The Rock
12 Hosea
I HELD SARAH, my stomach rolling. I hadn’t felt like this for months. Not since… Fuck! Dad was on the phone and Mom held both Sarah and me. I sat at the table and she fell into my lap hugging me fiercely.
“That son-of-a-bitch she’s been dating beat her up. She’s got broken ribs, arm, and nose. Brian, you have to come and help.”
“What can I do, sweetheart? What can I do?” I already knew what I’d do. I’d go to Evansville and kill the bastard. I’d done it before. I could do it again. My stomach settled with my resolve.
“Come and bring her home.”
“Sarah, she doesn’t want me. She’s turned away from all of us. She doesn’t want me around.”
“Brian, you are the only one she hasn’t turned away. Not completely,” she whispered.
“What do you mean, honey?”
“When did you last hear from her?” Sarah asked.
“In July. Just after we heard the news. She called to tell me… to tell us she’d heard.”
“She called you. Think, Brian. She hardly spoke to me all summer. She hasn’t spoken to our father for months. She didn’t call or speak to anyone else here. She called… Brian, she called you.”
“But she…”
“She has a tattoo, Brian.” I should have been a rock. A rock feels no pain. My stomach clenched again. Her perfect beautiful skin.
“She can’t. You have to be eighteen.”
“She borrowed my car this summer and went to Kentucky.”
“Doesn’t make a difference. We checked. Nikki checked. Every state has the same law. No tattoos until you are eighteen.”
“She borrowed my license, too. I didn’t know.”
“Why? Why would she… why would she mutilate herself?”
“Brian, listen! The tattoo is on her foot. Right below her toes. It’s just words.”
“Her toes?” God! This hurt. “What does it say?”
“It says, ‘No matter what, I know he still loves me.’”
It took several minutes before I realized that the piercing wail I heard that wouldn’t shut up was coming from my mouth. I was being held from all sides. Mom, Anna, Sarah, Rose. Dad was still on the phone, not quite shouting, but very intense. Mr. Duval and Mr. Davis were standing with him. I was hyperventilating. I didn’t pass out. People seemed to be scurrying all over everyplace.
She believed me. Her last words to me had been ‘God bless you, Brian. I love you.’ Did she truly believe she had to be with the asshole who beat her? But she believed me. She believed I still loved her.
Did I?
What a stupid question. I’d do anything for her. Anything.
I took a deep breath and looked around the room. Mom was still holding both Sarah and me from one side and Anna from the other. Dad hung up the phone.
“Mom, Dad. I’m going to Evansville,” I said. “I’m going to bring Hannah home.”
“Of course you are, honeybunch,” Mom said. “Are you sure you want to leave tonight? It’s awfully late.”
“We need to go now, Mom. I’m taking Sarah with me.” Sarah hugged me fiercely.
“Sarah, do you want us to bring your car down behind you?” Lamar asked. Good old Lamar. He’d come to Hannah’s and my rescue on our first date. He’d first called her my girlfriend.
“No, Lamar,” Sarah said. “Thank you. But no matter how this works out, I’m coming back here. I don’t want to bother with a second car.”
“Son,” Dad said, “we’re working on it. Don’t do anything on the spur of the moment and don’t do anything illegal. She’s underage. If you bring her here without her parents’ permission, it could be called kidnapping. Talk to us before you do anything. She won’t be out of the hospital for a few days anyway.”
“I’ll call you when I get down there, Dad. I’m sorry to be a burden. If you don’t want to put us up here, I’ll find a place. This has gone on long enough.”
“Brian, don’t be stupid,” Anna snapped at me. I turned to her. “Does it sound like anyone doesn’t want you to bring her back here? If you are going to charge off on your white horse to rescue a fair maiden, you’ll be more comfortable in the saddle with your head out of your ass. We are all going to help you. Both of you, go change your clothes. You are not driving seven hours in your ceremonial clan outfits. Dress warmly. It’s cold outside.”
I looked at Anna with my mouth open. She reached across Sarah and pushed my jaw up.
“Thank you.”
“Go.”
Rose and Elaine led Sarah and me upstairs and got us stripped and dressed in traveling clothes. There was already a suitcase open on my bed with underwear and clothes in it. My shaver was on top with my toothbrush and toothpaste. As soon as I was out of my gi, Sam grabbed it and folded it neatly to put on top. Sora took Sarah’s gi and I saw her little suitcase ready to be zipped up.
