Chapter Twenty-One

LUCY HAD PROBABLY GONE IN SEARCH OF HER father again. Or she might have gone to the cafeteria. Adrenaline prodded her into action. She paused briefly to order her search. She couldn't have gone far.

Anabelle would start looking for her right here in the unit. She first checked in Dr. Drew's room. He hadn't seen her. Neither had the next patient or the next. She passed by Talbot's room and made her way around. She was about to go over to ICU when she heard a giggle.

Anabelle spun around intent on following the sound. It was coming from George Talbot's room. The sight awaiting her was almost more than she could comprehend. Lucy had climbed up on the bed with George.

“Lucy! What are you doing?” Anabelle took a step forward and stopped.

The little girl beamed. “I found my Grampa.”

Anabelle looked from one to the other, hardly able to take it in. This man she saw as the monster who had run down her baby was now a grandfather. “Are you really her grandfather?”

He chuckled. “This is my Bookie Bear.” He hugged her close then frowned. “She was telling me about her daddy's being missing?”

Anabelle drew in a deep breath. “Bill Preston is your son?”

“My son-in-law.”

Anabelle nodded. “He was injured in an auto accident. The police are trying to locate him. I’ve done all I can to find him.”

Lucy sat up. “Anabelle said I could go home with her, but now I can stay with you, right?”

He gave Anabelle an imploring look, then smiling at Lucy said, “I’m afraid you can't stay here, Bookie. Grandpa has to have an operation tomorrow.”

Anabelle stepped up beside the bed and reached for Lucy. “Is there anyone in your family I can contact? Your wife?”

He shook his head. “Lost both my wife and daughter to breast cancer just ten years apart. It's just Lucy, Bill and me.”

“I’m sorry.” Anabelle looked down at Lucy. “You can still stay with me, okay? We’ll come back and see your grandpa tomorrow when he wakes up.”

“But—what about my daddy? Somebody has to find him.” Lucy frowned at Anabelle's open arms and snuggled up to her grandfather.

“I know, honey, and we will. First, we need to get some sleep.” George gave her a hug. “Come on, Bookie Bear. Be a good girl for Anabelle. She’ll take care of you and bring you back tomorrow.”

“I wanna stay here with you.”

Anabelle didn't have the energy to deal with a stubborn child, but she did have a thought. “Do you like dolls, Lucy?”

She nodded, her lower lip protruding.

Anabelle smiled and pretended enthusiasm. “My daughter has some dolls and toys you can play with. And I have a very special bedroom you can sleep in.”

“Okay.” Lucy released a deep sigh and scooted closer to Anabelle, allowing herself to be lifted off the bed. Before setting her on the floor, Anabelle hugged the girl and gave George a victory smile.

“Thank you, Anabelle,” he said. “I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help.”

Anabelle lowered Lucy to the floor and sobered when she realized she’d been talking with and even helping George Talbot. This is not happening. Anabelle struggled to regain her composure. “You’re welcome.”

Taking Lucy's hand, Anabelle stopped at her office for her bag, said good-bye to the nurses she spotted on the way out and made a beeline for the ER.

“Are we looking for my daddy again?” Lucy asked.

While searching for Bill Preston was not on her immediate agenda, Anabelle nodded. “I need to stop and see someone else too.”

Anabelle spotted Kirstie sitting behind the desk, handing someone a clipboard with papers to fill out. “Hi,” she said when the person left.

“Hi, yourself.” Anabelle introduced Lucy to her daughter. “You must be exhausted. I hate to ask, but Lucy will be staying overnight in your room, and I was wondering if you could come by later and introduce her to your dolls and such.”

“Sure. I’ll be going home at around four. I’ll get cleaned up and come over. You’ll have to feed me though.”

“You’re on.”

Anabelle had one more stop to make before going home. She and Lucy stopped at the cafeteria to see how the Parade of Patients was going. She was surprised to see Pricilla Nordberg, her quilting friend, with her husband and six children. Her husband Gary sat next to Drew, both involved in an animated conversation.

“Anabelle.” Pricilla came toward her, with baby Olivia perched on her arm. “We heard about what you all are doing for Dr. Hamilton and had to come.”

“That's so nice of you. Were you one of his patients?”

“Not me, but Gary was. Fifteen years ago, he was in an accident at work. He credits Dr. Hamilton with saving his life. I do too.” She blinked back tears. “Gary’s reminding him about the months of recuperation he had to go through. And what Dr. Hamilton told him.”

“And what was that?” Anabelle smiled at the thought of Drew getting a taste of his own advice.

“Just that there are some things you can't rush. If you try to come back from an injury too fast, it may set you back even further. Gary used to be a very impatient man. He realized that in his rush to impress and get things done, he almost lost his life.” Her gaze lingered on her husband.

