“Be careful, boys,” she called to them. “Don’t fall in the water.”
Arthur wielded a thin stick. “We’re looking for snakes!”
“Yeah.” Noah’s thin face broke into a smile.
Cheyenne shook her head. Boys will be boys. “Don’t let them bite you.”
“We won’t.” Arthur turned back to a crevice between the rocks.
A few yards away, Derek stood on the river’s bank, demonstrating how to skip stones across the water. A group of kids surrounded him, each one trying to ricochet a stone along the water’s surface. Kandi stood by Derek’s side.
Closing her eyes, the pastor’s sermon entered her mind. Was Rex really God’s will for her? Was she destined to get that inheritance, or would Mr. Sommers sink the money into his casino? How long before she would know?
A scripture verse penetrated her thoughts. “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Wait. Cheyenne would wait—for the Lord’s plan, not her own. Strangely, she had more peace about adopting Arthur than she did about marrying Rex. If she legally adopted Arthur, that would take care of the child part, but she still needed a man.
A scream pierced the air.
Cheyenne’s eyes flew open.
Noah ran toward her. “Miss Cheyenne!” His face was pale. “Arthur fell.”
Cheyenne jumped up and followed him to the other side of the rocks. Arthur lay at the base of two large rocks, his right leg twisted at an odd angle.
“Arthur!” Her heart pounding, she knelt beside him.
His blue eyes looked up into hers, his face wet with tears. “It hurts!”
“What happened?” Derek hunched down beside her.
“I don’t know.” Cheyenne clasped Arthur’s hand as he whimpered.
“We were jumping on the rocks.” Noah’s voice quivered. “And Arthur fell.”
“I’ll take him to the house.” Derek examined Arthur’s leg before carefully lifting him.
Cheyenne stepped back, wiping a tear from her eye. I should have been watching more closely! All she could do now was pray.
By the time Derek walked the five hundred feet to the house, the entire group of children and counselors followed en masse. Arthur cried softly in his arms, and Derek shifted him to a more comfortable position, trying to keep his voice calm. “You’ll be okay, Arthur. You’re very brave.”
Mr. Lindley ran out of the house. “What happened?”
“We have a casualty.” Derek nodded to Arthur’s leg. “It might be broken.”
“I’ll take him to the hospital.” Mr. Lindley looked at the crowd. “The rest of you get in the vans. It’s time to go back to Casper anyway.”
Amid a murmur of conversation, the counselors and children turned toward the vehicles.
“Mr. Lindley?” Holding Noah’s hand, Cheyenne looked up at the orphanage director. “Could I go with Arthur? I feel so responsible.”
Mr. Lindley shook his head. “These things happen, Cheyenne. It wasn’t your fault. You need to go back with the others.” He turned to Derek. “Take Arthur to Wesley’s car.” He nodded to a late-model Chevy on the driveway before striding toward the house. “I’ll be right back.”
Derek took a step to the car, but Cheyenne stopped him. She gazed at Arthur, who had stopped crying. His eyes were closed. She brushed back a lock of his blond hair. “I think he fainted, Derek.”
“Looks like it.” Derek kept his eyes on Cheyenne. If only he could pull her into his arms and comfort her. “Don’t worry. He’ll be okay.”
“I hope so.” She looked up, and her blue eyes held tears. “I wish I could stay with him.” Looking down at Noah, she pulled on his hand. “Let’s go, Noah.” They slowly walked away.
Turning toward the Chevy, Derek bumped into Kandi, who lingered by his side. A prick of annoyance hit him, and he used his head to motion to the van they came in. “Go with the others, Kandi.”
A little pout formed over her lips before she left. Derek strode to the car, carrying Arthur in his arms.
“Derek.” Mr. Lindley walked up with Pastor Wes. “Wesley will drive Arthur and me to the hospital. I’m putting you in charge of getting the orphans back to Casper. You’ll have to take my place driving one of the vans.”
“Okay.”
Wes opened the back door of his car. “Lay him on the backseat.” Derek did so, clicking a seat belt around the boy’s middle. Pastor Wes got behind the wheel and started the engine.
