Harvest Dreams

by Jacqueline Paige

“Starting with the ones I know the best. There’s Kevin.”

  Rachel shook her head. “No he was ready to pass out from running to get the kit for Steven, so he couldn’t have just run through the bush.”

  “We ran into him on the way to Cora, so I agree.” Steven said.

  Patrick nodded. “Okay. There’s Charlie.”

  Dade snorted. “Old Charlie? Have you ever seen the speed his moves? Couldn’t be him or I would have run right over him.”

  Patrick thought for a minute. “I don’t know who he is on this list but what about that drummer with the long blonde hair.”

  Steven thought. “Josh?” He laughed and looked at Dade. “Don’t think Josh is our man, he gets so...” He looked at Patrick. “He enjoys his herb too much, way too much to move after the drumming much less anything else.”

  “Don’t know how he even drums.” Dade snorted. “If that were me and I was in that state the only thing I could do with my drum would be wear it as a hat.”

  Patrick dropped his head down and tried not to picture that. “Okay, so are there any other herbally altered drummers we can check off?”

  Chris leaned forward on his arms. “Only ones that aren’t are probably those of us in this room, because we’re well behaved now... ah, Justin, Kevin, Charlie and Kathy’s husband.”

  “Ralph,” Cora supplied. Then she smirked at Dade. “I’d like to see your drum on your head, Steven where can I find these herbs?”

  Steven held up his hands. “Don’t look at me, I only prescribe legal substances. Now,” he added quietly.

  Patrick rubbed the back of his neck. “So we’re right back where we started.”

  Chris let out a slow breath. “It would seem so.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “And it was definitely a male hand we saw.”

  Rhonda nodded. “It was definitely a male.”

  Owen looked over at her. “Do you recall at all, now that things have settled a bit more, maybe how tall he was or a general size.”

  Rhonda grinned. “Well he wasn’t as big as you, I do know that.” She looked around at the men. “He’s definitely shorter than all of you, smaller in size too I think.” She stopped and grinned at Cora. “What do you feed these men?”

  Cora laughed, “Anything.”

  Dade leaned forward and spoke calmly. “Rhonda, if it wouldn’t bother you too much could you show us how he managed to get a hold of you?”

  *

  Rhonda lowered her head for a moment. “I can try. I see it every time I close my eyes.” She stood slowly and looked at Dade. “He came from behind me...” She watched Dade walk over behind her. “He held me more or less by the side of my head a-and throat.”

  Dade reached out and cupped her jaw and neck. “Like this?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but he wasn’t as close as you are. I couldn’t feel him near me in any other way.”

  Dade backed up. “Just say if this bothers you too much.”

  Rhonda nodded briskly again. “I will. That’s when he cut up my back... I remember turning, trying to get out of his hold, he must have had my hair because I couldn’t turn my head too far, that’s when I saw his shoulder.” She shuddered. “Um, then I was on the ground...”

  Dade released her neck and stood beside her quietly.

  “He cut my face, I remember trying to see with blood in my eyes, my hands... he did my hands next...” She sat down slowly and took a breath.

  “You don’t have to continue Rhonda.” Patrick said softly beside her.

  “No. I’ll finish. He, after...” She swallowed. “After I couldn’t move my hands he pulled my dress from me and used, I think. The handle of his knife to put that cross on me.” She lowered her head. “Gloves.” She looked up at Dade. “He wore gloves, I just remembered that.” Leena was beside her hugging her gently.

  “You did great.”

  Chris shook his head. “So where were her clothes?” Everyone turned to look at him. “I’ve just realized, I mean I know they were naked, not uncommon at a pagan event but there were no clothes with them when we got there.”

  Patrick leaned forward and looked at him. “There were none anywhere near. I searched the whole area more than once.”

  Rhonda sat back and took a few breaths as she looked from one to the other.

  Steven sat forward with his arm still around Rachel. “He’s doing this and then calmly walking to the fit pit and burning everything?”

  Patrick nodded. “He must be.”

