CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Violet wasn’t too surprised to find the café dark and empty when she came down the stairs the following morning. She hoped Howard slept in and was taking it easy today. She hummed while she made the first pot of coffee and turned on the stove. The stars shining through the front windows indicated a clear, sunny day ahead. Of course with clearing skies always came plunging temperatures. She peered at the thermometer outside the door window in the dim light—negative fifteen—yep, it was going to be a cold one. She went back into the kitchen to start the biscuits and decided on some good old fashioned chicken soup for her lunch special. People liked comfort food on really cold days and whatever she had leftover, she’d run out to Howard. Nothing better for a cold than chicken soup.
All through the breakfast rush, Violet anxiously looked up each time the front door opened, thinking it would be Howard, but he didn’t appear. The lunch crowd came and went, too, and still no Howard. Before sitting down for her afternoon break, Violet pulled on her fleece jacket and stepped outside. The daylight brought little warmth to the winter air. Her thermometer read minus five. She looked over at the future bookstore. Nope, it didn’t appear that anyone had been there today, no fresh footprints in the snow, nor did it appear that Howard had been to the garage. A trickle of fear crept up in side of her. Was Howard okay? She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. Maybe she should drive out to his cabin and see for herself. She tried to distract herself with the day’s receipts, but the pit in her stomach refused to go away. Something felt wrong. Was she being silly? She hadn’t seen Howard all day. Had she become so dependent on him that she worried this way after only a few hours? Still…if he didn’t materialize after the dinner hour, she’d take some chicken soup out to him. She thought about calling Melanie, but dismissed the idea. She didn’t want the younger woman to think she was too nosy. Surely he was fine.
The last of her customers left the café, and Violet glanced at the clock—only seven p.m. She might as well shut things down, no one else was likely coming out in this bitter cold. The kitchen phone rang, and she rushed to answer it.
“Violets.”
“Violet, it’s Melanie. I hate to bother you, but I’m worried about my dad.”
“What’s going on? Is he still coughing?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know. His truck’s in front of his cabin, but I haven’t seen him all day. I went over and knocked about noon, but got no answer so I figured he might be asleep and I’d just let him rest. Then I sent Sophie over a little while ago to see if he wanted some dinner, and she got no answer either. There are no lights on.”
Violet’s throat constricted as the fear she’d tried to suppress seeped back up inside her. She tried to sound calm. “Did you try to open the door?”
“Yep. Locked. I didn’t know what to do next, so I called you. After all, I don’t really know him that well. Maybe he just wants to be left alone.”
“Tell you what—I’m about to close up here. I’ll drive out, and we’ll see if we can rouse him together.”
“Thanks, Violet. It’s probably nothing. I didn’t know who else to call.”
“You can call me anytime, honey. I’ll be there soon.” Violet hung up. The feeling of dread becoming so all-consuming that her hands shook. Her mind flashed back eight years to that awful day on which she had found Stan slumped over in the kitchen. She dialed 911, but it was already too late. The heart attack took his life in the ambulance before they even got him to the clinic. She grabbed her coat and keys and rushed out the door—the cleanup could wait. Despite the cold, she broke out in sweat. She wasn’t going to lose another man she loved. The thought hit her like a ton of bricks—she loved Howard Crandall. How had this happened?
***
Violet grabbed the wheel tightly in her gloved hands and gunned the engine as she headed down to the creek. To heck with the ice, she needed to get to Howard. The vehicle slid sideways as she took the turn into the cabins and skidded to a stop outside Melanie’s residence. Her heart pounded in her chest, like a thoroughbred racing to the finish line. Not again. She couldn’t endure it if she was too late to help another man she loved. Her mind filled with a million thoughts—none of them good ones. She jumped out of her vehicle. Melanie opened the door before she even knocked.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” Melanie hugged her as she walked through the door. “What should we do?”
