Pa and I stood there at his bedside. I needed to know why they had done this.
“I’m not sure when it all started but as I came up into the barn, someone hit me with something. I dropped like a sack of feed. I saw the man’s face as he tied me up and then… he left me in that barn. Your girl,” he said, looking up at me, then continued, “she came in and got me untied. We were heading in to call the Sheriff when that fella showed up. I distracted him so your girl could call for help. I hadn’t expected a knife though. I don’t move that fast anymore. He got me one good time.”
“What happened after that? Where was Georgie?”
“She came back out. She hid Abbie from that crazy bitch. But, she brought her back out when things were, well when they were both down. Things are fuzzy man. I held onto Abbie while Georgie tried to help her dog. That jackhole stabbed him, or tried to.” He had trailed off into a coughing fit. The nurses came in and rushed us out saying he needed to rest.
Thankfully, according to the doctors he would be fine. The knife didn’t nick or damage his vital organs in any way. He lost his spleen but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t function without. I was just very grateful he was alive.
* * *
Seems we missed a lot. Tabitha had been waiting for her chance to move in and take Abbie. And, we had given her the perfect chance to try.
The more I thought of what could have happened, of how much worse this could have been - my heart all but stopped. If I’d lost either of my girls my world would have ended. Ma stepped in front of me and I stopped. She gave me a small smile and I moved to wrap my arms around her. The building emotions left me with a rush.
“I can't be without her,” I whispered as a tear slid down my face.
“Hush that. That girl will be fine. You hear me?” Ma said as she pushed me back and wiped my face. “She's a tough girl, she was so brave. She protected Abbie. Our girl will be okay, in time.”
“I love her, Mama. I can't imagine what she was feeling. We- I wasn't there to protect them. I could have lost them both,” I said.
“But, you didn't. Don’t dwell on the past. Think about now. That girl is going to need you to be strong for her. You heard what Scott and the Doctor said. She took a beating but never gave up.” Ma paused to look around then looked back up at me. “Abe said Tango was stabbed. The other dogs had a few minor scrapes like they'd been in a tussle. Whatever happened they'd jumped right in.” Her smile grew a little. “This was all a test. I believe that. You don't believe the same as I do, but I tell you this my boy, God has plans for us all. I can't begin to process the how's and why's of it all, you just have to ride the course you're given. That's what our girl did. It was a test and she kicked ass at it.”
“Ma,” I chuckled and wiped my face. Ma had her beliefs and with everything that's happened in my life, I feel like I'm failing whatever test - as she calls it - that God’s given me. I met her gaze with mine. “What if this makes her walk away from-”
“Mr. Cannon?” A soft voice called from behind us. I turned to see a nurse standing there.
“Yes?” Pops, Jon and I said at once. She blinked and Ma laughed at the confusion on her face.
“This is the one you need, honey. Ignore the other two, they know better.” Ma pushed me towards the nurse. “Nathaniel, this will not make her leave. She fought to keep Abbie safe. Remember that.” Ma said before moving back from me. I heard her move over to where Pops and the family were, already fussing at him.
“Mr. Cannon, Ms. Larson is awake and asking for you,” she said, a smile playing at her lips.
“Thank God,” I whispered out a sigh of relief as we walked out of the waiting room. “Is she- is she going to be all right? I mean- I know what the Doctor said, but is he right?”
“Mr. Cannon, she's going to be in pain for a while. Her shoulder wound isn't as bad as it could have been. As the Doctor told you all, it was a through and through, there was no bone damage. The muscle will need time to heal and knit back together. She has three cracked ribs, which should heal just fine. They'll be tender for a while as well.”
As the nurse spoke, basically repeating what the Doctor said, I felt some of the tension inside me relax. My girl was going to be okay. I followed the nurse down the long corridor. I felt like we walked halfway across the state before she stopped at a door and gave a soft knock.
“She has some bruising on her face, and on her arms. We have monitors on her to measure her heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, the usual things. Please don't let the IV’s and wires bother you. They make it all look worse than it is,” the nurse said as she pushed the door open and I walked in.
My heart literally stopped the moment I saw her. She was lying prone in the bed and her face glistened with tears. She’d never looked more beautiful. I moved to her side and took her hand in mine.
“Abbie? Is she… they wouldn't tell me what happened to her. Or, or Rooster,” Georgie rushed out. The monitors around her started to beep out of control. I leaned down and cupped her face gently.
“Abbie is fine, sweetheart. She's in the waiting room. She wasn't hurt. You kept her safe, baby.” The last of my words were almost a whisper as I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “You scared the mess outta me, baby. I was so scared they were too late. Tango had you blocked off. No one could get to you. If we hadn't have been back, they have had to dart him.”
