Chapter Two Chapter TwoI could have stayed at my place,” Hannah said as Charlotte turned into the driveway of the farm. “I don’t need to stay with you.”
“I’m not taking you back to your house to stay. You’re not feeling well, and I don’t want you to be alone,” Charlotte insisted as she parked the car by the house. She had taken Hannah by her own house to pick up a few things but insisted she get back in the car with her and come to Heather Creek Farm for the night.
Charlotte’s voice was firm, but deep inside, she stifled a beat of despair. She’d dropped everything to rush to the hospital to help her friend, leaving chaos behind. Sitting around Harding Memorial, waiting for doctors’ reports, had drained what little energy she had left.
When Charlotte got to the hospital, she had found Hannah pacing the hall outside the ICU, her face pale, a sheen of sweat on her brow. When Hannah spotted Charlotte, she’d run toward her and clung to her like a sailor grasping a mast in a wild storm.
Charlotte had stayed by her friend’s side as they waited for the heart specialist to show up, but all they learned was what they already suspected: Frank had suffered a heart attack, but he was stable for now. They would have to do further tests to determine if he would need surgery. The nurses had informed Hannah that she couldn’t stay over at the hospital, so it only made sense to go home and get some rest for the days ahead. She had protested, but the nurses assured her they would contact her if Frank’s condition changed.
Now Hannah dragged her hands through her graying hair. “Are you sure it’s OK to stay with you and Bob? I don’t want to put anybody out.”
“You won’t be putting anyone out. No one is in the spare room anymore,” Charlotte said, giving her dear friend a gentle smile.
“I should have changed when I was at home,” Hannah said, pulling at her sweatshirt.
The words LIVE FOR TODAY marched across her blue sweatshirt in poufy pink letters, a touch of irony, given the situation. The sweatshirt still carried a dusting of flour and berry stains from the pie Hannah had been making when Frank collapsed on the kitchen floor in front of her. Charlotte had helped her clean up the abandoned pie when they went back to get Hannah’s clothes and toiletries.
“You can change after a hot bath. Just come into the house.” Charlotte hadn’t had time to call home again after her first quick call when she’d arrived at the hospital. Now she realized too late that she should have picked up something for supper from Mel’s Diner as they drove home.
The thought of the work still awaiting her almost made her stumble in her weariness—a weariness she didn’t dare show in front of her friend for fear of making her feel guilty. But when Charlotte opened the porch door and caught the aroma of supper cooking, she felt a pulse of gratitude.
She stepped into the kitchen, pleased to see her family sitting around the table, already eating. They all looked up as Charlotte and Hannah arrived, and Bob stood up from his chair.
“How is Frank?” Bob gave Hannah an awkward hug and then stepped back.
Hannah pressed a hand against her face, shaking her head, unable to speak.
“He’s stable for the time being. The doctors are consulting right now about what they will do next. We’ll know more tomorrow,” Charlotte said, slipping a comforting arm around her friend’s shoulder. “Sam, why don’t you get an extra chair from the family room?”
Sam did as he was asked, and Emily got up from the table too. “I’ll get a couple of plates and some utensils. You sit down, Mrs. Carter. Sorry we didn’t wait for you, Grandma, but we didn’t know how long you would be.”
“Do you need any help?” Charlotte asked.
“I’ve got everything under control,” Emily said, giving her grandmother a quick smile. “You just sit down and take it easy.”
“That would be lovely.” Charlotte could feel the muscles in her neck relaxing as she dropped into her chair. A headache nagged at her temples, and she hoped, even prayed, that she wasn’t getting whatever Hannah was fighting off. At least she didn’t have to do anything. Emily was in charge.
As she watched her granddaughter in the kitchen, she realized how truly blessed she was.
“Hannah is staying for the night,” Charlotte explained to the family, looking around the table.
“What is a heart attack?” Christopher asked as Emily set the plates in front of them.
Charlotte saw Sam elbow his little brother and then frown at him.
“Don’t do that,” Christopher complained. “I was just asking a question.”
“Maybe Mrs. Carter doesn’t want to talk about it,” Sam hissed back.
