A Soldier Finds His Way (12 page)

Mom and Dad gathered Audra into their embrace with tears of joy and relief while the twins stood nearby, waiting their turn to welcome her home. Mom motioned to them and they rushed in with an outpouring of affection.

Vanessa and Mike clutched Zoe between their bodies. They couldn’t seem to stop kissing her. Zoe clung to Mike, her face buried in his shoulder and neck. Vanessa stroked her hair and appeared to be whispering words of comfort and reassurance in her ear.

Finally, Audra came face to face with Vanessa and Mike. With a trembling voice, she began to offer a nervous explanation of what had happened. “The GPS, the road was icy, all of a sudden—”

Vanessa wrapped her arms tightly around Audra and kissed her cheek. “It’s all right, Audra. It’s over.”

* * * *

Hank jogged over to the crate and opened it.

Cricket tried to lift her head, but it flopped around like a rag doll. She rolled to her side with a grunt. It didn’t look like she’d be on her feet for a while.

He slid her out of the box and onto the ground, taking care to be gentle. Cold fur slid through his fingers as he stroked her flanks. “You’ll be all right, girl.”

A man joined him and dropped to one knee. He petted Cricket. “I’m Kyle, Audra’s brother.”

Hank shook his hand. “Hank Fleming.”

“Nice looking dog. What’s her name?”

“Cricket.”

A gust of wind whipped a dusting of snow their way. Kyle zipped his jacket to his chin. “It’s cold out here. Let’s get her into the house and warm her up.”

Hank nodded and scooped Cricket’s dead weight into his arms with ease, then followed Kyle toward the house.

* * * *

“I’m fine, Mom. I just need to sit and relax awhile.” Audra settled onto the living room couch and hoisted her feet onto the footstool her father pushed over.

Dust-free surfaces gleamed in the light shining through the window, and the scent of lemon polish hung in the air. A stark contrast to the cabin’s decor. An invisible weight sat on chest. She missed the smell of smoke, the sound of the crackling fire, and most of all, Edward.

“Can I get you something?” Mom asked. “Cookies, Zoe? Cup of coffee, Audra?”

Dad grabbed a throw pillow from his favorite chair. “How about this for your arm?”

“Mom, Dad, I’m okay. I don’t need anything right now, and I think all Zoe needs is to cuddle with Vanessa and Mike.”

“Of course.” Mom patted Audra’s knee. “We’re just so excited to have both of you home with us.”

“I know. We’re happy to be here too. Where’s Hank? He might want something to eat or drink.”

“I saw him with Kyle,” Mike said. “They were taking care of the dog.”

“If it wasn’t for Cricket, Zoe and I probably wouldn’t have survived the crash.” Audra began to recount the events of the last few days beginning with being misdirected by the GPS. She got to the accident part and Zoe butted in and took over.

“Aunt Audra’s car fell off the road and rolled over and over and banged into trees on the way down. Then we hit the ice and water, and I went under. But the car bounced back up a little, and I stuck my head up and breathed again. The water was so cold it hurt. I pushed the button as hard as I could, but I couldn’t get out of my booster seat. I was scared I was going to die.” Zoe cried and snuggled into her mother’s arms.

“You don’t have to say anything else, sweetie,” Vanessa said.

“No, Mom, I want to tell it.” She wiped her eyes and nose with her sleeve. “I want to tell how Edward saved us from the water.”

All eyes were on Zoe, and not a single one was dry.

“I heard a dog barking. Then I saw Edward.” Zoe went on to recount, in her childlike way, how Edward rescued her and went back for Audra.

Audra’s jaw quivered. She covered her face with her hands and wept.

Mom put an arm around her.

Zoe sniffled. “Edward put Aunt Audra on the ground near me and blew into her mouth and pressed her chest, like this.” She demonstrated on the coffee table. “Then, Aunt Audra came alive again. After that, Edward carried both of us all the way up the hill to the cabin. Then, when we got inside, he had to help Aunt Audra again because she was—” She threw herself into Vanessa’s chest and cried without restraint.

Kyle and Hank’s voices approached from the direction of the stairs.

Zoe sat up and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Her crying diminished to sniffles.

Audra’s heart warmed as Hank and Kyle entered the living room. She’d always be grateful for the part Hank played in her rescue.

Kyle introduced Hank to everyone.

Dad shook Hank’s hand vigorously and couldn’t seem to stop thanking him for his participation in the rescue. He gushed praises for Hank, Edward, and the team that brought the girls home.

