Wildflowers

by Melanie Wilber;Kevin Wilber

  Natalie went to get him some more medicine, leaving the whole bottle with him for the night and then returned upstairs to get some sleep herself. By morning Michael’s knee did not feel much better, and arrangements were made for Natalie to drive him back to Portland as soon as the morning meeting ended, rather than hanging around for lunch, cleanup, and spending a few hours at Cannon Beach with the others. Allison, Jen, and Laurie secured rides home in other vehicles.

  Natalie thought they should leave sooner, but Michael said he didn’t want to miss Ted’s last message. For all the listening Michael seemed to do in the midst of his pain, and the little she heard due to being so concerned about him, they may as well have skipped the meeting.

  Natalie took Michael to the emergency room of the hospital because it was Sunday. They had to wait for an hour to be seen and then another forty-five minutes for the test results. He appeared to have a slight tear, but the doctor didn’t think it needed surgery. He drained some of the fluid, gave him a brace to wear, some crutches, and a prescription for the pain, and told him to stay off it for at least a week, keeping it elevated as much as possible.

  Natalie drove him home. Michael’s dad was in the front yard mowing the grass when they arrived. He killed the motor and stared curiously until Michael lowered the window and hollered out.

  “Hey, Dad. Can you give me a hand?”

  Bob Walker strolled toward the car and scratched his balding head as Natalie pulled the crutches from the back seat and went around to Michael’s side. He glanced at her and then back to his son.

  “What happened to you?”

  “Doug Mason.”

  “Ah-hah,” his dad replied without further explanation. “How bad?”

  “Nothing a little time won’t heal,” he shrugged. “You’ve met Natalie Matthews, haven’t you? She was kind enough to escort me to the hospital.”

  Michael’s dad turned back to her. “Sure,” he said with an intrigued smile. “Josie’s sister, right?”

  “Yes,” she replied.

  He helped Michael to his feet, and Natalie handed him the crutches. His dad walked ahead of them toward the front door and called for his wife when he stepped inside. Ellen Walker arrived in the foyer when Michael swung his legs over the threshold.

  “Oh, honey,” she said. “What happened?”

  “Doug Mason,” his dad replied.

  His mom cringed. “Yikes,” she said, shifting her eyes from Michael. “Oh. Hello, Natalie. This is a pleasant surprise.”

  “Hi,” she said. “I’m sorry I had to bring him home like this.”

  Ellen flashed an expression similar to Michael’s dad’s upon her presence before returning her attention to her son.

  “I don’t suppose you’ll be maneuvering the stairs for a few days,” she said. “Do you want to lay down in the family room?”

  Michael nodded and headed that way.

  “The doctor said he’s supposed to stay off it for at least a week,” Natalie told them. “Longer, if necessary.”

  “I see you’ve already noticed our son’s reluctance to slow down and take it easy.”

  “I don’t think he knows what that means,” Natalie laughed. “You should have seen him up on that stage last night singing his heart out with his knee looking like a water-balloon about to burst. I thought he was going to faint.”

  “I believe it,” his dad replied. “He broke his arm in high school and didn’t let us know how bad it felt for three days.”

  “Dad--” Michael whined, lowering himself onto the end of the sectional sofa that had an extended cushion he could rest his leg on. His dad took the crutches from him and leaned them against the wall. “She doesn’t want to hear all your exaggerated stories.”

  Natalie and Mr. Walker exchanged amused expressions.

  Natalie pulled the pain pills from the pharmacy sack. “Do you want one of these now?”

  He nodded and reached for the bottle.

  “I’ll get you some water,” she said, handing him the container and stepping toward the adjacent kitchen.

  “Thanks, honey.”

  Natalie almost froze in her tracks upon hearing his words but managed to keep walking past his parents’ stunned faces. She couldn’t blame them for being taken aback by their son’s term of endearment. She was a bit shocked herself.

  Natalie spotted the cups through the glass cupboard doors near the sink and reached in to pull out a small tumbler. She filled it with water from the tap and returned to Michael’s side.

  “We should get ready for church,” Ellen said, nudging her husband toward the hall. “Will you be staying, Natalie?”

  She glanced at Michael swallowing his medicine. He revealed his wishes without speaking a word.

  “Yes,” she replied. “I’ll hang around and make sure he behaves himself.”

  His parents left them alone, and Natalie sat beside Michael. He set his glass of water on the table beside his prescription and then draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side.

  “Don’t tell anyone, but I kind of like being pampered by you.”

  “Why do I have the feeling even that won’t keep you on this couch for long.”

  “I’m here now,” he said, placing his fingers under her chin and kissing her tenderly.

  “I think your parents were a little surprised to see me bring you home.”

  He smiled. “Pleasantly surprised,” he said and kissed her some more.

  His mom returned five minutes later announcing they were leaving for the evening children’s program at church. Michael became groggy from the medication shortly thereafter, and Natalie insisted he stretch out fully on the sofa, assuring him it was fine if he fell asleep. He didn’t need much persuasion, and she covered him with a blanket once his eyes closed. He began breathing slow and steady.

