Pounding at the front door woke Sydney. She raced from the couch half-coherent and swung the door open without bothering to look out the window first.
“Diane? Are you okay?”
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” She pushed into the room.
“Oh that. Long story. I’m sorry, did I scare you? Come on in. What time is it?”
“You’re coming with me. I needed to get a hold of you. Don’t do that again.”
“It’s been kind of a bad night. I turned off my phone.”
“Get your purse.”
“Why?”
“Sydney, there’s been an accident. Tony was part of the volunteer squad called out.”
“Who’s hurt?”
“It’s RayAnne.”
Sydney looked behind her to the stairs. “RayAnne is upstairs asleep.”
“I don’t think so.”
Sydney stood there, confused. This isn’t happening, she thought desperately.
Diane grabbed Sydney by the hand and ran up the stairs. Sydney raised her hand to knock, but Diane pushed the door open.
The room was empty. Her bed made up.
“No.” Sydney covered her mouth with her hand. How long had RayAnne been gone?
“Come with me.” Diane tugged Sydney by the arm and they ran back downstairs. “Purse?”
Sydney pointed to the table by the stairs.
Diane swept the purse into her arms, and then dug in the top and lifted out her phone. “Here. Turn this on.” Sydney pressed the button on the phone and let Diane lead her outside.
“What happened?”
“She wrecked on a four-wheeler.” Diane revved the engine and headed for the interstate.
“Where is she?”
“The hospital is a hike. It’s going to take us at least half an hour to get there no matter how fast I drive. I’ll see what Tony can find out for us.”
“How did this happen?”
“From what I gather she was with Mac’s boy.”
“I knew that was a mistake.” Sydney’s head was reeling. She kept thinking she might open her eyes and realize this was a bad dream, because it had all those mixed-up components and people in the wrong roles and places like dreams often did.
Diane’s phone rang and she pressed speaker. “Hey babe. What do we know? I’ve got Sydney right here next to me in the car.”
“Hey, Sydney. She’s in the emergency room. They’re still assessing the situation.”
“How serious is it? Do I need to call her dad? She’s going to be okay. Right?”
“You might want to call him and let him know, but calm down, her vitals were good. I don’t think she’s in any imminent danger.”
“Thank you, God,” Sydney whispered.
“She’s got a pretty bad head wound,” Tony said. “That’ll require some stitches, and she lost a lot of blood. I’m sure she’ll be in the hospital overnight no matter what.”
“How could this happen? I was right there in the house. I must have been asleep on the couch when she left. Maybe she should be living with Jon.”
“Don’t be silly,” Diane said. “Kids are kids. They do stupid stuff. She’s going to be okay. Paramedics got there quick and she’s in good hands. Right, babe?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” Tony’s voice was steady and calm. “We don’t know much at this point, but I’m going to stay right here. I’ll have as much information as possible by the time you get here.”
“Thank you. Tell her I’m on the way. And I love her.”
Diane concentrated on the road, taking the curves at high speed. Sydney wished they could drive even faster.
“Jon blew her off for Christmas,” Sydney said. “RayAnne was so upset. I thought she was in her room asleep. I had no idea she’d left.”
“This isn’t your fault, Sydney.”
“I’d gone upstairs to check on her. When she didn’t answer I just thought she was asleep. I didn’t even look in on her. This is my fault. I should’ve checked.”
Sydney dialed Jon’s number. When it went straight to voice mail she wasn’t surprised. She hadn’t wanted to talk to him, either. “What’s the hospital name, Diane?”
“West Carolina Regional.”
“Jon. It’s Sydney. There’s been an accident. I’m headed to West Carolina Regional. It’s RayAnne. I’ll give you a call back as soon as I have all of the details.” She ended the call and dropped her phone in her lap. “How much longer?”
“We’re almost there.”
Sydney leaned her forehead against the cool window. She felt sick to her stomach, and her body shook. “RayAnne, please be okay.”
They came to an intersection and the bright lights of the hospital hung above the fog settling over the parking lot. The eerie shadows looked menacing.
Diane pulled right up to the emergency room door and let Sydney out. “Go ahead. I’ll park and be right there.”
Sydney jumped out of the car before it was all the way to a stop and ran inside.