Mr. Lindley walked around to the other side of the car. “Thanks, Derek. I called my wife, and she and the staff will be waiting for you when you arrive.”
Derek nodded, relieved that his only responsibility would be driving the orphans back to the children’s home.
Two hours later they neared Casper, and Derek was thankful. The noise level from the nine orphans in the van had reached a peak when someone suggested they sing. With help from Jean and Leslie, the two counselors in the back, the van exploded with renditions of “Father Abraham” and “I’m in the Lord’s Army.”
At least they didn’t sing “Kumbaya.”
Kandi insisted on sitting in the front, replacing Nathan in the passenger seat. That annoyed Derek, but she didn’t even attempt to talk to him. He spent the time praying for Arthur. Poor kid. Did he break anything besides his leg?
When the children finally expended their energy, the van became quiet. In the seat behind him, Cheyenne talked to Noah. Derek heard snatches of their conversation.
“Will Arthur be okay, Miss Cheyenne?”
“The Lord can make him better, Noah. We’ll just have to pray and trust God.”
Pray and trust God. That’s what Derek would have to do concerning Cheyenne.
In the stillness a cell phone rang.
“That’s mine.” Kandi turned around to look back. “Chey-enne, could you get my purse?” She pointed. “It’s under your seat.”
“Here you go.” Cheyenne handed it to her.
Pulling out her phone, Kandi flipped it open. “Hello?” She listened for a few moments then turned wide eyes on Derek. “Really? Oh that’s terrible.”
He frowned. “What happened?”
“My grandfather had a heart attack.”
Derek raised his eyebrows. “Bruce?”
With a gasp, Cheyenne leaned toward Kandi. “Is he going to be all right?”
Kandi listened intently on the phone. “Yes, we’re on our way to the Bolton Creek Children’s Home… . I’ll let you talk to Derek.” She handed him the phone. “It’s my dad. He wants to know how to get there.”
Derek took the phone. After giving directions and then talking for several minutes, he closed the phone and handed it back to Kandi.
Cheyenne touched his shoulder. “Is Bruce going to be okay, Derek?”
“They don’t know. He’s at the county hospital in Lusk. Kandi’s parents are driving in from Salt Lake City, and they’re almost to Casper. We should get there about the same time that they arrive.”
Kandi nodded. “I’ll go with them to the hospital.” Her eyes filled with tears. “What if Grandpa dies?”
Cheyenne reached out and touched Kandi’s arm. “Let’s pray for him.” Without waiting for a response, she bowed her head. “Father in heaven, we lift Bruce up to You right now. Please heal him, Lord. Keep him on earth for a few more years. Comfort Kandi’s parents, and keep them safe as they travel. And comfort Kandi, too. In Jesus’ name, we ask. Amen.”
“Amen!” Looking into the rearview mirror, Derek caught Cheyenne’s eyes. “Thanks, Cheyenne.”
“Yes, thank you.” Kandi whispered the words before she turned back to the front.
Derek glanced at Kandi and saw her lower lip quiver. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “We’ll trust the Lord. Your grandfather will pull through.”
She just nodded.
He dropped her hand and concentrated on his driving. That was certainly nice of Cheyenne to
pray for Kandi.
Cheyenne’s heart dropped as she watched Derek squeeze Kandi’s hand. They certainly have a strange relationship. Turning to the children sitting around her, she attempted to smile. “Let’s sing another song.”
Noah perked up. “Can we do the army song?”
“Yeah.” Joshua smiled. “I like that one. Let’s sing it loud.”
Cheyenne glanced behind her at Jean and Leslie. “Are you guys going to join us?”
“Sure.” Jean looked at the girls beside her and gave them a motherly smile. “We can sing loud, can’t we?” She started the song, and everyone joined in, singing at the top of their lungs.
Within fifteen minutes, Derek parked the van in front of the orphanage. Cheyenne gazed up at the large house. She would pray about adopting Arthur someday. Maybe that was God’s will for her.
Chapter 17
Cheyenne threw her duffel bag in the back of Derek’s pickup, then opened the passenger door. Climbing in the cab, she pulled the door shut and rolled down the window. Kandi was still waiting for her parents, and Derek sat beside her on the front steps of the orphanage. The low murmur of his voice floated on the breeze. Kandi just sat there, staring at the ground.
