“Oh, you’re not that old,” Eli said with a chuckle. “And you’re in great shape. If we started a training program and stuck to it, I bet you could be ready in time.”
Paul felt doubtful. “That’s easily twice as far as I usually run. And I don’t run every day either.”
“We would have to run six days a week to train effectively,” Eli admitted. He shrugged his broad shoulders. “But I think you’d enjoy it. Give it some thought,” he suggested. “You don’t have to tell me right away.”
“I’d have to decide soon if we’re to have any shot at completing a training program,” Paul said, feeling intrigued yet somewhat pressured.
“I think you should do it,” Kate chimed in from the car.
Both men turned to look at her.
“You do?” Paul asked.
“Really?” Eli said at the same instant.
Kate laughed at their reaction.
“What’s wrong with your legs?” Eli asked. He had moved a step or two closer to the car so he could see Kate better, and Paul realized that Eli didn’t know what had just transpired at the restaurant.
“I took a little spill at the Bristol,” Kate said cheerfully. “My knees are a bit bruised. No big deal; they should be fine with just a bit of ice.”
“Speaking of...,” Paul said, handing her the towels and ice packs he still held. He went on to explain to Eli the incident with the woman who fell ill.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Eli said.
“Thanks, Eli. Now, as I was saying...” Kate grinned.
“You were saying you thought Paul should run the 10K,” Eli reminded her with a smile.
“Indeed I was. It would give you a goal,” she told Paul. “Something different to try. Also, you would be raising money for a worthwhile cause. I bet the congregation would be very supportive.”
“‘Be very supportive,’ meaning ‘open their pocketbooks,’” translated Eli with a chuckle.
“It would be a good charity to raise money for,” Paul said slowly. He didn’t know why he was hesitating.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Kate coaxed. “If you tire, you can always walk it.”
“When you put it that way, it doesn’t sound so daunting.” Paul nodded. “All right. You’ve convinced me.”
“Great!” Eli extended his hand, and when Paul took it, the husky younger man gave him a hearty handshake. “I’ll put together a training schedule. We can start tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Ooo-kay.” Paul took a deep breath. He was going to be in terrific shape after this race.
THE PINE RIDGE HOSPITAL was just a few miles north of Copper Mill and the drive to Pine Ridge was particularly lovely this time of year. The town of Copper Mill was nestled in a small valley tucked in among verdant hills, and even though the show of autumn colors throughout the oak forests wouldn’t peak for a week or so, brilliant displays of red, orange, and yellow were evident. Atop the higher peaks that rolled away into the distance, spruce and fir forests held sway, with dark emeralds that faded into muted shadows of blacks and grays.
Kate took a deep breath. The air rushing through her partially open window was fresh, and the sun was shining. A perfect day, she thought. Unfortunately, Emmaline Ashford probably wouldn’t see this view if she was lying flat on her back in the ambulance.
“Thanks, Katie, for the encouragement about the race.” Paul turned his gaze toward her, his eyes mirroring the blue of the sky.
“Encouragement I’ll give in droves. But don’t expect any participation,” Kate said with a chuckle, indicating her knees still covered with ice packs.
“It’s a deal,” Paul said, smiling. He reached over and took her hand. “You were wonderful back there at the restaurant. I was very proud of the way you calmed and helped the lady.”
A few minutes later, he parked in the visitor lot outside the one-story brick hospital building.
“I think,” he said as he helped Kate out of the car and courteously shut the door after her, “that while you’re seeing to your Ms. Ashford, I’ll visit Stephanie Miller.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” she said as they walked toward the building. “Have you heard anything more about how she’s doing?”
Stephanie was a young mother from the Faith Briar congregation. Busy with her three young children, Stephanie had ignored a steadily increasing pain in her abdomen until it became unbearable. Unfortunately, the pain was caused by appendicitis, and her appendix ruptured before it could be removed, complicating her recovery process. Although Paul wasn’t on duty as the small hospital’s chaplain that afternoon, Kate knew he would never pass up an opportunity to minister to a congregant in need.