“Sarah, do you have other things you need out of your car?” Courtney asked. “We’ll switch it over as soon as Brian’s car gets back.”
“My car? Where is it?”
“Carl and Doug went to get gas and make sure the tire pressure is okay. They’ll be back in a few minutes,” Rose said.
“Yes,” Sarah said. “I have another suitcase and my school books. I need to do some studying.”
“We’re on it, hearthmate,” Courtney said. She zipped up Sarah’s suitcase and headed downstairs. Samantha zipped up my suitcase and followed her. Somehow, I knew I didn’t need to check to make sure what I needed was in it. Courtney was back in a few minutes with Dad, Mr. Duval, and Mr. Davis. They headed straight for my computer.
“Don’t mind us,” Dad said. “We need to get some documents prepared. You don’t need to wait.”
Sarah and I went downstairs and I heard the car crunching on the cinders outside.
“Give us a minute,” Brenda said. Her entire casa as well as Doug’s were out the door carting more stuff than I could identify.
“Brian,” Mom said. “We’re working on getting legal custody. Saul and Evelyn aren’t as… reluctant as they were. It’s not a done deal. You have to give us time to get it all worked out. Call us at least twice a day. You can call collect from the hospital. We’ll let you know the progress. We may have to come down to get her ourselves. Have faith in us, Brian. Believe in us like we all believe in you.”
The clan—The Clan of the Heart—is bigger than Casa del Fuego. The fourteen of us in our casa are hearthmates. The thirty-eight in our clan are cousins. We’re all family. But there is more family than just us. Among us we had nearly sixty parents. They were all part of our… what was it called? Super-clan? Tribe? Village? Hive? Somebody would figure it out eventually. George’s parents were furiously making notes in a corner. I’m sure they’ll explain it to us someday.
All I know is that we were of one mind. Sarah and I were taking the support and good wishes of the whole crowd with us.
Mom was still concerned that we were too tired to make the drive tonight. It was nearly midnight.
“Don’t worry,” Brenda said to her. “Brian, there’s a thermos of coffee in the front seat and a sack of sandwiches and treats. The back of your car has been made up into a bed. We cut one of the foam pads to fit and put sheets and heavy blankets in it as well as your pillows. If you get tired, stop and sleep. It will also help if Hannah is too sore to ride sitting up when you bring her back. We’ve packed your suitcases and everything else you need between the seats.” Brenda paused and stepped up to me. “Amiga, drive carefully. If you are tired, stop and rest. You are no good to any of us if it is you in the hospital or worse. We love you. Understand?” I understood.
Sarah and I kissed everyone, took their good wishes and got in the car. She immediately shifted the cooler and thermos around so she could slide into the middle of the front seat and was buckled in by the time I climbed into the driver’s seat. We hadn’t had much snow yet, but a light snow was blowing when we crunched out of the drive and headed south.
We were south of Indianapolis about three o’clock in the morning. Sarah’s head rested on my shoulder as she slept. The snow had turned to rain all the way to Indianapolis but had finally let up. There was just the blacktop and the white line ahead of me. I’d turned the radio off when the signal started getting weak and scratchy.
My hand jerked and I got the car straightened out and back in the middle of my lane. Sarah’s head came up off my shoulder. My hands were gripping the wheel in a death-grip. Almost.
“Let’s pull over, Brian. We’ve done well. We can sleep for a while and still be there when they let visitors in to see her.”
“Where?”
“That church.” I pulled into the parking lot of a little country church of unknown denomination and killed the engine. My head fell back. “Come on. Let’s take advantage of the nice bed they made us,” she said softly. “Please, love.” I let her lead me to the back of the truck and we crawled in. It didn’t take long after we got our shoes off until we were snuggled under the blankets and slept.
I woke up to a pounding on the window and a light scanning the frosted glass. I pulled myself together and opened the back door. A state trooper stood back shining the light into the back of the Suburban.
“Step out of the vehicle, please. Let me see your driver’s license.”
“My wallet is in my back pocket, officer,” I said. “May I reach for it?”
“Yeah. What are you doing out here?”