She ran up to the woman at the desk. “I’m Sydney Ragsdale. My daughter, RayAnne, was brought in by ambulance.”
A man took her by the arm in a surprise do-si-do. “Hey Sydney. It’s me, Tony. Diane’s husband.”
The girl behind the desk didn’t seem to be in a huge hurry. “We’re going to need you to fill out these papers, please.” The woman shoved a clipboard in her direction.
“I’m not filling anything out until you tell me how my daughter is and let me see her.”
“Someone will be out to see you in a moment. Meanwhile, if you can get that filled out for me.”
Sydney snatched the clipboard from the woman and held it to her chest.
Tony guided her to a seat near the ER doors. “They’ve taken her to x-ray to check for broken bones. She’s pretty out of it. She wasn’t wearing a helmet, and she was pinned under the four-wheeler when we got there.”
The double doors opened and a man in a Santa suit walked in with a woman and a boy behind him. Seth. That was Seth. And Mac.
Anger rose inside her. “You said it would be fine—it would be safe. This is your fault. I don’t even know if my daughter is going to be okay. How could you do this?”
“What do we know?” Mac asked.
Sydney stabbed a finger in the air in Mac’s direction. “We know this would’ve never happened if we hadn’t let her ride your four-wheeler in the first place.”
Seth stepped behind his dad, and Sydney regretted screaming at him in front of his little boy.
“Oh my gosh. What have I done?” Sydney said, turning in a circle.
“You didn’t do anything, Sydney,” Mac said.
“My little girl is lying back there. I’m her mother. I’m supposed to keep her safe.”
Tony excused himself to go get another update.
“Have you seen her yet?”
“No. I don’t know anything except what Tony has told me.”
“What can we do?” Mac reached for her arm, but she pulled away.
“You’ve really done enough, don’t you think?”
“Sydney, I—”
“What happened? Tell me what happened. I didn’t even know she was gone,” Sydney said.
“Seth said she showed up at our house on her bicycle.”
“That’s a long ride.” Sydney leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, covering her face with her hands. “I was right there in the house all night. I thought she was upset with her dad. She didn’t respond when I knocked on her door. She was probably already gone.”
“This isn’t your fault.” Mac said quietly.
She stared at the three of them. “I think you should leave.”
“We want to be here for you.”
“I don’t need you. Diane and Tony are here with me.”
Mac stepped back. “I really want to be here for you, Sydney.”
Her heart was heavy and fear gripped her so tightly that it was hard to breathe. “I don’t want you here. If I’d never met you this might never have happened. You knew how worried I was about her riding. How could you?” Sydney couldn’t get the rest of the words that were flowing through her mind out in the single breath.
Seth spoke up. “But he didn’t—”
Mac cut Seth off. “I understand,” Mac said. “Will you make sure someone lets us know how she is?”
“I’m not going to sue you if that’s what you’re worried about.” Sydney’s hand shook, anger spiraling inside her like a tornado.
“Sydney, that is the last thing in the world that I’m worried about. I’m concerned about your daughter. About you. If you change your mind, please let me come help you through this.”
“Why don’t you just take your Santa suit and get out of here. You are not Santa. Not some wish granter. I’m not even sure what this whole Santa obsession is with you, but it’s not good. It can’t be. Look what you’ve done.”
“I just wanted to help.”
“Then go. You can’t do anything good for me. Just go away.”
Mac, Haley, and Seth walked back to the truck.
“That was a long ride to not even know if she’s okay,” Seth said.
“We need to let them have their space.”
“Why didn’t you tell her it wasn’t your fault? That RayAnne showed up and rode off on the four-wheeler all on her own?”
“Because it doesn’t really matter right now,” Mac explained.
“She thinks you let RayAnne get hurt. That’s really bad.”
“It’s okay, Seth. She’ll know soon enough. Right now, she’s worried, and I understand that. She loves RayAnne more than anything in the world. I’d feel the same way if it was you in there.”
They rode back to the sound of Christmas carols playing softly on the radio. Seth was asleep by the time they got back home.
Mac pulled into the driveway and Haley got out of the truck.
Mac nudged Seth then got out, too.
“I’m so sorry about all of this, Mac.” Haley looked downcast.
“Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
“I was being so careful, and something still happened. I’m not cut out to be a mother.”
