Her Unlikely Family (15 page)

Suddenly, he had a picture form in his mind. “Your mom loved dolls. Especially one baby she got when she was about five or six. She got new ones through the years, but none ever compared to that worn, ratty-haired one.” He tossed a rock into the stream. “She took such good care of it. I couldn't figure out how she learned. Your grandmother was never very maternal.”

“Maybe she treated the doll like she always wished Grandmother would treat her.”

“I suppose you're right.” He unzipped his pack to get a bandage for her blister.

“What was the doll's name?” She peeled off the paper and applied it to her heel.

He recalled Patricia putting the baby in a toy high chair and feeding it. What was it she'd called the thing? She'd rocked the doll and sung to it, calling it—The name hit him like a kick in the gut.

“Lisa,” he choked out. “She called her Lisa.”

Tears puddled in his niece's eyes but didn't spill over. She put her sock and boot back on and started to climb on the rocks. “Thanks for telling me, Uncle Michael.”

“Any time. I'd be happy to tell you anything you want to know.”

“Come on, old man. You need to test out those boots.” She hopped to a nearby rock, landing easily with perfect traction. “They're great!”

He eased onto a rock near the edge of the water, scuffing his sole back and forth, testing the treads. “They do hold pretty well.” He leaped out to a rock beside the one she was on.

The air was nippy, but the sun shone brightly, lighting her rosy cheeks. She was the picture of wholesomeness—if he could imagine her with brown hair instead of green.

He could do this. He could take her home and form a two-person family. How hard could it be? Josie had prepared him well. He could take Lisa shopping. Even if he couldn't cook much, he could take her to restaurants. They could have fun together playing golf, hiking, maybe going to movies or whatever else teens liked to do.

He could even ground her when it was necessary to discipline her.

This wasn't so hard after all, as long as he was willing to try new things. To be more spontaneous.

“Come on, Uncle Michael. I'll race you across the stream. Last one there buys pizza for dinner.”

“I don't know. Maybe if we take it slow.”

“Ready, set, go,” she yelled, then took off.

The boots did grip well. And she was getting ahead.

He jumped to a nearby rock, hoping to find a shortcut from the path she seemed to be taking. Once he landed, he saw the perfect sequence. He quickly pulled ahead of her. “I've got it now. You'll never win.”

“You're dreaming.” She laughed. He could hear her huffing behind him, drawing closer. She squealed.

His heart pounded from the strain. He'd been holding his breath each time he leaped. He took a deep breath and made the last lunge toward land. With his arms in the air, he turned to celebrate his victory and rub it in.

She was gone.

He searched, his lungs feeling as if they might burst out of his chest.

He saw her lying on her back in the water, her face barely above the surface. “Please God, no.”

M
ichael ran to Lisa, splashing in water over his ankles. When he reached her, he knelt and gently felt for a heartbeat. She had a pulse, and was breathing, but she was unconscious. A quick search showed blood oozing from a wound on the back of her head.

She must have fallen backward and hit her head on a rock.

He yanked out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1, praising God that he had one bar of signal. After giving approximate directions to where they were, he followed the dispatcher's instructions to carefully move her out of the frigid water while trying to stabilize her neck.

Gently, he carried her to the grass. Once she was bundled under his coat, he applied pressure to her wound with sterile gauze out of his first-aid kit.

She opened her eyes. “Uncle Michael?”

“Yeah, honey. I'm here. You must've fallen.”

“Did I win?”

A laugh worked its way through the fear and panic. “You sure did. I'm buying tonight.”

“I don't think I feel like eating pizza.” She heaved herself up and lost her lunch on the ground.

At least her back and neck weren't injured. But she needed to get to a hospital to be checked for a concussion. And maybe stitches. “Come on, honey. Hold this gauze against your head, and I'll carry you up to the car. There should be an ambulance soon.”

“Okay.” She looked pale. And in pain.

What had he been thinking, racing across slippery rocks? Why had he ever thought he could take care of someone?

 

Josie shuffled into the house, thankful Regina had made it to the diner so she didn't have to work a full double, but still worn out. All she wanted was a hot shower and to wash the grease out of her hair.

Once she'd indulged, she came out fresh and peachy. While toweling her curls to absorb the excess water, she went to the kitchen to get a glass of iced tea. The flash of the answering machine caught her attention. She didn't get many messages, so she pushed the button.

“Josie, it's Michael. Lisa's had an accident.”

