CHAPTER FOURTEEN LAUGHTER MAKES GOOD MEDACINE
On Monday the first tours arrived, and again life took on an increased pace. The long summer days, grew even longer. Up before sunrise, Emma often didn't get to see the cottage again until well after dark. Sundays became their only resemblance of life, and they took every advantage of those they could. Picnic's, fishing, horseback riding, all reams of an active outdoor life was covered.
As June passed into July, the mountains grew greener, fresh fruit from the orchards, started to appear, daily on the tables. Cherries of the black beauties type, apricot's, and early plums, all found their way in as well as the berries from the hills about the house. Strawberries, Blueberries, and raspberries made for a special breakfast every day of the week.
Flowers filled every vacant space, some planted and others wild, but all beautiful in the eye of the visitors. The fastest growing flowers, she found to be her own children, Jason may have bought the first computer, but by the fourth of July, the kids had turned one of the cottages into a small wonderland of electronic devices.
She found it amazing, how much a child would actually be willing to learn if given the right devices. Kit had re-run the satellite cable connecting a transceiver, in addition to the receiver they owned. Soon he was talking to people all over the world, via the eye in the sky, as he called it. After the fireworks display on the fourth, Jimmy and Kit interfaced, all the computers located in different houses with the big house. Then they went about setting up several more computers in one of the cottages in the village. Crystal contacted the satellite company and signed the place up for internet and classes taught via the internet, everything from electronics to cooking classes. The little place became their hangout when they weren't working. Anytime of the day, she could stop by and find someone learning to work a computer, including the adults.
Unexpectedly one afternoon late in July, Jason asked if his father was ever going to move back with them. She sat cooling her feet in the brisk water of the lake, as the hot southern sun beat down upon her face. She was at a loss for words. She hadn't even spoken to Mike in over a week, how was she supposed to tell her son that his father was living in a fantasy world. Mike still believed they were going to move back to Salt Lake with him. She couldn't just tell Jason, NEVER. She held out hope, all be it small, but there was hope in her heart that he may someday come to his senses and appear at the door. Jason seemed to understand when she couldn’t answer, because the tears choked back the words.
Whatever it was, that made Mike stay in Salt Lake was probably the same thing that made it impossible for her to return. She didn't have a name for it, nothing quite seemed to fit, but like the old nightgown she owned, she just seemed to belong there. It looked terrible, with small hole appearing every time she wore it, but when she was feeling blue, she could put it on and the world seemed right.
The longer he held out, the less important she felt she was in his life. By mid-August she’d even began to doubt that if he changed his mind, they would still have a life together. The last time she spoke to him, he’d gone so far as to suggest that when her Brothers took the land she would finally be coming home. She’d choked back the tears for days replaying his words repeatedly in head but the day she received the property deed with her G.G. Grandmothers name all over it, she stopped worrying and started fighting.
It was the only time all summer, something strange had happen to her. She’d gotten the idea, while talking with Jim and Alex up at the green house. Hurrying back to the house she’d gone straight to the phone and found the number for the land office. If indeed the land had been secured by her Great-Great Grandmothers estate, then perhaps it may have been noted on the deed of how it was to be divided. The day the letter arrived, she was stunned to find more than a simple notation about how the land was secured. Attached was a copy of a letter to her Great Grand Grandmother. While she understood little of the written old English, it was clear that the letter was from her parents, and went so far as to point out the tradition by which she’d inherited the items included with the money. Included were all the names of the past recipients of the estate, clear back to the wife of an Earl of York in 1490.
The wide range of nationalities made her realize just how accurate her Grandmother was, when she would call her a Heinz 57, meaning a little bit of all. For a brief moment while pondering the strange letters beneath the Earl's name, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. A minute later she realized she wasn’t alone, before her stood a woman.
If it hadn't been for the dream, she may have been left wondering who she was, or from what time, but she knew instantly that the lovely sweet faced woman standing before her, was her Great-Great Grandmothers, Emme. She wore what Emma would’ve called a Mormon dress. It was coal black adding contrast to her gray hair and soft blue eyes, which looked as if she'd been crying for days. Her nose was as red as Rudolph’s was. She was busy placing small items in the large globe from the living room. Carefully she placed a small gray bag, several papers, and a picture of herself, along with some other trinkets in the small opening in the base of the globe, and she then wrapped the entire object with a white cloth and placed it in a red and white hatbox.