“You’ll be a great mother. Things happen. We can’t protect them from everything. They make decisions. Please don’t beat yourself up. I don’t blame you.” He leaned inside the truck. “Seth. Wake up and go inside and get in bed.”
Seth roused, slid out of the seat, and went inside without saying a word.
“I’m going to get out of this costume and get some sleep, too. I guess there’s not much we’re going to be able to do to help unless she decides she wants our help.”
“I know. It feels awful.” Haley started to walk away. “Call me as soon as you hear anything. I don’t care what time it is.”
“I will.” He stood there out in the cold for a long time. He checked his phone a dozen times, but there were no calls. No updates.
No sense calling Diane and Tony’s house. They were both still at the hospital. He went inside and looked up the number to Tony’s garage. He texted the 24-hr service, knowing that the message would get to them.
Mac: Mac here. Any updates on RayAnne?
Tony: Broken ankle. Keeping her overnight.
Mac: Thanks. Please keep me updated if anything changes.
Tony: You got it.
Mac went inside and lay on the couch. He wanted to call Sydney. To text. To do something, but he also didn’t want to add to the stress she was going through right now. He closed his eyes and fell asleep with his phone in his hand.
* * *
“Hey, kiddo.” Sydney swept RayAnne’s hair back from her bruised face. They’d finally moved RayAnne to a private room. “How do you feel?”
“Awful. I was so scared. I thought I died.” A tear slipped down RayAnne’s bruised cheek.
The thought made Sydney’s throat catch. “You’re going to be okay. I was scared, too.” It was hard to talk without being choked by tears of relief. It was bad. Stitches, a cast, bruises that would be sore for a long time, a concussion, too. But it could have been so much worse. Diane had wanted to stay, but knowing the prognosis was good Sydney had insisted Diane go home to tend to her own family. Selfishly, she didn’t want to share the attention to RayAnne with anyone right now.
“I’m sorry, Mom.” RayAnne’s words sounded thick coming from her bruised mouth and lips.
“Please don’t ever scare me like that again.”
“I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, Mom,” RayAnne sniffled back tears. “I was so mad at Dad.”
“I know, kiddo. I don’t know why he keeps breaking his promises to you.”
“Because he … he doesn’t love me anymore,” RayAnne said between sniffling back tears.
“Of course he does.” RayAnne sucked in a breath. Sydney found herself in a familiar spot, pleading his sorry case again. “He loves you with all his heart. He’s just mixed up and being selfish.”
“Mom, I need to call Seth. Can I use your phone?”
Sydney hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s the middle of the night, and look what happened when the two of you got together. He shouldn’t have taken you out riding on that four-wheeler.” Her words bit, although she was trying hard to not let her anger show. Last night could’ve ended in a real disaster, and Sydney knew that she would’ve never recovered from a blow like that. “Besides, you need your rest.”
“I’ve been lying here for hours. I can call while I rest. I wrecked his ATV, Mom. Those things are expensive.”
“That is not your problem. He should never have let you ride that thing. Especially without protective gear. What was he thinking?”
“Mom! He didn’t—”
“RayAnne, you don’t have to defend him. I’m just thankful you’re going to be okay. You just relax and let’s get you well.”
“It’s not Seth’s fault. Mom, he told me we weren’t allowed to ride because his dad wasn’t home. I took off on his four-wheeler. Without permission. If he hadn’t ridden out after me on my bicycle I’d probably still be out there.”
“RayAnne?” Sydney tried to comprehend what that meant. “Why would you do that?”
She shrugged it off like a tough guy, then broke down sobbing. “Daddy’s not going to love me anymore.”
“That’s not true, RayAnne.”
“Daddy’s having a baby with Ashley. He told me yesterday, and he’s not coming to see me. He’s going to love the new baby more.” RayAnne started crying. “I wanted to run away.”
Sydney crawled up in the bed with her. “That’s not true. Well, they are going to have a baby, but your father loves you so much. I promise you. I get mad at him, too. Sometimes he acts like a fool, but it’s not because he doesn’t care. He does. He will love you forever. You will always be his first girl. I promise you that.”
“I really messed up. Seth is going to hate me now.”
“No he won’t. They were really worried about you. They even came to the hospital.”
“I’m tired.”