The blood rushed from Josie's face leaving her light-headed.

“We're on our way to the hospital to have her checked. I'll try you at the diner.”

The machine clicked off. No other messages.

“Mike! Which hospital?”

Paralyzed with fear, Josie's brain had to kick into gear and make her body start moving.
First shoes. Then call the closest hospital to see if they're there.

Ice froze Josie's insides as she grabbed the phone book, her leaden hands almost too stiff to turn the pages. Once she found the listing of the nearest hospital, she punched in the number.

“Emergency room.”

“Could you tell me if you've had a Lisa Throckmorton admitted?”

“Hold, please.”

Josie gripped the phone cord to her chest.
Please, God.

“Yes, I see a Throckmorton came in around a half hour ago.”

Josie swallowed, almost unable to speak. “Can…can you tell me what happened? What her condition is?”

“I'm sorry, unless you're a member of the immediate family, I can't give out that information.”

Josie fought tears as she realized how much Mike and Lisa meant to her. “Look, lady. They're the only family I have.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Throckmorton. All I know at the moment is that it's a head injury, and she's gone for a CT scan.”

Oh, dear Lord. A head injury?
“Thank you.” Josie slammed down the phone, grabbed her keys and ran out to her car. She raced to the hospital emergency entrance and parked among the ambulances.

Mike had left her name at the reception desk. They led her through a set of double doors to an examination room. She barreled in and saw Lisa lying on a stretcher with a bandage around her head. “What happened?”

Mike startled. “Shh. You're going to hurt her head banging around like that.”

“Tell me what happened. Is she okay?”

He took Josie's hand and led her to the bed. “We were in the park, and she slipped on a rock in the stream. Has a concussion. But she's going to be fine.”

Tears gushed out of Josie's eyes as she started to shake all over. “I got home…Your message…I was so scared.”

“It's just a stupid bump on the head and a few stitches,” Lisa muttered. “It's not like they had to take a kidney or somethin'.”

Tears of relief mingled with the tears of fright. Then Josie started laughing.

“Do you do a lot of that?” Mike smiled at her. “That laughing and crying at the same time?”

“Only since I realized I love this green-headed renegade.” She looked at Lisa and tried to smile through wobbly lips.

“I love you, too, Josie.” Lisa's face crumpled. Tears welled up and she started to cry. Then she, too, ended up laughing. “Ouch. That hurts. Stop it, Josie.”

When Josie let out a hysterical laugh-wail, Lisa laughed harder. Which led to a pain-filled groan from the patient. “Oh, that hurts.”

“Are you two going to be okay, now?” Mike asked.

Lisa passed the tissue box to Josie, who took one, wiped her eyes, then blew her nose with a loud honk.

Lisa swiped at her tears. “I know I don't show it. But I love you, Uncle Mike.”

“Uncle Mike?” he said, unsure of how to answer her. He'd never told anyone he loved them before, not even Gloria. And he couldn't remember anyone telling him, either.

“Yeah,” Lisa said. “I think you've earned the nickname.”

Michael reached for his niece. Maybe it wasn't possible to plan for moments like this. Maybe you just had to go for it. “You know, I love you, too. From the minute I first saw you bundled in a pink hospital blanket.” He caressed her face.

“Ouch,” Lisa said.

He jerked his hand away. “Did I hurt you?”

“It's okay. Like I said, it's—” she took in several puffs of air “—it's only a stupid—” tears spurted out of the corners of her eyes “—bump on the head.” She began to sob.

He leaned over to comfort her, trying not to cause any pain. He patted Lisa's hand, a safe area. “What's wrong, pumpkin?”

“Pumpkin? No one's called me that in…so…loooong.” The wailing began in earnest, then.

Michael glanced up at a crying Josie. His eyes were the only dry ones in the room, but they prickled, on the verge.

Trying to lighten the moment, he said to Lisa, “Hey, don't cry. Your hair will grow back and the scar won't show.”

“I can just shave the rest of it off,” Lisa said, attempting to smile but failing.

“Over my dead body.”

Josie playfully slapped Michael away and took Lisa's hand. “Are you okay? Really okay?”

“I'm better than okay.” She sniffed. “Even though my head hurts, I'm happy. This is just what I prayed for.”

Michael grinned. “You prayed that we'd be around your hospital bed crying?”

“No, goofball. I prayed that we'd be, like, you know…a family.”