Outside the room somewhere, Emma could hear a loud discussion, taking place. A man’s deep voice thrashed someone’s morals, accusing her of all kinds of acts. The girl’s voice shuttered as she attempted to fight back, claiming that she’d done nothing wrong – that he’d hurt her – that it was never her idea. It was evident from the conversation, that the girl was pregnant.
The elderly woman, pressed down the lid on the box, making sure it was down tightly. The discussion in the hall turned violent. Suddenly a loud slap made her cringe. She wished she could help the girl, but she’d already experienced enough of these experiences, to know that the only thing she was there for was to observe. Her heart no longer even raced, as it had the other times, she was able to keep track of everything that was occurring. The sights, the sounds, even the strong sent of rose's that filled the air, but this rose smell was coming from the cut flowers, that adorned the room. The scene, faded as quickly as it had appeared, the moment the phone rang and as usual, she was left to figuring out what it meant, by herself.
Mike was returning her call, since he’d been asleep, when Emma had tried calling him earlier in the day, to tell him of Shelly's declaration. He wasn't pleased to hear, that another of his children, had chosen not to return to Salt Lake for school.
"She can't do this!" His voice hoarse from the sleep was clearly angry “She can't stay there, she has to come home."
"She considers this home, too." Emma had shot back. "Like the rest of the kids."
"IT's not and never will be, as long as I'm alive to stop you from putting them through that hell." The words didn't make any sense to her, as he went on. "So help me God, I'll stop you, from doing this."
“Doing what? What is it that I'm doing that's so bad? You just feel guilty, and rightfully so, you should be here, with us–″ she paused for a breath, and then finished him off. "They're not coming back – none of them. And if you know what's good for you, you had better get your ass, down here before you lose us all."
It wasn't as if she hung up, but he probably thought so, when the phone went dead. She didn't know what to think either, for there she sat with the cord in her hand, dangling freely from the phone base. Sure she’d been pulling the cord, as usual when she spoke to him, but not hard enough to pull it completely lose from the phone, how it happen she hadn't the slightest idea, but when she tried to redial him, the number was busy.
Indicating he’d taken the phone off the hook, she was so mad; it was probably better that way. If she'd gotten a hold of him again, she would’ve asked for the divorce, she'd been considering.
Outside a steady rain had started. Much like her mood, it drizzled all evening. Nearing dark, the thunder and lightning started up. First at a distance, its dancing light could be seen across the valley, then grow closer and closer; like the big band in the homecoming parade. Soon even the china in the glass hutch was dancing under its thundering crashes. By eight she and Beth were standing in the kitchen surrounded by concerned faces, Crystal's fear was more than prevalent; it seemed everyone feared what was rolling their way.
Beth had hurried a batch of cookies, with a touch of milk for the kids. Just then Jim, streaked through the back door, drenched from head to toe; even his boots swished as he walked, and the brim of his hat laid flattened to the sides of his head. Reaching for the wall phone, he slipped and crashed into the counter. Mumbling a few words, he finally grabbed the receiver, only to slam it down again with a few more choice words. Another crack of thunder rattled Emma to voice her worst fears. Fire dangers had been running extremely high. Jumping down she asked, “What do we need to do first?”
"Nothing–" He replied wiping his face with the towel Beth had supplied. She ran through all the roads leading out of the valley, in her head. All roads ran to the main one, if that were blocked, they would have to— "It's Rosie, she's in labor." He finished his statement. She dropped her arms, limp to her side and felt the blood rush back into her face.
"Labor, I thought the place was on fire."
"Don’t jump the gun. The phones are down; we don't need something else going wrong, so just pray – Hard."
"What can we do?" Beth was thinking faster than she was.
"There's nothing you can do, or I for that matter, I sure wish Dad was here, he'd know what to do." He stopped wiping his head, long enough to take the cup from Emma's hand. Gulping down the hot liquid, he allowed some to ooze from the corner of his mouth, then replaced the cup immediately and wiped his face again. "Stay put girls. It’s bound to be a long night." With those words, he was back out, into the fierce night soon disappearing out of sight. Leaving the door banging back and forth, until Emma extended her arm and drew it shut.