“I spoke with Stephanie’s husband yesterday,” Paul told her. “Frank said the surgery went well. But apparently, peritonitis set in after her appendix burst. He said she’ll have to be on intravenous antibiotics for the next eight days.”
“Eight days!” Kate’s eyes rounded in dismay. “Poor Stephanie.”
“And because of the rupture, she wasn’t able to have the appendix removed by laparoscopy. She has a much larger incision, which is going to take a while to heal.”
“We’ll have to get some folks together to help her until she’s back on her feet.”
“That’s a great idea,” Paul said, holding open the door that led to the emergency department. “I nominate you to chair the committee.”
Kate made a face at her husband. “You buck passer,” she said fondly. “I’ll be glad to make a few calls. I’m sure there are folks who could help her out. I’ll also put the family on the Faith Freezer delivery schedule for at least one meal a day until Stephanie is back on her feet,” she said.
Kate increased her pace as they approached the registration desk in the emergency room. “Good afternoon,” she said to the woman seated behind the desk. “My name is Kate Hanlon, and I—”
“You’re here for Ms. Ashford,” the woman said, smiling.
“That’s right.” Kate was surprised.
“She’s been asking for you. Dr. McLaughlin is with her now. I’ll call you just as soon as you can go back.”
“Thank you.” Kate turned to Paul. “I guess I’ll see you in a little while.”
“I’ll come find you when I’m done visiting Stephanie,” he told her, squeezing her hand once before heading off into the main section of the hospital.
PAUL CHECKED AT THE MAIN DESK to get Stephanie Miller’s room number and then he headed to the surgical wing.
The door of Stephanie’s room was ajar, and when a woman’s voice called “Come in,” Paul entered to find Stephanie lying in a narrow bed in the first of two cubicles in the room. No one was in the second bed, and Paul imagined that Stephanie was grateful for the privacy. A pretty autumn flower arrangement with huge chrysanthemums and cheerful daisies in hues of orange, yellow, and deep red was perched on the bedside table.
“Stephanie,” Paul said, crossing to the bed and leaning down to give the young woman a gentle hug. “I was so sorry to hear about your illness.”
“Thank you, Pastor.” Stephanie smiled wanly. “I kept thinking I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me and that it would pass.”
“And it didn’t.”
She chuckled a little, then sucked in a breath as if the motion hurt. “It sure didn’t. I suppose I was in denial.”
Now Paul was the one who chuckled. “That’s not uncommon. I often see folks who tell me they ignored symptoms because they had too much to do to get sick.”
“That’s just how I felt. Isn’t that silly?” Stephanie shrugged in a helpless gesture. “I don’t have time to be laid up like this for weeks.”
“I know,” Paul said soberly. “Can Frank care for the children while you’re unable to get around?”
“Not exactly.” The young woman shook her head, and her eyes brimmed with tears. “I’ve always been a stay-at-home mom. Frank and I made the decision for me to stay home after our first child was born
. We both are glad I did, but it has made budgeting for a family of five a challenge. If my husband takes time off, he might lose his job, and we just can’t afford that. We can’t lose his insurance.”
Paul glanced around and found a box of hospital tissues hiding just behind the flowers. As Stephanie took one and wiped her eyes, he said, “I’m sure the folks at Faith Briar would be happy to help out. Kate’s going to work on arranging some meals through the Faith Freezer program, as well as folks to babysit.”
“Oh, thank you. What a blessing,” Stephanie’s lips quivered. “Let’s see...my husband works second shift. My mother-in-law lives here in Pine Ridge, and she can help three days a week.”
“So you need someone just a couple days a week?” Paul prompted.
Stephanie nodded. “Just in the afternoon. My husband has to be at work at two, and my mother-in-law gets off at four thirty on the two days she works. She’s going to stay over on weeknights until I’m back on my feet.”
“Two afternoons a week isn’t so bad,” Paul told her, surprised at the relative modesty of the Millers’ need. “Is that all?”