  “Son of a bitch!” Dade snapped. “He’s just walking back to the camp like a Sunday stroll and burning his victim’s clothes and probably the gloves he wears too.”

  Owen rubbed a hand over his short hair. “So after we leave, how long does someone keep feeding the fire?”

  Chris shrugged. “Charlie’s in charge of the wood, but anyone still hanging around could toss something in.”

  Cora leaned forward. “How well does Justin or anyone know Charlie? I’ve gotten some pretty ugly vibes from him, from time to time.”

  Leena smirked. “I don’t think he’s ever been in a good mood, does he smile, ever?”

  Patrick nodded. “Had the biggest grin on his face I’ve ever seen when you ladies decided to change the dance to something more... appealing.”

  Kasey blushed and dropped her head.

  Cora cleared her throat.

  Steven hugged Rachel tighter against him. “I don’t think we’ll discuss that.”

  Rhonda smirked and then covered her mouth. “I missed all the fun,” she moaned.

  Leena shook her head. “Wasn’t fun at the time, but remembering the men’s expressions when we dropped--”

  “Leave it alone.” Dade said softly.

  Leena sobered. “Of course.” But she grinned over at Cora who hid her face in her hands.

  Looking at his watch Patrick stood. “We’ve stayed a lot longer than we should have.” He turned to reach for Rhonda’s hand. “Go get your wig.” He turned to Cora. “Miss Coralee, could I persuade you to step outside with me and see if you can sense, anything I should know about?”

  Cora stood up. “Yes, of course.”

  Steven looked at his watch and said quietly to Rachel. “We should go to the hospital and see Ricky.” She stiffened but got up with him.

  Chapter 13

  Steven stood silently across the room and watched Rachel sitting on the bed holding the boy’s hand. If it were possible, he looked smaller and more frail. He was pale almost to that death gray shade, as he referred to it. The child hadn’t opened his eyes or moved from his sleep for the two hours she’d sat there with him.

  “Why do they have him in here alone?” Rachel asked quietly without turning her head.

  He walked over and stood behind her resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “The treatment breaks down all immunity, he’s isolated to help prevent any exposure to colds or viruses--getting one at this point when his body has no defense could be lethal to him.”

  She leaned over to brush the hair off the child’s brow. “I’d like to stay for while more, in case he wakes up so he gets to see a friendly face.”

  He nodded. “I have a few things I need to do in my office, the paperwork is never ending. Come and get me when you’re ready to go.” He kissed the top of her head and walked out, grabbing up Ricky’s charts on his way out. *

  Steven sat in his office and studied them. It didn’t need to be his specialty to understand what he was reading. Sighing he picked up the phone and had the nurses’ station page his friend and colleague he’d referred Ricky to.

  The phone rang a few minutes later. “O’Reily.”

  “Steve, its Don.”

  “Thanks for getting back to me in record time.” He glanced at the chart again. “I was looking in on the patient I sent to you.”

  “Ricky. I figured I’d be hearing from you. Is there a personal interest here, Steve?”

  Steven rubbed his forehead. “The woman I’m seeing is one of the volunteers that helps with the
foster programs.”

  The doctor on the other end sighed. “Then I wished I could tell you I feel positive in all this. I’ve been treating him for, almost four days now. It was pretty advanced into it when we started Steve you have to know that. It’s hitting him hard. I don’t know what to tell you.”

  Steven closed his eyes. “I had pretty much realized this, just wanted to call and get your gut reflex on this really.”

  Another sigh. “Well as you and I both know, things can turn around with little or no warning sometimes, so we’ll hold on to that.” He cleared his throat. “I stopped administering treatment today until he regains some ground and then we’ll start again slowly. I’ll keep you up to date.”

  Steven nodded to no one. “Appreciate it Don, thanks.” He hung up and flipped the chart closed. He needed to talk to someone, anyone at this point. He grabbed the phone. Hovering over the keypad of the phone he thought. Dade wouldn’t be much comfort right now. He dialed Chris’s number.

  “Kasey, its Steven. Is Chris handy?”

  “Is everything all right?”

