The Only Solution (Crowley County Series Book 3)

by T. E. Killian

  Well, since Daisy wasn’t in the mood for either pizza or the noise that was always at that place, she’d talked Lucy into Thelma’s.

  They were sitting at their table shortly after arriving and Daisy was watching her little girl. Lucy was looking all around the restaurant with big sparkling eyes. She seemed to love doing that every time they went anywhere in public. Was she being cruel to Lucy by living in a place where there were no other kids her age nearby to play with?

  She had to shake off those thoughts since they usually brought back the reasons for them being where they were. And she didn’t want to go there tonight. She wanted to have fun with her daughter.

  Thelma had already been by, given Lucy her coloring book, and picked at her for a few minutes. Lucy was beaming which made Daisy glad she’d brought her here. Her little girl didn’t seem to laugh or even smile as much as other kids her age. It worried Daisy a lot. Sure, Lucy laughed at the antics of the residents especially Bobby and Bert, but it just wasn’t enough.

  As she thought about it though, she knew that what Lucy needed was to be around kids her age more. Well, there was one way to settle that and it was coming just next week too. She had already enrolled Lucy in preschool for this year. She just knew Lucy would love playing with the other four-year-olds.

  She looked down at Lucy with a smile on her face but Lucy had stopped talking to Miley, her baby, and seemed to be staring at someone over by the entrance. When Daisy followed her gaze, she saw Mike and his mother who was pushing his wheelchair straight for the table where she and Lucy were sitting. Oh, no. What could she do now?

  Before they came close, Daisy could hear Mike arguing with his mother about sitting at their own table but it didn’t look like Mrs. Bates was listening to him.

  She stopped the wheelchair at a short distance from them and said, “It’s so good to see you again so soon, Daisy and who is this beautiful young lady you have with you?”

  Daisy cringed. Calling Lucy a young lady had earned Mrs. Bates thousands of brownie points with her little girl who always tried to act much older than four. But Daisy knew she would suffer the fallout from it for the rest of the evening.

  What could she do? She did the only thing that seemed appropriate. Even though she knew Mike didn’t want to, she said, “Would you two care to join us. Your timing is perfect. We just sat down and haven’t even ordered yet.”

  Mrs. Bates pulled a chair away from the table and pushed Mike’s chair into the opening, which just happened to be next to Daisy. She knew that had been intentional. Then the older woman took the seat between Mike and Lucy who was still beaming up at her.

  Daisy watched as Mrs. Bates engaged Lucy in a conversation about Miley, her baby doll. She was surprised to see Lucy open up to Mike’s mother. She heard her telling all about where they lived and all of the residents too. She was even telling her funny stories about each one of them.

  Daisy took that opportunity to turn to Mike and say, “Isn’t it great timing on your mother’s part to show up right when you’re going to have your surgery? I’m sure she’ll be a great help to you during your recovery.

  Mike didn’t speak for so long that Daisy didn’t think he was going to. And when he did, he didn’t answer her question or even stay with the subject she’d opened up.

  “She’s always been like that you know.”

  Daisy wasn’t sure what he meant but as she followed his glare, which was directed at his mother, she thought she was beginning to understand. But still not totally and was about to ask when he spoke again.

  “She was a teacher.”

  He’d said that as if it explained everything. And, as she thought about it, maybe it did, at least for him.

  Mrs. Bates must have heard Mike’s last comment. She turned to Daisy and said, “Yes, Mike’s dad and I were both teachers. That’s part of how he wound up being one too.”

  Daisy was perplexed now. “But Mrs. Bates . . .”

  The older woman shook her head emphatically. “Oh no Dear, please call me Sarah. I just know we’re going to be great friends.”

  Daisy smiled at the enthusiasm coming from Mike’s mother. “Okay, Sarah. But I thought that teaching at the high school was just Mike’s cover so he could investigate the drug ring here.”