Relief lit Stephanie’s red-rimmed eyes. “I think so. Weekends won’t be a problem, since my mother plans to drive down from upstate every weekend.”
“I’m certain we can find some folks to help you for a while.” Paul reached over to squeeze Stephanie’s hand.
“Oh, thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” Paul smiled down at the young woman. “All right.” He tapped the raised bar on the side of the bed. “Now you can stop worrying and concentrate on getting better.”
IN THE WAITING ROOM, Kate absently perused the bulletin-board display as she waited to see Emmaline Ashford. Each month, a staff member was featured in one section devoted to hospital personnel. This month, it was Dr. McLaughlin, one of the ER physicians with whom Kate had become acquainted since she and Paul moved to Copper Mill.
When she finished reading every scrap of the bulletin board, she settled down with one of the magazines she found on the sturdy end tables. She was nearly through the last article when the receptionist spoke.
“Mrs. Hanlon?”
Kate rose hastily. “Right here.”
The woman motioned for Kate to follow her. “I’ll take you back to see Ms.”—the woman made a frustrated face and consulted the chart in her hand—“Ms. Ashford.”
Kate walked gingerly on her arthritic knee, now aching from the fall. As she followed the receptionist through a set of heavy double doors into the treatment area, Kate decided she too would probably forget names if she saw as many people as the hospital receptionists did in a shift.
As they reached one of the treatment rooms, Kate’s guide stepped aside. “She’s right in here.”
Kate tentatively stepped into the cubicle, wondering what she might find. All she could see was one side of a blue curtain that hung from a U-shaped track overhead. “Hello?”
“Hello. I’m in here.” It was the voice Kate remembered from the Bristol.
Kate slipped around the edge of the curtain and stepped into the small space.
“You came! Oh, Kate, thank you.” Looking utterly surprised, the woman in the bed reached out to Kate. Emmaline’s eyes lit up as she smiled. Kate had failed to notice earlier that the gray was an unusual, pretty shade, rather like a stormy sky.
Reflexively, Kate took the extended hand.
“Hello, Kate,” a voice said behind her. She turned to see Dr. McLaughlin. “Our patient has been asking for you,” he said.
Dr. McLaughlin’s usual friendly smile was nowhere in evidence as he shook her hand, although his eyes warmed, crinkling slightly as they met hers.
“Hello, Dr. McLaughlin. How is Ms. Ashford?”
“You can see for yourself.” His manner was noncommittal, and his face was surprisingly sober. He glanced down at the patient without smiling. “Remember what I said, Ms. Ashford. I’ll check in with you later.” Had he put special emphasis on “Remember what I said,” or was it just Kate’s imagination?
“Thank you,” Emmaline said stiffly, but she didn’t look at the doctor.
Kate glanced back and forth between them, sure now that some odd vibe was going on.
The physician turned and exited through the curtain, and as it flapped shut behind him, Emmaline met Kate’s gaze. “I’m so sorry for frightening you, Kate.” She blushed and made a face that seemed self-deprecating and charming at the same time. “Not to mention for landing in your lap.”
“I’m softer than the floor,” Kate said, grinning. She drew closer to the bed. “How are you feeling?”
Emmaline shrugged and rubbed the area high on her chest that Kate had noticed her clutching in the restaurant. “A little better, although not anywhere near one hundred percent. Still, I’m ready to get out of here.” She frowned. “Especially after the way that Dr. McLaughlin treated me.”
Kate was stunned. “Dr. McLaughlin?”
The woman in the bed nodded her head, short and sharp. “I waited in here a disgracefully long time to be seen. And then when he came in, he barely checked me over.”
Kate knew that Dr. McLaughlin had a fine reputation at the hospital and in the community, and she had found him to be kind and compassionate to patients she had known. And the ER appeared especially busy that afternoon, with staff scurrying everywhere and most of the patient cubicles occupied. He probably was just rushed for time. Still, she didn’t want to argue with someone she barely knew, so she merely said, “That’s too bad.” There was a moment of awkward silence before Kate said, “Is there anyone I can contact for you now?”
