Welcome to Last Chance

by Cathleen Armstrong

The concert was over almost before Lainie knew it began. Ray and Elizabeth stood at the foot of the stairs, and Ray swept her into a hug.

  “That was amazing! Fantastic!”

  Elizabeth blew her nose on the hankie she held clutched in her hand. “Lainie, honey, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the third verse of ‘Silent Night’ sung so beautifully. You have a God-given gift in that voice, young lady. I hope you know that.”

  Lainie tried to think of something to say. She felt shaky, and exhilarated, and happier than she could remember having felt in a long time.

  “You did real fine, Lainie. We’re all proud of you.” Juanita appeared at Lainie’s side and gave her shoulders a squeeze. Her smile was actually warm and relaxed. “Are you ready to go, Elizabeth? Russ has gone to pick up Fayette’s dinner, so we can go on and wait in the truck if you want.”

  “Here, let me see you to your truck, ladies.” Ray offered his arm to his grandmother.

  “No, that’s not a bit necessary.” Juanita grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and tucked it in her own elbow. “The truck’s right over there. You two go on and enjoy yourselves.”

  Ray jammed his hands in his pockets and watched the two ladies make their careful way through the glow of the luminaria-lined path to the pickup parked on the curb. He took a half step toward them as he watched Elizabeth struggle to hoist herself into the cab. But she settled herself before he could take more than a step, and he stopped and shook his head. “These ranch women . . . stay out of their way or get run down.”

  He turned to Lainie with a smile and held out his hand. “We’ve been ordered to have a good time. Shall we get started?”

  Lainie found herself humming another Christmas song as they joined the others wandering the plaza. Her hand felt like it belonged in Ray’s. Walking next to him, occasionally bumping shoulders, not saying much, filled her with a warmth that could stay the coldest night. Overhead the stars faded in the warm glow of thousands of candles tucked into their small brown bags. Who could imagine that such heart-stopping beauty could result from something so simple, so homely?

  They stopped in the shadow of an old church still standing where it had been built with handmade adobe bricks two hundred years earlier. Ray dropped her hand and took her face in both his warm hands.

  “Your face is cold.”

  Lainie looked up at him. “Really? It doesn’t feel . . .”

  But Ray wasn’t listening. He bent his head and she closed her eyes as he gently drew her face to his. From the gazebo a choir sang, Gloria!

  It was nearly midnight when Ray walked Lainie to Elizabeth’s front door. The music was long over, the stores had all closed, and they had been two of the last to leave the plaza. Only as the luminarias began to burn out one by one could they admit that the evening had come to a close.

  “Want to come in for some coffee or something?”

  Ray shook his head. “Better not. Gran has ears that can pick up a gnat’s sneeze. You wait. You won’t be five steps in the house before you hear those fuzzy slippers of hers coming down the hall. She’d just send me home anyway. It’s late.”

  “It’s almost Christmas.”

  Ray looked at his watch. “Five more minutes.” He put both arms around her waist and drew her to him. “Aren’t you supposed to start Christmas Day off with a kiss?”

  “I think that’s New Year’s Day.” She smiled up at him.

  “Let’s start a new tradition.” He brushed her lips with his.

  From inside they could hear the phone ring and keep ringing.

  “Who could that be? And why isn’t Elizabeth answering it? She has a phone right by her bed.” Lainie grabbed the door handle and ran in. Ray followed.

  “Hello?”

  “Oh, you’re home. Good. I was starting to get worried.” Elizabeth didn’t sound at all perturbed.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m here at Fayette’s. Matthew’s still not home, and I didn’t want her to wait alone. I just wanted to make sure you got home all right and to tell you where I am.”

  “Shall I come over too?”

  “Oh, no, honey, you go on to bed. I’m sure Matthew will be here soon and Fayette will drive me home.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure. Goodnight, darlin’. I’ll be home soon. Don’t wait up.”

  Lainie hung up and explained the situation to Ray.

  Ray scowled. “That jerk. I wish I knew where he was. I’d boot him all the way home.”

  “Oh, come on. He’s sixteen. Doesn’t making bad decisions come with the territory?”

