Take a Deep Breath (Lake of the Pines)

by Shar Dimick

  “Good morning, Dad.” Cam greeted his father flatly and walked over to the cupboard above the sink to look for a mug.

  “Morning, Cameron. I didn’t realize you were home. Aren’t you usually out running by now?”

  Cam ignored his father and poured the steaming hot coffee into his mug and spooned two scoops of sugar into it. He opened the fridge to look for some milk to add to it.

  “The milk’s already on the table,” Max gestured to the table visible through the window cutout between the kitchen and the dining room.

  “Thanks,” Cam acknowledged and picked up his mug and took it out to the table. Max followed him. He looked his son up and down. Something seemed off, but Max couldn’t quite figure out what.

  “So are you headed out to the hospital to see Sara then?”

  “What’s with the twenty questions this morning?”

  “Sorry son. I was just trying to make conversation.” Max backed off.

  “What’s going on?” Roger asked as he came into the room with Eric.

  “Nothing. I’m the one who should apologize.” Cam slumped into a chair.

  “Apologize for what?”

  “I just bit Dad’s head off for no reason. I guess I’m still a little tired from yesterday. I decided my body needed to sleep more than it needed to run.” Cam answered his father’s first question. “And, the reason I’m not going to the hospital to see Sara is because Liv’s ex-husband, Sara’s dad, showed up last night. He made quite a scene in the hall. Liv got all worked up and started second-guessing everything. She said she needs some space to think.”

  “Ahhh. I see,” answered Max.

  “You see what?”

  “I see why you’re in a mood this morning. I’m guessing Liv is just overwhelmed by everything that happened yesterday. I’m sure she’ll come around once she has time to catch her breath and things get back to normal.”

  “I hope you’re right. I’m not so sure though. You didn’t see her face when I left her last night.”

  “Well, if it helps,” Roger put in, “From what I saw of the two of you together she’s totally, how do they say it these days, into you?”

  “That’s what I thought too.” Cam nodded. “But for some reason she thinks she can’t be a good mother and have a relationship with me at the same time. She’s made it an either-or in her mind. I can’t compete with her daughter and don’t want to.”

  “It sounds like she’s confused,” Eric said joining the conversation.

  “That’s what she said.” Cam took a sip of his coffee and burned his tongue. “Damn, that’s hot!”

  “Well, I still think she’ll work it out in her mind and realize she can have both,” Max reiterated.

  “It doesn’t help with her ex berating her and accusing her of neglecting Sara. He practically said it was all Liv’s fault that Sara got hurt. He seemed more upset that Sara’s injury interrupted his business deal than he did about how Sara actually was.” Cam replayed the scene in his head.

  “He sounds like a piece of work,” Eric said.

  “Speaking of Sara, though, how’s she doing?” Roger asked. “It must’ve been late when you got in. I didn’t even hear you pull in.”

  “Yeah, I went out for a long drive after I left the hospital. I needed to clear my head and think. Sara’s a trooper. Liv and I talked to the surgeon last night. Sara broke both bones in her ankle. The doctor stabilized the bones with a metal plate and some pins. She has a cast right now, but in six weeks or so she should be walking on it again.”

  “That’s good news.”

  “It really is. She’s a lucky girl. She should get to go home from the hospital today or tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be happy to get home,” Roger added. He buttered a piece of toast and spread strawberry jam on it.

  Cam tentatively sipped his coffee again and nodded agreement. “What about you Eric? How’re you feeling today?”

  “Very well, thanks for asking, Dr. Preston.” Eric laughed.

  “That’s good. Just don’t overdo it today and make sure you keep drinking lots of fluids.”

  “Aye! Aye!” Eric saluted.

  “I’m serious.”

  “I know you are. Don’t worry. I’m always a good patient and do what I’m told.” Eric winked.

  “So what’s your plan today, Cam?” Max asked. “Do you want to play cards with us or we could go fishing?”

  Cam inwardly groaned. The last thing he wanted to do was spend the day with his father. As much as Max always meant well, it didn’t and wouldn’t take long for him to rub Cam the wrong way. On the other hand, Cam thought, he did need to keep himself busy.