By morning, Emma felt those words should’ve been written in stone, long night was an understatement. First the phones went, the satellite followed. Luck was with them in keeping the lights on, so the phone system between the homes never faltered either, giving her the ability to stay in touch with the other houses.
Guests had to be re-assured until long after midnight. Jimmy and Shelly reported the same occurring at the Lytle-White house. Alex was at the village with the rest of the children, who weren't excited about the storm. Kit, at the Plantation house ran out of extra blankets and Rob up at the lodge thought his arms were going to fall off, because of the firewood he'd carried.
Emma felt lucky that she knew where everyone was, until it came to sharing the last quilt with the two youngest on the wooden floor of the office. Then it would’ve been easier to have them in their own beds, at the cottage. She gave up trying to do the audit sometime around two Am and joined the children with a rolled up towel for a pillow. By four thirty, when her wristwatch alarm went off, all she wanted to do was smash it. Turning over to pull some quilt back over herself, she suddenly realized if she left right then, she could make it up to the village, take a shower, and be back before the others missed her. Quietly she rose and headed for the car.
The drive was refreshing, even in the dark. She stayed to the main road, although it was longer, because of the damage she witnessed while approaching the dirt cut off. The wind had torn tree limbs loose and deposited them wherever it wished. A large branch had fallen across the back of her car, so she taken Kit's small truck instead. Besides the stream would be running fast, leaving the possibility that the road could’ve been wished out, and truck would’ve given her the extra power she might need.
As she followed the back road into the Village, she noticed, that the lake looked like a puddle of mud and that the falls were oozing, a chocolate colored substance, but she felt assured that it would be back to normal in a day or two. She’d seen the same thing happen several times before, and every time she thought the lake was a total loss, it bounced back and this was going to be no different.
After a quick shower and some fresh clothes, Emma headed back to the Big House. Approaching the drive, she remembered Jim was with Rosie. She had to know that everything had turned out okay, so instead of walking directly into the house she headed for the stables, only a few hundred feet up the road.
Light was starting to crest over the rain-drenched mountains. The sky had turned its array, of blue and violet it always did after a storm, with small melting spots of orange and yellow flooding over it. Tiny droplets of water clung to everything. When she brushed past a bush, she got a face washing.
About halfway there she caught sight of the new foal, it's black as night coat glistened in the morning light. From his stocking less legs, to his slicked down mane and back to his streaming black tail, not a sight of white was visible.
Jim rested against the fence; she’d helped erect before the opening. His hat drooped, low about his neck and was pushed high on his forehead. She was still too far away to see his eyes, but was sure they didn't look much better. The sleeves on the red and blue checked western shirt he wore, were rolled up to his elbows and his jeans, were covered in mud and blood.
She quickened her pace to jump the extra wide irrigation ditch that ran along the right side of the road. It was swollen to over flowing, by the extra rain. She’d carefully chosen a spot that wasn't as wide as the rest. Landing upright, her feet quickly slide backwards down the slanting side and into the water. Pulling herself back to a standing position, she flipped the extra water from the toe.
Jim caught the splash, and turned to see her just as she righted her and waved a hello. Then he reached out and stroked the little foal’s forehead. "Meet Lightening." He called to her as she started towards him. Just as she kicked her foot up to climb on the second rail, the foal bolted and flipped his head towards her. Down its nose ran a jagged, white line. Indicating where he’d gotten his name.
Her right foot slipped, leaving all of her weight to land on the left, she’d already thrown her arm over the top rail, for a chance to touch him before he pulled away. The left foot failed her too, passing clean through the two wooden poles. Abruptly she landed on her chest, just below the breasts, forcing the air to be pushed from her lungs. She grabbed for the rail, with both hands but the backwards movement tilted her fall and she plummeted backwards to the moistened ground. Only one leg cleared the wooden poles, the other was hung up, and she felt a sharp snap shoot up the calf, before the lights went out.