“It’s late. Close your eyes and sleep. I’ll be close by.”
“I love you, Mom.” RayAnne looked so tiny in the bed with her bandaged head cradled in the stiff pillows and foot elevated. Her face and arms looked as if she’d been rolling in mud where the bruises were starting to turn color.
“I love you.” She pressed a kiss into the palm of RayAnne’s hand, afraid to touch her swollen face.
RayAnne closed her eyes, and no sooner did she fall asleep than the nurse came in to check on her.
Sydney took the opportunity to step out of the room and try Jon again. He still wasn’t taking her calls, so she texted him the details in one big honking text.
His text back was short and sweet.
Jon: On my way. Tell Ray I love her.
Sydney stood near the door out of the way as the nurse checked all of the machines and added another dose of pain medicine to the IV.
“She’ll probably sleep for a while. You should get some rest,” the nurse said as she walked out. “I’ll be checking on her.”
“I can’t leave her. I don’t want her to wake up alone.”
“I can bring you a pillow and blanket. That chair reclines like a bed. It’s really comfortable.”
Sydney appreciated the concern, but she was afraid to even close her eyes. “Thanks. I don’t think I can sleep.”
“I understand, but I’ll bring you the pillow anyway. Tomorrow’s going to be another long day. You need your rest so you can be strong for her, too.” The nurse left without waiting for a response.
She was too tired to talk to Mac, but she also knew she owed him an apology. He must think she’s crazy the way she leapt to conclusions … again.
That wasn’t like her. Or maybe it was. Her life had been so wrapped up in Jon’s world for the last ten years that she wasn’t entirely sure who she was anymore.
She picked up her phone and brought up Mac’s number. She started to text him, then backspaced and started over twice.
Sydney: Sorry I wrongly accused you. Didn’t mean to be unkind. RayAnne is going to be okay. Too tired to talk right now, but we should. Soon. I’m so sorry.
Mac: No apology nec. We’re all going to be okay.
She wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but she felt better for having sent the note. The nurse came back in with a pillow and a blanket. “Snuggle up under this warm blanket, and get some rest.”
“Thank you.” The blanket was thin, but it must have just come out of a warmer because it felt like a hug. She relaxed into its warmth, closing her eyes. Exhaustion took over where the adrenaline and worry had kept her moving the last several hours. “That does feel good.” She curled up with her knees to her chest.
“You let me know if you need anything,” the nurse said. “I’m here for you, too. The kids bounce back from these things way quicker than the parents.”
“I believe that. Thank you.” Sydney turned her head and watched RayAnne sleep. She was resting comfortably. What a blessing it hadn’t been worse. She recited a silent prayer to God. Thanks for protecting RayAnne, and for strength and awareness to see the right path for herself. A wave of safe comfort flooded over her and she tuned herself into the sound of her own breaths. In. Out. Until she was dreaming of warm, sunny days filled with flowers and laughter.
A soothing voice echoed in her dream. Deep but melodic, she heard, “You’re going to be okay.”
Sydney opened her eyes, realizing the voices were not a dream. It was morning. The doctor had come in and was talking to RayAnne.
Sydney pushed the blanket back and got out of her chair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“That’s fine. I’m sure this has been quite a night for you both. I’m Dr. Kelly.” He reached over and shook Sydney’s hand.
“Your girl’s pretty sore this morning,” he said. “The swelling at the head wound seems to be under control, but I really want to watch her one more day.”
RayAnne moaned her disapproval.
“That’ll give us time to get physical therapy in here to help her learn to use the crutches, too.” Dr. Kelly turned to RayAnne. “If all checks out in the morning, we’ll get you home for Christmas Eve.”
“Crutches will be cool,” RayAnne said. “I bet everyone in school is going to want to sign my cast.”
Sydney patted the bulky cast on her daughter’s leg. “I have no idea what you’ll be able to wear with that thing on.”
“Oh, yeah. My jeans won’t fit over this.”
Dr. Kelly laughed. “I’ll let you girls figure that out. I’ll be back tomorrow morning to check on you.”
“Thank you,” RayAnne said.
He updated the electronic chart, then said, “No riding without a helmet ever again. Right, RayAnne?”
“Yes sir,” she said with a nod. “We have a promise.”