“A heart attack can happen when one of the blood vessels to the heart is plugged by a clot and the heart muscle is damaged.” Charlotte knew Christopher wouldn’t quit asking questions until he got answers, and as painful as it was to talk about this in front of Hannah, it would be harder to keep Christopher at bay. “We can go look it up on the Internet after supper if you want,” Charlotte said, glancing over at the computer.
“Did you get the haybine fixed, Bob?” Charlotte asked, steering the conversation in another direction.
“We phoned the company; they’re sending in some parts. Sam can pick them up at AA tomorrow,” Bob said. “By the way, the neighbors have all offered to pitch in and help with any work Frank needs done on the farm until he’s able to get back to work.”
“That’s wonderful, news, Bob,” Charlotte said as Hannah forced a smile of gratitude.
They talked for a while, and then Emily spoke up. “Ashley called. She invited me to come to Bible camp.”
Charlotte was momentarily taken aback. She didn’t think Emily would enjoy that kind of thing. “When is that?”
“She’s going to the first session? So it’s going to start the beginning of next week? Monday or so?” Emily’s voice lifted at the end of each comment, a sure sign that she really wanted to go.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Charlotte said, unable to make a decision on anything right now. She was thankful Emily got the hint and said nothing more.
Charlotte hoped that in a couple of days, Hannah would feel better. And she also hoped that Frank would be home as soon as possible.
For now, Charlotte knew she would need Emily’s help. She wasn’t so sure she should let Emily go.
Later. They would talk about camp later.
“How long do you have to work at the airport tomorrow?” Bob asked Sam, helping himself to another spoonful of pasta.
“I don’t. I have to go check my hours though.” Sam heaved a sigh. “It’s hardly worth driving my car all the way out there just to work for a few bucks, but I really like working for Ed. I should ask for more hours.” Sam folded his arms across his chest and tilted his chair back on two legs.
“You’ll need money for college,” Bob put in.
“Tell me about it.” Sam sighed again. “Maybe I should just quit and find another job.”
“Where would you work?” Charlotte asked. “It took you awhile to get this job.”
Never mind that he had been irresponsible in his other job and as a consequence had lost it. His resume was as spotty as a leopard.
Sam shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose I should check out the work situation in Harding.”
“You’d have to earn good money to make the drive worth your while,” Bob said.
“And if you don’t put that chair down on four legs, you’ll have to pay for it when it breaks,” Emily added with a smirk.
“And if you don’t stop being so bossy, I might have to go a round with you after supper.”
“You wish.”
Sam put the chair down, and the conversation shifted from his work to his plans for college, with Emily, Sam, and Christopher exchanging good-natured banter.
As the conversation shifted and changed, Charlotte glanced at her friend, thankful to see Hannah didn’t look as pale and drawn as she had at the hospital. Her staying here was a good idea, Charlotte realized. The busyness of the Stevenson family was just what Hannah needed to keep her mind off Frank.
Supper was over, and Bob reached for the Bible. A silence settled over the room as he opened it. Bob licked his finger and turned a few pages, the rustling sound the only noise in the quiet. He cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses, and started reading, his voice deep and sure: “This is from Isaiah 49. I’m starting at verse 14.” He waited a moment and then surreptitiously dabbed one corner of his eye.
Charlotte’s heart swelled with love and compassion for her husband. Frank was Bob’s dear friend, and the heart attack probably hit him very close to home. Bob’s own health wasn’t always the best, and with his diabetes, he was at a greater risk of getting a heart attack as well. That his younger friend had suffered one was probably as much of a shock to him as it had been to Hannah.
Bob started reading, his voice sure.
“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’
“‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.’”
Bob paused. “I’ll stop there,” he said, carefully closing the Bible. He took off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose, and then glanced around the table. “We can be thankful Frank is still with us and that God is holding him in the palms of his hands. We should continue to pray for him.”
He waited a moment, cleared his throat again, and then lowered his head and prayed for a blessing on the work of the day, thanking God for the food and asking for strength and healing for Frank.
His prayer was simple, yet Charlotte knew it was heartfelt. When she raised her head, her eyes met his. She gave him a smile that encompassed all their own struggles, sorrows, and griefs, recognizing how God had helped through them all.
Bob’s answering smile settled into her heart, reminding her of what they had shared and continued to share, both with each other and with the grandchildren now sitting around their table.