Gary stood and shook Drew's hand. “I learned a lot while I was recuperating, doc. One of the most important lessons was that life isn't a race where you run as fast as you can to the finish line. It's meant to be savored, moment by moment.”

“You make a good point, my friend.”

“Anyway, I didn't come by to lecture you. We just wanted to thank you for giving me back my life. Without you we’d have six less kids to be thankful for.”

Drew chuckled. “Glad I could help.”

Gary gathered his children together and greeted Anabelle with a hug. “Thanks for giving us the opportunity to thank him.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for coming.”

Anabelle sat in the chair Gary had vacated. “We have more people signed up for tomorrow, you know.”

He smiled. “Ever hear the line ‘too much of a good thing’?”

Anabelle frowned. “Is this really too much for you?” The last thing she wanted was to cause him stress or tire him out.

“I’m so overcome. I’m just one man who was doing his job. I can't even begin to process everything I’ve been hearing.”

“I hope you realize how much you—and your health—mean to this community.” Anabelle looked around. “Where's Genna?”

“Went to get some coffee. She should be back in a few minutes.”

Anabelle checked Genna's schedule. Twenty-five patients had come in this afternoon, with no one else scheduled for the day. She scribbled out a note to Genna and grasped the handles of the wheelchair. “Let's get you upstairs so you can take a nap.”

“Do grown-ups have to take naps too?” Lucy laid her hand on the armrest.

Drew grinned at her. “If they’re smart, they do.”

When they reached the car, Anabelle buckled Lucy in, all the while trying to sort through her conflicting thoughts. She was happy that Lucy had found her grandfather but irritated that said grandfather was George Talbot. She’d been more than willing to help Lucy find her father, but to help George find his son-in-law? She had to smile at the irony.

Anabelle had no doubt that God had somehow orchestrated this bizarre turn of events. She should not be carrying around anger toward the man regardless of what he had done. Was this God's way of saying it was time to give up her resentment?

Once she’d buckled herself in, Anabelle reached back and patted Lucy's leg. “Thank you for coming home with me. I know it's hard to have Daddy gone, but it was good to find Grandpa, right?”

She shrugged and looked out the window. “I just want my daddy.”

“We’ll find him. I promise.” Anabelle nearly choked on the words. She just hoped it was a promise she could keep.

On the way home, Anabelle headed over to Walmart just outside of town to pick up some clothes for Lucy. She had extra personal items at home—like toothbrushes, a clean hairbrush and that sort of thing—but Lucy would need at least one change of clothes.

Once home, the hope Anabelle had for a nap fizzled when she saw what the storm had done to her home. Cameron had boarded up the broken windows and picked up the glass, but her quilting haven was a mess. Broken glass had left shards all over her fabrics. Some of the fabric was damp. Puddles of water indicated where the hailstones had come in and melted.

Fortunately Kirstie showed up about that time to care for Lucy and introduce her to her dolls and the rest of her menagerie. Lucy immediately went into play mode.

Anabelle sorted through all the soggy and damp fabrics and started a load in the washer. She vacuumed up the glass and, by 6:30 PM, was more than ready for the pizza Kirstie had ordered in.

Dinner proved entertaining as Lucy shared bits and pieces of her life. Kirstie had Lucy giggling and acting silly. Normal.

Thus far, Kirstie hadn't told them what she wanted to talk about, so Anabelle initiated the topic. “At the hospital, you said you wanted to talk.”

“Right.” Kirstie set the pizza slice she’d been holding on her plate. “I need some advice.”

Anabelle raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Cameron chuckled. “Wonders never cease.”

“C’mon, I’m not too prideful to ask for help when I need it.”

Anabelle wanted her to get to the point. “So what kind of advice are you looking for?”

Kirstie sighed. “I’d like to know what you think of Mark.”

Anabelle glanced at Cameron. “We really don't know him. He seems very nice, though.”

Kirstie chewed on her lower lip. “I’m just not sure I’m ready for marriage.”

Anabelle tossed Cameron another look. He just smiled. “Has Mark asked you?”

“No.” Kirstie laughed. “But I think he’d like to.”

Anabelle relaxed. “Talk to him, Kirstie. Tell him honestly how you feel. That you want to keep seeing him, but say you want to take things more slowly.”

Kirstie seemed to consider this as she picked up her slice of pizza again and curled a string of cheese around the end.

Cameron looked at her for a long time. “You know there's not a man in the world good enough for my little girl. But Mark might be worth hanging on to. Seems like a good man.”

Kirstie smiled. “I’m thinking if it's meant to be, he’ll be willing to hang in there with me.”

Anabelle nodded. “Wise decision.”

Kirstie decided to stay overnight, thinking that Lucy could use a slumber party. Anabelle felt a certain joy in watching her daughter that evening. She had grown up, yes, but in a perfectly wonderful way. Maybe Kirstie's independence was a good thing.