“Good.” He turned to Sydney. “She’ll need to follow up with the orthopedic surgeon on her leg. He’ll have some instructions for you on that. As for her head, the doctors there in Hopewell can take her stitches out. We work with them a lot.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Everything should heal fine. She’s lucky it wasn’t more serious.”
Jon strode into the room with Ashley at his side. “Did I hear you say she’d be fine?”
“Yes.” The doctor glanced at Sydney.
“I told you she’d be fine, Jon,” Ashley said, pushing her hair back over her shoulder.
Jon put his hand up, as if he’d silenced her with the gesture plenty of times in the past.
“I’m RayAnne’s father.” Jon shoved his hand in Dr. Kelly’s direction. “We were on our way to Paris when we got the call. So she’s going to be okay?”
“With time she’ll be one hundred percent.”
“Thank you.” The doctor left, and Jon turned and glared at Sydney. “Where were you when all of this happened?”
Sydney’s gut twisted. “Let’s concentrate on her getting well, Jon.”
“I wouldn’t have to concentrate on that if you’d been doing your job, and taking care of her. I’m sure as hell this wouldn’t have happened on my watch.”
“Dad. It wasn’t her fault.”
“Jon, don’t do this. We don’t need to upset her. It’s almost Christmas and she’s been through enough, don’t you think?”
Jon leaned over and gave RayAnne a kiss on the cheek. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“What made you do something like that?”
RayAnne looked at Sydney, her eyes wide. “It wasn’t Mom’s fault.”
“I think we need to talk,” Jon said to Sydney.
Sydney was not about to get into it with him now. And she sure wasn’t going to do it with his little girlfriend by his side. “I don’t have a whole lot to say to you right now.”
“Well I do,” Jon said. “This is not how you take care of our daughter. Nothing like this ever happened back in Atlanta.”
“Y’all don’t fight,” RayAnne said. “Dad, why are you messing everything up? We had a good life before, and now you don’t love us.” RayAnne took in a stuttered breath. “You didn’t even want to see me.”
“That’s not how it was, RayAnne. You’re blowing this out of proportion.”
Sydney’s heart was breaking for RayAnne. The last thing she wanted was to upset her further. She motioned to Jon and Ashley to follow her outside. And it was a good thing he fell right into step with her because she was about an eighteenth of an inch from snatching him by the hair and dragging him out. “What is your problem?”
“My problem?” He huffed and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “Don’t even get me started. Why on earth would you let our daughter ride on an ATV unsupervised and without a helmet? Are you completely crazy, or just completely incompetent?”
“Don’t you dare go there.” Sydney’s jaw tightened.
“I’m sorry I signed those papers now. I’m really rethinking custody right now,” he said.
“Excuse me?”
Ashley folded her arms across her chest.
Just having to look at her was enough to make Sydney want to smack her. Was all of this her doing? The continued letdowns? The custody? She knew it was up to Jon to make those final decisions. She couldn’t blame it all on the other woman … even if it would make her feel a little better.
“Maybe RayAnne should come live with us after all,” Jon said. “It’s what she wanted all along anyway.” Ashley nodded in agreement.
“You were dead set against that just a few months ago.”
“Things have changed.”
“So I’ve heard. And in case you’re too dimwitted to put two and two together: your rain check and the news about your new baby are what sent RayAnne off on that dangerous little excursion. So don’t talk to me about knowing how to raise a child. You were unkind and a coward. Get your priorities straight.”
“I’m sure—” Ashley stepped forward, but Jon blocked her with his arm.
Jon looked visibly shaken. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.”
“Well, that’s exactly what happened. After your bombshell that you weren’t coming on Christmas, either, she locked herself in her room. She was totally devastated. Then she snuck out and went over to her friend’s house. That’s when all of this happened. You can’t keep jerking RayAnne’s emotions around.”
“I have broken a lot of promises lately.” He glanced over at Ashley. “That won’t happen again.”
“I really hope not.” Sydney leaned back to look in the room. RayAnne was hugging her pillow. “Not only is it too much for her, but I’m really tired of trying to resolve all of these issues you are causing. I promised myself I wouldn’t badmouth you, but you are making it very challenging.”
“We’ve got to go,” Ashley said, nudging Jon. “We can still make it on time if we leave now.”