“When Major Greco called us, we were elated,” Dad said. “I can’t even begin tell you how overwhelmed we were with relief to find out our girls were safe. Greco told us how Lieutenant Giordano, Edward, saved them from the river, and how you went to find Edward for him and ended up assisting with the rest of the rescue.”

Dad sat and invited Hank with a hand gesture to do likewise. “After that first call, the major continued to keep us updated. By late last night, he told us he was able to secure a helicopter and a couple of pilots. He also said the team’s medic came up from his home in Virginia to offer his assistance instead of meeting up with the team at Fort Bragg.

“Today, when I heard the helicopter in the distance, I got a lump in my throat the size of a baseball. When it landed and I saw Zoe and Audra get out. Let’s just say it was a moment that’ll live right here,” he tapped his chest, “for a long, long time.”

Audra smiled at Hank. “Just think. If you hadn’t insisted Edward take Cricket with him to the cabin, this story might not have such a happy ending. Let’s not forget we promised her a celebration with a big, juicy bone.”

Dad chimed in. “Oh, don’t worry, she’ll get her bone. I’ll see to that. Where is she?”

Kyle answered. “She’s in one of the guest rooms. Lying on the bed.”

Hysterical laughter broke out among the family.

Hank’s perplexed face let Audra know he didn’t get the humor in what Kyle had said.

Audra explained. “Dad never let us have a dog in the house, much less on the bed.”

Hank stood. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll just go—”

“Bah.” Dad waved him back down into his chair. “As far as I’m concerned, that dog can sleep in bed between Josie and me tonight, under the covers, and she can use my pillow if she’d like.”

Audra enjoyed the laughter that filled the room for some time, followed by a few minutes of silence as worry and stress gave way to peace and contentment.

Mom stood to her feet. “I think we’d better get Audra to the clinic to get her arm x-rayed and have the doctor give her a good looking-over. Let’s take Zoe, too. It wouldn’t hurt to have the doctor make sure she’s in tip-top shape as well.”

Mom and Zoe started for the door.

Audra followed, but turned before leaving the living room. “Hank, you’ll stay with us for a day or two, won’t you?”

“I’d like that. Thanks for asking.”

* * * *

They returned from the clinic and Audra retreated into the living room and dropped onto the couch.

Vanessa sank into the cushion beside her.

Zoe skipped into the house and immediately sucked a deep breath through her nose. “Grandpa is cooking something that smells delicious.” She scampered toward the kitchen with Josie on her heels.

Audra held up her new cast. “Six weeks of this. How will I ever manage?” She stuck a finger as deep into the cast as it could go. “Oh, Vanessa, it itches so badly. I think I’ll go nuts before this thing comes off.”

Vanessa scooted closer and leaned against Audra’s shoulder. “Tell me about this Edward. What was he like?”

“For one thing, he’s as handsome as a man could possibly be.” She closed her eyes for a moment and pictured his godlike body, muscles that rippled every time he moved, and eyes that melted her to the core. Handsome didn’t come close to describing him.

Vanessa poked Audra’s leg. “You’re awfully stingy with information. I want to know more than that. I want to know everything.”

“I’d say he’s about six feet tall, steel blue eyes, very dark hair, and nicely built.” An understatement for sure. “He’s sweet, he’s grouchy, he’s nice, and he’s nasty. He was mean to Zoe at first, but he apologized later. I haven’t completely figured him out.”

“More.” Vanessa encouraged with a nudge.

Audra scooched even closer and took her sister’s hand. “Vee,” she said, using Vanessa’s pet name. “I want to tell you about the day when Hank arrived at the cabin. Zoe may tell you about this later, but I want to make sure you know the facts from my point of view.”

“Go on.”

“The cabin was primitive, with no electricity or running water, just a hand pump at the kitchen sink. Zoe was sitting on the kitchen counter pumping water so we could take a bath. Edward and I were sitting across the room watching her. Suddenly, Cricket growled and we heard something outside.”

Vanessa stared, wide-eyed, as if she expected to hear something horrible.

“In a flash, Edward got up and took Zoe off the counter and shoved her toward me. The door flew open and Hank stood in the doorway. Of course, we didn’t know it was Hank just then. He was wearing a big parka and goggles. Edward placed himself in front of me and Zoe, and pointed a gun at Hank.”