She was in the van, traveling at a high rate of speed, when she came to. Kit held tightly to her hand, and she could hear Jim talking in the front seat. Her chest felt like a boulder had been dropped on it, crushing the life from her lungs. She tried to turn her head but found that hurt as well. Breathing was difficult, talking impossible, so she squeezed Kit's hand; he turned to look down at her. "Don't try to move, you’re hurt." His voice was strained, and if she wasn't mistaken, he’d been crying. She rolled her head to the side, a bit further and looked up at the droopy hat that flapped in the wind, rushing through the open window.
Kit said something but she wasn't really listening, she was wondering if she’d been hurt why she was in the van? Someone had removed the first bench, leaving a wide space. Again, Kit said something, but she still didn't hear him. Jim's hand reached back from the front seat and Kit slide her hand into his. As comforting as Kit's hand had been, she somehow felt better knowing Jim was there. "Close your eyes Mom, we’ll be there in just a minute." She did as she was instructed. When she opened them, again she was being pulled from the van and placed on a long bed. The pain was beyond her control and she knew the scream that forged from her lips, was inappropriate, but couldn’t control it.
Then the pain was gone, before her lay the lake, beautiful and rainbow colored, in her hand she held tight to something. The hot rough sand, burnt the bottom of her naked feet, quickly she headed for the shade of a large rock that sat on the edge of the water. A cool breeze blew her hair about her face, whipping it into her mouth, and then Mike stepped forward and removed it. He was dressed all in white, Jim stood only a few feet away, clad in white too.
The trees bowed in the increasingly strong wind, the smell of wild flowers filled her nostrils, and the sun beat down upon her face, warming her cheeks. Looking down she discovered she was floating, above the ground. Not touching the hot sand any longer, she raced to the water, and splashed the cool water about her face. Her lashes stuck shut, with the heavy moisture and Jim wiped them free with a single stroke of his hand. The warmth of the sun grew warmer, and brighter, until she could hardly open her eyes at all. Then a brilliant, rainbow shot forth, from the lake. Twirling high above her head, weaving it’s self into a giant braid.
The water started to churn, at her feet, and bubbles rose to the surface, bursting into bright colored lights above the water. Jim stood on one side of her and Mike the other, each took hold of her upper arms and together they rose, up, up, up. Until they were, quite some distance above the shore. Looking down Emma could see all of her children and family below her. Then she gently opened her hand and displayed the stone she’d hidden with-in. A great explosion erupted from beneath her and they were thrown, even higher into the air. In the commotion, she wavered and the stone fell from her hands, swiftly she grabbed for it. Throwing herself forward suddenly her eyes popped open, to found she was nearly sitting straight up in bed. The pain was crushing against her chest, as Doctor Todd pressed her back to the bed. "Lay still Emma." He commanded, lifting her gown. "Do you know where you are?" He asked looking down at her. She struggled to speak, but finally nodded her head yes.
“Good," he spoke softly, while moving his hand to her other side. "You fell. The guy's just brought you in. Can you tell me where it hurts?" She moistened her lips and tried to speak, but still the pain was beyond her control. Therefore, she lifted her hand and gently touched a point just below her chest. Then she moved on to the back of her head. Her leg also hurt, but she couldn’t reach it. "Plus your leg, right?" he asked, she nodded "Well, that's about what I’d already decided, it looks like you've broken a couple rib's Girl."
She flashed him a look of disappointment and he recognized it immediately. With a small chuckle he replied, "Ok, I won't call you that, but –" he turned to see if there was any one listening. "You got to promise not to call me Kid, around here." Her smile, confirmed the agreement. “Your eyes do twinkle, when you smile." He added before pulling the curtain back to call the nurse and to order x-rays. Where he’d heard that, she thought, only to come up with one person, Jim. Quickly she grabbed for his white coat, Todd stepped closer immediately, so she didn't have to speak very loud. With a horse tone, she asked, "Where's he?" His developing smile, said he understood even though she’d left out some of the more important words.
"He's just outside with Kit, I want to have a couple picture of your chest, then—" Her sad eyes alerted him, she wasn't pleased. "Okay." He sighed with a deep breath "He's about to go crazy too. I guess I might as well let him in." The kid might not have looked much older than Kit but he understood the smile that replaced her sad eyes. A minute later Jim and Kit were escorted to her bedside. Kit rushed to her side and drew her hand up into his. "Mom, are you alright?" erupted from his quivering lips. She nodded and then turned to look up at Jim. "You gave us a hell of a scare, Girl." Why it never bothered her coming from his mouth, she didn't know, but she didn't even give him a dirty look this time.