  She sat on the floor beside him, staring at his boyish features and wondering how he had become an important part of her life in such a short time. Her need to take care of him she found overpowering. Her desire for him seemed to escalate by the hour. Her heart yearned to love him, but her fear remained. For now, however, she chose to ignore her anxious thoughts. Being at his side and knowing he wanted her here felt too good.

  He woke momentarily several times, murmured loving words to her, and closed his eyes once again. He told her she could go home, but she didn’t want to leave until his parents returned in case he needed anything.

  She flipped on the television but found nothing that interested her. Scanning the bookshelves, she was delighted to find a collection of Jane Austen novels and selected Mansfield Park. She had about half of the familiar story read by the time Michael’s parents returned.

  “The medicine made him drowsy,” she told them, replacing the book on the shelf. She reached for her coat and slipped it on.

  “I should get home and unpack,” she said, not really needing to, but not feeling comfortable enough to outstay her welcome either. She didn’t want to appear to be as lovesick as she felt.

  “Thanks for taking care of him,” Ellen said, stepping forward to give her a light squeeze. “He doesn’t let many people fuss over him, you know.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, then added without taking the time to change her mind. “You have a very special son. Tell him I’ll call him tomorrow.”

  Natalie set her gear in the front hall when she arrived home and went to the kitchen to make herself a sandwich, suddenly realizing she hadn’t eaten since she and Michael had gone through the Burger King drive-thru on the way back to Portland.

  She took her dinner to her dad’s study and ate while she checked her email. Matt Herring had replied with the details of the Crater Lake assignment. She printed out his detailed instructions and shooting list. She did some research on the internet and looked for some travel books on the area in her dad’s library. This was not the best time to visit the park as far as accommodations and full access went, but lingering snowfall and fewer visitors w
ould be a plus.

  With Matt wanting the artwork by the first of June, she didn’t have the option of waiting until the summer season began. Knowing she didn’t have anything planned for the next few weeks, she checked the weather forecast for southern Oregon and saw that they were predicting several days of dry weather later in the week. Her windows of opportunity would be limited this time of year, and she planned to take advantage of this one, assuming the reports did not change.

  The following morning she went to the photo lab to pick up her Silver Falls photographs she had taken the week before and dropped off the rolls she had gone through at the beach. One of them she kept to develop herself. She had a feeling the sunset pictures were going to be spectacular, and she wanted the thrill and satisfaction of completing the entire process. Perhaps she would save them until Daddy returned in a few weeks to share the task and time with him.

  She spent the remainder of the morning sorting the one hundred-plus slides, narrowing down the number to less than twenty to submit to Mr. Trent. He didn’t need the art for another two weeks, but she liked to finish up one assignment while the locations were fresh in her memory and before starting another whenever possible.

  At eleven-thirty she took a break to have some lunch. She had skipped breakfast and decided to call Michael.

  “Did I wake you?” she asked. His voice sounded lower than normal.

  “No,” he replied and cleared his throat. “I just haven’t been talking yet today.”

  “How’s your knee?”

  “Better. The swelling has gone down, and these pain pills are doing their job. They make me tired, but they help.”

  “Are you being a good boy and staying off of it?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I promise.”

  “Do you want some company?”

  “I would like nothing more, but I’m leaving in about an hour. I have a class this afternoon I can’t miss.”

  “How are you getting there?”

  “My dad is going to take me, and I’ve made arrangements to stay on Jeff’s couch for the next few days so I won’t have to miss any more than what I missed this morning. He lives on campus, so don’t worry. I’ll only be hobbling to and from classes.”

  She told him about her plans to go to Crater Lake and gave him the number of the Bed and Breakfast where she had made reservations to stay tomorrow night through Saturday. Her cell phone likely wouldn’t work there, and he promised to call.

  She felt disappointed she wouldn’t have a chance to see him before she left as she had planned to do, but at the same time she thought a few days away might be good. A lot had happened between them over the weekend, and she wasn’t used to being overwhelmed with so many powerful emotions and heavy thoughts at once.

  She knew she enjoyed his company. She knew he stirred feelings of passion and desire within her. She knew she cared for him. But she also knew she had become a very independent woman over the last few years. She had goals and plans in her career she wanted to fulfill. Interests other than photography and teaching to possibly pursue. She didn’t know where a serious relationship fit into all that.

  Taking things slow with Michael was a must. She needed to keep her feelings for him in perspective. His own plans of becoming a youth pastor may very well take him away from the Portland area if he found a position elsewhere. She was returning to California at the end of the summer. Laurie and Jen’s comments about them getting married and leading a youth group together were totally absurd and premature. They both needed time to know if they were meant to be together on a long-term basis before they made any rash decisions or commitments.

  Despite her resolve to downplay her strong feelings, they were brought to the surface once again during dinner that evening with Leona. The housekeeper had been so glad to have her home again, she had prepared a near-feast consisting of chicken fajitas, corn bread, and fruit salad. Hearing of Natalie’s plans to be away from home for the rest of the week, Leona said she would pack some of the leftovers for her to take with her in case she missed mealtimes at the place she was staying.