“Taking my girlfriend home for the holiday to Evansville, sir,” I said, handing him my license. Sarah crawled out and stood beside me. “We thought we could make it driving through but got too tired and had to stop to sleep for a while.”
“Hmm. Just sleep?”
“Yes sir.” He looked at Sarah but didn’t ask for her license.
“You’re on the St. Joe Valley basketball team, aren’t you?” Wow! That surprised me.
“Yes sir. We’re having a pretty good season. How did you know?”
“Oh, they called officers in from different parts of the state to watch the game last Saturday night. That was a good game. You’re shorter than I thought.”
“I think I’m the shortest player in the state.”
“Your girlfriend here, you say?”
“Yes sir. She goes to Oberlin and lives in Evansville. We got a call late last night that her sister is in the hospital and tried to drive down from Mishawaka. We just were too tired.”
“Then it’s a good thing you stopped rather than drive. Driving while you are sleep deprived is worse than driving drunk. How are you now?” I glanced at my watch. It was six-thirty.
“We got about three hours. I should be good to make it to Evansville.”
“Is this your car, Brian?”
“Yes. The registration and insurance card are in the glove box. Sorry I couldn’t get to them.”
“I’ll take your word for it. There was no stolen vehicle report when I called it in. Now listen. There’s a roadside café about eight miles farther on. Molly opens up at six. Before you try to go on to Evansville, stop for breakfast and a cup of coffee. You’ve got about a hundred miles to go yet.”
“I’ll do that, officer. Thanks for waking us up.”
“People get suspicious when they see a strange car in a church parking lot. You should be good to go now. Drive safely.” He gave me my license and watched us close up the back and get in the truck. We fastened our seatbelts and pulled out of the lot. We took his advice and got breakfast at Molly’s Café. At least it was light out when we started up again.
We were at the hospital at a quarter till nine. I suppose we looked a little rumpled from the night in the car, but visiting hours were at nine. We went to the reception desk.
“We’d like to have the room number for Hannah Gordon,” Sarah said.
“I’m sorry, but visiting hours are in fifteen minutes. I’ll have to call to make sure she will see anyone.”
“I’m her sister.”
“Oh. And this… gentleman?”
“I’m her boyfriend,” I said. The receptionist did a little double-take and then reached for her phone.
“Let me call up and see how soon the doctor will allow you to see her. Just have a seat and I’ll call you.” Funny. She didn’t even ask our names. Sarah and I turned to walk across the little waiting room to sit down.
“This seems strange to me,” I said. “Are hospitals always like this?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just wait.” She turned to sit down and I heard her gasp. I looked back at the reception desk and two policemen were headed toward us. One had a baton raised and the other had his hand on his holster. I didn’t wait to see what they wanted. I flattened myself out on the floor and spread my arms and legs. In a second, I felt the baton pressed against the back of my neck.
“Don’t move. Do you have ID?”
“Wallet. Back left pocket.” I felt him rummaging around in my pocket.
“What are you doing to my boyfriend?” Sarah demanded.
“Thomas Westerling, you are under arrest for assault and battery. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?”
“I’m not Thomas Westerling,” I groaned.
“Answer the question. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?”
“Yes.”
“He’s not Thomas Westerling,” the guy with my ID said. “This says he’s Brian Frost.”
“Shit! Why’d you hit the floor like that?” Miranda cop asked.
“You were coming at me with a raised baton and your hand on your gun,” I said. It should have been obvious.
“Who are you?” he asked. I started to give my name but Sarah answered.
“I’m Sarah Gordon. We came here to see my sister.”
“And this is your boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Let him up. The receptionist said your sister’s boyfriend was here. We’ve got an APB out on him and he’s listed as dangerous and possibly on drugs.”
I rolled over and looked at them.
“You can stand up,” baton cop said. He held out his hand. I ignored it and pushed myself up.
“Thank you,” I said.
“We’re a little on edge. I hate guys who beat on their girlfriends,” baton cop said.
“So do I,” I answered. “Can we see Hannah now?”
“If she’ll see you. She hasn’t spoken to anyone since they brought her in last night,” Miranda cop said.
“We’ll escort you to the door. If she says anything against you, we’ll escort you out again.”