  “There’s more to it than making a bad decision. Either he’s the most clueless kid to ever walk on two legs or he’s being deliberately cruel to his mom.”

  “Cruel? What are you talking about? He may be clueless, but he’s not cruel and you know it.”

  Ray tried to smile, but his jaw muscles still looked tight. “Maybe you’re right. I hope so, but if he even gave a thought to his mom, he’d know what she’d be going through.” He stared at the floor a moment before looking at Lainie. “You know his dad was killed on Christmas Eve, right?”

  “No! I knew he died, but no details.”

  “Yeah, it happened up by Flagstaff when Matthew was about five. Bud Hall was a long-distance trucker, and he stopped to help a stranded motorist. On his way back to his truck, another car skidded on the ice and hit him. He was supposed to be home by Christmas morning, and Fayette waited up for him, like she’s waiting for Matthew right now.”

  Lainie’s hand flew to her mouth. “Poor Fayette. No wonder she gets so worried.”

  “Well, now you know why I’d like to wring his neck sometimes.” He jammed his hat on his head. “Call me when you hear something, will you?”

  Lainie followed him to the front door, and when he turned, a gentle smile replaced his scowl. “It was an amazing Christmas Eve, Matthew and all.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’ll be by to pick you all up at about 9:30. Merry Christmas.”

  Lainie locked the door and walked slowly back to her room, leaving a small lamp in the living room on for Elizabeth when she came in. Steven had gone to the ranch earlier in the afternoon, and even Sam the cat was nowhere to be seen. After Lainie got ready for bed, she turned out the light and leaned her elbows on the windowsill. The sky over Last Chance was nearly white with stars. She tried to imagine what it would be like to be sitting on a hill watching sheep with a sky like that and then have everything split wide open with a huge star and angels and everything. No wonder the first words out of the angel’s mouth were “Fear not.” If she’d been there, she’d have passed out cold.

  She turned back the homemade quilt and climbed into bed. Even if she’d be gone by the first of the year, tomorrow they’d have Christmas at the ranch—a big family Christmas like the ones in all the Christmas specials on television. She knew there’d be something under the tree for her. Elizabeth had all but thrown herself over a present she was wrapping when Lainie came home early one day last week, and Ray and even Fayette had acted smug and mysterious when the subject of Christmas Day came up. But even more exciting were the gifts she had for everyone else. She and Ray had gone Christmas shopping in San Ramon one Saturday afternoon on a rare day off, and her carefully chosen gifts were wrapped and tucked away in her closet to take to the ranch in the morning. She knew if she let herself think beyond tomorrow her heart would break, so she closed her eyes and let visions of a candlelit plaza lift her into quiet sleep.

  21

  Lainie gradually became aware of a shrill ringing. Slapping at the snooze button on the clock radio didn’t make it stop. The time 2:32 blurred into focus. Why was it ringing at 2:32? The phone. It was the phone. Lainie opened her bedroom door and ran to the kitchen, dimly lit by the lamp she had left on in the living room for Elizabeth.

  “Lainie? Matthew’s been in an accident. They’re taking him to San Ramon and I need you to come drive us to the hospital.”

  “An acci
dent? Is he okay?” Lainie leaned against the counter, trying to wake up enough to understand what was going on.

  “We don’t know and we don’t have time to talk. I can’t drive at night and Fayette’s not driving off in the state she’s in if I can help it, but I’m only going to be able to keep her here for about five more minutes. Get over here as fast as you can.”

  “But wait . . .”

  “Lainie! Now!” Elizabeth slammed the phone down, and Lainie stared at the receiver for only a second before she bolted down the hall to her bedroom. Wide awake now, she jammed her legs into her jeans and yanked a sweatshirt over her head. If Elizabeth, usually the voice of comforting calm, was yelling, it was time to move.

  Fayette and Elizabeth were waiting in the drive of Fayette’s mobile home, and Lainie barely brought the pickup to a stop before Fayette jumped in. Elizabeth climbed in after her.

  “Go! Go!” Fayette pushed her hands against the dashboard as if she could propel the truck by sheer will. Lainie stepped on the gas, and the truck careened out onto the road.

