All of the effort, the energy, the hope James’s fellow employees had placed in him and his plan had come to nothing. He’d led them on a futile path, and they’d blindly followed him into a barren desert.
He scrubbed his hand over his face. Dear God, he was so sorry.
Chapter Twenty-Four
THE DAY FOLLOWING JAMES’S SUDDEN ONSET OF laryngitis in front of the city council, Valera Kincaid reported the meeting in the Deerford Dispatch. She included quotes from the mayor and several council members, all of whom expressed concern about the future of Hope Haven Hospital as well as the city of Deerford.
The Springfield newspaper also picked up the story.
So far there’d been no reaction from Albert Varner or the board of directors. In fact, there was no sign of the hospital CEO at all.
As far as James was concerned, the Public Awareness Campaign, the demonstration in front of the hospital, all of the press releases, and the TV coverage had been a waste of time.
As James and his colleagues discussed the situation, Anabelle said, “I dropped by Penny Risser’s office trying to poke around and find out what’s going on. She hasn’t seen Albert since yesterday afternoon and claims not to know where he is.”
“Do you think she knows and just isn’t talking?” Candace asked. Her new scrubs featured cuddly teddy bears and angels with halos on a light blue background. Elena had made them for her.
“Hard to tell,” Anabelle conceded.
“Not that it matters.” Discouraged, the weight of failure hung heavy over James and the efforts they’d all made. “Varner’s been known to go into hiding when faced with a difficult problem.” Worse, the payday that would bring a 10 percent cut in pay to the entire staff was fast approaching. Unless some miracle happened, everyone would have to learn to live with a lot less income.
“The only news I’ve heard,” Candace said, “is that the board has called a special meeting. Penny placed a request to set up the boardroom for them and provide a light supper.”
James hooked his hand around his neck and tried to rub the tightness from his muscles. “Bon appétite.”
Seeing how discouraged he was, Anabelle patted his shoulder. “Don’t give up hope, James. Sometimes it takes the Lord longer to answer our prayers than we’d like.”
And sometimes the answer is no.
That evening after dinner Harold Hopkins, the pharmacist, came by James’s house. He had a huge bouquet of flowers in his arms. A short, stocky man, the bouquet was so large he was nearly hidden behind the gladiolas.
James opened the door wide to admit the pharmacist and a wintry blast of cold air. “Wow, Harold. Are you on your way to a funeral?”
“Thank the good Lord, no. These are by way of apology to your wife.”
James’s eyebrows rose in response to Harold’s surprise admission. He ushered Harold into the living room where Fern was sitting curled up on the couch, Sapphire in her lap. While not fully back to where she’d been health-wise two months ago, this had been a good day for her.
“You have a gentleman caller,” James announced.
Fern looked up and her eyes widened. “Mercy, what are all those flowers for?”
Without taking off his heavy plaid jacket, Harold knelt in front of Fern. Startled by the stranger, Sapphire leaped off Fern’s lap and scooted up the stairs to hide under the bed.
“Mrs. Bell, I cannot tell you how very sorry I am about the incorrect medication you received. Rest assured, that young lady who filled your prescription has been reprimanded.”
“Oh, Harold, I don’t want anyone getting in trouble because of me.” Fern caressed a rose petal and bent the stem in order to better smell the floral perfume. “These are lovely, but you really shouldn’t have.”
“It’s the very least I could do.” With some difficulty, he raised himself up from his kneeling position. He eased himself into the armchair next to the couch. “She’s only been out of school a few months and, from all accounts, she was a brilliant student. I’m reluctant to disrupt her career when she’s barely gotten started. But I will report her to the licensing board if you feel the damage she did to your health by filling the prescription incorrectly warrants such action.”
Quickly, Fern shook her head. “Oh, please don’t. I’m much better now that I’m on the correct dosage.”
As always, James’s heart filled with love for the woman who was so forgiving. “Harold, the pharmacy was extremely busy when I picked up Fern’s meds. I had the sense Ms. Yang was doing her best, but she wasn’t used to that big a crush of customers.”
Harold glanced up at James, who had remained standing, and nodded. “And that, I’m afraid, is my fault. I should have found a more experienced pharmacist to fill in for me.”
“You couldn’t have known what would happen,” Fern said.
“Perhaps not, but I should have considered the possibility. I have suggested to Ms. Yang that she find a position where she could work under an experienced pharmacist for a time. Give her a chance to get used to the pressure of retail pharmacy operations.”
“Good idea,” James said. “And the fact is, I accept some of the blame myself. I didn’t confirm the dosage with Dr. Chopra. Rest assured, that won’t happen again.” His vow contained equal parts of grim determination mixed with a large dose of guilt.
“Well, then…” Harold stood. “I won’t keep you longer, but I did want you to know how deeply apologetic I am to have caused you unnecessary discomfort.”
“The flowers are beautiful, Harold. You’re very kind to think of me. I’ll enjoy them for days.” Fern extended her hand.
Gallantly, Harold brushed a kiss to the back of her hand. “Mrs. Bell, you are a kind and generous woman. I cannot express my gratitude enough that I have been able to be your pharmacist for so many years.”