  “Oh of course it was that, but didn’t Mike tell you that he was going to be a teacher before the DEA recruited him. In fact, he’d finished his education degree and already had a teaching job lined up back home in Tulsa.”

  “Oh.”

  Well that was intelligent but she couldn’t think of anything else to say just then. She was so surprised to learn that Mike really was a certified teacher.

  Mike clearing his throat brought both women’s attention back to him.

  “Mom, I think that’s about enough about me for now. Why don’t you tell Daisy about what it was like living in Arizona?”

  Sarah shook her head and said, “Oh no you don’t Son. You’re not going to change the subject on us. Can’t you see that Daisy is interested in all of this?”

  Thelma came to get their orders and picked at Lucy while she helped the little girl decide what she wanted to eat. Daisy never helped Lucy with her menu choice here. Thelma always received that honor.

  After they had all ordered, Sarah turned to Daisy and said, “Now I want to get this settled right now.”

  Daisy cringed at what might be coming next.

  “I want to pay for your dinners tonight and I won’t accept any argument. I can see how much it is helping my son just to be out of the house and also being here with you two lovely ladies tonight.”

  Lucy giggled at that, taking all the tension out of the statement. So Daisy did the only thing she knew she could do. She accepted.

  Chapter Three

  Friday morning Mike was supposed to be at the hospital at six o’clock and his mother had him there fifteen minutes early.

  All the way there, he kept thinking about that bullet in his back. Was it the only thing keeping him from walking again? Or had there been too much nerve damage already for that to ever happen?

  He could only wait to find out. But he was scared, scared that he would never walk again and even scared that he would but would never be able to work in law enforcement again. He’d vowed that he would someday.

  Those thoughts were still going around in his head when Sarah pushed his chair into the surgery clinic. Mike wasn’t too surprised to see Floyd standing there with one of his deputies, Jason Walker. But he was rather surprised to see his old boss at DEA, Ollie Short standing there with them. He hadn’t seen the man for months, not since he’d brought Mike his retirement plaque when he had just left the extended care facility and was finally at home.

  He’d told the man then that he didn’t want to retire, that he was going to come back someday. He didn’t think Short had believed him though.

  Jason apparently had been the first deputy on the scene the night Mike had been shot and had come by to see him some in the hospital afterward. He seemed like a good sort of guy. He was about the same age as Mike and he’d liked the guy in spite of everything else going on back then.

  Jason had even stopped by Mike’s house a few times since then, but Mike had never been very encouraging to him. So he was a little surprised to see him here this morning too.

  Sarah pushed him right into the middle of the three men, two in uniform and the other one might as well have been. Ollie Short was one agent who could probably never go undercover. He looked too much like an agent.

  Mike did not want to do this. He had psyched himself up for the surgery but not for facing his old boss or even the others. He shook each of the hands as they were offered to him but would not join them in the small talk they seemed to try to include him in.

  He turned to his mother and said, “I think I’d better check in with the receptionist.

  She pushed him over to the counter and while he signed all the paperwork, the other men stayed where they had been when he entered th
e room.

  When he finished that, the woman at the desk told him that someone would be out to get him shortly.

  He grabbed the grips on the wheels of his chair and propelled himself away from the group of men toward an empty corner of the waiting room. It didn’t work. They all followed him and his mother was giving him one of her famous frowns.

  Just before the other men reached him, he heard Floyd say something to the others. He didn’t catch it all but he was relieved at the part he did hear. It was something about leaving him alone right now.

  When they reached him, Floyd said, “Well, Mike, we’ll all leave you alone so you can get ready to go in. But we just wanted you to know that we’re all here for you and will be when you come out.”

  Before he could say anything if he really would have, Short said, “Mike, I just want you to know that we haven’t forgotten you at the DEA either. If you ever need anything, you just call me.”

  Yeah sure. The guy had said that six months ago too and Mike hadn’t really believed him then either.

  Jason slapped him lightly on the back and said, “I’ll be praying for you Mike.”

  Not again. That was one reason Mike had tried to keep Jason at a distance. He didn’t want to be exposed to all that religion that the guy didn’t even try to hide.