Emmaline shook her head. “No, thank you.”
Kate recalled the sad expression in Emmaline’s eyes when the doctor at the restaurant had asked about family. She had told him she had no one on whom she could call. Perhaps she meant no family to whom she was close. She had hoped Emmaline’s statement was just an exaggeration in her distress and that there was someone she could contact. But it seemed the woman was more alone than Kate had first assumed.
Kate could hardly imagine being so alone. True, she could remember her single days, but even then her home had been filled with family and friends. And now her life was even richer with loved ones. She and Paul had children and grandchildren, Paul’s sister and her daughter, and so very many friends. They still treasured relationships from their years in San Antonio, and since moving to Copper Mill, they had formed new friendships that were steadily growing stronger and closer.
Kate tried to think of other ways she could help this lonely woman. “Will you be needing a ride home, then?”
“Not today, thank you. They’ve decided to admit me for some tests and observation overnight. I’m waiting for someone to take me to my room now.”
“I’m glad you’re improving. Did you get a diagnosis? Do you know what happened?”
“Chest pain,” Emmaline told her. “I just had a little bit of chest pain.”
“Will you need to restrict your activities?”
“Sure, but no more than I already do,” Emmaline said.
That was hardly an answer, Kate noted. But some people were extremely private about health matters, and she didn’t feel it would be appropriate to question a virtual stranger any further.
“Well, it certainly was a scary moment when it was occurring,” she said. “My husband is the pastor at Faith Briar Church. We’ll be praying for your return to good health.”
She rummaged in her handbag, pulling out a pen and a notepad. Scribbling her name and telephone number on a blank page, she tore out the sheet and handed it to Emmaline. “Please call me if you need a ride home after your discharge.”
“Thank you.” Emmaline accepted the paper. “It’s so nice to know someone in the area.”
“I take it you’re not from here?”
“No.” Emmaline shook her head. “I grew up in Philadelphia, although my mother’s parents lived in Copper Mill. My mother was born here.”
&
nbsp; “So what brought you back to the area?”
Emmaline hesitated, and Kate was surprised to see a sweep of red coloring her cheeks. “I just moved into my grandmother’s home six weeks ago,” she said. “She passed away at the beginning of the year, and the house stood empty for a while.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kate told her. “What was your grandmother’s name?”
“Lena Hemp. Did you know her?”
Kate shook her head. “I don’t recall ever meeting her. I’m sorry.” Then she added, “Our son lives in Philadelphia. What a beautiful city. Different from Copper Mill, though. This must be quite a change for you.”
“It is.” Emmaline didn’t look especially thrilled about it, and Kate wondered again what had prompted the move. “Fortunately, my job is portable.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a freelance writer,” Emmaline told her. “I work on projects for several national magazines. Do you work? Other than your job as a minister’s wife?” She smiled. “I suspect that is a full-time job even if you don’t draw a paycheck.”
Kate had to laugh. “That’s a pretty accurate description. I worked as an executive assistant for an accounting firm when we lived in San Antonio. I miss it sometimes, but I do find that my days are full even without a formal job. One thing I have enjoyed is a hobby I’ve had for years. I create stained-glass art.”
“Heavens! That’s exciting,” Emmaline said. “I dabble with sketching and painting, but I could never do anything that intricate. What kinds of pieces do you create?”
“A variety,” Kate replied. “Window panels, sun catchers, lampshades, night-lights...that type of thing.”
“I would love to see some of your work.”
“When you’ve recovered, I’ll have you over for lunch and give you a tour of my studio. Which should take about five minutes,” Kate added with a grin.
“When I’ve recovered,” Emmaline repeated. She sighed heavily, rubbing the area below her left collarbone again. “I can tell I’m going to have to take things very easy for a while.”
“I’m sure I can find some folks to help with your housework if you need it,” Kate offered, hoping to reassure her.
How the Heart Runs Page 2