Despite her own fears, Violet spoke in an even voice, wanting to calm down the younger woman. No need to panic Melanie or Sophie, who both looked pale as Halloween ghosts. “He’s probably just sleeping, but let’s go over and knock again. If we get no answer, then maybe we figure out a way to get inside. Don’t you have a key?”
“No. I never thought there was a need for one. Dad’s a private person. I didn’t want to intrude on his space.”
Violet grabbed their hands in hers and they trudged through the deep snow to the other cabin. She rapped repeatedly on the rough wooden door. “Howard, it’s Violet. You in there?” Silence…“Let’s try the windows.”
Violet led the way, the ground illuminated by the industrial flashlight she always kept in her vehicle. The drifts of snow made walking to the side of the cabin difficult. Rounding the corner, she saw two windows, covered in frost. Wiping the crystals on the first one aside with her gloved hand, she peered inside the small living room. All dark—no sign of life.
“Let’s see if we can pry one of these windows open.” Violet motioned for the other two to grab the window edge beside her. All three pushed—nothing. “Okay, let’s try the other one.” Keep calm, don’t panic.
Grabbing ahold as best she could to the ice-covered sill, she counted to three, and they all pushed at once. The worn wooden window frame creaked.
“Again, harder.”
This time the frame lifted, opening a gap a couple inches deep. Violet let out a sigh of relief. “Keep pushing.”
Gradually the window squeaked open several more inches and stopped. Violet turned to Sophie. “If we lift you, do you think you can slip through the opening and go open the door for your mom and me?”
“I’ll try,” the teenager said with tears in her eyes. Violet locked her hands with Melanie and grabbing Sophie’s foot, lifted her up. Sophie stuck her head through the opening and slowly wiggled the rest of her slender body inside. Violet pulled Melanie back to the front door, arriving just as Sophie flung it open.
“Dad?” Melanie called out hesitantly.
A faint cough rose from the bedroom in the back. He’s alive. No time for shyness, she headed toward the closed door. Switching on the bedroom light, she gasped. Howard’s form lay under a mass of comforters and blankets. He coughed again.
Tears of relief spilled out of her eyes and ran down her face as she hurried to the bed and laid her hand gently on his forehead. “Howard? You’re burning up.” Violet sat gently down beside him on the bed. “Can you hear me?”
Howard’s glazed eyes looked up at Violet, as if he was seeing an angel. “Violet? What are you doing here?”
“Melanie called. She was worried—you didn’t answer your door.”
Howard closed his eyes, overcome by another fit of coughing.
Violet stood up and motioned for Melanie to follow her back out into the living room. “You should call 911. Your father appears to have a high fever. We need to get him some help—NOW. Sophie can go in the kitchen and get him a glass of water? See if you find any Tylenol or Advil”
She walked back into the bedroom and sat down beside him again. He lifted his head, and she slid over and laid it gently in her lap, softly pushing strands of hair back off of his fiery forehead. She heard Melanie in the other room giving directions to the 911 operator, and Sophie rummaging around in the kitchen. She leaned over and briefly touched her lips to his cheek. She looked upward and said a silent prayer. “Please God, don’t let me lose another man who I love. Tears began to once again stream down her face.
“The ambu
lance is on its way.” Melanie looked scared. “Violet, are you okay?”
Violet wiped at her tears, “I’m fine, it’s just…”
Sophie emerged with a glass of water and bottle of Tylenol. “Sweetheart, will you hand me the glass and a couple pills. Howard, you need to lift up and swallow these.”
Howard shifted and Violet put the pills on his tongue and helped him take a drink of the water, then she laid his head back on her lap. “Rest. Help’s on the way.”
Nothing to do but wait now. It was okay, he was breathing and not unconscious. This was different. He wasn’t going to die. Still, where was that ambulance? She knew it might take a while on the icy roads. She laid her cold hand on his burning neck and willed herself to take deep breaths and try to calm down.
Melanie and Sophie joined her on the edge of the large bed and hugged each other. They looked as scare das she felt.