“He had a gun? Oh, my.” Vanessa put her hand over her heart and gasped.

“Vee, Edward was willing to shoot anyone who tried to hurt us. That’s the point I’m trying to make. Don’t you see?” She squeezed Vanessa’s hand. “This shouldn’t upset you, it should make you thankful that we were under his care and protection. Once he knew that the stranger was actually Hank, he put the gun high up on a kitchen shelf, out of Zoe’s reach, and I never saw it again.”

Vanessa composed herself with a deep breath. “You’re right. If Hank had been a madman instead of a friend, Edward would have protected you and Zoe.” She nodded slowly.

“Audra,” Vanessa said. “I’m going to ask you something personal and I expect an honest answer. Did anything happen between you and Edward?”

“I can’t believe you would even ask that.” Audra scooched forward and started to get up.

Vanessa pulled her back.

Stern and unsmiling, Vanessa continued. “Did anything happen? I have to know.”

“If you mean something of a sexual nature, the answer is unequivocally, no.” She breathed a little harder and slipped into defensive mode. “Edward would never—”

“Take it easy. I was simply going to ask if you two developed feelings for each other. But, you don’t need to say anything. I see it in your face and hear it in your voice every time you speak his name that you’ve formed an attachment to him.”

“But how could I? No, I couldn’t have.”

“It’s okay, sis.” Vanessa patted her hand. “Let’s sit back and relax for a while. It’s been a long day.”

Audra snuggled close, rested her head on Vanessa’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Stress began to melt from her weary body. It wouldn’t take much of a nudge to make her fall asleep.

“Was it scary riding in the helicopter?”

Audra’s eyes popped open at the sound of Vanessa’s voice. A little laugh puffed through her nostrils. “Not nearly as scary as being hoisted up into the belly of the beast by a cable. That was terrifying.”

“What?” Vanessa pivoted and faced Audra. “Why didn’t they just land the thing and let you guys get on like normal people?”

“They couldn’t. Too many trees.”

“Poor Zoe. She must have been scared out of her mind.” Vanessa put a hand on Audra’s knee. “And you too, I’m sure.”

“Zoe was happy as a lark, chattering the whole way as we walked from the cabin to the spot where we were going to get picked up.” Audra laughed. “Your little trouper was still jabbering away while the helicopter hovered overhead and Hank tethered his and Zoe’s harnesses together on the cable. She shrieked when their feet left the ground. But, once inside the chopper, she was wide-eyed with excitement and seemed to enjoy everything about the flight.”

“And you?” Vanessa smiled.

Audra laughed. “Being pulled up into the helicopter was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”

* * * *

Later that night, Audra lay in her bed tossing and turning.

Hank’s voice carried over from the next room. Clearly, he was talking to Cricket.

She pulled on her robe and left her room. Hank’s door stood ajar and as she neared, Cricket ran to greet her. Audra went in and took a seat on the edge of the bed while Hank sat on the floor with his back up against the dresser, petting the dog.

Hank patted Cricket’s hip and nodded with approval. “She’s back to normal now.”

Audra mustered the courage to bring up the subject she came to talk about. There didn’t seem to be a way to segue into it, so she got straight to the point. “What can you tell me about Edward? One moment he could be charming, and the next, well, not so much. Whenever I asked him about anything that even hinted of a personal nature, he put up defensive shields. He seemed to have trouble relating to children, too. I don’t understand why.”

Hank rose, pulled the desk chair close to Audra, and sat. “My brother seems to like you a lot, so I’ll tell you a little bit about him. Before Edward came to live with us, he’d been bounced around the foster care system. At one point, he ended up with foster parents who…” He leaned back in the chair and rubbed his bearded chin, as if deciding how much to divulge. “It’s a sad fact that there are people out there who can hurt children in ways that leave scars no one will ever see. These people did things to him that can only be described as torture. I won’t elaborate. By the time he came to live with us he didn’t trust anyone.”

Audra blinked back the tears that threatened.

Hank went on. “Our foster parents—”

“Benjamin and Marlene?”

“That’s right. They tried everything to win Edward’s affection. I think in his own way he does love them. But, he wouldn’t, or maybe couldn’t bring himself to call them Mom and Dad, like I did.”

He smiled. “Mom has always shown affection with hugs and kisses. She’d wrap her arms around him and try to hug him, and he’d stand statue-still, board-straight with his arms to his side, looking away from her. The first time I saw him reject her like that, I wanted to bash his face in.”