“No! Tango, oh God… I gave him the guard command. I meant for him to guard Abbie, not me. He was stabbed. That- that bastard hurt my dog! I- oh God, oh God… did they get them?” she started to panic. I could feel her shaking under my touch. It was all I could do to keep her focus on me.
“Hey, hey. Breathe, baby. Everyone is okay. Tango is okay. I gave him the comman
d to release and they got you here. Abe cleaned him up. It wasn't bad, I promise. They got them, everything's going to be okay,” I said, my eyes roaming her beautiful face.
“I'm so-sorry,” she cried. “I- I didn't know that wasn't Rooster. If I- he was tied up in the barn.”
“I know, baby, you saved his life, Abbie's and yours. Thank you,” I said as I ran my thumb along her bottom lip. “You kicked ass. I'm so proud of you.”
She grunted as she tried to shift in the bed. “Please lay with me. If I close my eyes…” I could see the pain and fear in her eyes. I nodded then helped her shift over. I kicked off my boots, laid my hat on the chair by the bed and moved to lay down beside her. I laid my arm over her middle and sighed.
“I love you,” I said against her ear. My eyes closed and I just held her to me.
“I love you too, my Tater tot,” she said and I chuckled. Her voice was starting to slur. I was sure she was exhausted, and maybe a little bit high on pain meds. I could take that as long as I had her, right here, right now. Nothing compared to this feeling. Even if I wasn't there to protect her, she'd made it through. She'd stayed with me.
Tonight showed me that I could have lost her. My life as I know it now could have ended. I'd found my soul mate, my everything, when she stumbled - or crashed as it would be - into my life. I had to fight to not let tears fall from my eyes.
A song I'd heard her singing along to the other night played in my head. I kissed her forehead and softly let the words fall from my lips.
* * *
I'll go anywhere
As long as you're there
Any way the wind blows
I'll be by your side
For the rest of my life
Any way the wind blows
Hold on baby
Hold on tight
I'm taking this ride with you
I'm takin' this ride
I'm takin' this ride with you
Hours had passed and I needed to check and see if the family was still here. I hadn't meant to fall asleep, but between my rollercoaster of emotions, and being on the trail for a couple of days, I needed it. Georgie was still out, her small breaths filling my ears. I kissed her forehead and slipped from the bed. Kissing her lips softly, I spoke, “Be right back my love.”
I moved down the hall and to the waiting room. It was almost five a.m. according to the clock on the wall by the nurses station. When I got closer to the waiting room I heard the Sheriff’s booming voice and my father’s raised ever so slightly. My feet were silent - I was still in only my socks. I was able to get a peek into the room before they knew I was there.
“Joseph, there was nothing we could have done. As soon as we got the call we headed to your place. There was no way of knowing this would happen,” Sheriff Brody said. “Any of it.”
“How does this happen, then? Why is she determined to ruin my son's life? First her crazy assed daughter tries to kill my grandbaby, now this? Her and that man, they hurt our girl,” Pops said. I swallowed hard and was about to turn and go back to Georgie - I'd let them sort this shit out - but stopped at the Sheriff’s next words.
“About that guy. Seems he's her eldest son. No one knew about him. He's a bit on the special side.”
“Special? Are you fucking kidding me?” I roared as I came into the room. My anger was tipping the scales of me completely losing my shit. At my raised voice Ma jumped and came over to me.
“Tater, son, you have to stay calm,” she said but I couldn't look at her. I glared at Scott. He just shook his head at me.
“Tate, this situation is not good no matter how you look at it. But there's more. I need you to sit down, and hear me out. All of you, please, sit.” He motioned to the chairs and we moved back, I sat, my hand clamped in Ma’s. Jon was still seated across from us - the same place he’d been all night. Everyone else was gone. I guess they'd taken Abbie home.
“What is it Scott? Out with it,” Ma said, her tone sharp as he stared at me.
“Tate, at anytime while you and Kathy Jo dated did she become pregnant?” As the words left Scott’s mouth I raised a brow and shook my head.
“No, not until Abbie. Why?” I asked, my heart hammering. What in the hell was going on here?
“Were you two ever apart for a length of time?”
“No- Yes, once. Kathy Jo called things off once. It didn't last, though. She was back and asking for a second chance.”
“How long where you apart?”
“Maybe a month, month and a half. Why? What does this have to do with anything?” I asked, my anger growing again as he stared at me.
“After we left your place, a few of my guys went to do a property search at the Schultz home. You know, looking for anything that would clue us in on what happened here,” Scott said, his eyes downcast as he played with the rim of his hat.
“And?” I said, the quiet beginning to make me feel sick.