  “Actually, I’m going to go check on Liv’s grandmother. I thought I’d finish cleaning up the fallen branches in their yard.” Cam made up his plan for the day on the fly.

  “That’s sounds like a good plan,” Roger said. “I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”

  “Well, I better get a move on it, before it gets too hot out there.” Cam pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. He finished off his coffee and put the mug in the kitchen sink. Less than ten minutes later, his teeth brushed and a clean t-shirt on, he laced up his boots and headed out the door into the sunlight. The chainsaw along with his work gloves and other tools were still in the back of his pickup. In the front of the cab sat a soft, purple, stuffed hippopotamus and the get well card that he’d gotten at the hospital gift shop for Sara on his way out the night before. He planned to ask Mrs. Adams to take it to Sara for him. He shifted the truck into reverse and backed out. As he rounded the last curve, he saw Hannah’s car parked in the driveway next to Liv’s. He pulled up behind Liv’s car and cut the engine. He sat in the cab a few minutes gathering his thoughts and looking around the yard. Most of the small sticks and branches were gone. The large branch of the birch tree still needed to be chopped up and hauled away though. He noticed Sara’s empty wagon on the porch. He heard Pup-Pup barking inside, announcing his arrival. Grabbing Sara’s gift, he slid out of the truck.

  He knocked on the front door and waited. Pup-Pup went wild inside, barking and scratching at the door.

  “Hello? Anyone home?”

  “In here. Come on in! I’m just pulling a batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.”

  The smell of the fresh baked cookies made his mouth water.

  “It smells wonderful in here, Mrs. Adams. It looks like you’ve been busy!”

  “When I get worried, I bake!” Hannah gestured to the counter full of cookies. Dozens and dozens lined the long counter that ran from the oven to the fridge.

  “Have you talked to Liv this morning? Did something change to worry you?”

  “No, no. Everything is fine with Sara. I spoke with Liv earlier this morning. Sara slept through the night as best she could with the nurses coming in every ten minutes to take her vitals. They’re just waiting for Dr. Brack to make rounds so they can find out when Sara can come home. Liv is hoping later today, but it may be tomorrow. I think I just have left over energy from yesterday. Please, have a cookie and take some home with you to your father. I couldn’t possibly eat all these.”

  “Thanks.” Cam bit into one of the warm, gooey cookies. It melted in his mouth. “Mmm. This is really good.”

  “Have another one.”

  “I really shouldn’t, but I can’t resist.” He smiled at Hannah.

  “I’m heading over to the hospital in an hour so. I’m going to try to persuade that granddaughter of mine to have lunch with me. I also hope I can convince her to let me sit with Sara for a while so she can come home and get a little rest. Would you like to ride with me?”

  Cam hesitated. “Actually, I wasn’t planning on going to the hospital today. I kind of hoped you’d give this to Sara for me and let her know I’m thinking about her.”

  “I don’t understand. Why aren’t you going Cameron? I know Sara would love to see you. Liv would too, for that matter.”

  “As much as I’d l
ike to, under the circumstances, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “What circumstances?”

  “Let’s just say I met Ron last night and he didn’t take an immediate liking to me. I don’t want to cause any scenes in front of Sara.”

  “I see. Ron can be difficult at times. He’s already gone back to D.C. though. He made his obligatory appearance and split.”

  “Really? I would’ve thought he’d at least stay until they released Sara from the hospital.”

  “Yeah, well, Ron’s more about appearances than anything else. It would’ve looked bad if he didn’t come see Sara at all once he found out about it. So, he came, he saw her and then went back to his “important” life.” Hannah scowled. Cam got the impression that Mrs. Adams didn’t have much use for Ron. “So, the coast is clear.”

  If only it were that simple, Cam thought. “Actually, Ron’s only part of the reason I wasn’t going to go see Sara today. Last night Liv asked me to give her some space and time to sort things out. She felt like our relationship was going too fast and she was neglecting her responsibilities as a mother.”