The ringing of the phone pierced the moment, and Emily jumped to answer it.
“Don’t tell me that Troy dearest is calling again,” Sam said with a disgusted tone as he leaned back in his chair. “Doesn’t that guy have anything else to do but call?”
“Did he call when I was out?” Charlotte asked.
“Every time I came into the house, Emily was chatting with him,” Sam said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe she doesn’t have a sore ear.”
“She got a lot of work done,” Charlotte said, puzzled.
“She’s really good at holding the phone between her shoulder and her ear,” Christopher said. “That way she can get more done. And sometimes she puts it on speakerphone. Like when she folded laundry.”
In spite of all the work Emily had done, Charlotte felt a niggling of concern at what she’d heard. She’d have to have a talk with Emily about Troy and set limits on phone time.
Emily returned, smiling, and put the phone back in the cradle.
“Wow, that was quick,” Sam said. “Did you and Troy-boy run out of things to talk about?”
“That wasn’t Troy,” Emily said. “It was Ashley.”
“Even more impressive,” Sam said.
“I told her I had work to do and that I’d talk to her after I was done.” Emily turned to Charlotte. “I’ll take care of the dishes, Grandma. You and Mrs. Carter go sit in the family room.”
“I think I’m going to bed instead, if you don’t mind,” Hannah said.
“I’ll take you up.” Charlotte got up, feeling every muscle in her body. She shot a thankful glance at Emily, who was already waving her hands at her in a shooing motion.
“When you come back down I’ll make you some tea,” Emily said.
“That sounds lovely.” Charlotte gave her granddaughter a quick smile, once again thankful for the uncomplaining help she received.
Emily had come a long way since she first arrived as a resentful young girl. She was turning into a very responsible young woman.
Upstairs, Charlotte opened the door to the spare room and gave it a cursory glance. The blue quilt on the bed was smooth and neat; the room smelled fresh.
She brought Hannah’s overnight bag into the room as Hannah dropped onto the bed.
“What a day,” she said, letting her hands fall onto her lap. “I’ve never been so tired in all my life.”
“You’ve been on an emotional roller coaster,” Charlotte said, coming to sit beside her. She smoothed her friend’s hair back from her face and picked up her worn hands to hold in hers. “That has to be exhausting, especially when you’re not feeling well on top of everything else.”
Hannah blinked, a single tear coursing down her slightly wrinkled cheek. “I just hate feeling this weepy. I know Frank and I aren’t young anymore.” She turned to Charlotte as another tear joined the first one glistening in the overhead light. “But it’s hard to see him so helpless. I hate the thought that I had to leave him alone. I wish the hospital would allow spouses to stay overnight.” She gave a short laugh. “We’ve rarely slept apart in all the years we’ve been married.”
The anguish in her voice clutched at Charlotte’s heart as she thought of how she would feel if it were Bob lying in the hospital instead of Frank. It was as if an icy finger feathered its way down her spine; she squeezed Hannah’s hands even harder.
“We can be thankful he’s in good hands and for now, he’s OK,” Charlotte assured her. “You and Frank love each other and, Lord willing, you’ll have a lot of time left together.” Charlotte paused. “Now I’d like to pray with you before you lie down.”
Hannah nodded, and as Charlotte continued to hold Hannah’s hands tightly between hers, the two friends bowed their heads.
“Dear Lord, thank you for sparing Frank’s life today. We know our lives are in your hands every day and that we take life for granted. We know how fragile our lives are, but yet Lord, we plead with you to be with Frank. Be with the doctors and nurses; may they help his recovery. We pray that he will be returned to Hannah and to us in your time.”
Charlotte paused, her own emotions threatening to overcome her, but she swallowed and continued. “Please give Hannah strength to get through this trial and help her to always trust in you and put her life in your hands. Amen.”
Charlotte waited a moment, praying silently for herself—praying she could be a support to Hannah and thanking him again that Emily could help her through this time.
“Do you need anything else?” Charlotte asked, squeezing her friend’s hands one last time.
“No, I’m just going to take some pain reliever for this lousy headache.”
“I’ll put out some towels for you in the bathroom. If you need anything, just let Emily or me know.”