The next few minutes ticked away in silence, seeming like hours. The faint blast of a siren grew louder and flashing red lights streamed through the windows. Sophie rushed to open the door, and Jake and his partner rushed through.
“What seems to be the problem?” Jake said in a calm, professional voice.
“It’s Howard. Melanie couldn’t get him to respond to her knocking all day so she got worried and called me.” Violet said. “When we got in, we found him here in bed. He seems to have a high fever, and he’s coughing a lot. We weren’t sure what was the best way to help him.”
“You did the right thing by calling us. We’ll just take a look and see what’s going on.”
Jake approached the bed as Violet moved aside. “Howard? It’s Jake. Can you hear me?
Howard looked up with pain-filled eyes, “Jake?”
“Yeah buddy. We’re going to check you out—make sure everything’s okay.”
Jake took Howards’ pulse and grabbed his stethoscope and thermometer. “You’ve got quite the fever going on, 104.” After listening to his lungs, he turned to the women. “His lungs sound pretty congested. We’ll transport him in the ambulance to the clinic and let Dr. Johnson look him over just to be safe. Do you know if he’s taken any medications?”
Violet spoke up, “I gave him a couple of Tylenol when we got here.”
Jake turned back to Howard, “Are you on any other medications?”
Howard shook his head. “I’m fine,” he croaked.
“Let’s let Dr. Johnson decide that. We don’t want these lovely ladies awake all night worrying about you, now do we?” Jake winked, having a calming effect on everyone.
Violet watched as they expertly moved Howard onto the gurney and loaded him into the ambulance.
Jake turned back to the women. “We can give you a call and let you know how he’s doing, or you be meet us at the clinic.”
“We’ll be right behind you,” Melanie said.
Violet watched the taillights of the ambulance disappear back up the road and her motherly instincts kicked back in. “Melanie, why don’t you two go back over to your cabin and put on some warm clothes. Maybe grab a book or something to read—we may wait awhile, and then I’ll drive us all to the clinic.”
“Thanks, Violet.” Melanie once again hugged her. “Sophie and I can drive ourselves there if you want to head home. We don’t want to impose.”
“It’s no imposition. I want to be there. Howard’s my best friend.”
More than a friend, but this wasn’t the time to bring it up. Please, please, please God, let him be okay.
***
Melanie shifted again in the hard plastic chair in the cramped waiting room. She glanced over at Violet, who was concentrating on each stitch she made with her crochet hook. Although her friend regained her composure, Melanie had seen the fear in Violet’s eyes as she sat on the bed with her dad’s head in her lap. Yep, fear and something else—she looked at him with love in her eyes. Now wasn’t the time or place, but when life returned to normal, she intended to get to the bottom of the relationship between her dad and Violet.
“Why’s it taking so long?” Sophie said, getting up to pace around the room.
“I’m sure the doctor wants to check everything to make sure your grandpa’s fine.”
As if on cue, the doors to the exam rooms swung open and Dr. Johnson appeared, clipboard in hand. He turned to her with a frown creased on his forehead.
“Your dad’s lungs are very congested, probably pneumonia. I’ve given him something for the cough and he’s resting, but I’m concerned about the amount of the congestion and the high fever. We really aren’t equipped to treat serious issues here at this small clinic. I’ve put in a call to the Flight for Life helicopter. We need to get him transported over to the High County Hospital where he’ll get the care he needs.”
“How far is the hospital from here?” she asked.
“Not far by air, but it’s about an hour and a half drive—in good driving conditions, and it’s pretty foggy and slick out there tonight. I suggest you all go home and get a good night’s rest and visit him in the morning.”
Melanie wanted to protest. This was her dad, and she just found him. She should be with him. He saved Sophie, and now he needed her. But, there was her daughter to think about. Tomorrow being a school day, she needed her rest. Besides, Melanie didn’t want to put their lives in danger by asking Violet to drive on slick mountain roads in the dark. Violet got up very early to open the café, so she should probably let her get home, too. No. It only made sense for them to return to Peakview. She’d find someone to look out for Sophie after school tomorrow, and she’d head to the hospital as soon as it got light in the morning.