James showed him out, then returned to the living room and sat down next to Fern on the couch.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked.
“I think we don’t have a vase nearly large enough to hold all these flowers.”
“True.” He admired them for a moment before saying, “How about I put them in the scrub bucket?”
Fern giggled. “And put them in the middle of the kitchen table? I could hide behind them and the boys would never know I’m there.”
Sliding his arm around Fern’s shoulders, he gave her a hug. “Fortunately, I’ll always know just where to find you.” Kissing her, James sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving for Fern’s improved health and asked the Lord to sustain them both in the future as they faced new challenges.
A dark cloud settled over Hope Haven Hospital as the clock ticked inexorably toward payday. Except for necessary exchanges, few words were spoken. Squeaky food carts rolled through the hallways like robots in a prison going from cell to cell.
Sympathetic doctors made their rounds, their expressions funeral somber.
Maintenance and housekeeping did their jobs with little enthusiasm.
No one laughed.
James hated the demoralizing malaise of helplessness that spread through the staff like a new strain of deadly flu.
He’d heard of two nurses who had already quit for better paying jobs, and a clerk in admissions had decided to return to college full-time.
For his part, James tried hard to remain positive and upbeat when he was with patients. And with his family. He wasn’t always successful.
The day that had come to be thought of as Black Friday arrived. Checks were delivered, or in most cases, a pay stub with a record of direct deposit to the employee’s bank account.
Standing by the nurses’ station, James hesitated to open the envelope. As if putting the inevitable off would change anything, he mused.
Anabelle offered an encouraging pat on the back. “We did our best, James. No reason to beat yourself up over the pay cut.”
“At least one good thing has come out of this.” He fingered the envelope, easing one corner open. “My boys have made
a bundle of money shoveling snow off the neighbors’ driveways. For now, they don’t need any allowance from me.”
Candace joined them, her check unopened as well. “Make that two good things. Brooke turns off the lights the minute she leaves the room and she’s making Howie do the same. No wasted energy at our house.”
“It all adds up,” Anabelle said.
James smiled. His boys had been pretty good about turning the lights off too, though he had convinced them to leave the nightlight on for safety’s sake. And his coffee-pot plugged in.
The stairway door flew open, admitting Elena to the second floor. She skipped…skipped?…toward the nurses’ station. For a fortysomething woman, she was light on her feet as she twirled and snapped her fingers over her head.
“What’s gotten into her?” James asked, feeling no urge to follow Elena’s lead.
Candace shook her head. “Too much caffeine?”
Prancing back and forth, Elena continued to snap her fingers.
“What in the world are you up to?” Anabelle asked.
Breathing hard, Elena stopped snapping and dancing. “My dearest friends, I have just come from the staff lounge. I was there when our own Mr. Varner posted a memo on the announcement board and put copies in all of our mailboxes.”
“He’s back?” James asked.
“About time,” Candace commented.
Elena did another twirl accompanied by a series of snaps. “You ask what I am doing. I’m doing the flamenco! My trip to Andalusia is back on the table!”
James’s jaw dropped. Candace and Anabelle reacted with the same stunned expression.
“How?”
“You won the lottery?”
“Cesar’s been promoted to chief of police?”
Her robust laugh careened around the nurses’ station. “No, sillies. Varner’s memo. The board has rescinded the pay cuts. They’ve instituted a hiring freeze for all nonmedical personnel. They’re going to negotiate prices and contracts with our suppliers. Of course, the board has done away with any cost of living or merit increases this year, but I can live with that.”
James tried to keep his excitement in check. Maybe he’d misunderstood. “Varner has permanently rescinded the pay cuts?”
“Well, there is one small glitch. The board’s going to review the situation in six months and make any necessary adjustments then.”
“So our current salaries are good for six months,” James tried to confirm.
She twirled and snapped her fingers. “That’s what I’m saying, boyo! And the ten percent cut in today’s paychecks will be added to next pay period’s check.”
Feeling light-headed, James leaned back against the counter. A six-month reprieve was more than he’d been hoping for this morning.
With a sigh, Candace sat down heavily in a chair. “Thank You, Lord!”
Grinning, Elena said, “I gotta get back to ICU.”
“Wait.” Anabelle stopped her. “I think we ought to take a minute for a prayer circle and give thanks to the Lord. A lot of people are going to feel grateful for this news.”
“Can’t right now,” Elena said. “How about I meet you all in the chapel when our shift is over?” She hurried off with all the energy of a ten-year-old ready to enter a jump-roping contest.
Meeting in the chapel sounded like a good idea to James, particularly since two patients in his unit chose that moment to hit their call buttons.
Still feeling both stunned and relieved, he rushed down the hallway to find out what they wanted.
A little after three o’clock, James and Candace took the stairs to the first floor.
“I called my mother to tell her I’d be a bit late getting home and asked her to pick up Brooke,” Candace said, her voice echoing in the stairwell.
“She was okay with that?”
“Oh yes. Having her live with us has made it so much easier for me and the children. I don’t know how I would manage without her.”
James imagined what her experience must be like. Being a single parent meant juggling huge responsibilities while praying nothing fell to the floor to crash and burn.