Sarah entered the room first and Hannah turned her face away from the door. It was worse than I thought. Her face was swollen and her nose bandaged. Her right arm was in a cast and she had an IV drip in her left. Sarah went to the side Hannah had turned to as I approached her left. I reached for her hand and a tear touched it an instant before I did. Hannah’s eyes traveled up to her sister’s face before she turned her head to look at me.
“You came,” she whispered. “After all I’ve done, you still came for me.”
“I still love you,” I answered. “How could I not come?”
“Remember, girlfriend,” she whispered. “No matter what, I still love you.”
I pulled a chair up next to the bed and just held her hand as Hannah talked to her sister. She didn’t turn back to me, but she didn’t let go of my hand, either. If anything, she gripped it more tightly. It was a good sign, but this was going to take a long time.
Rev. and Mrs. Gordon came in and Sarah and I had to leave. Only two visitors at a time. Rev. Gordon came back out a minute later and nodded for me to go back in. Mrs. Gordon was sitting next to Hannah’s right side chattering away as Hannah just stared up at the ceiling. I guess it was what most people would do. Try to act like it’s no big thing to be in the hospital and talk about all the mundane things that make life go on. When I sat next to Hannah’s other side, she took my offered hand and gripped it hard while she continued to stare at the ceiling.
Eventually, Mrs. Gordon ran down. I guess you can only last so long trying to cheer up a zombie. She stood up and leaned over to kiss Hannah on the top of her head.
“It will work out, my little baby. I promise we’ll make it work,” she whispered. I could see tears in her eyes as she glanced up at me and then left the room. We sat there in silence for a few minutes, thinking Sarah would be back in a minute.
“Will it, Brian?” Hannah whispered, still looking at the ceiling. “Will it work out?”
“Hannah, my love. I am not leaving here without you. I promise. That’s my promise, beloved. I never break a promise.”
“They won’t let me go. I’m only seventeen.”
“Then I’ll stay here until you’re eighteen. I’m not going to let go of you again.” She turned to face me.
“You can’t do that. You’re still in school.”
“I have enough credits to graduate at the end of the semester next month. I can either put off continuing with my college classes or enroll at the extension here in Evansville.”
“You’d do that? How would you live?”
“I’ve been making pretty good money. If I took a weekend trip to South Bend every other week, I could continue taping my show. I’m not rich, but I could afford to rent a room here.”
“But I’m ugly. And I’m fat. And I’m… I’m broken.”
“You aren’t ugly. You are a little bruised. You aren’t fat. You are swollen. And as to being broken—I’m an expert at applying Band-Aids.”
“You don’t know.” She pulled her hand away and pushed the sheet down. “I got fat.” She’d definitely put on a few pounds. When I got her healthy again, that would fall off.
“That often happens when a person gets depressed.”
“You didn’t get fat? Weren’t you…?”
“I’ve been getting a lot of exercise.”
“Yeah,” Hannah almost snorted, but her nose was still stuffed with cotton. “My naughty sister.”
“Well, that, too, honey. If it upsets you, I won’t date or sleep with any of them again.”
“No! Please. I can’t stand you making sacrifices for me. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve you.”
“Let’s not talk about what we do or don’t deserve, honey. I don’t want to think about what I deserve. I just want to build something new with you.”
“Out of the ashes,” she sighed.
“A phoenix arises,” I finished.
When Sarah returned, I went to call Mom and Dad. We talked and they said they were negotiating and that I should try to remain calm and not put out any demands. Then they passed the phone to all my girls who had spent the night even without me.
“Is she all right, Brian?” Sam pled. I could hear the tears in her voice. “I should have come with you.”
“She is pretty banged up and will be in this hospital bed another couple of days. Don’t worry, Cutie. She knows you love her and I’ll be sure to tell her often. She’s ready to be with us, I think. We just have to let the parents continue their negotiations.” I told each of my hearthmates that I loved her. I didn’t mention to any of them my willingness to move to Evansville. I’d have to work on that one.
Sarah and I rotated in and out all day, bringing lunch in to eat when Hannah was served her meal and leaving the room when the doctor came in to examine her. We were finally told that visiting hours were over and we’d have to leave at seven. Hannah didn’t want us to go, but they insisted. I kissed her forehead softly and told her to hurry and heal so I could take her with me.