  “That sounds like Liv.” Hannah sighed. “She constantly worries about being a bad mom and feels guilty anytime she is remotely happy. Don’t let her push you away.”

  “I don’t plan to, but at the same time I want to respect her request.”

  Hannah looked thoughtful and nodded her head. “Whatever you think is best. I know I shouldn’t get in the middle of your relationship, so I won’t say anymore. Other than to say or rather ask that you don’t give up on her.”

  “I won’t. So, in the meantime, I thought maybe I’d work on clearing those branches away seeing as we got a little side-tracked from that job yesterday.”

  “Are you sure? I was just going to call a local tree service to see if I could get them to come out.”

  “Nah. Don’t do that. I’m sure there’s a waiting list with all the storm damage around here. It won’t take me long and it’ll give me something to do to take my mind off things.”

  “Well, if you’re sure.”

  “I am.” Cam grabbed another cookie off the counter. “I’ll let you get back to your baking.” He smiled at her again and strode out the door.

  Hannah turned off the oven. She watched Cam through the window as she washed the bowls, measuring cups and beaters. He’d already put on his work gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection. He pulled the starter cord on his chainsaw three or four times before the engine finally caught and the familiar whirring sound filled the air. Hannah continued wiping down the counters. She put the cooled cookies into plastic containers and set one aside for Cam and another to take to Sara. The rest she put in the freezer for later. She glanced back out the window at Cam. The chainsaw sliced through the birch branch smoothly. Well, thought Hannah, he certainly won’t be able to think with all that noise. I certainly can’t. She wasn’t complaining though. He was doing her a huge favor taking care of the fallen branches.

  Hannah’s thoughts turned back to Liv. She hoped Liv came to her senses soon. Cam was a good man. Hannah couldn’t help feeling they were meant to be together. From the time they were nine years old she’d watched their friendship and love for each other grow. When Liv got pregnant with Sara and married Ron, Hannah thought maybe she was wrong about them. However, after spending more than five minutes with the man Liv married, Hannah knew the marriage was wrong. Ron had given them Sara, but that was the only gift he gave. Hannah cringed every time he opened his mouth and put Liv down or belittled one of her accomplishments. She couldn’t decide if he did it on purpose to make himself feel better or if he was just that oblivious to how much his words hurt Liv. It didn’t matter anymore though; they weren’t together now. Liv had finally brought herself to leave the broken relationship. Hannah was proud of the courage it took Liv to walk away. Yet, she still worried when Liv second-guessed her decision. Liv had to realize it was the right decision for both Sara and her. Hannah sighed as she gathered her purse and keys. Cam almost had the entire branch cut into smaller logs. His back muscles rippled beneath his sweat-soaked t-shirt. His long-sleeved shirt hung over a branch. She couldn’t see his face, but knew he was hurting.

  Nothing stood in the way between Cam and Liv now, except Liv’s guilt. Hannah knew guilt was a powerful force, but had faith that love would conquer it. A romantic at heart, Hannah instinctively wanted to meddle and help them find a way back to each other, but from experience knew it was best to let the two of them settle things for themselves. Hannah smiled to herself as she let herself out and closed the door behind her. It couldn’t hurt to have a little chat with Liv, though could it? Not at all, she reasoned. That’s not meddling at all; it’s just talking to my granddaughter about life and relationships. Her husband’s voice whispered in her ear, “Yes it is.”

  “Be quiet, you” Hannah said aloud. She opened the door to Cam’s truck and placed a box of cookies on the front seat. She pulled a piece of paper and a pen out of her purse and scrawled out a quick thank you note. Moments later she was in her Honda headed toward the hospital.