Closing her eyes, Cheyenne leaned back against the seat, and Rex’s face entered her mind. She would call him when she got home. At least he had a predictable, steady personality. Derek’s behavior confused her. All weekend he had teased her and gazed into her eyes and often ignored Kandi. But since they received word about Bruce’s heart attack, Derek showed a tender side toward her.
Derek had never seemed so unpredictable before.
A car drove up the driveway and stopped next to Derek’s pickup. The car doors opened, and an overweight, bald man exited from the driver’s side as a thin woman emerged from the passenger’s side.
Kandi jumped up from the porch and ran to them. “Mom! Dad! I’m glad you’re here!” While her parents hugged her, Derek slowly stood. Kandi turned to him. “This is Derek.”
“Good to meet you.” Mr. MacKinnon shook his hand.
“Oh Derek!” Mrs. MacKinnon threw her arms around his shoulders. “I’m so glad to meet you at last. Kandi’s told us so much about you.” She stepped back. “And look at you! Such a tall, handsome man! I can see why Kandi is totally smitten with you.”
Derek’s face colored slightly, but he smiled. “Thanks.”
From her spot at the window, Cheyenne’s lips parted. It looked like Kandi’s mother had already pegged Derek as her son-in-law.
Derek cleared his throat. “How is Bruce, by the way? Have you heard any further news?”
Kandi’s dad opened his mouth, but her mom answered. “He’s not out of the hospital yet, but they think he’ll be all right. Agatha Collingsworth called us. I guess she’s staying by his side, and we’re so thankful for that.”
Mr. MacKinnon turned to his wife. “We’d better get on our way.”
“Yes, we need to go.” Mrs. MacKinnon turned to Kandi. “Where’s your suitcase, honey?”
While they got everything settled, Jean walked out the front door of the orphanage. “Derek?” She stopped in front of him. “Could you possibly drive me to Douglas? My husband’s car won’t start, so he can’t pick me up.”
“Sure, I can take you. It’s right on the way.” Derek motioned toward his truck. “I’m driving Cheyenne back to Fort Lob, but we have room for one more.”
Cheyenne moved over to the middle of the seat. She wasn’t sure if she was glad or disappointed that Jean would be going with them, then decided she was glad. At least she wouldn’t have to talk to someone else’s boyfriend all the way home.
Derek tuned out the ladies’ conversation. Cheyenne asked Jean a lot of questions, and Cheyenne got a lot of answers—the inside story about Jean’s husband and teenaged kids. His mind drifted back to the MacKinnons. What had Kandi told her parents about him? Well, it didn’t matter. When the MacKinnons went back to Salt Lake City, Kandi would forget all about him.
At least he hoped so.
Exiting the freeway, Derek drove his truck through the streets of Douglas as Jean gave him directions to her house. In another minute he was pulling into her driveway. He got out to retrieve her suitcase from the back.
“ ’Bye, Jean!” Cheyenne leaned out the passenger window. “It was great to talk to you.”
“Same here.” Jean smiled as Derek set her suitcase down. “Thanks so much for the lift, Derek.”
He nodded. “Anytime.”
He climbed back in the cab, almost nervous that he and Cheyenne were finally alone. This ride back to Fort Lob could be a turning point in their relationship. Leaving the town of Douglas, he got back on the freeway.
Cheyenne leaned back against the seat, her eyes closed.
He glanced at her, and his heart stirred. “Tired?”
She opened her blue eyes and smiled at him. “A little.” She sat up. “I’ll be glad to get home. I’m going to call Rex and see how his weekend went.”
Derek tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “So … you really like that old cowboy, huh?” That was a stupid thing to say!
Cheyenne’s smile faded. “He’s a very nice person, Derek, and a good Christian, too.”
His cell phone chirped. Saved by the bell! He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the number but didn’t recognize it. He flipped the phone open and pulled it up to his face as he drove. “This is Derek.”