Once we were in the lobby, Sarah stopped to call her parents to be sure it was okay for us to come over. I could only hear one side of the conversation and it was pretty intense.
“Yes, Daddy, Brian will be with me.— Daddy, he’s my boyfriend. We don’t need a separate room.— We can rent a motel room if that’s too much of a burden for you.— Okay. I love you, Daddy. We’ll be home in half an hour.” She hung up.
“That didn’t sound too good,” I said as I put my arm around her.
“It’s hard for him to accept the fact that his little girls are grown up. But he’s so afraid that he’ll lose me as a daughter, too, that he’s willing to let us stay together. He might not be there when we get there. I don’t think he wants to actually see us going to bed together,” Sarah said.
“I don’t want to cause more conflict in your family, Sarah.”
“We’ll muddle through. The important thing is to get my sister out of here.”
True to her prediction, Sarah’s parents weren’t around when we got to the house. We got some food and showered—separately—then went to her bedroom about nine-thirty. We just cuddled and talked softly for a while about Hannah and what we would do. A little after ten, we heard her parents come in, but they didn’t say anything to us. We went to sleep.
I woke up as usual and whispered a prayer for Hannah to get well quickly and told her I loved her. Sarah didn’t wake up, but I knew where the coffee makings were kept from my visit a year and a half ago. I kissed her softly, got out of bed, and dressed.
I got the coffee started and looked around to see if they had ingredients for bread. Perhaps I could at least make a peace offering. I was relieved to find Mrs. Gordon kept a jar of Fleischmann’s in the refrigerator. The coffee was just finishing as I punched the dough down and set it to rise. I poured a cup and turned to the table. Rev. Gordon was sitting there looking at me over the top of his reading glasses with his Bible in his hand.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t hear you come in. May I pour you a cup of coffee?”
“Just hot water, please,” he answered. They had a pour-over coffee pot, so I poured the last of the hot water I boiled into a cup for him. “Spoon?” I found a teaspoon and put it next to his cup. He reached over with it and took a spoonful of my black coffee and mixed it into his cup of hot water. He sipped it and smiled. “Just right.”
“Does that actually count as drinking coffee?” I asked.
“I suppose not, but it lets me… be sociable.” I sat at the table across from him. “You are always awake at this hour.” It was kind of a statement and kind of a question so I nodded my head. “So is Hannah. Back when she would still talk to me, she said it was her special time with you.”
“We’ve always kept it that way.”
“Even when you are sleeping with her sister?” I couldn’t really respond to that. There was a note of bitterness and resignation in his voice. He shook his head. “Evelyn and I were a little older than you when we met. I was in seminary and she was the pianist at the church I served. From the day we met, we knew we were right for each other. We’d meet at the church to go over the hymns for Sunday’s service. I sat on the piano bench beside her and we sang as she played. Those Saturday mornings became our special time together. We still go to the church to play the Sunday hymns on Saturday morning, even though she is no longer the pianist for the church. It is the only peace I know these days.”
“I’m sorry to hear that but I’m glad you still have your special time together,” I said.
“It never once occurred to either of us in the past twenty-five years that there could ever be another in our relationship outside of each other and our children. Your—Do I understand you now call it your clan?—Your clan freely accepts multiple relationships. And I suppose you can’t imagine a different world.” He sighed.
“I love the cousins in my clan,” I said. “I have a special love for the hearthmates of my casa. But there is always still that special time—respected by all my cousins and hearthmates—that I spend each morning with Hannah.”
“And now you want to take her away from me.” I looked into my coffee cup as if it could provide the answer but didn’t have a chance to put it in words. “No. She left me the day I told her we were moving. The day of Sarah’s graduation. The day you got her pregnant.”
“Reverend Gordon, pregnancy was an unintended consequence of an act that was sexual but, in a way, innocent. If I had been given the chance, I would have taken Hannah to me and done whatever was necessary to raise our child with the kind of love you have shown your daughters,” I said.
“So many unintended consequences. So much innocence lost. Why? Why, after all she did to you and to us and to your… hearthmates, do you still want her? She is not the same person you knew two years ago.”
“I love her. I have no other answer. I will do whatever is necessary to care for and protect her.”