  After the three men left the waiting room, Sarah sat down next to Mike and said, “Son, I’d like to say a prayer for you right now. Is that okay with you?”

  Another one? Not his mother too. Mike didn’t know what to say. Sure, he’d heard different ones ever since he was in the hospital the first time saying they were praying for him. What good had it done? Was he walking yet?

  He started to yell at her but when he looked into her eyes, he realized she was very serious. This was his mother. He didn’t want to hurt her. She’d been so hurt when his dad died. She didn’t need any more pain in her life.

  So he shook his head and said, “If you want to, but just don’t do it out loud okay?”

  He watched as she took both of his hands in hers and closed her eyes. He just watched her until she finished and opened her eyes again. He was seeing a side of her he had only glimpsed before. She and his dad had both become religious after they retired and moved to Arizona. He didn’t really know about all that.

  He was hoping they would come get him quick before anyone else came but he wasn’t so lucky. Another man he knew slightly was approaching them now. The preacher at the Baptist church came over and took a chair on the other side of Mike from his mother.

  “Good morning Mike. Daisy asked me to come by this morning and pray with you before you go in for your surgery.”

  He introduced himself to Mike’s mother and they talked for a moment.

  Mike was getting angry now. He didn’t need all this fuss. He especially didn’t want the high and mighty preacher bothering him right now. He would have to psych himself up for his surgery all over again. All these interruptions had thrown him for a loop.

  Gil Turner was not a big man and his pale red hair and complexion made him look even smaller. But he didn’t seem to be intimidated by Mike’s scowl and started right in praying . . . out loud.

  Mike resigned himself to endure yet another prayer. He was ready to tell the guy thanks but he could leave now when Turner stood and said, “God will be with you and watch out for you Mike.”

  With that, he left Mike sitting there with nowhere to direct his anger but his mom. He took one look at her and knew he couldn’t do that to her. She looked so worried that he didn’t have the heart to say anything else to her.

  When a nurse came for him, he was so relieved that he endured the kiss his mom gave him on the cheek and allowed the nurse to wheel him back to the surgery prep area.

  As he stretched out on the gurney they had just lifted him onto, something was nagging at his memory. Something that someone had said this morning was bothering him. But what was it? He couldn’t remember what it was.

  The anesthesiologist was working on him getting him ready to go under the anesthesia when it finally hit him. It was something Turner had said in his prayer. The guy had said ‘if it be your will, Lord.’ In fact, he’d said it several times in that prayer. What did he mean by that?

  Well, he’d just have to ask Daisy about it the next time he saw her. What was wrong with him? He sounded like he wanted to see her again. That couldn’t be, could it?

  That was the last thing he remembered as he went under the anesthesia.

  * * *

  Daisy was growing upset with herself. She couldn’t sit still and couldn’t understand why. She was sitting in her apartment trying to knit a scarf for Lucy when she realized she wasn’t paying enough attention to her knitting. So she went from there to the rec room where the guys were playing pool and two of the girls were playing ping-pong. Then she went to the lounge where Lucy and the other two girls were watching one of those silly game shows. She hadn’t been able to stay anywhere for more than a few minutes at a time.

  When she finally wound up in the kitchen where Wilma was getting started on lunch, the older, matronly woman put her hands on her ample hips and glared at Daisy. Then she stepped over to her and placed her hands on Daisy’s shoulders, leaned down, and looked into her eyes.

  “Daisy, girl, why don’t you get yourself on over to that hospital before you drive the rest of us crazy. Isn’t that where you’d really rather be?”

  Daisy started to protest but the look in Wilma’s eye made her sigh loudly and say, “Does it show that bad?”

  Wilma laughed causing her stomach to jiggle. “Yes, Hon, it sure does. Didn’t you say his mother is over there?”

  When Daisy nodded she said, “You could say you’re just going over there to keep her company while she waits.”