Jon scrubbed his hand across the scruffy whiskers on his chin. “We’re going to miss that flight.”
Ashley let out an unhappy huff, then went and sat in a chair across the way and started scrolling through her phone.
Sydney resisted the urge to comment. He’d chosen his path. She wasn’t part of it, and she was starting to feel very good about that. She had better things to do.
“We’re going to need to replace that four-wheeler,” Sydney said. “She took it without permission.”
“Why would she do something like that? That’s not like her.”
“She was upset. She was already sad about you cancelling plans. And then the new baby news made her think you didn’t love her anymore. Like she was going to be replaced.” Sydney glanced over at Ashley. “Kind of like I was. With no notice. On a holiday.”
His jaw pulsed. But he didn’t argue.
“Excuse me.” She turned to see that Mac had walked up behind her. “Hi, Mac.”
“Good morning. I don’t want to interrupt. I just had to know how y’all were doing. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Sydney said. “Thanks for coming.”
“How is RayAnne this morning?”
“The doctor was just here. Things are going to be okay. They’re going to keep her one more night just to be on the safe side.” She could feel Jon’s piercing eyes. “This is my ex-husband,” she said. And boy, did that feel good and final. “Jon, this is Mac.”
“Jon Ragsdale.”
The surprise in Mac’s face was pretty clear.
“Oh, you’re RayAnne’s father. Sweet little girl. She and my son have become good friends. Nice to meet you.”
“Your four-wheeler, I’m guessing?” The words held an accusatory edge.
“My son’s.”
“I understand she took it without permission. I’ll replace it.”
Mac just nodded.
Jon looked like he was sizing Mac up, then looked at Sydney and said, “I’m going to go back in.” Ashley scurried past them and raced to Jon’s side, wrapping her arms around his bicep.
Jon looked annoyed, but he didn’t say anything else as he went into RayAnne’s room, closing the door behind him.
Sydney smiled at Mac. “I’m so sorry I lashed out at you.”
“You okay?” Mac asked.
“Yes. Better than I’ve been in a long time.” She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s becoming old news.”
He smiled. “I still owe you a picnic under the stars. You think they’ll let her come home tomorrow?”
“The doctor said he expected she’d be fine to come home Christmas Eve. He wants to keep her the extra night to watch the head injury and get the physical therapist to help her work with the crutches a little. Probably a good thing. I’m going to have to figure out how to get her in and around the house. Those stairs aren’t going to be crutch friendly.”
Mac nodded, chewing on his lip. “You two should come and stay with us. You can use the bedrooms downstairs. You’ll have plenty of privacy, and she’ll be able to get around more easily as she’s figuring out the crutches. Although you’ll be shocked at how fast she’ll get the hang of it.”
“We couldn’t impose.”
“Why not? Please do. She and Seth will have fun.”
“That’s not necessary. I don’t blame you, Mac. RayAnne’s accident was all of her own doing. Well, Jon motivated it, but please don’t feel bad. She told me everything.”
“I’m not making this offer because of guilt. I want to help. Selfishly, I’d enjoy having you in my home for the holidays, too. Come on. What do you say? It’ll be so much easier with our help.”
Sydney felt things shifting. It was a little dizzying, but in a good way. Her attitude. The walls she’d been holding up. The fear of being hurt again, all falling away.
It was almost like she’d been parked on a hill and someone just took off the emergency brake. The accident had shaken her in an unexpected way. It was Christmas and she wasn’t going to be alone. She had her daughter, and new friends, and new opportunities lining up for her. A new world with bright possibilities.
“Let’s just roll with it,” he said.
And she wasn’t really afraid … for once. “I think I can do that.”
Ashley walked out of the room and right past them, moving down the hallway.
“That was interesting,” Mac said.
“Did she look mad to you?”
“Not happy.” He watched as Ashley got on the elevator. “Some people don’t know how to be happy. That’s not us though.”
Jon walked out and stood between them. “RayAnne’s pretty banged up. Sydney, I’ve made some mistakes.”
And this day was just piled with surprises. An admission from Jon? She’d have put money on that never happening. “Yeah. Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?”
“It really does. I’m going to make all of this right. I’m really sorry I’ve been such a jerk.”