  “Lainie, take it easy.” Elizabeth’s voice had regained its calm. “It won’t help Matthew one bit if we’re in a wreck too. Fayette, we’re going to get you there. Ben said that Matthew’s on his way to the hospital right now. What we need to do now is pray.”

  Her gentle voice filled the cab of the truck as she prayed for Matthew, for the other boys who had been with him, for Fayette, for the doctors, even for Lainie and her driving. Gradually, Fayette’s breathing slowed, if only by a little, and she loosened her death grip on the dashboard.

  She leaned forward again as blue flashing lights appeared ahead on the dark two-lane highway and put her hand to her mouth with a low moan when they passed the mangled wreck being loaded onto a tow truck. Elizabeth continued her praying.

  Fayette nearly knocked Elizabeth out of the cab trying to get out when Lainie pulled up at the emergency entrance of the hospital, but Elizabeth managed to get out of the way in time and followed Fayette through glass doors into the emergency room. When Lainie joined them, Fayette was demanding to see Matthew, and the nurses were telling her that she’d have to wait.

  “They’re already taking him into surgery, Mrs. Hall. The faster we can get him in there, the better his chances are. Just have a seat and the doctor will come talk to you just as soon as he knows something.”

  “Come over here and sit down, Fayette.” Deputy Ben Apodaca, who had been waiting just inside, tried to lead her to a chair, but Fayette grabbed his arm.

  “Ben, what happened? Is he going to be okay?”

  The deputy took Fayette’s elbow and steered her to a quiet corner of the nearly empty waiting room. He seated her, then sat in the chair next to hers and leaned close. Elizabeth and Lainie took chairs on her other side.

  Ben took a deep breath. “I won’t lie to you, Fayette. Matthew is in pretty bad shape. But I happened by the accident just after it happened, so we got him here just as fast as we could and he’s in good hands.”

  “But what happened?” Fayette’s voice rose to a wail.

  “There was only one vehicle involved. From the tire marks, it looks like they may have been speeding and missed the curve.”

  “Who else was in the car?”

  “There were three boys. Matthew was in the backseat.”

  “And the other boys? How are they?” Elizabeth asked.

  Ben stood. He looked grim. “I can’t talk about the other boys until I’ve talked to their parents. They’re on their way, and I guess I should go out and wait for them. ” He settled his hat on his head, touched Fayette’s shoulder, and walked back out through the double doors to wait in the drive.

  Silence fell in the waiting area. The room was bathed in harsh, greenish fluorescent light, making even the Christmas tree in the corner look sad.

  Outside, a car screeched to a stop under the awning and a couple scrambled out. Ben stepped to meet them and led them into the emergency room through a side entrance. Fayette jumped to her feet.

  “Why do they get to go in and not me?” She crossed to the nurses’ station. “I want to see my son. Why won’t you let me see him?”

  The nurse came around the desk and put her arm around Fayette’s shoulder. “Mrs. Hall, Matthew is in surgery right now. I assure you he is getting absolutely the best care he can get. Meanwhile, can I get you a cup of coffee?”

  “No, I don’t want any coffee. I want to see my son!” Fayette’s voice broke, and she covered her face with her hands. Sobs shook her shoulders.

  Elizabeth got up and put her arms around Fayette, rubbing her back for a few seconds before leading her back to her chair. “Come on, honey. We might as well get comfortable because I think we have a long night ahead of us. That coffee might do you some good. Lainie, would you get a couple cups for us, please?”

  Lainie went to the cart parked by the door and drew three cups of pitch black brew. The powdered creamer she added lightened it somewhat, but not much. Fayette didn’t seem to notice when Lainie handed her a cup. She set it down without looking at it. Elizabeth took one sip and screwed up her face. “Mercy!”

  The third family showed up and was ushered into the emergency room right away. Fayette nearly came out of her chair again, but Elizabeth placed a hand on her arm.

  “Fayette, they’ve told you Matthew’s in surgery and they’ll let you know the minute they know anything. Now you sit here with me and we’ll pray for Matthew. That’s the best and only thing we can do right now.” To Lainie’s surprise, Fayette did as she was told, using a soggy tissue to dab her eyes with one hand while Elizabeth held the other.