  He could feel her worry through the phone. “I’ll get back to you on that, Kase. I just need to talk to Chris for a minute.”

  “Okay,” she said quietly.

  Chris came on the other end a few seconds later. “Doc?”

  “Yeah. Sorry to call, hope I didn’t interrupt. I need help, Councilor.”

  “With?”

  Steven noticed Chris’s lawyer tone took over. “Ah shit! I don’t know, a miracle would be a great start.”

  Chris hissed out a breath. “Are you still at the hospital with Rachel?”

  “Yeah I’m hiding in my office debating on praying, she’ still in with Ricky. Chris it’s not good. I just spoke to the colleague that’s handling Ricky’s treatment he’s not holding his breath for remission right now.”

  “Shit.”

  He heard Kasey’s voice in the background. “I don’t know what I’m asking for. I guess healings not your strength huh?” He rubbed his forehead again.

  “No it’s not. We leave the healing to you.”

  “Well my bag of tricks is coming up short on this one. Using magic for something like this never works, I know, I’ve tried it in the past. Fuck, Chris this is going to kill her.”

  Chris sighed. “I can get Kase to charge up some stones, I’ll even add something to them, but sometimes things just have to be.”

  Steven nodded and cursed under his breath. “I know, better than most. It’s best I go check on them.”

  “Keep in touch.”

  “Yeah.” He hung up. Grabbing the chart he headed back out the door.

  She wasn’t in the room with Ricky. He checked the monitors briefly and put his chart back in the pocket by the door then went to go find her.

  *

  Rachel stood in front of the newborn nursery. Her hand resting against the glass and she smiled in at the tiny bundles of blue and pink. His heart pounded and he swallowed a lump in his throat. It was in that moment as he watched her looking at those babies with a soft smile that he realized that’s what he wanted.

  He’d always wanted Rachel, that wasn’t the surprise. But right now at this moment he wanted to see her smile that way at her own child, their own child. His eyes ran over her body. She’d be so gorgeous with a rounded tummy nurturing a new life. He swallowed again and took a shaky breath. As if sensing him she turned her head.

  “Hi.” She said softly. “I was getting all worked up in there. I didn’t want him to open his eyes and see me like that, so I thought I’d take a stroll.” She turned back and glanced through the glass. “That’s when I discovered these little gems.”

  Walking up behind her, he put his hands lightly on her waist and pulled her back to rest against him.

  “They’re so special,” she whispered.

  He stroked a hand down her arm. “They are. I still feel it when I help bring one into the world.”

  “Did you help with any of these?”

  He grinned. “Several, as a matter of fact. There’s only about six of us that still deliver here.” He lowered his head closer to her and pointed through the glass. “See that big guy over there? He came out without a sound then looked up at me as if to say ‘woe where’d you come from?”

  Rachel laughed softly and squeezed his hand by her waist. “Besides having every child patient love you, you get to look up a lot of gowns, Doctor.”

  “Yes I do and it’s a good thing I can turn the man off when the doctor takes over. Could you see Dade as a doctor?”

  “He’d be in jail.” She turned and looked up at him. “Thank you, you always make it all better.”

  Steven smiled down at her and fought to pull her into his arms. “Wouldn’t be much of doctor if I couldn’t make things better, now would I?”

  “I’m just going to see if Ricky’s awake and then I’m going home to have a nice long hot soak, alone.”

  “Damn, Angel, how am I going to go home and rest with that image?”

  She grinned and turned back towards the window for a brief moment then headed back in the direction of Ricky’s room.

  *

  Rachel sat silently beside him. Taking a deep breath she spoke in a whisper. “As soon as Ricky is able to sit up without throwing up, I want you to help me get him out of there for an hour or so to take him to the park.”

  “Okay.”

  “I did some research on the Internet the other night. They’re not looking for bone marrow matches.”

  Steven glanced at her to see dry eyes and determination. “He has to be more stable with the treatment. I can suggest to Ron to start the screening for donors.” He knew he was reaching to find some way to console her hope.

  “Yes. Do that.”