Hannah nodded.
“Have a good sleep,” Charlotte said, getting up and gently closing the door behind her.
Poor Hannah, she thought. It’s as if the ground has been cut out from under her. She would really need Charlotte’s support during the next chapter of her life.
Charlotte stopped at the bathroom, surprised to see the tidy counter and the shining sink. Emily had picked up the slack. The girl had even put out some towels and left a new bar of soap resting on top of them.
By the time she got downstairs the dishwasher was swishing through its cycle, and Emily was ordering her brothers around. Charlotte’s burdens lifted off her shoulders.
In the family room she eased herself into her chair beside Bob’s. She let out her breath in a gentle sigh and then glanced over at her husband.
“How are you?” she asked quietly.
Bob sat in his recliner holding the remote but staring sightlessly at the television’s blank screen.
“This is a huge shock for us,” she continued. “I never thought Frank would be the one—”
“It should have been me,” Bob said, clenching his hand around the remote.
“Why do you say that?”
“I’m the one with the health problems.” Bob raised and lowered his hand. “I’m the one who’s at greater risk, and I’m nearly ten years older.”
Charlotte did not know how to answer that. Instead, she wisely kept silent.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Bob said. “Frank was always so healthy.”
“He’s still alive, Bob,” Charlotte said, reaching over and resting her hand on his arm.
Bob shot her a frown; then, as what she was saying registered, he gave a short laugh. “Yes, yes. I know.” He slowly shook his head back and forth. “But it just feels as if the shadow of death passed over our lives again. It was so hard losing Denise. I don’t want to go through that sorrow again.”
Charlotte gently stroked his arm, taking in the grease stains on his shirt, the frayed edges of his collar. Bob was a simple man. A farmer. He had a difficult time expressing his emotions. When they lost their daughter—Emily, Sam, and Christopher’s mother—she and Bob had experienced deep, heartrending grief. While Charlotte had her friends to talk to about her pain, she knew Bob had kept his sorrow bottled deep within him.
“God brought us through that sorrow,” she said quietly, still stroking his arm. “He’ll bring us through whatever may lie ahead.”
Bob nodded, releasing a deep sigh. “I know that’s true. But we’re both getting older, and so are our friends.”
“For now we have each other.” Charlotte got up and brushed a kiss over his grizzled cheeks. “And we have the children.”
A gentle smile slipped over Bob’s lips. “I’m so thankful God brought them into our lives.”
As she picked up her knitting, Charlotte smiled. In spite of the frustrations, the children had kept them young, and they were an immense blessing in Charlotte’s and Bob’s lives.
And, Lord willing, they would continue to be.
Bob lifted the remote and clicked on the television, flicking through the channels, aimlessly searching for some entertainment.
When the children were done cleaning up, Sam and Christopher ambled outside, and Emily came into the family room.
“Thank you so much for helping out so well,” Charlotte said, smiling at her granddaughter as she dropped onto the worn couch.
“Gladly done.” Emily leaned back against the cushions, her hands folded over her stomach. “Is it OK if I go to camp? You said we would talk about it when I was done.”
Charlotte knitted a few more stitches on the blanket she was making for Will, regret spinning through her at what she knew she had to tell her granddaughter. “I don’t know if I can let you go, honey.”
Emily frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll be busy with Hannah, bringing her back and forth to visit Frank in the hospital. I won’t have time to do everything on the farm and in the house. I’m depending on you to help me.”
Emily’s mouth fell open, and her shoulders sagged. “Why do I have to help? Why can’t the boys pitch in?”
“They’re not nearly as capable as you are in the house. I mean, look what you accomplished tonight. Without any prodding you got supper going, cleaned the house, folded the laundry, and put it away. It was so wonderful to come home and find everything taken care of.”
Emily leaned forward, her hands clasped together, her eyes bright. “I really, really want to go. I’ve never been to a camp before. I think it would be so much fun. There’s canoeing and horseback riding and crafts and all kinds of things I don’t know anything about.”
The earnest tone of her granddaughter’s voice was almost Charlotte’s undoing. “I’m sorry, honey,” she said, injecting as much sympathy as she could into her voice. “I’m really going to need you the next little while. There’s no way I can do everything here and still take care of Hannah.”