Jon gave Sydney’s shoulder a squeeze and shook Mac’s hand. “I’ll get a check over to you for the four-wheeler. Just have Sydney get the details over to me.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll call you later,” Jon said. “Ashley was going to make some calls. I guess she went downstairs.”
Mac shrugged as Jon walked away. “Y’all don’t look like a pair.”
“We were. Once upon a time we were a really good pair.” For the first time in a while she was able to say that without feeling anger or disappointment.
“Sydney!” Diane called out from the opposite end of the hall. She rushed forward in rather a frantic pace, waving one arm above her head.
“I should have called her. I totally forgot,” Sydney left Mac standing there as she hurried to meet Diane halfway down the hall. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve called to give you an update. She’s going to be okay. You didn’t have to drive all the way out here.”
“Oh, I’m so glad to hear the good news. But that’s not why I’m here.” Diane looked past Sydney. “Hi, Mac.” She lowered her gaze and whispered to Sydney, “Did he stay here all night with you?”
Sydney turned her back on Mac and nudged Diane. “No. He just got here, too. Never mind that.” She looked over her shoulder then spoke so he could hear. “Why are you here then?”
“It’s Bea. Someone found her collapsed in the bookstore. Tony heard it on the scanner and called me. I went right over there. They just brought her in,” Diane said.
“No. This can’t be happening. Is she going to be okay? What kind of Christmas is this? Everything is going haywire.”
“I know,” Diane said. “It didn’t look good. I thought you’d want to know. But don’t worry. Don’t give up hope. If there’s any time things can work out, it’s Christmas.”
“There’s always hope at Christmas. I sure have been praying for a lot of it lately.”
“I’m going to go back down and stay with Bea. She doesn’t have any family, you know. I lied and told them I was her granddaughter. I don’t think they really believed me, but they let me in.”
“She needs someone with her.”
“They were putting her on a ventilator when I left.”
Sydney held her hand to her heart. “No. I’m so torn. I want to be with them both. Keep me posted. I have my phone. And tell me when I can come see her.”
“I will.” Diane turned and headed back to the elevators.
Sydney glanced into RayAnne’s room. She looked to be resting comfortably. She stepped right into Mac’s arms and let the tears go. “RayAnne. Now Bea is in the ER. What more could go wrong?” She regretted saying it as soon as the words left her mouth.
Mac wrapped his arms around her. “You’re going to be okay,” he said, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I’m here. We’ll get through this.”
She placed her hand against his chest. His heartbeat was steady and strong, and she felt safe there.
“I can wait here with RayAnne if you want to go down and check on Bea,” Mac said.
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all. Haley is with Seth. I can stay as long as you need me.”
“Thank you. Yes. I need to see Bea.” Sydney leaned back. “Thank you for being here.”
He kissed her on the forehead.
The kiss sent an unfamiliar feeling racing through her. She wasn’t sure what to even make of it, but right now she needed to get to Bea. She could analyze her emotions later. She jogged down the hall and pressed the button on the elevator. She followed the signs to the emergency room. Diane wasn’t in the waiting room.
Sydney walked over to the desk. “My aunt was brought in just a little bit ago. Bea Marion. Can I see her?”
The woman gave her a double-take, then typed on the computer, and then asked her to take a seat near the door. Sydney sat waiting.
A moment later a nurse came out. “Are you here to see Bea Marion?”
Sydney got up. “Yes. Can I see her?”
The nurse led her inside. Then stopped before going any further. “I’m sorry. She didn’t make it. Her granddaughter is back there with her. Would you like to join them?”
“Diane?”
“Yes,” the nurse said.
Sydney blinked back tears.
The nurse pushed two tissues into her hand and guided her to a room at the end of the short hall. As soon as Sydney walked in, she and Diane both cried and clung to Bea’s hand.
“This can’t be happening,” Sydney said. “Bea, you were helping me find my way again. I need you.”
“You’re going to be fine. I promise,” Diane said to Sydney. “Hopewell will always be here for you.”
Sydney’s body felt too heavy to move. And all of the strength she’d mustered to get through the night with RayAnne just crumbled away. “She was such a big part of everyone’s life in this town.”
“She’d slowed down, but I don’t think anyone expected that she’d…”
“I know. Did you get to talk to her?”