“I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards and will make her valley a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth.” He held his Bible as though he was reading, but his eyes were closed and I knew he was reciting. Perhaps paraphrasing. I hadn’t memorized that passage, though I knew where it was.
“I’m no prophet,” I said softly. “No god commanded me.”
He pulled a sheet of paper from the back cover of his Bible. It was simple and neatly typewritten.
“These are the terms,” he said softly. “She has to agree to them as well as Evelyn and me. She might not. She might find it too restrictive or see it as a way we are keeping control of her. She won’t speak to me, so it is up to you to get her signature on the paper. Witnessed. If she signs it, both Evelyn and I will sign it.”
I looked at the paper. It was an assignment of guardianship of a minor child, Hannah, to my parents. It stipulated that the Gordons would continue to pay her support until her eighteenth birthday, that she continue in school to graduation, and that she not be granted permission to marry. I nodded and looked at him.
“If it is possible, Brian…” tears were leaking from his eyes. This was a far cry from the ‘Brighty’ that I knew only a few years ago. “If it isn’t too late, please try to help her not hate her parents.” I reached over and took his hand. He gripped it firmly and then left for his office down the hall.
Sarah went with me to talk to Hannah after we’d had breakfast with Rev. and Mrs. Gordon. They were thankful for the fresh bread and Sarah smiled at me. Unlike when we arrived yesterday, Hannah was sitting up and looked at us when we came into her room. I was not attacked by any policemen. In fact, I didn’t see them around anywhere.
“Hannah, do you want to go home with me?” I asked softly after we’d been talking for a while.
“It could never happen,” she breathed. “Why make a fantasy.”
“It can happen, sister,” Sarah said. “Mom and Dad agreed.”
“Don’t lie to me. That… bishop… told them they had to keep us together,” Hannah said. “They would never let me go live with Brian. Or even Samantha.” There were tears in her eyes. I pulled out the paper.
“They would let you go live with my parents,” I said. “The fact that I am also living with them isn’t mentioned.” Hannah looked at the paper and read it quickly.
“I have to go to more crappy counseling? More drugs?” she moaned.
“I know a good counselor—a psychologist—who would see you. She knows and understands our clan. I’m sure she’d get you off drugs as quickly as was safe. Her son is part of the adopted clan.”
“I can’t go to school there. I’ll be behind everyone. They all know me and I’d be so ashamed. Look at me! And where will you get my own room?”
“Honey, do you want to come and live with my family and me? Do you want to have your friends back? We want you back. We—all thirty-seven of us—will make sure you are tutored and protected and that you graduate. I’ll call Principal Darnell and ask about home schooling so you don’t have to come in to classes. He did it for Jessica. If we have to have a certified teacher, I’ll hire one. It all comes down to a simple question. Do you want to come home?”
“I can’t believe you would have me. I want to come home so much,” she cried. The sobs sent her into pain. She had three broken ribs and a broken nose. I smoothed her hair. It was dirty and tangled. Why didn’t anyone at least brush it for her?
“Gently, honey. When you’ve healed, I promise an opportunity for a nice long cry and I’ll cry with you. We’ll have a Camora with a big fire and the whole casa will cry with you.”
“Stop! Making me laugh hurts just as much,” she said. Tears were still running out of her eyes, but she smiled. The nurse stopped in and chastised us for making her cry. Hannah stopped her and asked her to witness her signature. The nurse had to get a clipboard and pen and hold them in such a way that Hannah could wiggle her fingers over the board. Only one of her two forearm bones was broken, but the cast extended past her elbow and her fingers looked a little blue. The nurse witnessed the signature.
“You know this will never be considered legal,” the nurse said. “Technically you are under the influence of painkillers.”
“That doesn’t make a difference,” Hannah answered. “I’m not eighteen yet. But my parents won’t release me unless I sign.”
“I see. Well, since we want to get you out of here by Christmas, we’d better get the paper to them,” the nurse said. Sarah took the signed paper.
“I’ll call as soon as Mom and Dad sign it,” she said. She took off. The nurse fussed some more and gave Hannah’s pain meds a boost. It was enough for her to lie back and doze off again. I called Mom and Dad.
“They plan to release her Christmas Eve,” I said.