Emily pulled back and straightened, her features hardening. “That’s not fair.”
“What do you mean?”
“I did all that work so you’d let me go. If I had known that by doing you a favor I would have ended up stuck on the farm instead, I would’ve never done everything.”
Just as Bob opened his mouth to reprimand her, Emily scrambled to her feet, ran down the hallway, and stormed up the stairs. At least she didn’t slam the door to her bedroom, Charlotte thought thankfully.
She pressed her fingers to her temple, trying to ease away the headache. She had sincerely thought Emily had done what she did out of the goodness of her heart. To find out her granddaughter had had an ulterior motive hurt her.
“Did I make the right decision?” she asked Bob, needing to have her choice confirmed.
That was one of the other joys of raising teenagers: the second-guessing that twisted her in circles.
“Hannah needs you, and that’s more important than Emily’s summer entertainment.” Bob leaned back in his recliner with another sigh. “Besides, pitching in a bit more wouldn’t hurt Emily. She doesn’t have a job yet so she may as well keep busy here.”
Charlotte agreed, but at the same time she wished she could let her granddaughter attend camp. Just last month she’d had to deny her going to the prom. And now this.
She’d like to allow it for her granddaughter’s sake, yes, but also for the peace of the household. Because a happy Emily was a happy household. If she couldn’t go to this camp that she “really, really” wanted to attend, the whole household would suffer.
Charlotte settled back in her chair; to soothe herself, she picked up her knitting. Bill, Anna, and the children were coming on Sunday for dinner, and she had hoped to have the blanket ready by then. Maybe she could take it to the hospital tomorrow and work on it while Hannah visited with Frank.
She tried to push down the panic swirling in her mind at the thought of being gone all day tomorrow and all the things she needed to do.
Emily could help, she reminded herself. Christopher could help. In spite of Emily’s obvious resentment, Charlotte knew her granddaughter would be obedient.
She also knew there would be a cost.
As she started knitting a new row, she thought of what Sam and Christopher had said about Troy calling so often, and more second thoughts assailed her.
Maybe it would be best if Emily and Troy had some time away from each other, but was that really a solution?
She needed Emily’s help. Hannah’s well-being was more important than Emily’s going to camp.
She twisted the yarn around her needle, wishing she could make up her mind.
A few minutes later the phone rang. Charlotte didn’t even bother to get up to answer it. With two teenagers and a young boy in the house, it seldom rang for her and Bob anymore.
A few minutes later, Emily trudged down the stairs, phone in hand. “Even though I’m not going to camp, is it OK if I go to Ashley’s tomorrow? Sam said he would give me a ride.”
“How long will you be there?”
Emily lifted her one shoulder in a negligent shrug. “I dunno. Couple of hours.”
Charlotte glanced at Bob watching his television show. No help from that department.
“OK. I’ll need your help tomorrow afternoon though. We’ve got company coming on Sunday, and I’d like you to do some more baking Saturday afternoon.”
“What do you want me to make?”
“A couple of pies for dessert and another banana bread.”
Emily just nodded.
“So make sure—”
“That I’m back on time. I know.”
“OK then.” Charlotte hoped her gentle smile would soothe her obviously frustrated granddaughter. “I’ll be at the hospital with Hannah, so if you could be back by three o’clock, that should give you enough time to get the baking done before supper.”
“Do I have to make supper too?”
Charlotte thought that might be asking a bit much, so she shook her head. “I’ll think of something. Maybe I can pick up something at Mel’s Place in town.”
Emily didn’t reply.
“So is that OK with you?” Charlotte pressed, requiring at least some acknowledgement.
“Sure. OK.” Emily’s mouth barely moved as she spoke, as if each word was begrudgingly given.
Once again Charlotte held back a reprimand.
Choose the battles you want to fight.
The old advice was never more apt than when dealing with her grandchildren.
“Say hello to Ashley for me,” Charlotte said, pointing at the phone Emily still held in her hand.
Emily hesitated and then gave Charlotte a begrudging smile. “I will. Thanks, Grandma.”
When she was gone, Bob sighed. “Always some drama,” he said, but his smile softened the comment.
“Keeps us young,” Charlotte said returning his smile.