Diane shook her head. “No. I mean I told her we loved her and needed her, but she was out of it. And that was before I came up to tell you. She didn’t respond. I don’t know if she could hear a thing.” Diane hugged Sydney, the two of them holding hands. “When I came down, she was gone. She looks very peaceful.”
Sydney noticed the slightest grin on Bea’s face. “Bea talked about going home to be with Henry again one day. I pray he came and held her hand all the way to those streets of gold.”
“We’ll have to figure out who might know what her final wishes were.”
“She’d gone to see her attorney one morning this week before she came to the bookstore, so he must be here in town.”
“That makes it easy. There are only two in Hopewell. One is the mayor.”
“They seemed to be very close. I’d start with him,” Sydney said. “I have a key to The Book Bea. I can look in the office to see if she had any documents on file there tomorrow when we get back.”
Sydney wasn’t even sure how much time had gone by when an older woman in a cheerful holiday cardigan walked in carrying a clipboard. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Diane said.
Sydney lifted the wet wad of tissues to her eyes again. Fresh tears streamed down her face.
“Do you know who your family would like to handle the arrangements?”
Diane and Sydney looked at each other, then Diane said, “Cooper Funeral Home in Hopewell.”
The woman scribbled it down on her clipboard. “I’ll give them a call and get things scheduled for you, dear.”
“Thank you,” Diane said.
Sydney waited until the woman left. “How did you know that?”
“I didn’t,” Diane said.
“You can’t just make a decision like that.”
“It’s the only funeral home in Hopewell. We’ll figure out the rest later.”
“Oh.” There were more advantages to living in a small town every day.
Diane placed her hands on Sydney’s shoulders. “Look, you have been through so much the last couple of weeks, and the last twenty-four hours has been a real doozy. I’ll take care of the stuff down here. Go spend time with RayAnne. Call me if there’s anything you need me to do before y’all come home.”
“Call me before you leave,” Sydney said.
“I will. I’m so glad you came back to Hopewell, Sydney.”
“Me too.” She walked down the hall and stopped in the chapel. She knelt and bowed her head. “Please let my little girl be okay. I’ll do anything. Anything at all. Just let her be healthy and happy again. Please take care of the people I love.” She then silently prayed for Bea, for RayAnne’s speedy recovery, and for clarity about what path she should be following herself. She stood, then knelt one more time and prayed for Jon.
Feeling more at peace, she stopped in the bathroom and pressed a cold rag to her eyes, then went back to RayAnne’s room.
Mac was sitting in the chair in RayAnne’s room, watching television.
“Thanks,” she said quietly.
He got up and nodded toward the door. As they got to the hall, he said, “She didn’t even know you were gone. She slept the whole time. You’re upset. Is everything okay?”
She shook her head and buried her face into his chest. His hand pressed the back of her neck, holding her tight. Letting her cry. No words. Just his arms around her.
“It’s been a rough few days,” he said.
“Bea.” She pulled in a breath. “Mac, she didn’t make it.”
A crease formed between his eyes. “Wow. I didn’t expect that.”
“She’s been so great. Making me feel so welcome in this town. Giving me purpose and building my confidence. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
“She will not be forgotten. I can promise you that.”
Sydney shook her hair back behind her shoulders. “I know. I should be so lucky to live to be the kind of person Bea was.”
“You already are, Sydney. What can I do for you?”
“Nothing. You’ve already given me everything I need,” Sydney said. “I feel stronger just for you being here, and giving me a safe place to land.”
“I’m here for you.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll get my place ready for y’all to come stay. Can I pick up anything for Christmas Day from your house?”
“Oh gosh, I could probably do it when I get home tomorrow.”
“Just let me help. There’s going to be a lot to do with checking her out of the hospital and making the trip back.”
“If you could go by Wheelies and get her bicycle that would be great. It’s the one in the window. He doesn’t know I’m picking it up, though.”
“I know Wes. We go way back. I can do that.”
“And there’s a bag of stuff in my front hall closet for the stockings. If you could pick up the stockings and that stuff. That’s pretty much all I did.”
“Perfect. Christmas isn’t about the gifts and toys. It’s about the fellowship. It’s going to be a wonderful Christmas.”
“You’re right. I just want my girl home with me.”
He leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. Lips to lips. “This is good.”