A nurse had entered just behind them, and was now preparing her to be moved to the x-ray department. She did manage to tell Kit, NOT to call his father, before being pulled from the room. Only to watch his disappointed eyes fade from sight.
As the white walls of the hall passed rapidly by her, she thought about the dream. It probably had something to do with, knowing she was in the hospital, and all the white clothing. The scene at the lake she knew had been conjured up, by her fear of the muddy thing she’d seen earlier that morning. Mike on one side and Jim the other signified, the pull her heart was going through, and the fight she’d had with Mike the day before, but why she was clutching the stone in her hand, left her wondering.
She was able to control the pain, as long as she was well advised to the movement she’d have to undergo, before it actually took place. When they returned her to the emergency room, they pushed her into a small, but private room set off to the side of the rest. Kit was awaiting her arrival, a minute later Jim joined them escorted by Todd.
"Well Emma," he spoke softly, heading for a lighted board. "It looks like you broke more than one of those ribs."
"Does that mean, if I'd only broke one, the pain would be half as bad?" she struggled to ask.
"No trying to be funny." Todd replied, with a half-witted chuckle. "Are you about ready for some pain med?"
"Oh shit, Todd. Why haven't you given her something for it already?" Jim shouted jumping to her side.
"Sit down old man," Todd shouts back "Give me chance and I'll tell you." Todd rested his hand on Jim's shoulder to calm him. Kit's face showed his amazement in someone calling this giant of a man, old. "I wasn't about to go shooting something in to those pretty arms of her, before I knew what I was working with." He was addressing her more than he was addressing the others. "But now that I know what I'm working with," he turned to look back at Jim, "I'll give her something by mouth." The experience of the voices loomed before her, he’d learned his lesson, and he wouldn't go around shooting her up, anymore.
"That is unless you've been hearing voices?" He paused and looked at her. She really wished he hadn't mentioned it, for Kit jumped in at that point. "What voices?" his face looked more scared then confused.
"It's a personal joke," Jim came to her rescue.
"He doesn't like her calling him Kid, so he teases her about hearing voices when she does." She knew he was pulling Kit's leg, but no one there said a thing about it. Quickly Todd shifted gears, returning to the problem at hand explaining that she’d broken two ribs and bruised three more. Actually, he said she'd moved the other three, and that at some time in the future, they would actually brake or straighten themselves. He also concluded that she’d broken her leg; of which she had no doubt, and separated her shoulder.
"All I did was fall." She couldn't contain her amazement any longer, "How did I do all that, by landing on my butt?" She looked to Jim.
"You hit that fence pretty damned hard Girl, before landing on your BUTT." He responded with a smile.
"Look, you guy's keep side tracking Todd." Kit spoke up out of patients, with the pair. "Why don't you just, let him finish?"
"Kit it is Okay." She fought with the words, because she’d moved to fast to control the pain. "You know you have to take the bad, with a healthy helping a laugher, or it seems worse."
"So that's how you’re doing it," Todd exclaimed, "You should teach classes." She throws him a puzzled look. "Well most people would’ve been bagging for pain killers, before now. So either you’re super-woman or you've managed to master pain."
"Believe me, I've never mastered pain." She was remembering the pain she’d gone through with Jason's birth.
"She's a superwoman." Kit exclaimed, "At least she thinks so and indestructible too." He added in a sarcastic tone. She was getting tired of listening to his put downs, “What is it Kit?" she asked directly. "Have I stepped on your toes?"
"You don't have a right, not telling Dad you’re here." He snapped, stepping to the single window in the room. "You know he has a right to know."
"Kit,"
"He's right," Jim agreed with him.
"You don't know–" she turned to look at Jim "He'll only tell me how stupid I was for climbing on the silly fence in the first place. Nothing's an accident at least not where I'm concerned, He'll think I planned it just to get him down here." Now the pain had been allowed through her shield, she’d let down her guard. Gripping the side of the bed, she looked to Todd for help.
"It's on its way in." He remarked, flipping his head towards Kit, while looking at Jim. "How about you boys waiting outside for a minute, I need to see to casting her leg."