  “I spoke to Chris earlier. He and Kasey are going to charge some stones to take to the hospital for him.”

  She nodded and looked out the window. “Well, Kasey’s magic certainly won’t hurt will it?” Looking down at her hands, she flexed them. “I feel so useless, Steven. I have a rare gift, a power, we all do and yet when it really matters, when it could really make it all worth it--it’s useless.”

  He reached over and squeezed her hand as he pulled in the driveway. He couldn’t say anything. What was there to say he understood better than most exactly what she was saying? Turning off the car, he turned toward her. “Do you want me to come in?”

  She looked down at their clasped hands. “Please.” *

  Steven sat with her on the couch. Rachel turned and had her legs across his, leaning into his chest. He held her tightly and stroked his hand down her back in slow caresses. She leaned back and looked at him the tears forming in her eyes.

  Rachel shook her head but didn’t speak. Leaning back against him, he felt her body tremble with the silent sobs. He closed his eyes and silently cursed his abilities, cursed any god he could think of. She sobbed against his chest and tightened her arms. Resting his head on hers he held her never feeling more useless than he did at that moment.

  Opening his eyes, he saw Cora and Dade standing in the kitchen doorway. Cora had her hand over her mouth and tears rolling down her cheeks. Dade had his arm around her and was speaking softly against her ear.

  He looked at Dade and felt the tears in his own eyes. Dade just looked back at him feeling as lost as he pulled Cora into his arms and backed into the kitchen and closed the door.

  *

  When Rachel had exhausted her grief, he picked her up and carried her to her room. Placing a blanket over her he stood and looked down at her swollen eyes and streaked face. He’d never felt more for her than he did right at this moment. Dropping his head he turned and walked from the room.

  Cora stood at the bottom of the stairs with red eyes looking at him.

  “If she wakes up can you make her some calming tea?”

  She nodded. “I’ll look after her.”

  Putting his hands in his pockets, he glanced over at Dade and then down to the floor
. “Unless you know some cure I don’t, we’re going to lose him and with him part of Rachel.”

  Cora placed a shaking hand over her mouth and looked at Dade. Dade stepped to her quickly and hugged her into him. He looked over at Steven. “We’ll all be here for her.”

  Steven nodded a few times then straightened up. “I have to go back to the hospital, call me, and keep an eye on her for me?”

  Dade nodded. “We will.”

  He stood there for a moment and looked up the stairs then turned and went out the door quietly.

  *

  Steven sat on his couch and stared at the ceiling. His stomach was in knots and every muscle in his body tense despite the way he was slumped down. Pain flashed through him as he recalled what he’d told Dade and Cora, they were going to lose her. He’d said a part of her, but to him even a part was too much. Any part of Rachel was a part he loved, a part he wasn’t willing to give up. He closed his eyes and tried to reason a way of changing this. “I need you, Angel. All of you whole and complete,” he whispered to the empty room.

  The churning inside of him increased and he clenched his jaw, not knowing how to fix this.

  He shot up and sat frozen glancing around the room. Something was wrong. He didn’t know how he knew he just felt it. His cell phone ringing pierced the silence and made him jump. He answered it quickly.

  “Steven?” Cora’s panicked voice was on the other end. He was already heading towards the door. “What is it?”

  “I-I don’t know what she’s doing, but I can’t even get near the bedroom door...”

  “I’m on my way.” He started to hang up the phone. “Call Chris, I might need help.”

  Grabbing his keys, he flew out the door.

  *

  Cora stood in the doorway as he pulled into the driveway. Steven jumped from the car and ran towards her, as he reached her he noticed the way she was hunched forward, obviously in pain. “What’s happening?”

  He took her arm and pulled her inside and closed the door. She shook her head. “I don’t know. She’s doing some sort of spell, but I can’t even get close to the door.” She grasped his arm. “I can barely make it up the stairs, Steven. You have to get to her, stop her.”

  “You stay down here.” Steven turned and headed towards the stairs. He didn’t need to ask her what she felt, as he could feel the strong waves of darkness pushing harder against him with each step he took.