“We found another child in the home-” he cut off. My heart hammered as Ma gasped.
“Scott, what are you saying?” Pops asked, his voice cracking slightly.
“He's saying you have another child.”
My head snapped up at the sound of a woman's voice. There sat an older lady in a wheelchair, a nurse behind her.
“Sheriff, I'm sorry. I can't keep it anymore. They're gone… I'm just… I can't do it,” she said, wiping at her face with a tissue. “Son, I'm real sorry this happened, but you have to know, this was not Kathy Jo’s fault. It's her mama’s. Kathy Jo tried to fight her, she did, but the manipulation - it ran too deep with them.”
“How?” I said, standing to move over to her.
“Sit down, I'll tell you everything. I don't have long to live. Doc says a month…. I doubt that long. I'll tell you now and I move on,” she said.
My heart wasn't sure what in the hell was going on, and neither was my mind as they both raced with the need for answers.
24
Everything Will Be Okay
Georgie
A week in the hospital is pure, unadulterated torture. Every thirty seconds someone wants something. If it's not to probe you with something, it's to drain you of all bodily fluids or, get this, to “see how you're feeling”. Excuse me, I'm in this place because I was accosted and shot, how in the hell do you think I'm feeling? I feel like shit. But it seems when I need to pee, no one is around.
With a groan I throw my head back, instantly regretting that move because pain immediately shot through me. I hit the button again to call the nurse…. and nothing
“I give up,” I said, tossing the covers off of me. Taking a small breath I shifted slightly.
“Crap sticks and candy canes. You people suck ass!” My grumble falls from my lips as I try to shift my ass from the bed without getting tangled in wires, without hurting my ribs, and without moving my shoulder in the slightest. That's not a pain I want right now. No, dear Lord. That feels like a red hot poker is being stuck into me.
“You got this, Georgie… small steps,” I gave myself the small pep talk as my feet hit the floor. I tried to brace myself as my muscles moved to lift my frame up. I sucked in a painful groan as I straightened. I used the IV pole to steady myself. Okay, a few steps and I could pee. Lord have mercy on my bladder. I was almost to the bathroom when my room door opened.
“Mrs. Larson, what are you doing up alone? Here let's get you back into bed,” the nurse said as I stood at the end of my bed. I held out my good arm.
“Lady, I mean no harm… but I have to pee. I swear to God, this is like, a code red. Forget bed, I need a toilet. Y'all haven't answered my damn button… in forever. Please, I just need to pee,” I was all but sobbing as she moved to help me.
“Okay, come on, I'll help you. Take slow steps,” she said as she helped me into the bathroom.
This place was doing my damn head in. I was stuck here and honestly I didn't care about me right now. The last week had been so hard on Tate. The day after… or a couple days… crap, how long have I been
in this place? Anyway, Tate got some really bad news. Well, bad but good, I guess.
Seems that his crazy ass ex had a baby and he didn't know. They were waiting on blood tests - the DNA kind of blood tests - to come back and all that. He’d brought his phone in yesterday - I think - and the pictures of both kids together… well, there was no doubting the little man was his.
The way Kathy Jo’s great aunt had explained it was that Tabitha wanted babies. Period. She didn't mind whoring out her daughter to get them. Once she was married to Tate the beast of a woman had to get creative with her mental abuse. That's why Kathy Jo left him before they got married. She was sane enough to want to keep him away from her mother.
It was all a cluster fuck of cluster fucks - as Phoebe would say. When Kathy Jo became pregnant with Abbie, she was actually pregnant with twins. The day she went into labor she was home. Her mother had a so called midwife come over with her, just as they'd “practiced”, but when the first baby was born he was taken away before anyone knew what was going on. By the time Tate and his Ma arrived Kathy Jo was giving birth to Abbie. No one thought there was a second one in there.
From what Fern - Kathy Jo’s great aunt - had surmised at the time was that Kathy Jo was so out of it, medication wise, that she may not have even know herself. But when the postpartum hit, Kathy Jo was easy to manipulate and she finally cracked. She’d decided that she and Abbie would be better off dead than deal with her mother. Tabitha had used every opportunity - when others were not around - to tell her daughter she was worthless, a rotten mother; and God only knows what else.
I never wanted to feel bad for Kathy Jo, not when Tate told me what had happened but now, now I felt for them all. No one deserves to be bullied, no matter what they say or do.
Rubbing my face, I tried to sort out my thoughts and feelings about it all. I wouldn’t care if he had ten kids, I love that man with every fiber of my being. I just hate that he's blaming himself. I can see it in his eyes. How in the hell he could think any of this shittastic turn of events was his fault, I didn't know.