Michael saw the doubt in Josie's dazed expression. And maybe a little fear?

He knew the feeling. Seeing each other temporarily and marrying, forming a family, were two totally different things. He wasn't sure he'd ever be ready to take on
that
commitment.

Then again, God was omnipotent.

Michael looked at his niece. “What
exactly
did you pray for?”

 

Once Lisa was resting peacefully, Michael asked Josie to sit with her. He needed to call his family and let them know about the accident.

As he walked outside the hospital, he thought about all the panic and fear of the last two days. He'd had to deal with Lisa staying out past curfew, and now the concussion. Were teenagers always this much trouble?

Whether they were or not didn't matter. What mattered was that he apparently wasn't parent material. If he couldn't protect Lisa from herself, how was he supposed to protect her from the world?

He opened his cell phone and dialed Gary.

“Hey, Michael. What's up?”

“We're at the hospital with Lisa. She's had a little accident. Slipped and fell and has a concussion.”

“Oh, no. Is she okay?”

“Had to get some stitches. We'll have to watch her tonight.”

“I'll drive up there to check on her tomorrow. I'll see if I can get someone to cover for me at the bank on Monday morning.”

“You don't have to do that.”

“I want to. And I'll let Mother and Dad know.”

“Thanks, Gary.”

“I, uh…” He paused on the other end of the line. “I was about to call you, anyway.”

“What's up?”

“Tom Mason is having second thoughts.”

Michael had to shift gears from Lisa to business. Alarm at the tone of Gary's voice made for a rapid transition. “But he signed the contract. The financing is lined up.”

“We only shook on it. We were going to sign the paperwork today.”

“Then what's the problem?”

“I guess he's figured out I'm new at all this. He wants to sit down and go over the contract with you.”

“I can't, Gar. You were the one to win him over. Act confident, and he'll come around.”

“I tried that. When it comes to dinner and golf, I'm the man. But when it comes to contracts, your reputation and experience make you the man.”

“Can you put him off a couple of weeks?”

“He's got construction deadlines to meet. He said he could wait until Monday, but that's it.”

“Did you suggest Dad?”

“He won't hear of it. Seems they've had conflicts before.”

This couldn't be happening. Michael wanted to get all of Mason's business so badly he could taste it. It could make the difference between an okay year and a great year dividend-wise. They only had a few stockholders outside the family, but he had a responsibility to them.

Since Lisa was going to be laid up for a day or two, maybe he could make the trip to Charleston.

But what if she needs me while I'm gone?

Josie could take care of any situation, couldn't she?

“Michael, I really need you here ASAP.”

“Let me call him.”

“I suggested a conference call. He said he wouldn't consider talking through a contract on the phone.”

“Can he meet me here? We could fly him.”

“I've tried everything, big brother. He can't get away right now.”

So after all the months of work, it came down to choosing Lisa or Tom Mason.

Michael walked farther into the parking lot. He could see Josie's car parked haphazardly in a no-parking area. He pictured taking Lisa back to Josie's house. Lisa would walk in the door and drop her things, then throw herself into their arms and say, “I love you both.”

“I'm sorry, Gary. Lisa needs me right now.”

Silence. Then a big sigh. “Just think about it. Once I get there, maybe I can stay with Lisa while you head home to deal with Mason.”

“Okay. I'll see how she's doing once you get here.”

“I'm sorry, Michael. I know how hard you've worked for this account.”

Shoving his frustration and disappointment aside, he said, “Hey, you did a great job. The contract experience will come.”

“I should definitely cut my teeth on smaller fish.”

Michael laughed. “That's a plan.”

“I do wish you were back at the bank, but I'm glad Lisa has you there for her now. She's needed you the whole time, you know.”

“Yeah. I'm learning the hard way, too.”

 

It was late when the hospital finally released Lisa into Michael's care. As he helped load her into his car, Lisa said, “Thanks for taking such good care of me today, Uncle Mike.”

“Good care of you? Don't forget I'm the idiot who raced you across the rocks.”

She shrugged. “I would have done it with or without you. And, hey, at least you had your first-aid kit. I'll never again make fun of you for being overly prepared.”

How could she be so forgiving? She should be blaming him.

“She's right, Mike,” Josie said. “Accidents are going to happen. And you handled it well.”

“Handled it well? I thought my heart would explode, it was pounding so fast.”

“But you kept a level head. Told the paramedics where to find you. Stopped the blood flow.”