"Why can't we stay?" Kit snapped, looking back to her.
She would’ve answered but the pain was squeezing the breath from her. Her face had turned a pasty white. Even the rose color had drained from her lips, giving them a blue color. "My God, her lips are blue." He exclaimed rushing back to her side. Jim captured him before he could touch her, and Todd pushed the oxygen mask to her face, while exclaiming, "She lost her concentration point. Give her a minute to regain it." With his free hand, he waved them from the room.
Once they were gone, she did concentrate on her breathing, but she just kept worrying about Kit calling Mike, so she wasn't able to rebuild the wall. Squinting, she even tried to block out what Todd was saying, but when he asked if she wanted someone, she responded “Jim.”
When Jim pulled her fingers lose from the bed cloth and wrapped them around his hand, she felt the release of the tension almost immediately. When he said that Kit hadn't and wouldn't call Mike, she was even more relieved. With the weight of that lifted from her mind, she was able to gain control of the pain within a few minutes.
"Damn, I've never seen anything like it." Todd exclaimed watching her pulse lower to a controlled state. "This woman has the most unique way of controlling pain I think I've ever seen." Jim didn't say a word; he simple stroked her hand as if it were a sick kitten. When she did finally open her eyes, she saw his concerned eyes first. They made her feel guilty for putting him through this, so she stroked the worried frown from her face, replacing it with a smile, his eyes instantly started to twinkle.
"You two have a silent world." Todd exclaimed watching the two of them now.
"No," Jim corrected him "But we wish we did–" looking to his puzzled friend, "It helps when no one says anything."
"I mean, you talk to each other" he looked down at her "Without saying a thing." She nodded. She understood what he was saying. After he set her leg, and before she insisted on going home, he sought to wrap her ribs. "I hate to break this up," Todd said looking up to Jim "But I've got to wrap her ribs. Since she had some time to absorb that medicine, I think she'll be fine." However, Jim wasn't about to leave her side until she said it was all right.
Her modesty dictated the rule. "I'll be Okay." She said with a slight squeeze of the hand. "Really" She had to verbalize her assurance, before he would leave. Once he was out of the room, Todd quickly moved about securing her chest back into place, but with each wrap of the tape, he commented on the magic, he’d witnessed that day.
"Emma, are you listening to me?" She had been but the painkiller was doing its thing. Slowly she nodded her head Yes. "The medicine has gone to work, hasn't it?" Again, she nodded yes. "I think you should spend the night here." Her response was immediate "NO" She hadn't been in a hospital since she had Jason, some fourteen years earlier; she wasn't about to break a good record, if she could help it.
"No, I can't"
"What do you mean you can't? It's not like you've got much choice here."
"I won't stay." Was all she replied, while sliding down from the table? "I can't." She couldn't tell him, that she was afraid to stay.
"Whoa! You can't just walk out of here." He gently stopped her progression towards the door.
"Oh yes I can." She turned to look him straight in the eye, knowing that he couldn't keep her there without her permission.
"Okay, so you can, but you shouldn't, let’s put it that way. You need someone to keep an eye on you."
"I have a house full of people." She could hardly believe she was standing there disagreeing with a Doctor, if she could’ve just done that with Jason's birth...but Todd was so young. That had to be the difference, she felt that she knew better what she could do and not do then he did. "Todd, I can't stay here. Not unless you want a basket case in the morning." He seemed to suddenly understand, squeezing her free hand, he gave in. "Alright, but if you start having problems breathing” he squeezed his brow together. “I don't believe I'm letting you do this."
"Just say, I didn't give you much choice." She remarked looking about the room for her clothing. "Where are my clothes?"
"See, I knew there was a reason for you to stay. You don't have any; they cut them off, when you came in. We had to, it was the only why we could tell what was broke."
Determination pulsed through her veins; a little thing like clothes wasn't going to keep her there. Turning she pulled the bed sheet from the bed. "So I owe the place a sheet." She couldn't wrap it about herself without his help—so he helped, wrapping her left arm tightly against her body, in hopes of assisting the separation in the shoulder.
Kit drove home, some four hours after they had left. Jim sat in the front set, holding her like a child in