obey. Joel rocked his nephew while a silent prayer rose from his heart. Lord, let this storm blow out fast. An’ help me find a way to ease this boy’s fear of storms. Gonna be lots of them in his life – best he learns to see ’em through instead of hidin’ from them.
“I’ll go fetch Dr. Seilstad.” Mr. Jeffers deposited Missy on the parlor settee. “Looks like she’s gonna need him.” He dashed back out into the storm.
Edythe sank to her knees beside the settee and stroked Missy’s pale cheeks. Tears rained down her own face. The girl’s disheveled appearance suggested she must have walked the hundred miles between Omaha and Walnut Hill. Agony born of guilt twisted Edythe’s heart. How many days had Missy been on the road, all alone, trying to reach her sister? Had she eaten during her days of travel? What if Mr. Jeffers hadn’t found her? A sob wracked Edythe’s body and she pressed her fist to her mouth. If her sister died, it would be all her fault.
Warm hands curled around her shoulders and tugged her aside. “Let’s get this girl out of those wet clothes. I got a nightgown here.” Luthenia held up a voluminous flannel gown. “It’ll swallow her, but it’s a heap better’n that soggy dress she’s wearin’. Figure the doc would want us to get her dry an’ warm.”
Edythe assisted her landlady in stripping Missy of her rain-soaked dress and underthings. Using a rough length of toweling, she rubbed her sister’s cold limbs before holding her upright so Luthenia could tug the gown over her head. As a baby, Missy had always fought Edythe’s hands when she changed her diaper or buttoned her into a tiny frock. To see her lying so still and unresponsive, unaware of their ministrations, brought a fresh rush of tears to Edythe’s eyes. It seemed all the life had drained from the girl.
“I’ll get these to soakin’ in the washtub.” Luthenia carted the wet clothes away.
Edythe tucked a quilt around Missy’s frame and then sat on the edge of the settee and smoothed her sister’s tangled hair away from her face. Rain continued to lash the house, driven by furious gusts of wind. Flashes of lightning lit the room, followed by rolls of thunder. Edythe shivered, imagining Missy slogging through the storm, determined to reach shelter.
Luthenia returned with a cup of something hot and steamy held between her palms. “Chamomile tea with honey. See if you can get her to swallow some of this. It’ll warm her innards.”
Edythe propped Missy against a pile of pillows and poured a scant spoonful of tea between her slack lips. The first spoonful dribbled down Missy’s chin, but mercifully her lips closed and her throat convulsed with the second spoonful. Heartened by the small success, Edythe tipped another spoonful into Missy’s mouth. At the third swallow, her eyelids fluttered and she grimaced.
Edythe jerked backward, protecting the cup of tea, as Missy’s hands flew outward. Her eyes opened and she looked around in confusion. Then her gaze settled on Edythe. “I found you.” Her voice sounded croaky and raw.
Edythe passed the cup to Luthenia and gathered Missy in her arms. “You found me.” She pressed her cheek to Missy’s damp, tangled locks. For long seconds, she rocked her the same way she had when Missy was a colicky baby, relief making her bones feel like rubber.
Missy planted her hands against Edythe’s shoulders and pushed. Although it was a weak gesture absent of any real force, Edythe instinctively released her sister. Missy collapsed against the pillows and glared at Edythe. “Why’d you leave me in Omaha?” Resentment laced Missy’s tone.
Edythe gulped. “I – ” Before she could finish, the sound of feet stomping onto the porch intruded.
“Must be the doc.” Luthenia threw open the door and waved the young doctor into the house. She pointed to the sofa. “Your patient’s right there – just now woke an’ started talkin’.”
Edythe scuttled aside and
“I’ll go fetch Dr. Seilstad.” Mr. Jeffers deposited Missy on the parlor settee. “Looks like she’s gonna need him.” He dashed back out into the storm.
Edythe sank to her knees beside the settee and stroked Missy’s pale cheeks. Tears rained down her own face. The girl’s disheveled appearance suggested she must have walked the hundred miles between Omaha and Walnut Hill. Agony born of guilt twisted Edythe’s heart. How many days had Missy been on the road, all alone, trying to reach her sister? Had she eaten during her days of travel? What if Mr. Jeffers hadn’t found her? A sob wracked Edythe’s body and she pressed her fist to her mouth. If her sister died, it would be all her fault.
Warm hands curled around her shoulders and tugged her aside. “Let’s get this girl out of those wet clothes. I got a nightgown here.” Luthenia held up a voluminous flannel gown. “It’ll swallow her, but it’s a heap better’n that soggy dress she’s wearin’. Figure the doc would want us to get her dry an’ warm.”
Edythe assisted her landlady in stripping Missy of her rain-soaked dress and underthings. Using a rough length of toweling, she rubbed her sister’s cold limbs before holding her upright so Luthenia could tug the gown over her head. As a baby, Missy had always fought Edythe’s hands when she changed her diaper or buttoned her into a tiny frock. To see her lying so still and unresponsive, unaware of their ministrations, brought a fresh rush of tears to Edythe’s eyes. It seemed all the life had drained from the girl.
“I’ll get these to soakin’ in the washtub.” Luthenia carted the wet clothes away.
Edythe tucked a quilt around Missy’s frame and then sat on the edge of the settee and smoothed her sister’s tangled hair away from her face. Rain continued to lash the house, driven by furious gusts of wind. Flashes of lightning lit the room, followed by rolls of thunder. Edythe shivered, imagining Missy slogging through the storm, determined to reach shelter.
Luthenia returned with a cup of something hot and steamy held between her palms. “Chamomile tea with honey. See if you can get her to swallow some of this. It’ll warm her innards.”
Edythe propped Missy against a pile of pillows and poured a scant spoonful of tea between her slack lips. The first spoonful dribbled down Missy’s chin, but mercifully her lips closed and her throat convulsed with the second spoonful. Heartened by the small success, Edythe tipped another spoonful into Missy’s mouth. At the third swallow, her eyelids fluttered and she grimaced.
Edythe jerked backward, protecting the cup of tea, as Missy’s hands flew outward. Her eyes opened and she looked around in confusion. Then her gaze settled on Edythe. “I found you.” Her voice sounded croaky and raw.
Edythe passed the cup to Luthenia and gathered Missy in her arms. “You found me.” She pressed her cheek to Missy’s damp, tangled locks. For long seconds, she rocked her the same way she had when Missy was a colicky baby, relief making her bones feel like rubber.
Missy planted her hands against Edythe’s shoulders and pushed. Although it was a weak gesture absent of any real force, Edythe instinctively released her sister. Missy collapsed against the pillows and glared at Edythe. “Why’d you leave me in Omaha?” Resentment laced Missy’s tone.
Edythe gulped. “I – ” Before she could finish, the sound of feet stomping onto the porch intruded.
“Must be the doc.” Luthenia threw open the door and waved the young doctor into the house. She pointed to the sofa. “Your patient’s right there – just now woke an’ started talkin’.”
Edythe scuttled aside and
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