“Oh my! That’s wonderful. But it’s tomorrow,” Mom said. “The roads are sure to be clear on Christmas morning. We’ll talk to Saul and Evelyn and plan to be there by noon on Christmas. We’ll stay at a motel. Hmm. Maybe we should bring the truck. How much stuff does she have to bring home? You know the girls will want to come, too. Most of your casa is still camped out in your room.” Mom was going a mile a minute and was in heavy-duty planning mode.
“Mom, I’ll find out how much stuff she has and let you know if we need the truck. Probably the wagon will do just fine.”
“Okay, Rose is here. Can you talk to her?”
“Of course!”
“My cónyuge! We are so excited. You did it. You convinced them,” she practically shouted.
“I think it was our parents who did the convincing,” I said.
“If you hadn’t been strong and been there, it never would have happened,” Rose went on. “We are going to paint and prepare Hannah’s room for her. What color does she like? I know. Pastel green. Very soft and restful. We’re going to organize tutoring for her, too.” Rose was nearly as hyper as my mom.
“My sweet cónyuge, you are the leader of our casa. Thank you.”
“Brian… if… if you need to take a break from us… we understand,” Rose whispered. “None of us will come between you and Hannah, no matter how much we love you. She is your first priority.”
“Rose, don’t go breaking us up. Don’t even think about it right now. Hannah has a long time of healing to go through—not only physically. I love you the same as I love Hannah,” I said. “If there’s such a thing as a soul mate, she might be it. Or she might be one. But what I am doing for Hannah, I would do for each and every hearthmate and probably for any cousin. Don’t forget that I love you.”
“I love you, too, Brian. We’ll be here for you and for her. ’Bye, love.”
“See you soon,” I said and hung up. I turned away from the phone and saw Hannah staring at me.
“That was beautiful,” she whispered. “I am… relieved. I was afraid… that you would want me as your girlfriend.”
“I do want you as my girlfriend, honey. But you know I will never force our relationship.”
“I guess… I’m just glad that you would do this for any of them. That’s what I always loved about you.”
She drifted off to sleep again.
There was a lot more to getting Hannah checked out of the hospital than just walking out the door. She’d been badly beaten. She had three broken ribs, a broken arm, a broken nose, and some internal damage the doctors were concerned about. Before she was released to the care of her family, the doctor ran fresh x-rays and an MRI to be sure nothing else was showing up internally. And, of course, there was no way she was being released to Sarah and me. Rev. and Mrs. Gordon were there to take care of all the paperwork, insurance, and to get the care instructions from the physician. It was four o’clock and getting dark out when she was finally allowed to dress with Sarah’s and the nurse’s assistance and then sit in the wheelchair for the exodus.
“You brought my cowgirl boots,” she smiled. “Thank you!”
“There’s a horse or three who are anxious to see you,” I said. “We thought you’d like to get in the mood.”
“Horses,” she whispered. “Can we bring my bicycle, too?”
“Of course we can,” I assured her. “It’s just that much more reason for you to get healed up so we can ride.”
The police wanted one last statement from Hannah before we left. She hadn’t been too cooperative before we got there and had just said that her boyfriend got mad. Her parents had given the name, but now the police were getting the details from her. We stood in the hall waiting and I guess it is possible to be both sad and joyful at the same time. At least there was a female officer asking the questions. I heard her say something that pricked my ears.
“Hannah, you know we are here to protect you. You need to tell me honestly if any of the people waiting to take you home are a danger to you. There are two men and two women waiting. Do you know all of them?”
“Yes, ma’am. Evelyn and Saul Gordon are my parents and they would never harm me. My sister Sarah is my closest friend. And Brian Frost… her boyfriend, is the person I trust most in the world. I am not in danger from them.” The police seemed to be satisfied and released her to her parents. Sarah went to get my car so I could push the wheelchair.
“Oh, no you don’t, young man,” the nurse who witnessed Hannah’s signature said. “Hospital personnel will escort this young lady to her transportation. That means I’m pushing and Ralph here is opening doors and helping her into the car.” Ralph was a youngish looking orderly who walked beside us as we headed to the door. We passed the officers in the lobby and I could see my car pulling into the patient pickup area. Hannah held my hand. We weren’t half way to the car when a figure stepped out of the shadows.
“There’s my little bitch. I knew they wouldn’t keep you through Christmas.”
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