As he opened the stairwell door to the first floor, he heard hurrying footsteps above him. Looking up, he spotted Elena and Anabelle coming down and waited for them.
As they crossed the lobby area, Mr. Varner appeared from his office carrying his overcoat.
“Albert!” Anabelle greeted him with an enthusiastic wave of her hand. “We’re all so grateful the pay cuts have been rescinded.”
“As am I,” he conceded, flushing slightly. “It required a great deal of persuasion on my part, but the board finally realized they had to be supportive of our employees and couldn’t let you down.”
“We appreciate that,” Candace said.
“To convince them, I had to first approach every other possible source of funding. The foundations that contribute to the hospital, government grantors, even Medicare management. To no avail, I’m afraid. If there was to be a solution, the board had to come up with it.”
James had misjudged Varner, thinking he’d been warned off by the board of directors and had betrayed the employees. Apparently the opposite had been the case. He’d worked as hard as a man could to keep employee salaries intact.
“Rest assured, the board endured some very heated discussions but did finally find their way through the maelstrom.” Varner checked his watch. “Now, I really must go. Yet another meeting, I’m afraid.”
He hurried off, leaving the four friends standing in the middle of the lobby.
“Wow.” Elena broke the silence. “I didn’t think Mr. Varner could pull off something like that. He really stuck up for us.”
“I suspect the Lord had a hand in Albert’s success,” Anabelle said.
Thoughtful, they walked into the chapel to find it was already packed with employees. Giving them a broad smile, Pastor Tom waved them inside.
“Come in, come in.” Wearing his usual navy clerical shirt and white clerical collar, Tom stood to the side of the room at a small altar. A large wooden cross hung on the back wall above a water feature, the sound of flowing water soothing to those in distress. “We’re here to celebrate and give thanks to the Lord for delivering us a gift we’ve all been praying for. So many hands have had a part in this gift that together we can all take some credit. But it is the kind and loving hand of the Lord working through us that has blessed our lives in both large and small ways that we thank today. Let us pray.”
Along with everyone in the chapel, James bowed his head in gratitude. Together, the hospital and everyone on the staff as well as the board had faced adversity.
Together, from the clerks to the doctors, they had grown stronger as a unit.
Together, they had walked with the Lord. Although they may have stumbled and felt weak and hopeless from time to time, they had endured.
Now was the time to open their hearts and give thanks unto the Lord.
About the Author
Charlotte Carter has been telling stories since a very early age when she and a friend acted out Bambi stories. Her friend got to play the role of Bambi; Charlotte was Thumper. Now the author of fifty published novels, Charlotte’s books have appeared on Waldenbooks best seller lists and been translated into a half dozen different languages. Her honors include a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times and winner of both the National Readers’ Choice Award and the Orange Rose contest.
A native Californian, Charlotte and her husband of forty-eight years have one spoiled cat, two married daughters and five grandchildren, who they are occasionally allowed to babysit. In her spare time, Charlotte pursues her lifelong goal of performing stand-up comedy.
Charlotte Carter can be reached through her blog at www.CharlotteCarter.com.
Read on for a sneak peek of the next exciting and heartfelt book in Stories from Hope Haven.
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A Simple Act OF Kindness
by
Pam Hanson & Barbara Andrews
IT WAS PAST TIME FOR HER BREAK WHEN CANDACE finally had a chance to go to lunch. Usually she ate in the hospital cafeteria; but on a whim she’d brought a sack lunch: a salad and one of the blueberry muffins her mother had baked for the kids’ breakfast. After her hectic morning, it would feel good to sit in the staff lounge and relax.
She was about to enter the lounge when Penny Risser barged out of the room wearing her habitual scowl. Penny was only a couple of years older than Candace, but her brusque, disapproving personality made her seem middle-aged at thirty-nine. Some of the younger staff members had nicknamed her “The Dragon,” since she fiercely guarded access to the hospital’s CEO, Albert Varner. As his executive assistant, she usually kept herself aloof from other staff members, so Candace was surprised to see her leaving the lounge.
“Hi, Penny,” Candace said in the most pleasant voice she could muster. “How are you today?”
“Too busy for chitchat,” the woman said in her usual abrupt manner.
Candace watched her walk away, wishing someone would tell her that olive green was not a flattering color for her to wear. But then, Penny didn’t seem to have close friends on staff, and no one would risk her wrath to give fashion advice.
Going into the lounge, Candace reflected about the way some people used and abused important positions. She was thankful that harmony usually prevailed among the members of the nursing staff.
As soon as she opened the door, she was assailed by two familiar voices having a heated discussion. They stopped when they saw her, but she couldn’t conceal her surprise. Of all the nurses in the hospital, Elena Rodriguez and James Bell were the least likely to have a disagreement. In fact, they often kept the staff entertained with their good-humored teasing.
“Candace, you got here just in time to referee,” James said with a halfhearted grin.
“Oh dear, that doesn’t sound good.”
James was the only male nurse on the second floor and, having recently turned fifty-three, one of the older ones. Tall and solidly built with graying hair and warm blue eyes, he set a good example for younger nurses, always patient, sympathetic, and helpful.
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