  Daisy laughed. “Wilma, I think you know me too well. I guess I could go over there and sit with Mrs. Bates for a while though.”

  Wilma laughed again and said, “You go on and just send that little sweetheart of yours in here so she can stay with me ‘til you get back.”

  Daisy turned to leave but a hand on her arm stopped her. “Don’t you worry about how long you’re gone either, okay?”

  Daisy nodded and Wilma added, “And while you’re there, you might want to do some thinking about why you’re so nervous about this man’s surgery.”

  Daisy left the room with Wilma’s laughter ringing in her ears and a bright blush on her cheeks. But she certainly didn’t intend to take Wilma’s advice on everything she said.

  When she arrived in the surgery waiting room, Sarah Bates was talking with an older lady. But when she saw Daisy come through the door, she jumped up and rushed over to her. Throwing her arms around Daisy, she said, “I’m so glad you came Daisy.”

  Daisy leaned back and said, “Any word yet?”

  Sarah shook her head and led Daisy to an empty section of seating and they sat down next to each other.

  “Now. I’ve finally got you away from my son who won’t tell me a thing about you other than that you run one of those homes for challenged adults.”

  Daisy laughed. “I’m surprised he told you that much.”

  “You’re not from around here Dear. Where are you from?”

  Daisy laughed again and it felt good. She hadn’t been laughing much lately. She looked closely at this rather intimidating woman and saw only kindness and sincere concern.

  “I grew up in the St. Louis area and my daughter Lucy and I moved here about three years ago.”

  Daisy grew uncomfortable, as Sarah seemed to be looking into her soul. When the older woman finally spoke, Daisy was shocked.

  “Tragedy brought you here didn’t it Dear?”

  Daisy didn’t know what to say or do. Suddenly, tears began flowing down her cheeks and she pulled a tissue from her purse.

  Sarah was patting her on the back and talking but Daisy wasn’t hearing much. She turned and tried to concentrate on what Mike’s mother was saying to her.

  “Sometimes t
wo people who have had tragedy in their lives can help each other. I’ve seen it many times.”

  Daisy looked up into those kind eyes and found herself telling Sarah her whole story for only the second time since she’d moved to Crowleyville. And she felt good about it when she finished.

  She didn’t realize until she’d finished her story that she was now sitting on a small sofa next to Sarah who had an arm around her shoulders. It felt so good. Her own mother was the only person who ever had that kind of effect on her, but she was in Florida.

  Sarah patted Daisy’s back one more time, let go of her, and leaned back to say, “I think you will be good for Mike.”

  Daisy was blushing again. “Oh, no, Sarah, you’ve got it all wrong. There’s nothing between us. It’s just that I’m a nurse and I saw someone who needed my help.” She looked down at her hands. “I just want to help Mike.”

  Sarah smiled and shook her head. “I won’t push you right now, Dear. Just do what your heart leads you to do and everything will turn out just fine.”

  Just then, Stella and her husband Mark appeared in front of them. Daisy was glad for the interruption. She and Sarah both stood to hear what the doctors had to say.

  Stella began. “Mike is in recovery now and you should be able to see him in less than an hour. He went through the surgery fine.” She turned to Mark and said, “Why don’t you tell them the details?”

  Mark, a tall dark haired man who had an athlete’s built, cleared his throat and said, “Well, as Stella said, Mike came through it fine. There doesn’t seem to be any major damage to the nerves where the bullet was lodged. The good news is that the bullet has been working its way away from the spine all this time and therefore the nerve damage has hopefully been minimal.”

  Sarah stood and faced Mark. “What would you say are the prospects of his walking again now?”

  He shook his head and said, “I’d only be guessing at this point. All we can do now is wait and see how he responds to therapy. We will finally be able to hit him hard with physical therapy now that the bullet is out. The best I can say is that at this point I would give him a fifty percent chance of walking again. Hopefully, Monday when we do a battery of tests to determine nerve activity, I might be able to up that percentage. But until then, as I said before, I’d just be guessing.”