  The eastern sky was beginning to lighten and they had still heard nothing when Elizabeth stood and stretched. “We need to call Brother Parker. I probably should have called him long ago. I just didn’t think about it. And I’ll bet Nancy Jo and Joe Jr. are up, so we should call them.” She looked around. “I wonder if there’s a pay phone somewhere.”

  Lainie jumped to her feet. She was more than ready to do something. “I’ll go. I need to call Ray too.”

  Elizabeth pulled a tattered yellow address book, held shut with a rubber band, out of her purse and handed it to Lainie. “Thanks, honey. The phone numbers are in there. And tell Nancy Jo and Joe Jr. not to wait on us. Those children have been counting the minutes till Christmas morning.”

  The squeaking of Lainie’s sneakers on the highly polished floors was the only sound in the early morning hospital corridor, though the smell of breakfast being brought on trays already wafted through the halls. She found the phone bank near the lobby. The folks at the ranch were already up, just as Elizabeth said. Lainie promised she’d stay in touch. Next she called Brother Parker, who said he’d get the prayer chain going and be right there. Then she took a deep breath and dialed Ray’s number. He answered on the first ring.

  “Well, you’re up early.” Lainie felt calmer just hearing the sound of his voice.

  “Hey there. Merry Christmas! Yeah, I’m trying to get something finished before I come pick you and Gran up. What’s the word with Matthew?”

  Lainie began to tell him of their night at the hospital. She only got a few words spoken before he was interrupting her.

  “Why didn’t you call me before?”

  “There wasn’t time before we left, then we’ve been waiting for something to be able to tell people. I guess we didn’t know what good it would do to wake everybody up.”

  “What good would it do? I could have been with you. I could have been there for Fayette and Gran. Well, I’m on my way now. Should be there within the hour.”

  Lainie hung up and leaned against the wall. Ray was on the way. Until he said he was coming, she’d had no idea how much she needed him to be there.

  The waiting room was empty when she returned. Fayette’s untouched cup of cold coffee sat on the floor under the chair where she had been sitting.

  The nurse looked up. “The doctor came in while you were gone and they’ve gone int
o the chapel to talk. They should be back pretty soon.”

  She went back to her charts, and Lainie slid into her chair and stretched her legs out in front of her. Her head fell against the narrow chair back, and she let her eyes drift shut. How long had they been waiting? It seemed only a few minutes since they had passed the wreck on the deserted road, and at the same time, she felt she had been sitting in that chair for days.

  “Did you get in touch with the folks?” Elizabeth touched her arm.

  Lainie didn’t think she had dozed off, but she didn’t remember Fayette and Elizabeth coming back in, and yet they were sitting in the chairs next to her. She straightened up in her chair and shook her head to clear it.

  “Yeah, Ray and Brother Parker are on their way. How’s Matthew?”

  Fayette ignored her question and got up and paced the room, stopping to gaze out the glass doors. Elizabeth shook her head. Her voice was so low that Lainie had to lean close to hear her. “Not good. They’re going to fly him up to Albuquerque as soon as they get him stabilized.”

  Lainie looked at Fayette, standing and staring out the doors as the first rays of Christmas morning topped the hills and found their way across the polished floors of the waiting room. “So she still hasn’t seen him?

  Elizabeth shook her head. “Not yet.”

  Brother Parker was the first to get to the hospital. He drove one of the few sedans in Last Chance, and when Lainie saw it pull into the parking lot and the tall, lanky frame of the pastor slowly emerge and amble toward the doors, she felt a knot between her shoulders loosen. His lined face was a picture of warm concern, and he took Fayette’s hand in both of his.

  “How’s our boy?”

  Fayette opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. She shook her head as her face contorted in pain and sobs shook her frame. Brother Parker put his arm lightly across her shoulders, bent his head to gaze into her face, and waited. Finally, Fayette took a deep, shuddering breath and tried again, and again she collapsed in tears. Elizabeth got up to join them. Lainie could see the pastor nodding slightly as Elizabeth talked, but her voice was too low to hear everything she said.