  Cam cut the power to the chainsaw and set it on the ground. He tossed off the safety glasses and ear muffs into a pile next to it. He wiped the sweat pouring into his eyes with the back of his glove. Grabbing the bottle of water that sat on a nearby log, he finished it in one long gulp. His back and arms ached, but at least his head was clear. The huge branch of the birch now lay in manageable chunks of wood. Cam glanced up into the branches of the tree and frowned at the large branch still trapped among the other branches of the tree. It looked stable, but still needed to come down before it fell on something or someone. He had a ladder in his truck, but didn’t think it was quite tall enough to reach. The idea of teetering at the top of a tall step ladder with a chainsaw in his hands did not appeal to him. He’d seen enough chainsaw accidents during his time working in the emergency room as a resident that he knew it was one injury he wanted to avoid. He pulled his cell phone off his belt and used the browser app to search for the number of the local tree service. The phone rang several times before someone picked up. Just as Cam suspected, they were pretty busy with storm damage clean up. They took down his information and told him they’d be out to take care of the branch early the following week.

  A breeze came off the lake. Cam stood a moment and took a deep breath into his lungs and exhaled. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. He felt more relaxed now. More focused. Pulling his work gloves back on, he squatted down and gathered a load of wood in his arms. A stack of wood already lined the back wall of the cottage next to the porch. He started a new row next to the more seasoned wood. He let each piece drop to the ground vertical to the wall. Back and forth he went, gathering the chunks of wood from beneath the birch tree to the wood pile behind the cottage. In a rhythm, his thoughts became clearer. Just as his morning runs had helped him find solutions to the worries of the moment, so had the physical labor of cutting and gathering wood. With each piece of wood he stacked, he became more confident about his relationship with Liv.

  He loved her. He’d always loved her. He knew without words that she loved him. Yes, she needed space and time to think, but in the end Cam felt confident that their love would prevail. He’d give her time and wouldn’t pressure her. When the time was right, he’d tell her how he felt with words and actions. He’d never particularly liked living in a big city. In fact, the fast pace of it was what had burned him out in the first place. Maybe a change to a small town in Ohio is just what he needed to be happy. That and Liv and Sara. Yes, Sara too. Only knowing the girl a matter of weeks, she’d crept into Cam’s heart as well. The more he thought about the idea of leaving Chicago and setting up a practice in a rural town, the more excited he became. As soon as he got back, he’d start making phone calls and put his condo up for sale.

  Finished for the day, he loaded his equipment into the back of his truck. Ready to head home, he remembered he needed to let Mrs. Adams know abou
t the tree service. He munched on another cookie as he rummaged through the glove box for a pen and some paper with one hand. He found a rumpled, yellow notepad. Even with all the windows rolled down the cab was sweltering. Grabbing a couple more cookies, he got out and let down the gate. As he sat with his feet dangling over the edge, he ripped off the first page of the note pad - an old list of hardware supplies and measurements – crumpled it and tossed it in to the bed of the truck behind him. He took another bite of the cookie. If I keep eating these, I’m going to get fat, he thought, taking yet another bite. He hadn’t had lunch though, so he reasoned a couple extra cookies wouldn’t hurt. He fished a bottle of water out of his six-pack cooler, shook the water off it and cracked open the lid. The cool liquid tasted like heaven. Next he jotted a quick note to Mrs. Adams thanking her for the cookies and letting her know when the tree service would be out. He sat thinking for a few moments and bent his head over to write a second note to Liv. When he finished, he taped both notes to the front door and left. Now all he had to do was to wait.

  Chapter Twelve

  Hannah’s eyes welled with tears. Sara looked so tiny lying in the big hospital bed her leg propped up with pillows and an IV tube snaking out her arm. Liv sat slumped in a chair beside Sara’s bed with her eyes closed. Hannah silently entered the room not wanting to wake either of them. She set the bag from Cam down on the rolling tray next to the bed. Sun poured in from the big window on the far side of the room through the drawn-back curtains. The light spilled over the colorful flowers, stuffed animals and balloons that filled every empty space. Liv’s sisters must have found out about Sara’s accident, Hannah guessed. She moved aside a potted plant with a stick balloon in the shape of monkey that read “Get Well Soon” to make room for the vase of flowers and stuffed animal she’d just purchased in the gift store. The soft sound of the vase tapping the metal shelf was enough to rouse Sara.