  “Miss Natalie,” Leona said after they had seated themselves at the table and began loading their plates, “I don’t mean to pry, but I must say you have a radiant glow about you this evening. Are you, by any chance, in love?”

  Natalie stopped her spoonful of sour cream in mid air and lifted her eyes to her perceptive companion. The thought of Michael, and Leona’s surprising words, made it impossible to not smile.

  “I thought so,” Leona chimed. “There’s nothing more beautiful than a woman falling in love.”

  Natalie chose to remain silent and finished plopping the white dollop onto her chicken and veggies before folding the warm tortilla and lifting it to her mouth for a savory bite.

  “When do I get to meet him?” Leona asked. “I know, let me cook a wonderful meal for you some evening. I can serve you a nice private dinner here at home, perhaps when your father returns. I’m sure he will want to meet the man who is taking his baby away from him.”

  Natalie nearly choked on a red pepper. “Wait, Leona,” she said, chewing her food and swallowing quickly. “I don’t think that’s going to be happening for awhile. And this is to remain between you and me. There’s no reason to bring Daddy into this yet.”

  “As you wish,” she replied. “But I suspect he will be noticing as well. He may not be the biggest expert on love, but I think he will come to the same conclusion as I when he sees those dancing sapphire eyes of yours.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  A soft knock sounded on Natalie’s door of the Bed and Breakfast where she had taken up residence for the week. Natalie rose from the bed where she had been reading and crossed the simple but cozy room to open the door. One of the owners’ daughters, whom she had become acquainted with during the last three days of her stay, stood in the hallway and informed her there was a call for her. The hospitality extended from the family owning the lovely log home near the park had been first rate.

  She’d had a stellar week photographing Crater Lake and the surrounding wilderness. Clear blue skies had emerged each afternoon thus far, giving her supreme late afternoon and evening lighting conditions. She had finished up her itinerary of required shots for the assignment, including some wildlife that had literally crossed her path. She had no doubt Matt would be pleased with her work.

  This is the type of assignment she lived for, spending a week tucked away in a beautiful setting, away from the everyday hassles, away from the mundane and into the spectacular. She had forgotten how breathtaking the volcanic lake was; how clear and blue the water looked on a sunny day; how the pictures never did it justice--despite the best technique and lighting conditions. Some things in this world were meant to be seen firsthand, not in a magazine.

  The only thing that had eluded her was a clear sunrise. Heavy overcast had blanketed the sky every morning. Tomorrow was her last day. She hoped she might have one last chance to capture something unique.

  She descended the rustic but charming wooden staircase overlooking the main room and saw other guests enjoying the fire and conversation amongst each other. The middle-aged couple she had shared a late brunch with that morning gave a friendly wave. They had been very interested in hearing about her experiences as a travel photographer in Europe as well as here in Oregon. They had graciously agreed to be the subjects in a few shots later in the afternoon that she needed of people enjoying the natural wonder--walking along the trails, talking to a park ranger, and viewing the visitor’s center.

  She crossed the open-beamed area to a small sitting room where the guest telephone was located. She had spent some time here each evening since arriving on Tuesday, and she anticipated Michael’s voice would be the one to greet her once again.

  “I thought we agreed I would be the one to call tonight,” she said.

  “I couldn’t wait until nine.”

  “You couldn’t wait another half-hour?”

  “Nope.”

  Sh
e laughed. “I’m coming home tomorrow.”

  “I know, but that’s a whole day away.”

  “Are you home now?”

  “Yes. My dad picked me up from school and took me to my doctor’s appointment and then brought me home.”

  “What did the doctor say?”

  “I don’t have to wear the brace anymore but will need the crutches for a few more days to do extensive walking. I managed to navigate the stairs tonight, so I can sleep in my own bed. I should be as good as new in another week.”

  “Did you decide to cancel your concerts for the rest of the weekend or only tonight?”

  “All of them. The guys said they could use a break, and I can’t stand for longer than about ten minutes. I don’t like to play and sing sitting down. I feel bad for the groups we let down, but these things have a way of working themselves out. I’m sure God has something else in mind for them besides us.”

  “How many more weekends are you booked for?”

  “Two.”

  “Then after that?”

  “Hard to say. Jeff and I are both graduating and don’t know where we’re going to be or if we’ll have time to continue with the group. We’ve pretty much decided this will be the end unless some extraordinary circumstances keep us together.”

  “That’s too bad. You guys are so great together.”

  “I’ll miss playing with them, but I’m looking forward being done with school and working in ministry full-time.”

  They talked for about twenty minutes before Natalie noticed someone waiting to use the phone. She told Michael she would be home sometime tomorrow evening and that she would come by if it wasn’t too late, otherwise she would call when she got in. He told her to sleep well and drive carefully. His hopes that she would be back in town early enough to spend some time with him the following evening were very evident. She promised to try.

  The next morning brought the sky she had been waiting for all week. Scattered wispy clouds captured the red and purple hues of dawn and reflected their warm colors on the surface of the glassy lake. Evergreen trees were silhouetted in the foreground. The surrounding hills were hidden in purple shadows. A yellow-orange glow surrounded the ridge line.