“Hi, Derek.” A loud male voice spoke in his ear. “Frank Lindley. I wanted to update you about Arthur.”
“Oh good.” Derek looked at Cheyenne. “It’s Mr. Lindley. I’ll put it on speakerphone so you can listen.”
“Thanks.” She leaned toward him.
Derek pressed a button and spoke into the phone. “How is he, Mr. Lindley?”
“It was a bad break, close to his knee. The doctor said he’ll need to perform surgery and secure a pin to hold the bones in place.”
Derek’s pulse quickened. “Surgery? When are they doing that?”
“The hospital here in Cody is taking him to the Greenbrier Hospital in Casper. It’s close to the orphanage. They’ll move him tomorrow morning and then perform surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday.” Mr. Lindley paused. “Arthur also has a slight concussion.”
With a gasp, Cheyenne sat back. “A concussion?”
Derek spoke into the phone. “How bad is it?”
“I don’t know, but they want to make sure that’s cleared up before they do the surgery on his leg.”
“I see.” Derek glanced at Cheyenne. She turned away to the window, but not before he noticed a tear roll down her cheek. His heart clenched. “Thanks for the update, Mr. Lindley. We’ll keep Arthur in prayer.”
“I’ll call later if there’s any more news.”
Derek bid him good-bye and cut off the call. He turned to Cheyenne. “I guess that’s all we can do—pray.”
“That’s the best thing.” She looked at him, her eyes bright with tears.
A strong urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her came over him. But he was driving, and besides, she belonged to Rex.
Cheyenne smiled as Derek pulled into her driveway. “Thanks for the ride.” She climbed out of the pickup’s cab and shut the door; then waited as he grabbed her duffel bag from the back.
He handed it to her. “Here you go. And if Mr. Lindley calls about Arthur, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.” She turned and trudged to the house. She needed to eat something. It was almost seven o’clock, and she hadn’t eaten since they had lunch in Cody.
Stepping inside the house, she heard Derek’s truck leave the driveway. She closed the door, and another sound penetrated her hearing. The television? Dad never watched TV.
She walked to the living room and stopped short. On the sofa, Dad sat beside Janet Oliver, his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
Cheyenne’s mouth dropped open. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the living room. “He
llo.”
Both turned to her, an identical look of surprise on their faces. Dad jumped up. “Hey, baby girl. How was Yellowstone? We didn’t realize you were back.”
We? Obviously Dad was not expecting her to arrive home this early.
Cheyenne forced a smile to her face. “It was great! Uh, but I’ll tell you about it later. I’m kind of tired. Finish your movie.” She turned and walked down the hallway.
In the safety of her bedroom, she closed the door and set down her duffel bag. Wow! They sure looked cozy. She plopped down on her bed.
Dad and Janet. Well, she was happy for them—two widowed people who had gone through tough times and deserved a “happily ever after” with each other.
From her purse, her cell phone rang. Sitting up, she glanced at the number before flipping open the phone. “Hi, Callie.”
“You sound discouraged. Are you okay?”
A smile crept to Cheyenne’s face. “You know me too well, girlfriend. Yeah, I’m discouraged … and tired … and hungry. Give me some good news. Please?”
“I do have good news. In fact, I have two pieces of good news.”
“That’s exactly what I need to hear.” Cheyenne moved the pillow and sat back against the headboard. “I feel better already. What’s the first thing?”
“The James Thomas Lob Museum is almost finished. Lane hopes to have the grand opening in October sometime.”
“Oh Callie, that’s wonderful.” Cheyenne smiled, feeling her depression steal away. “Now you’ll have the bookstore you always wanted. I know you’re going to enjoy reading all those new books.”
“I’m really looking forward to it. But we’ve been so busy, carting all that stuff over from the third floor of the library. Then it had to be cleaned and cataloged.” She gave a little laugh. “Running the bookstore and souvenir shop will be easy compared to the last few months.”
Cheyenne relaxed. “I can’t wait to visit the museum.”
“Hey, why don’t you come out to the building site sometime? I’ll show you around.”
“I’ll do that.” Cheyenne tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Now what’s the other good news you have for me?”
Tumbleweed Weddings Page 43