“Okay.” She acquiesced. “Can we see him for a few minutes?”
“He’s probably asleep, but maybe just you can go in for a minute.”
Melanie glanced over at Sophie and saw tears forming in her daughter’s sweet eyes. “Sophie’s his granddaughter. She needs to come, too.”
“Okay, but keep it short.”
Dr. Johnson looked over at Violet.
“It’s fine. They should go, after all they’re family. I’ll just wait right here.” Violet gave them a weak smile and looked down at her yarn.
Her dad didn’t stir when they entered the room. She touched his arm and planted a light kiss on his forehead. “Get better Dad. I love you.” She turned to Sophie and took her hand to quietly leave.
Back in the waiting room, Violet looked up at her with tears in her eyes.
“He’s sleeping, so we didn’t want to disturb him. Is something wrong?” She asked as they walked to the parking lot.
“No. I’m fine. Stan, my husband, died on the way to this very clinic. Tonight brought all that back for me. I’m sorry. I’m sure your dad will be as good as new soon. Howard’s the toughest man I know.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
She dropped Melanie and Sophie off at their cabin, drove back the café. After cleaning up what she had left out in her rush, she trudged up the stairs to her apartment, and fell exhausted into her bed, but as tired as she was, sleep wouldn’t come. She rolled over and glanced at her alarm clock again—two a.m. Why couldn’t she fall asleep? Sensing that she was awake, Lucky stretched and moved closer to her side, purring loudly. Violet reached over to gently pet her friend’s head. “I love you, Lucky,” she said.
Thoughts about the night swirled through her mind like a swarm of bees. First, she’d realized that she was falling in love with Howard Crandall, followed by the chilling fear that she might lose him too. And to top it off, all of those suppressed feelings from the night of Stan’s death resurfaced. And then there were Melanie and Sophie. They were his family. She was an outsider. Where did she fit into his life? It seemed every time they started to get closer, something happened to pull them apart. Was it a sign that she was meant to be alone? After all, she enjoyed a great love with Stan. Maybe everyone only deserved one true love in their lifetime, and hers was over.
Another part of her wished she’d driven to the hospital inste
ad of coming home. A lot of good coming home did for her, she wasn’t getting any sleep. Howard wasn’t out of the woods yet. After all, neither of them were spring chickens. She needed to be close to him and right now he felt so far way. She gazed out her window into the star-filled sky and made a wish on the brightest one.
On the way home, Melanie had come up with a plan. Melanie would get Sophie off to school and then come pick up Violet so that they could drive to the hospital together. She’d assured Melanie that she could close the café for the day. “Everyone in this town loves Howard. They’ll understand.”
Violet rolled over again, trying desperately to turn off her brain that kept working overtime. Now wasn’t the time to worry about her possible romantic relationship. There’d be plenty of time for that once Howard was back home and healthy again. At four a.m. she gave up all attempts at slumber and made her way downstairs in the dark to make a pot of coffee. While it brewed, she hand wrote a sign for the door. “Howard Crandall is in the High County Hospital with possible pneumonia. Closed for the day. Prayers welcome.” After taping it next to the closed sign, she went back upstairs and sat in her rocking chair with Lucky in her lap and stared out the window until the first rays of orange and pink light began to appear in the eastern sky.
***
Violet showered and put on clean clothes—refreshed as much as possible with so little sleep. As promised, Melanie drove up to the café bright and early .Violet bundled up against the cold and joined the younger woman in her vehicle.
“Morning, Violet. Thanks again for coming with me. Though I’m sure that I could find the hospital myself now that its daylight, it’s always good to have someone to talk to.”
“I’m glad to go, honey. Besides I want to see for myself how my old friend’s doing. Did you get any sleep?”
Breakfast for Two (Peakview series Book 2) Page 10
